By Sarah-Claire Jordan
Maybe you’ve come across this acronym before, and thought to yourself, what in the world is this? Probably another one of those marketing or tech terms. That’s not entirely false, actually, as DTP stands for desktop publishing, an expertise that has become essential in this time of business globalization and the subsequent localization. Desktop publishing is the creation of documents that require extensive design, layout, and typography skills, such as a menu for a restaurant or even a web page.
DTP has become inextricably tied to translation, as more and more companies are realizing that they can’t just have the text of their website translated and expect it to be a big success in the countries where the target language is used. Different cultures have different ideas about what a good website layout looks like, and languages with different writing systems have different layouts as well.
DTP Experts Go Beyond Word Processing
Nowadays, most word processors offer some DTP tools, but definitely not enough to create a truly professional-looking final product. Someone who is an expert in DTP could probably use a software program that wasn’t necessarily the best and still create a good final product, but part of their job is to know how to use the best software out there to give you the best final product possible. This also means they know when to use which program, because one program may be better for restaurant menus because it has more layout tools, while another may be better for working with different writing systems like Japanese and Arabic. Part of what makes them experts is that they know when, and how, to use each tool in their arsenal.
DTP and Localization
When it comes to using DTP for a localization project, you really need to make sure the person or team who you choose to work with knows what it takes to localize. DTP isn’t exclusively used for localization, but when it is used for it, it can make or break a project. DTP experts who work on projects that need to be localized have to have a good knowledge of the target language and culture as well. A layout and font that works great in the U.S. might seem garish and out of place in India, for example. The DTP expert has to know which language(s) to use, since in India there are over 120 languages spoken, and what kind of colors, graphics, and layout would work best.
Luckily, at Alpha Omega Translations, you’ll find more than just translators and interpreters. The company is also made up of writers, editors, proofreaders, and of course, DTP experts. Not only are they experts, however, but they only work on projects in their native language. This means that a DTP expert who speaks Argentinian Spanish as their native language will work exclusively on projects meant for Argentina. Before the final product is sent to the client, everything is checked and double-checked by the original translator as well as the project manager to make sure everything is up to standard. This way, you get the best localized product for your target audience.
For an overview of our multilingual Desktop Publishing services, visit our Desktop Publishing and Design page