LIS Activity Report 2014

Chairman: Joachim Schuriq
Lionbridge

Established to recreate and maintain the localisation standards of the former Localisation Industry Standards Association (LISA) and to offer a platform for future localisation standards

Localisation, in this context, means taking a product and making it linguistically and culturally appropriate to the target locale (whether this means a country/region or a specific language) where it will be used and sold. This is not as simple as providing ‘different language versions’. Although people of different regions may officially speak the same language, there may be linguistic and non-linguistic differences between them that require specific treatment. 

LISA was a trade body for hardware and software publishers and companies involved in the translation of computer software (and associated materials) into multiple natural languages. It closed in 2011 but, while active, counted among its members most of the large information technology companies. Among its activities, it proposed methodologies and standards that would enable its members and associates to achieve the highest possible quality and the greatest efficiency in their work.

ETSI’s Industry Specification Group on Localisation Industry Standards is developing ETSI Group Specifications (GSs) based on standards developed by LISA, including those of the Open Standards for Container/content Allowing Reuse Special Interest Group (LISA OSCAR SIG). This includes GSs on XML Text Memory (xml:tm), Segmentation Rules eXchange (SRX) and Term-Base eXchange (TBX).
 
In addition, the group plans to develop a GS on the match percentage calculation method. Match percentage calculation, together with the count of words in a segment, is often the basis for calculating the effort in human translation. Until now there has been no agreed standard or algorithm to calculate the match percentage value to express similarity between two sentences. This specification will define such an algorithm, or possibly multiple algorithms, which could be used in parallel, with the idea of having at least one very basic method which would always be executed.

ISG LIS also serves as a forum where the localisation industry can identify future standards and collaborate to ensure the interoperability of their products and services.