In today's interconnected global market, video content possesses immense potential to reach billions of viewers worldwide. However, unfamiliar industry terminology, such as "SRT" or "L10n," often constitutes the first barrier to international expansion.
Business managers and content creators must recognize that video localization is far more than simple textual translation, it represents a systematic engineering process involving specialized workflows and specific terms. A lack of familiarity with this framework can lead to project delays, budget overruns, and even cultural miscommunication. This article serves as an ultimate primer, systematically explaining fifteen of the most critical terms, designed to rapidly transform beginners into informed communicators.
Part 1: Foundational Concepts
L10n - Localization
The term "L10n" is an abbreviation for "Localization". Its core definition is the comprehensive process of adapting a video product to a target market across linguistic, cultural, visual, and technical dimensions. This means that localization work transcends simple text conversion, requiring thorough consideration of deeper cultural factors such as currency and date formats, color symbolism, local cultural taboos, and humor.
I18n - Internationalization
The term "I18n" is an abbreviation for "Internationalization". It refers to the process of technically preparing a product or software during its design and development phases for future adaptation to various languages and regions. In video production, internationalization might involve reserving sufficient on-screen space for text expansion during editing (e.g., German text is typically longer than English) or employing Unicode fonts that support global character sets. Localization and internationalization are closely related. Internationalization involves building a product framework that can be easily localized, while localization constitutes the detailed "decoration" or customization for specific markets.
T9n - Translation
The term "T9n" stands for "Translation". It specifically denotes the fundamental process of converting textual content from one language into another. It is crucial to clarify that translation is a vital component of localization but does not encompass its entirety. The relationship between these three concepts can be summarized by a concise formula: Translation (T9n, handling text conversion) plus cultural adaptation and technical adjustments ultimately constitutes complete Localization (L10n). Internationalization (I18n) is the forward-thinking design that ensures this formula can be executed efficiently and cost-effectively.
Part 2: Subtitles and On-Screen Text
SRT - Subtitle File
An SRT file is one of the most common and structurally straightforward subtitle formats. It comprises three basic elements: a sequence number, precise timecodes (indicating start and end times), and the corresponding subtitle text. Due to its simplicity and wide compatibility, nearly all video platforms and players offer robust support for SRT files, establishing it as the standard for subtitle interchange field.
VTT - Web Video Text Tracks
VTT files, fully titled Web Video Text Tracks, represent a functionally more powerful subtitle format than SRT. Designed specifically for modern web video (e.g., HTML5 players), the VTT format not only supports basic subtitles but also permits the addition of rich text styles like bold, italics, and colors, and even allows precise control over the positioning of subtitles within the video frame.
Closed Captions (CC)
Closed Captions (CC) are primarily designed to provide access services for the hearing- impaired groups. Consequently, besides containing dialogue, they meticulously include descriptions of crucial sound effects, such as "[Phone ringing]" or "[Distant thunder]". A key characteristic is that closed captions allow viewers to turn their display on or off based on their needs.
Hardsubs / Open Captions
Hardsubs, also known as Open Captions, refer to subtitles that are permanently embedded the video frames. These captions are merged with the video image itself, making it impossible for viewers to turn off them via player settings. Hardsubs are frequently used on social media short video platforms. Their advantage lies in ensuring a consistent visual message for all viewers, but their drawbacks include non-editable content and inconvenience when creating multiple language versions.
On-Screen Text (OST)
On-Screen Text (OST) specifically denotes inherent graphical text elements within the video frame, such as chapter titles, information labels, explanatory text within graphics, or street signs appearing in a scene. The localization of on-screen text presents a significant challenge in projects, as this content is typically not included in SRT or VTT subtitle files. It must be replaced through additional graphic processing and technical means, a task that, while laborious, is crucial for ensuring localization quality.
Part 3: Audio and Dubbing
Voice-Over
Voice-over is a dubbing method that preserves the original background audio while overlaying the original speech with narration in the target language. This form is commonly found in expert interviews within documentaries, instructional videos, or product usage guides. Listeners hear the translated narration while typically still faintly perceiving the original speech as background sound.
Dubbing
Dubbing is a more complex process of audio replacement, requiring the use of target-language voice actors' performances to entirely supplant the original audio track, including dialogue, tonal variations, and emotional expression. The ultimate goal of high-quality dubbing is to achieve perfect synchronization between the translated lines and the actor's lip movements, facial expressions, and performance emotions. Therefore, it demands the highest level of artistry and technical precision, correspondingly making it the most costly method.
Lip-Sync
Lip-sync is the core technique within the dubbing process, specifically referring to the adjustment of translated dialogue to precisely match the timing and lip shapes of the on-screen actor's movements. Lip-sync is the critical factor determining whether a dubbed production feels natural and allows viewer immersion. To achieve excellent synchronization, translators often need to adapt the free translation to match the lip movements rather than adhering to a rigid literal translation.
Part 4: Process and Standards
UN Style
UN Style is a set of subtitle writing guidelines widely adopted internationally, with core principles centered on ensuring clarity, conciseness, and optimal readability. Key rules of this style include limiting the character count per subtitle screen (typically not exceeding approximately 42 characters, often displayed over two lines) and ensuring the on-screen duration of each subtitle is sufficient for the common viewer to read comfortably.
Spotting--timeline calibration
Spotting is a meticulous step in the subtitle creation process, referring to the precise determination of the exact start and end times for each subtitle within the video. Spotting specialists carefully listen to the dialogue's pace and pauses, ensuring the appearance and disappearance of subtitles perfectly align with the natural rhythm of speech, thereby avoiding viewer distraction caused by subtitles appearing too early or too late.
Transcription
Transcription forms the foundation of the entire video localization workflow. It is the first step of converting all spoken content in the video into written text. An accurate transcript is the absolute prerequisite upon which all subsequent tasks—including translation, spotting, and dubbing—can proceed smoothly.
Timed Text
Timed Text is an umbrella term encompassing all text content associated with precise timecodes. Common file formats like SRT, VTT, and Closed Captions (CC) all fall under the category of timed text. This term emphasizes the fundamental nature of modern video subtitles: they are not merely static text but dynamic "text events" intrinsically linked to the video's timeline.
Conclusion
Mastering these fifteen core terms equips you with the key to effective communication with professional localization teams and the precise planning of global video projects. From foundational concepts like Translation (T9n), Localization (L10n), and Internationalization (I18n), to technical aspects of subtitle files (SRT/VTT), and further to specialized techniques like Lip-Sync and Dubbing, each element profoundly influences the ultimate outcome of your global communication strategy.
We recommend keeping this article as a handy reference for your future video localization initiatives. If your team is preparing to introduce compelling video content to the vast global market, our expert team possesses deep proficiency in all these processes and standards. We sincerely invite you to contact our specialists for a complimentary preliminary consultation and a tailored solution.
