Indeterminacy of terms and icons in software localization

Klaus-Dirk Schmitz | University of Applied Sciences Cologne, Germany

This paper examines the relationship between terminology management practices in the software development and localization process and the empowerment of end-users. It shows that because a positive evaluation of the software use experience is often premised on clear and consistent terminology, indeterminacy phenomena such as non-transparent, “inappropriate” and inconsistent terms and icons lead to various forms of flawed communication (no meaning, wrong meaning, multiple meanings, unintended meaning, unintended association, etc.).

Keywords: icons, software localization, terminology management, user empowerment

Published online: 09 May 2007
https://doi.org/10.1075/tlrp.8.07sch

Cited by

Cited by 6 other publications

Isohella, Suvi & Niina Nissila

2015. In 2015 IEEE International Professional Communication Conference (IPCC), ► pp. 1 ff.

Kalwar, Santosh Kumar, Kari Heikkinen & Jari Porras

2013. In Human-Computer Interaction. Applications and Services [Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 8005], ► pp. 239 ff.

Karsch, Barbara Inge

2009. Profile of a Terminologist in Localization Environments. The Journal of Internationalization and Localization 1 ► pp. 122 ff.

Schmitz, Klaus-Dirk

2011. Managing terms in terminology management. Magyar Terminológia 4:2 ► pp. 238 ff.

Schmitz, Klaus-Dirk

2015. In Handbook of Terminology [Handbook of Terminology, 1], ► pp. 451 ff.

Warburton, Kara

2015. In Handbook of Terminology [Handbook of Terminology, 1], ► pp. 360 ff.

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