Public health has become more important than ever. With the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in December 2019, international development organizations have scrambled to formulate policies and procedures to slow the spread of disease. However, policies designed to combat a global pandemic cannot succeed without clear communication through the power of public health localization. Here are three ways public health localization services can help international development agencies accomplish their mission.
Public Health Localization Helps Spread Your Message
Put simply, localization services help businesses adapt content in order to make it suitable for global audiences. Translation alone is not sufficient to help companies and organizations penetrate foreign markets. Oftentimes, content created in one language does not translate well into another language due to cultural and linguistic differences. In fact, certain language can be considered offensive in foreign countries. Therefore, it is vital for organizations consult language localization specialists in addition to global translation services.
This is especially imperative for the public health sector. International development organizations often deal with life and death matters that affect entire populations. As a result, effective communication is paramount. Failure to localize important documents such as educational brochures and public health guidelines could have disastrous consequences and undermine public confidence in the international development community.
Public Health Localization Shows Cultural Sensitivity
Localization doesn’t just ensure that an organization’s message is effectively conveyed. It also demonstrates cultural sensitivity to an audience. Cultural norms are important to many societies. For instance, in Spanish, using the formal usted form serves as a sign of respect when speaking to an older person or respected figure. Similarly, the Japanese language features a variety of greetings used to connote different levels of formality and respect. When creating and distributing public health documents, ensuring that the text shows respect for these sorts of cultural norms is vital. Failure to abide by these fundamental cultural rules can damage an organization’s brand and distract from their mission.
Public Health Localization Aids Outreach to Speakers of Regional Dialects
Finally, international development translation and localization can help organizations reach out to those who belong to linguistic sub-groups. Languages are not uniform across different regions. For example, Mexican Spanish is much different from Castilian Spanish. Similarly, the Chinese language can broken up into 8 different regional dialects. Tailoring materials to speakers of different dialects is extremely important. Certain dialects may feature words or grammatical nuances that aren’t contained in another dialect. As a result, it’s essential to adapt materials into different dialects or seek out localization professionals to help create materials that work well across dialects. After all, without it, an organization may not be able to fully realize its potential to help those in need.
About Language Connections:
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