How is content localization and translation managed in DITA for food service technical documentation?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Managing content localization and translation in DITA for food service technical documentation is essential for reaching a global audience while ensuring accuracy and consistency. DITA provides robust features for handling localization and translation effectively:

Translatable Content

In DITA, content is modularized into topics and reusable components, making it easier to manage translation. Each topic can be treated as a standalone unit, which simplifies the translation process. Translators can work on individual topics, ensuring that the translation is consistent and contextually accurate. For food service technical documentation, this means that recipes, cooking instructions, and equipment specifications can be efficiently translated while maintaining consistency.

Key Terminology Management

DITA allows for the management of key terminology, which is crucial in culinary documentation. Translators can access a centralized terminology database to ensure that culinary terms are translated consistently across all documents. This database can include translations for specific cuisines or regional variations, ensuring that menu descriptions and culinary techniques are accurately conveyed in the target language.

Conditional Text and Variables

Conditional text and variables in DITA enable content authors to create conditional branches for different languages or regions. This means that a single source document can include variations for different locales or language preferences. For instance, a menu description can be adapted to use the appropriate language and measurements for a specific region, ensuring that the content is culturally relevant and easily understood by the target audience.

Example:

Here’s an example illustrating how DITA manages content localization and translation:


<topic id="menu_description">
  <title>Menu Description</title>
  <body>
    <p>If you want to enjoy a delicious <translate key="dish_name">dish</translate> with a touch of <translate key="flavor">flavor</translate>, our restaurant is the perfect choice.</p>
  </body>

In this DITA topic, the content includes translatable elements marked with the <translate> element. The “dish_name” and “flavor” keys can be looked up in the translation database, allowing translators to provide accurate translations for these culinary terms while maintaining the overall structure of the menu description.