From Global to Local: Localisation Style Guide

Every software product follows a set of rules. Some of these rules govern the functionality of the software (e.g., whether it does what the user wants it to do), other communicate with the user to enable the needed functionality. The ways in which software communicates with us is interesting because it does so in a partly standardized way. This creates a unique style – the software style. During localization (translation of a software product), this style changes due to different languages, cultures, style rules, etc., and localizers need to adhere to the style rules of the target language or locale. That is why style guides are employed. While major software companies created their own style guides, smaller ones do not have any and a general software localization style guide would help localizers work faster and more efficient. The presentation will show how the English and Slovak software styles differ, and how a general style guide for software localization into Slovak was created.

What can we Gain from Measuring the Sound Spectrum of Speech? 

Spectral analysis can offer valuable insights into the acoustic properties of speech. By measuring the sound spectrum, we can uncover essential characteristics—from distinguishing vowel identity to timbre and voice projection. This talk will provide an overview of voice production and explore the fundamentals of voice spectrum analysis, offering both general insights into how speech is shaped by different spectral properties and practical methods for measuring various spectral characteristics. 

The Talking Dread: Convoluted Dialogue in Video Games

The interplay between video games and interactive dialogue choices yields fairly interesting results. By combining qualitative analysis with a theoretical application of Grice's co-operative principle and conversational implicature, the outcome indicates that certain games (e.g. The Walking Dead, Mass Effect, Disco Elysium, The Stanley Parable, etc.) are quite bountiful with misleading or convoluted dialogue options. This workshop will discuss the consequences of misreading those options, or choosing the wrong ones, especially regarding their effects on the affection metres of in-game characters (NPCs) and story direction. Player reaction to these convoluted choices, as well as their current condition (e.g. lack of knowledge about indicated reference, thinking literally) will also be discussed.