Overview
ISO/IEC 30122-3:2017 - Information technology - User interfaces - Voice commands - Part 3: Translation and localization - defines linguistic requirements and recommendations for translating and localizing spoken words and phrases used as voice commands. The standard addresses multilingual voice commands and internationalization (i18n) from a linguistic and cultural perspective; it intentionally excludes technical implementation details of speech recognition systems. ISO/IEC 30122-3:2017 ensures voice command vocabularies are meaningful, usable and culturally appropriate across local languages.
Key topics and requirements
- Localization workflow: New voice commands are first specified in ISO/IEC official languages and then localized into the local language; attributes such as Title and Phrases must be described for each locale.
- Compatibility: Speech recognition systems in target locales should recognize local linguistic content and be able to accept other languages (including ISO/IEC official languages) when needed.
- Criteria for selecting words/phrases: The standard specifies linguistic selection rules to guide translation and localization:
- Stability of pronunciation: Commands must be recognizable across geographic accents, age and gender variations.
- Common use: Prefer standard, commonly used words; register dialect or slang variants alongside standard equivalents.
- Social and cultural acceptability: Avoid indecent, discriminatory or otherwise offensive terms; respect public order and morals.
- Accuracy of meaning: Commands should unambiguously map to system functions - no homonyms across commands, and users should readily infer the intended function.
- Familiarity: Use high-frequency, memorable words; loanwords allowed only if familiar.
- Consistency: Maintain consistent wording, grammatical forms (e.g., imperative), and meanings across the local language and user experience.
- Conformity: A voice command conforms to ISO/IEC 30122-3 if it meets all Clause 5 requirements.
Applications and users
Who benefits:
- UX and voice designers creating voice-enabled user interfaces
- Localization engineers and translators localizing voice command sets
- Product managers and developers of voice-activated consumer electronics, automotive systems, smart home devices, mobile apps and enterprise voice assistants
- Speech recognition vendors, accessibility specialists and linguists ensuring usable, culturally appropriate multilingual voice experiences
Practical uses:
- Defining localized command vocabularies for multilingual products
- Auditing and validating translated voice phrases for clarity, acceptability and recognition stability
- Guiding cross-cultural voice UX design and internationalization policies
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 30122-1 (Framework and general guidance)
- ISO/IEC 30122-4 (Management of voice command registration)
- ISO/IEC TR 11017 (Framework for internationalization)
- JEITA guidelines (Design of voice commands)