Localization Today

We sit down with three Unicode Consortium contributors—Stephen Loomis (Chair, Digitally Disadvantaged Languages Working Group), Elango Cheran (Vice-Chair, Community Engagement, Google internationalization engineer), and Bridget Chase (language technologist for Indigenous communities). They discuss the nonprofit, open-source structure that unifies text encoding across devices and platforms, delve into the technical foundations of ICU, CLDR, and ICU4X and how developers integrate these libraries for formatting, localization, and bidirectional text, and examine the Digitally Disadvantaged Languages Working Group’s efforts to onboard under-represented scripts. The conversation also covers the Adopt a Character funding program, the volunteer-driven community engagement model, the new Unicode Technology Workshop as a forum for hands-on collaboration, and their shared vision for achieving seamless, universal language support in digital communication.

Dr. Maryann Hasso—Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and author of three books—shares her daily practices and research-backed strategies for supporting multilingual learners in K–12 classrooms. She discusses how multimodal instruction (video, visuals, peer collaboration) can break down language barriers without lowering academic standards, and why ongoing self-reflection is key for teachers. Dr. Hasso also explores the role of school boards, policy changes, and teacher preparation programs in creating truly inclusive learning environments. Finally, she previews her fourth book (due December 2025) and offers actionable advice for educators, parents, and policymakers committed to fostering equity and excellence for every multilingual student.

By Marina Ilari [https://multilingual.com/author/Marina-Ilari/] Successful localization of cover art requires understanding cultural differences to attract local players. In this article, the author analyzes different regions’ cover art for two games, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Carmageddon.

LSP GROWTH THROUGH MORE STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT By Rodrigo Fuentes Corradi [https://multilingual.com/author/rodrigo-corradi/] The author discusses the importance of strategic account management for language service providers (LSPs) in the face of AI advancements, arguing that account management is often overlooked and underutilized, despite being crucial for organic growth and customer loyalty.

By Marina Ilari [https://multilingual.com/author/Marina-Ilari/] and Sham AlBdour [https://multilingual.com/author/sham-albdour/] Adapting game elements like character design, storylines, and themes to fit cultural norms can significantly increase engagement. The authors detail the Tiny Minies app’s local culturalization strategies for the Middle East and North Africa region, a fast-growing gaming market with a substantial Arabic-speaking population.