Localisation strategies

Localisation goes far beyond simple translation. It involves adapting a text so that it resonates naturally in the target culture while preserving the original intent.

In German, two opposing approaches exist: einbürgern (domestication) and verfremden (foreignisation). The former makes the text fluent and familiar for the German-speaking reader, while the latter retains traces of the source culture.

For example, translating "It's raining cats and dogs" as "Es regnet in Strömen" is idiomatic domestication. Keeping a foreign cultural reference intact would be Verfremdung.

The choice of Register is crucial: marketing copy demands a different tone from a literary novel. The goal is always to find the right Äquivalent — not a word-for-word copy, but a werkgetreu recreation that honours the spirit of the original text.