Introduction to the Language Industry
The Engine of Global Business
Today, businesses work around the clock to connect customers, clients, and communities, not just in commerce but in the exchange of information. Millions of emails and images, hundreds of new websites, and thousands of hours of video traverse the cloud daily—and much of that content exists in languages other than English.
Approximately 7,000 languages are spoken in 260 countries across the globe. Organizations ranging from microbusinesses to multinational corporations and local councils to national governments rely on professionals in the language industry to globalize, internationalize, localize, translate, and interpret content of all types for their audiences.
The services that language industry professionals provide extend far beyond word-for-word translation. Colors, images, and symbols must be culturally appropriate. Software and websites must function and display correctly. Equipment and tools must be operated safely by consumers on the other side of the world. The specialists that enable the multilingual and cross-cultural communication needed to persuade, educate, inform, and inspire audiences everywhere comprise the language industry.