What Do You Know About RTL Localization?

What Do You Know About RTL Localization?
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In the process of business globalization, we often find that localization solutions for different markets and languages are very different from each other, with RTL languages serving as the most prominent example.
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In the process of business globalization, we often find that localization solutions for different markets and languages are very different from each other, with RTL languages serving as the most prominent example. Though localization difficulty and cost for RTL languages are often higher than that of most common languages, RTL localization can help open up vast markets with hundreds of millions of people. As such RTL localization is a professional challenge that most global enterprises will need to face.

What is RTL?

The term “RTL” is an acronym for “right to left”. While most languages worldwide are written and read left to right (LTR), RTL languages are written right to left. The most spoken RTL languages are:

In addition to being written from the right, RTL languages are also read from the right. This means if English was an RTL language, “Hello” would be written as “olleH”. Right-to-left reading means that icons, diagrams, and interface layouts need to be presented logically from right to left. As such, RTL languages represent a change not just at the textual level, but in terms of reading logic as well.

Challenges to RTL Language Localization

Due to the special nature of RTL languages, translation of the text is only the first step. The proper RTL language localization of any product or service must consider design at the interface level.

  • Text Alignment: Proper text alignment can help readers with different reading habits identify and read the content more quickly. Therefore, if the localized program does not automatically align RTL language content to the right, this adjustment needs to be made manually. Independent segments of LTR text can often be found in RTL environments, meaning that such LTR content must be left-aligned.
Challenges to RTL Language Localization RTL Text Alignment - What Do You Know About RTL Localization?
The LTR paragraph is left-aligned, while the RTL paragraph is right-aligned

If LTR content is contained within RTL text, then all content needs to be right-aligned. For example, if a list written in an RTL language contains LTR text, then this text must be right-aligned along with the other RTL texts.

Challenges to RTL Language Localization RTL Text Right Alignment - What Do You Know About RTL Localization?
LTR text inside an RTL list must also be right-aligned
  • Bidirectionality: In RTL languages, foreign (LTR language) words, numbers, phone numbers, and other content still retain an LTR word order. In other words, in a complete RTL text, both right-to-left and left-to-right word orders may be present at the same time. This means the bidirectionality of RTL languages requires editing and display environments with support for bidirectional word orders, along with the correct use of control characters (left-to-right mark) in the RTL text to ensure accurate displays in the final product. The standard Unicode format supports the bidirectional word order of RTL languages, a key component of the RTL language localization process.
  • Interface Mirroring: Given the right-to-left reading order of RTL languages, icons and controls related to direction need to be mirrored to reflect RTL logic. For example, in RTL environments, the back button arrow is right (>), while the forward button is left (<).
Challenges to RTL Language Localization Interface Mirroring Left - What Do You Know About RTL Localization?
LTR icons
Challenges to RTL Language Localization Interface Mirroring Right - What Do You Know About RTL Localization?
RTL icons

Horizontals controls in LTR environments develop from left to right, while horizontal controls in RTL environments develop from right to left.

Challenges to RTL Language Localization Interface Mirroring Right to Left - What Do You Know About RTL Localization?
LTR controls vs RTL controls

Of course, not all icon graphics in LTR environments need to be mirrored in RTL environments. If these icons are paintings, charts, photos, logos, player controls, progress bars, or other general representations that reflect the shape of real things, no mirroring is necessary for the RTL environment.

Challenges to RTL Language Localization A globe icon is a general representation - What Do You Know About RTL Localization?
A globe icon is a general representation

The biggest challenge in RTL language localization is to realize an interface design that presents RTL content to the user in a way that suits local reading and usage habits for an interactive experience equivalent to those in LTR environments.

Challenges to RTL Language Localization Mobile Phone - What Do You Know About RTL Localization?

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Conclusion

These design references are just a glimpse of the considerations required for professional RTL language localization. To achieve truly high-quality RTL language localization, it is key to ensure the quality of the initial translation. If your company is in the process of expanding into an RTL language market, only by cooperating with a professional language service provider can you ensure that your RTL content is professional, consistent, and in line with the expectations of different target user groups.


Get in touch

Maxsun International (HK) Ltd. translates and interprets English and over 100 other languages. You can be assured that experienced and certified professionals provide our language services. The interpreters and translators in our teams are all native speakers. As well as subject matter experts, they can also handle unique translation and interpreting assignments. You can contact us immediately for your urgent language service needs by calling +86-0755-82970459. You can also email us at Contact us. We are open 24/7, every day of the week.
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