Why fitting a translation into a fixed space is a skill in itself
Character limits sound like a formatting problem. In practice, they’re a translation problem, and one that requires a very different set of skills to solve.
A client came to me with a localisation project for a web platform and a clear set of rules: headlines could not exceed 30 characters, descriptions no more than 90. It all seemd straightforward enough, until we start translating.
English tends to be compact. Other languages expand. A word that takes five characters in English might need twelve in Italian or German. A headline that fits neatly in the source language can easily run over in the target one, and cutting it down without losing meaning is rarely a simple task.
In practice, this means translation becomes something closer to problem-solving under constraints. You’re not just finding an equivalent, you’re rewriting, prioritising, and adapting structure while keeping the original intent intact. Sometimes the best solution is a completely different construction. Sometimes it means consulting with the client on what matters most: the keyword, the tone, or the call to action.
Character limits are one of those constraints that look minor on a brief but have a significant impact on the translation process. They require experienced linguists who understand not just the language, but the content’s purpose, and who know when to translate literally and when to take a different approach entirely.