Character count standards

Table of contents

• Character count sizes
• Translation conversion table
• Example texts (Lorem ipsum)

Character count sizes

All patterns should use the following character count sizes when setting text content.

Name	Size (English)	Size (translated)
Micro	20	32
Mini	25	35
XXS	40	55
XS	65	85
S	75	100
M	120	150
L	150	200
LL	200	260
XL	250	325
XXL	350	450

Translation conversion table

The following table provides a good indication of the amount of additional space needed to contain a text passage after translation. The numbers represent statistical averages. In some situations they will be overly generous, while in others the translator will have difficulty fitting in all the translated words. Ideally the translator can use any amount of space, but use the following list as a rough guide to the space that should be left for MRI expansion:

!Number of characters in text	Additional physical space required
Up to 10	100% to 200%
11 to 20	80% to 100%
21 to 30	60% to 80%
31 to 50	40% to 60%
51 to 70	31% to 40%
Over 70	30%

Note:This is the official statementabout string length calculation for translations inrule "A3" in the IBM Globalization Design Guide (http://w3-03.ibm.com/globalization/page/4619#LinkTarget_5620). See this page for additional translation guidance.

Example texts (Lorem ipsum)

Name	Example (En)	Example (Trans)
Micro
Mini	Lorem ipsum dolor sit ame	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consect
XXS	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture adipiscing eli
XS	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consect	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture adipiscing elit sed dose. eiusmod tempor inc
S	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture adipiscing elit sed dose. eiusmode	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture adipiscing elit sed dose. eiusmode tempor incididunt ut lab
M	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture adipiscing elit sed dose. eiusmode tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magnae	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture adipiscing elit sed dose. eiusmode tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magnae aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veni
L	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture adipiscing elit sed dose. eiusmode tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magnae aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veni	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture adipiscing elit sed dose. eiusmode tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magnae aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniamquis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisie
XL	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture adipiscing elit sed dose. eiusmode tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magnae aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniamquis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisie ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irur	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture adipiscing elit sed dose. eiusmode tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magnae aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniamquis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisie ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nu
XXL	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture adipiscing elit sed dose. eiusmode tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magnae aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniamquis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisie ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteurae	Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consecteture adipiscing elit sed dose. eiusmode tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magnae aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniamquis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisie ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteurae sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum

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