Our Podcast

ROAR is a podcast produced by the Translation and Localization Management program of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Every first and third Thursday of the month, we bring together voices from all walks of the localization life to give their perspectives on the past, present, and future of the industry. But these stories reach far beyond our linguistic niche.

The localization industry might seem like a league of its own for those outside looking in, but by listening to ROAR, we hope you’ll come to realize just how closely localization relates to your daily lives. And for those who are already working in the industry, we hope ROAR will offer you new and unique insights from the world of localization. In short, ROAR is for just about everyone! Please stay tuned!

走近ROAR

ROAR由明德大学蒙特雷国际研究学院(Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey)的翻译与本地化管理专业(Translation and Localization Management program)学生制作,每两周更新一期。每一期,我们都会邀请本地化行业的各类专业人士,与他们探讨行业的过去、当下以及未来。

这些探讨并不会围绕晦涩的语言知识,对于不了解本地化专业的听众,我们希望能通过ROAR让大家明白,本地化其实与我们的生活息息相关。而对于各位本地化同僚而言,我们希望ROAR能够带来新观点、引发新思考。简而言之,ROAR正是为你量身定制!欢迎大家关注!

Nuestro Podcast

ROAR es un podcast producido por estudiantes del programa de Translation and Localization Management del Middlebury Institute of International Studies de Monterey. Cada dos semanas, juntamos algunas voces de la industria de localización para compartir sus perspectivas del pasado, presente y futuro de la industria. Pero las historias que cuentan van mucho más allá de nuestro nicho lingüístico.

La industria de la localización puede parecer un mundo aparte para aquellos que lo ven desde fuera, pero esperamos que al escuchar ROAR, lleguen a darse cuenta de lo mucho que la localización se relaciona con su vida diaria. Para aquellos que ya se encuentran dentro de la industria, esperamos que ROAR les pueda ofrecer perspectivas nuevas y únicas del mundo de la localización. En pocas palabras, ROAR es para todos. ¡Manténganse al tanto!

Deep Dive

Estas piezas tienen como objetivo zambullirse en las profundidades de la localización y abarcar todos los detalles. El título “Deep Dive”, o buceo profundo en español, se refiere a la exploración de lo complejo y lo profundo de un tema. Nuestros podcasts de formato más largo tienen como objetivo explayarse en temas específicos relevantes a la localización y la industria de los idiomas en general, proporcionando una plataforma para que los expertos discutan a lujo de detalle lo que saben mejor.
Aquí, las entrevistas se adaptan a la experiencia, los antecedentes y las ideas del experto, con el objetivo de brindar a nuestros interlocutores un conocimiento profundo y opiniones relevantes a los temas seleccionados.

Episodio 1

Manejando la máquina con Max Troyer

Cuando pensamos en la inteligencia artificial en la industria de servicios lingüísticos, la mayoría de las personas tienen inmediatamente la idea de traducción automática. Herramientas como Google Translate y Baidu Multilingual han popularizado la imagen de IA como una herramienta lingüística pero las posibilidades de la tecnología en la industria de localización son mucho más amplias que eso. No hay límite en el potencial de laIA para asistir en la gestión de proyectos, el control de calidad, el diseño gráfico computarizado y mucho más. Solo tenemos que ser un poco creativos. En este episodio, hablamos con Max Troyer, un profesor de Middlebury Institute of International Studies, sobre sus predicciones en cuanto a la  IA, además de la traducción y como él está preparando los estudiantes en su programa para ese futuro.

Música por cortesía de musicjunkies.com

  • La transcripción de este episodio se puede encontrar aquí .
  • Para escuchar este podcast en Apple Podcasts, haz clic aquí.
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Episodio 2

Arquitecto de soluciones con Jon Ritzdorf

En el episodio de hoy, tuvimos el gusto de hablar sobre la columna vertebral de cada industria, incluida la localización: el dinero. Nuestro invitado de hoy, Jon Ritzdorf, es un veterano de la industria y actualmente tiene el título de Arquitecto de Soluciones Principal en RWS Moravia. Contrario a la percepción típica sobre las finanzas y la contabilidad, en realidad hay tanta creatividad e ingenio involucrados en su trabajo, donde intenta comprender las necesidades individuales del cliente y del proyecto para encontrar formas de medir los esfuerzos necesarios para dar vida a las ideas. Nos habló sobre cómo el entendimiento del negocio de localización cambia en el lado del cliente, cómo comunicarse de manera eficiente cuando se habla de productos lingüísticos y dinero y por qué los elementos esenciales de cada negocio, incluida la localización, todavía se reducen al elemento humano.En el episodio de hoy, tuvimos el placer de hablar sobre la columna vertebral de cada industria, incluida la localización: el dinero. Nuestro invitado hoy, Jon Ritzdorf, es un veterano de la industria y actualmente tiene el título de Arquitecto de Soluciones Principal en RWS Moravia. Contrariamente a la percepción típica de las finanzas y la contabilidad, en realidad hay tanta creatividad e ingenio involucrado en su trabajo, donde intenta comprender las necesidades individuales del cliente y del proyecto para encontrar formas de medir los esfuerzos necesarios para dar vida a las ideas. Nos habló sobre cómo el entendimiento del negocio de localización cambia en el lado del cliente, cómo comunicarse de manera eficiente cuando se habla de productos lingüísticos y dinero, y por qué los elementos esenciales de cada negocio, incluida la localización, todavía se reducen al elemento humano.

Música por cortesía de musicjunkies.com

  • La transcripción de este episodio se puede encontrar aquí.
  • Para escuchar este podcast en Apple Podcasts, haz clic aquí.
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覃思之言

《覃思之言》专注深度发掘本地化行业的方方面面。本专题的播客将邀请专业人士,与他们细致讨论与本地化及语言行业相关的各个话题。我们的采访能够充分展现嘉宾的经历、背景与观点,让听众在各个话题上拥有更多启迪、更深感悟。

第一集

与人工智能共舞(本期嘉宾:Max Troyer)

一提到人工智能在语言行业的应用,许多人的第一反应便是机器翻译。随着谷歌翻译、百度翻译等平台陆续上线,人工智能在语言工具中扮演的角色也越来越深入人心。其实,本地化行业中机器辅助的作用远不止于此,人工智能潜力无限,还可以协助项目管理、质量管理、桌面排版等各项工作,需要我们大胆开发。本期播客中,我们邀请到了明德大学蒙特雷国际研究学院(Middlebury Institute of International Studies)的Max Troyer教授。Max分享了他对于人工智能在除翻译之外其他领域发展前景的看法,也谈及了他如何帮助翻译与本地化管理专业的学生为此做好准备。

背景音乐来自musicjunkies.com

  • 点击此处查看本期播客文字版内容。当前播客的文字版仅有英文版本,若给您带来不便,敬请谅解,感谢您的支持。
  • 点击此处在Apple播客收听本期内容。
  • 点击此处在Anchor平台收听本期内容。

第二集

解决方案架构的奥秘(本期嘉宾:Jon Ritzdorf)

本期播客中的关键词是“钱”,这是每个行业最关心的问题,本地化行业也不例外。这次,我们邀请到了来自RWS Moravia的高级解决方案架构师Jon Ritzdorf,他在本地化行业从业多年、资历深厚。在他的工作中,财务管理、会计等工作并不像人们通常想象的那样单调枯燥,而是包含了很多发挥创造力的空间。Jon会尽力了解每位客户、每个项目的独特需求,并评估满足这些需求所需的投入。他与我们分享了产品方公司对于本地化服务认知的改变,解释如何与客户有效沟通产品与成本,以及为何本地化等各行各业最终都仍然由人主导。

背景音乐来自musicjunkies.com

  • 点击此处查看本期播客文字版内容。当前播客的文字版仅有英文版本,若给您带来不便,敬请谅解,感谢您的支持。
  • 点击此处在Apple播客收听本期内容。
  • 点击此处在Anchor平台收听本期内容。

点睛之鉴

在这里,我们为关注本地化的人士提供精简行业讯息。您可以获知行业现状以及影响行业发展的重要话题与思考。

第一集

持续本地化的难题(本期嘉宾:Melvin Su)

在《点睛之鉴》第一期节目中,我们邀请到了来自欧特克公司(Autodesk)的Melvin Su。Melvin与本期主持人Ghio Anton(安杰佑,2020届翻译与本地化管理专业学生)共同探讨了持续本地化过程中会遇到的各种难题。持续本地化是本地化的一种方式,可以保证各项本地化流程自动推进,比如翻译、替换字符串等步骤。本期讨论到的话题包括技术难关、项目管理以及质量保证等。

点击此处查看本期播客文字版内容。当前播客的文字版仅有英文版本,若给您带来不便,敬请谅解,感谢您的支持。
点击此处在Apple播客收听本期内容。


第二集 — 将于2020年5月7日推出—

Speed Bumps

Perspectivas en miniatura para el localizador en movimiento. El título “Speed Bumps”, o topes en español, se refiere a los obstáculos que ralentizan los proyectos. En estas piezas, discutimos la situación actual de la industria, así como los diferentes temas e ideas que actualmente tienen un impacto en ella.

Episodio 1

Los desafíos de la localización continua con Melvin Su

En nuestro primer episodio de la serie Speed Bumps, Ghio Anton (Translation & Localization Management, clase de 2020) se sienta con Melvin Su de Autodesk para discutir varios desafíos de “LC” o localización continua. La localización continua es un método donde varios procesos de localización,tales como la traducción y el reemplazo de segmentos, se llevan a cabo automáticamente. Los topes discutidos en este episodio se relacionan con los desafíos de la tecnología, la gestión de programa y la calidad en contexto de la localización continua.

Puedes encontrar la transcripción de este episodio aquí.
Para escuchar este podcast en Apple Podcasts, haz clic aquí.


Episodio 2 — Disponible 7 de Mayo 2020—

Deep Dive

These pieces aim to take a plunge into the depths of localization and leave no stone unturned. Our larger format podcasts aim to expand on specific topics pertaining to localization and the language industry in general by providing a platform for experts to discuss in every detail what they know best.
Here, the interviews are tailored to the expert’s experience, background, and ideas, with the goal of giving our listeners a thorough understanding and relevant opinions of the selected topics.

Episode 1

Managing the Machine – with Max Troyer

When we think about Artificial Intelligence in the language services industry, most people will immediately jump to the idea of machine translation. Tools such as Google Translate and Baidu Multilingual have popularized the image of AI as a linguistic tool, but the possibilities of machine-assistance in the localization industry reach far more broadly than just that. There is endless potential for AI to help assist project management, quality assessment, desktop publishing, and so much more if we just think a little bit outside of the box. In this episode, we talked to Max Troyer, a professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, about his predictions for AI beyond translation and how he’s preparing the students in his program for that future.

Music courtesy of musicjunkies.com

  • The transcript for this episode can be found here.
  • To hear this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.
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Episode 2

Solutions Architect – with Jon Ritzdorf

In today’s episode, we had the pleasure of talking about the backbone of every industry, including localization – money. Our guest today, Jon Ritzdorf, is an industry veteran, currently holding the title of a Senior Solutions Architect at RWS Moravia. Contrary to the usual perception of finance, accounting, there is actually so much creativity and ingenuity involved in his work, where he tries to understand the client’s and project’s individual needs and find ways to measure the efforts needed to bring the ideas alive. He talked to us about how the understanding of the localization business changes on the client-side, how to communicate efficiently when talking language products and money, and why the essential elements of every business, including localization, still boils down to the human element.

Music courtesy of musicjunkies.com

  • The transcript for this episode can be found here.
  • To hear this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.
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Episode 3

The Voice behind the Voices

In this episode, we set out to explore the incredibly complex world of dubbing, a profession torn between the localization and entertainment industries. In here, you will be able to understand this profession much better by listening to two renowned voice actors, Moon Namsook from South Korea and Humberto Velez from Mexico, discuss the ins and outs of dubbing and the challenges and opportunities that fill this dynamic profession with buzz and excitement.

We touch upon the skills required to succeed in such a role as well as the critical role that passion and discipline play. As you can imagine, becoming a successful voice actor requires hard training, lots of patience, and a lot of love for the job and the characters you play.

Technology is another topic impacting the industry, so our two experts will guide you through the developments they have encountered and how they have had an impact in their jobs.

Music courtesy of musicjunkies.com

  • The transcript for this episode can be found here.
  • To hear this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.
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Image courtesy of Franck V.

Episode 4

When Game Loc is No Game

In 2019, the global gaming market skyrocketed to unseen heights at a staggering $152 billion worldwide revenue, with 2020 numbers predicted to reach even higher at $165 billion. As the global population of gamers ranging from casual to competitive continues to grow, the need for thoughtful localization practices in the industry has become more imperative now than ever.

In this month’s episode of ROAR, the team sits down with Ainara Echaniz, a Senior Localization Producer at CD Projekt Red to talk about her experience working on the Witcher series of games, and discuss just how important a globally-aware localization mindset can be to leveling up a game’s success abroad.

Music courtesy of musicjunkies.com

  • The transcript for this episode can be found here.
  • To hear this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.
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Episode 5

The Manga Translation Industry

For this episode of ROAR: Deep Dives, we talk to Ryan Holmberg, a comic historian and translator of alternative manga, best known for his work on the alternative manga magazine Garo. Ryan talks to us about how he found himself in this industry and how he’d like to see things change as interest in manga grows. If you’d like to see more from Ryan, be sure to follow him on Instagram at @mangaberg.

  • The transcript for this episode can be found here.
  • To hear this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.
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Speed Bumps

Bite-size insights for the localizer on the go. In these pieces, we discuss the current state of the industry, as well as the different topics and ideas that are currently impacting it.

Episode 1

The Challenges of Continuous Localization – with Melvin Su

In our first installment of the Speed Bumps series, Ghio Anton (Translation & Localization Management, Class of 2020) sits down with Melvin Su of Autodesk to discuss the various challenges of “CL,” or continuous localization. Continuous Localization is an approach where various localization processes, such as the translation and replacement of strings, occur automatically. The speedbumps discussed in this episode relate to the challenges of technology, program management, and quality in the context of continuous localization.

You can find the transcript for this episode here.
To listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.


Episode 2

Localization Evangelization – with Lian (Julian) Zhu

Mindset is critical when it comes to localization. Join Summer and Star (Translation and Localization Management students from MIIS) as they speak with Lian (Julian) Zhu from Internest Inc.. They discuss the importance of localization and why it is sad that it is seen as an afterthought. Clients often spend a long time designing products and then they come to you and ask for a complete localization in two business days. How can we share realistic expectations with clients?

You can find the transcript for this episode here.
To listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.

Episode 3

Localization, from China to International – with Felicia Huang

Ever wonder what skills you need to localize a website? Listen as Vicky Yu (Translation & Localization Management, Class of 2020) interviews Felicia Huang, a localizer from Nordic Naturals, a nutrient and supplement provider. They will discuss some of the challenges of website localization and address Felicia’s unlikely journey into the localization industry.

You can find the transcript for this episode here.
To listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.

Episode 4

Challenges in Getting Funding – with Chiyo Mori

Silvia Avary-Silveira, Head of Localization at Juniper Networks,  describes the challenges of getting funding with Siliva and Alex (Translation and Localization Management 2020 graduates from MIIS). They discuss strategies on how to petition funding from stakeholders and their potential speedbumps. Listen in to learn how to get the funding your team needs.

You can find the transcript for this episode here.
To listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.

Episode 5

Global Talents and Technology – with Marie Flacassier and Burckhardt Rueffer

Everyone’s journey into the localization industry is distinct. Join Kaixin as she discusses career paths with Marie Flacassier, the co-founder and COO of BeatBabel, and Burckhardt Reuffer, co-founder and CEO of BeatBabel, a translation and localization company based in San Diego, California. As veterans of the localization industry, Marie and Burckhardt share their perspective on some of the challenges the industry currently faces.

You can find the transcript for this episode here.
To listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.

Episode 6

Global Voices Where Speech Technology Meets Localization – with Alicia Dominick

In this podcast, Sherine Emara, Nadya Rodionova, Kimberly Zie interviewed MIIS alumna, Alicia Dominick, who is a Linguist and Project Manager at SoundHound. They discuss Alicia’s path from linguist to project manager and she gives tips on how to be a versatile, team player. Technological skills are crucial in the localization industry, and sometimes serve as a speedbump for professionals without a strong computer science background.

You can find the transcript for this episode here.
To listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.

Episode 7

Work-Life Balance – with Kayla Muñoz

How can you balance your social life and employment while functioning in the Localization industry? Listen in as Vanessa Prolow and Lina Yan Ning (both 2020 graduates from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies) discuss balance with Kayla Muñoz, a localization manager at Desmos, a math software developer.

You can find the transcript for this episode here.
To listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.

Episode 8

Issues at the End of the Chain – with Kayla Muñoz

Freelance translation and interpretation is no walk in the park. Not every project is straight-forward and not all project managers are created equal. Listen in as Salim Martell (May 2020 graduate of the Translation and Localization Management Program at MIIS) and Chiyo Mori (Japanese Interpretation professor at MIIS and freelancer) while they discuss the unique challenges freelancers face when completing projects for localization providers.

You can find the transcript for this episode here.
To listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.

Episode 9

Working as a Production Manager – with Thomas Huang

In this episode, we explore the responsibilities and challenges of a product manager with Thomas Hung who is a project management lead at West cost operation. Production Management is a multifaceted role that requires a person to develop multiple core competencies. If you are curious about the responsibilities of the production manager, and what does it take to manage multiple operations and challenging clients? How is it different from project management? Listen to Thomas as he talks about his career trajectory and how he handles daily challenges as a project management lead. 

You can find the transcript for this episode here.
To listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.

Episode 10

The Challenges of Managing Diverse Languages – with David Mohr

Have you ever wonder what it is like to manage different unique languages in which you have yet to develop full proficiency? David Mohr, an international quality engineer at Adobe, is responsible for supporting 26 languages and dealing with internationalization-related issues in adobe products. In this episode, David shared a myriad of linguistic and cultural challenges he has encountered in his work, how he built himself up by putting in the efforts to solve these issues, and how important it is to develop a deep understanding and have respect for cultures different from your own. 

You can find the transcript for this episode here.
To listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, click here.

Roar Founders

Anna Cho

Anna is an English-Korean translator and a localization specialist with a decade long experience in various domains of IT, agriculture, international trade, finance, economy, journalism, and tourism.
Looking back, her experience as a volunteer interpreter at an orphanage in Yanji, China served as a turning point in her life and helped her realize the fact that she could help people by utilizing her linguistic skills. Due to this experience and her love for learning languages and different cultures, she studied translation and interpretation and has traveled to more than 20 countries so far. Now the passion for the localization industry has brought her back to school and Anna is currently studying localization management at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS).
The organizations and companies she used to work for include the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the South Korean government, Bloomberg LP and the Korea Tourism Organization.

Rebecca Guttentag

Rebecca is an English-Japanese localization specialist with a dedicated passion for entertainment media and games localization. What began as a simple eagerness to learn about Japan as a child led her to pursue Japanese language and culture studies in college, which then in turn led to 4 years spent as an Assistant Language Teacher in Beppu City, Japan with the JET Program. There she worked as a liaison for the Beppu City Hall’s Department of Education, working in both translation & interpretation in order to organize cultural events and enrich her local community. With a heavy heart, she left her second home of Japan to return to America for her Masters Degree in Localization Management at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Her internship with the LSP Supertext USA, as well as opportunities within her classes, her Graduate Assistantship for the first-year Desktop Publishing, Audio/Visual, and Website Localization courses, and her practicum project for Globe Multilingual have all given her ample opportunity to take that appreciation for localization and turn it into future career opportunities in the industry.

Charlotte Zhu

Charlotte Zhu was born and raised in Shanghai, China, a city that planted the first seed of interests in cultural diversity and internationalization in her heart. She did her Bachelor’s in Psychology and Japanese at UC Berkeley, and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Translation and Localization Management at MIIS. Charlotte appreciates the excitement which the fast-changing localization industry brings for it challenges her to constantly learn new things. She is used to work in a fast-paced, self-initiated environment and believes that well localized content is integral to creating a pleasant user experience for the international audience. When not working, she likes to try out new recipes, jam with human friends and hike with furry friends.

Mateusz Sasinowski

Mateusz is a polyglot (six and counting!) born in Poland who spent a decade in China and decided to become a Chinese person – and failed. He likes sitting in cafés and guessing what foreign language people are speaking around him. He cherishes his bonds with China (where he fell in love), Japan (where he hitchhiked extensively and stayed in zen temples), Thailand (where he practiced muay thai), and is always hungry for more.
He has decided to turn his passion into a more serious career, and what better place to do so than the multicultural world of the localization industry. He likes to ask “why”, and play with code until it breaks – all in pursuit of better solutions. His sense of humor is somewhat offbeat, but still socially acceptable. He likes the sense of immense satisfaction felt when he makes people from different cultures communicate and do things together. He thinks that makes the world a better place.

Carmen Romano

Carmen is a localization specialist and diver from Mexico with a love for art, nature, and, of course, languages.
Her home country is full of different and exciting cultures, which made her develop a deep curiosity for the languages and people around her and all that diversity that makes the world more exciting. This passion eventually found her a place within Localization, where she has met amazing people from all over the world and found a newly-developed interest for technology and the complexity of speaking in a local voice!

Megan M. Murphy

Meg is an English<>Spanish localization professional with extensive experience in Vendor Management. Born in Utah, but raised in Minnesota, she is a small-town girl at heart, but the city does not phase her. She is a management powerhouse. She graduated from BYU-Provo with a BA in Spanish Translation, and two minors in Localization and Global Business in April 2019. Her love of music and leadership skills lead her to become president of the BYU A Cappella Club where she managed events, performances, music publications, and meetings for more than 100 club members. She will complete her MA in Translation and Localization Management in May 2020. Watch out world!

Josue Padilla

Josue is currently pursuing an M.A. in Translation & Localization Management from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Prior to pursuing an M.A., he received a B.A. in Chinese Language & Culture from U.C. Berkeley in 2017. Josue was a 2017 recipient of the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship. He spent this past summer interning for the globalization team at NetApp, where he grew personally and professionally. Though he grew up in Southern California, he’s lived all over the state. His hobbies include taking photos, watching movies/Netflix, and studying up on languages. A fun fact Josue? He has been playing the alto sax for about 6 years! Though it’s been a while since he’s last played, he still enjoys listening to the jazz tunes that inspired him to play in the first place.