Linguistic testing is an essential step in your brand’s globalization efforts and works in ensuring your project speaks to the intended audience in your brand’s unique voice. It tests context, grammar, language standards, rules and regulations to make sure software is culturally appropriate. By making use of linguistic testing, it allows a linguist to review translation and localization in the context of the local browser.
These days it is simply not enough to test just the software in your app. When offering a globally available app, you must be aware of the cultural context of the markets you are selling in. Oftentimes, despite a shared language, the cultural situation in countries can differ greatly. For this reason, it is important to employ a linguistic tester who can help guarantee that the language used in your app is culturally appropriate for the market your app is available in.
How does this compare to software testing?
Software testing is a process to check whether the actual results match the projected results and checks that the software is fault free. It helps identify errors, gaps or missing requirements in contrary to the actual requirements and can be done manually or using other software programs. Where software testing checks the technical aspects of an app, linguistic testing checks the language and cultural aspects. Both are imperative to the success of an app!
What is involved?
Linguistic testing takes into account, not only the language used on an app, but also the colour profiles, font sizes, graphics and icons, regional names, and symbols used. Though it may appear straightforward, these aspects have a lot of cultural interpretation that would be known only to a native, rather than someone who knows the language.
What are the benefits?
By doing linguistic testing on your app, you can be sure that your translation efforts have gone according to plan. This includes spelling, grammar, punctuation, style and consistency – all of which will enhance the appearance and performance of your app. Perhaps the most important benefit of linguistic testing is the knowledge that your content is being read in the correct context, in every market you appear in!
By considering the language, religion, cuisines, holidays, dialect and social habits in your linguistic testing, alongside your standard software testing, it means that the entire cultural angle is taken care of. This is why it’s increasingly important to have not just software and localization testers, but also linguistic testers to evaluate the application before it goes live.