# overview: Key Terms
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-GB/docs/overview/key-terms.mdx
---
title: Key Terms
description: A guide to the key terminology used by General Translation
---

<TOC />

## Locale

A locale is **a language or dialect**.

In these docs, the term &quot;locale&quot; usually refers to the &quot;locale code&quot;, which is a BCP 47 language tag representing a specific locale.
For example, `en-US` is a locale code that refers to English as spoken in the United States.

* [Read more about locales](/docs/core/locales)
* [List of supported locales](/docs/platform/supported-locales)

## Translation

<Callout>Who does translation? **Human translators, language model APIs**</Callout>

Translation means converting content from one language or dialect, represented by a locale code, into another language or dialect, represented by a different locale code.

For example:

* Translating `es` into `en-US` means &quot;rewriting Spanish content in US English&quot;.
* Translating `es` into `en-GB` means &quot;rewriting Spanish content in British English&quot;.
* Translating `en-US` into `en-GB` means &quot;rewriting this US English in British English&quot;.

```javascript
// es -> en-US
gt.translate("Tenemos un ascensor", "en-US") // -> "We have an elevator"

// es -> en-GB
gt.translate("Tenemos un ascensor", "en-GB") // -> "We have a lift"

// en-GB -> en-US
gt.translate("We have a lift", "en-US") // -> "We have an elevator"
```


## Internationalisation (i18n)

<Callout>Who does internationalisation? **Software engineers, AI coding agents**</Callout>

Internationalisation, also called i18n, is the process of transforming a codebase so that it can support multiple locales.
This is usually done with an internationalisation library such as [gt-next](/docs/next) or [gt-react](/docs/react).

Internationalisation is not the process of translation itself.
Technically, you can have an *internationalised* codebase *translated* into only one language.

## Localisation (l10n)

Localisation, also called l10n, is the process of adapting a product for a particular locale.
This involves both internationalisation **and** translation.

In some cases, localisation requires more than just internationalisation and translation.
For example, you might need to be able to accept payments in a different currency or comply with data regulations in a different region.