Create a terminology sheet before adapting a catalogue into Arabic. Connect each recurring term to its technical meaning, approved Arabic form and elements that must remain unchanged. Do not decide product names and unit conventions separately on every page. Readers should recognise the same item in Arabic, English and a quotation request without guessing whether several names describe one component.
This is not a general translation dictionary. It records decisions for your products, audience and data sources. An English word may have several meanings, and elegant wording alone cannot determine the correct one. Use both a language reviewer and a product specialist, with an identified reference for resolving disagreements.
Classify terms before translating
Start with four categories: descriptive names that can be translated, commercial names with approved forms, protected model codes, and units or abbreviations requiring a convention. Add recurring property labels such as finish, connection type, material and accessories according to the actual range.
For each entry, record the original term, context, short definition, preferred Arabic form, rejected alternatives, source and approver. Two language columns alone are insufficient when a term means different things across product families. A sample sentence can show how customers will encounter it on the page.
This preparation supports consistent product catalogue Arabic adaptation. It also separates ready language decisions from items awaiting clarification by the manufacturer or product owner before layout.
Worked hypothetical: an industrial component supplier
Suppose a supplier collects twenty recurring terms and tests five on a representative page before adapting the full catalogue. The quantities describe an illustrative work sample, not an industry benchmark. These are hypothetical editorial decisions, not universal technical terminology.
| Original item | Decision in this example | Reason to record it |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | جسم المكوّن | Avoid an inappropriate meaning outside the industrial context |
| Mounting kit | طقم تثبيت | Distinguish a kit from an individual part |
| Finish | التشطيب | Keep the property heading consistent |
| PX-20/A | Retain unchanged | Preserve the approved ordering code |
| A unit in the product source | Follow the approved unit convention | Prevent accidental unit changes during editing |
The specialist verifies the intended meaning of “housing” within this family rather than applying the same translation automatically to every product. They also confirm whether the mounting kit is included or ordered separately: the term may be correct while the commercial description remains incomplete.
The team tests the model code in an Arabic line and table, checking that it matches the source. A new term appearing later is added through review instead of being treated as temporary wording that spreads through copying. If an approved term changes, affected pages and fields are identified before the next release.
Agree brand-name and unit conventions
Use an approved Arabic commercial name where one exists. Do not invent a rendering that suggests a different product. Where transliteration is necessary, agree it with the brand owner and decide where the original form should appear. Visual identity rules can govern the appearance of names and logos; they do not independently establish technical meaning or permission to use another party's mark.
For units, define notation, spacing, decimal presentation and whether conversion is permitted. A product specialist should approve conversions and rounding. Do not change a value because its presentation occupies more space in Arabic, or substitute an abbreviation merely because it seems familiar.
Maintain the boundary between translation and product-data modification. Rendering a property label in Arabic is a language decision. Changing a value, unit or dimension order is a technical change requiring separate approval. This distinction is especially useful when information passes through several spreadsheets and design files.
Review terms in the designed output
Adobe documents multilingual and bidirectional composition support in World-Ready tools. Names, codes and units still need checking in the exported file rather than only in the translation sheet. Adobe guidance.
Choose pages with long names and mixed Arabic–Latin content. Read a code character by character, then copy it and compare it with the reference. Inspect brackets, hyphens, slashes and headings wrapping over two lines. Do not “fix” an apparent direction problem by manually reversing the code. Its identity should remain correct both visually and when copied.
Arabic and English content production can support terminology management and descriptions, while product specifications remain with the technical approver. Establish who owns the current terminology sheet and how updates reach designers, reviewers and sales staff.
Acceptance checklist
- Recurring terms have an approved meaning, context and language form.
- Brand names and model codes are protected from arbitrary edits.
- Units and values agree with the specialist-approved source.
- New or disputed terminology follows a defined resolution route.
- Actual designed pages have been reviewed, not only translation cells.
- A terminology change can be traced to affected content.
- Arabic wording retains relevant English conditions and exceptions.
Common mistakes include applying one translation across unrelated families, expanding abbreviations without checking meaning, and approving terminology only after every page is laid out. A small, difficult pilot sample usually reveals the decisions worth resolving before full production.
Frequently asked questions
Should model names be translated?
Do not alter an approved model or ordering code. Add a useful Arabic description if needed while preserving the identifier connecting the item to its source and order process.
Is a commonly used market term sufficient?
Familiarity helps comprehension but does not establish technical equivalence. Confirm its meaning for your products, then choose wording both the audience and specialist can use confidently.
What if the language reviewer and specialist disagree?
Ask the specialist for a definition and example, then have the reviewer express that meaning naturally in Arabic. Record the decision and reason so the debate does not restart on every page.
What should we send LAB?
Share a complex product sample, source files, current terminology and approvers. A compact glossary and representative page can be tested before adapting the whole catalogue.