Introduction

The need for translation has become paramount as more organizations can connect directly and instantly to individuals around the globe. The implications for technical communicators—the professionals often charged with coordinating an organization’s translation activities—are immense. For organizations wishing to compete in the new global economy, translation and localization are no longer ancillary practices reserved only for certain occasions. Translation and localization have become increasingly important at the local level. Shifting geopolitical trends mean that individuals are moving internationally on an unprecedented scale. Technical communicators have become central to meeting the communication needs of cultural and linguistic groups. Technical communication is often likened to translation. In both fields, trained individuals are responsible for conveying meaning from one group to another. As prior technical communication research notes, the process of translation involves more than converting individual words from one language to another. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.