Foreign language abbreviation translation in an instant messaging system

A system including a computer readable memory having program code stored thereon, wherein said program code, when executed, causes a computer system to automatically provide foreign language abbreviation translation in an instant messaging system, the system comprising:

• foreign language abbreviation translation database identification logic for identifying at least one foreign language abbreviation translation database in response to a user indicated source culture, wherein said identified foreign abbreviation translation database stores a plurality of abbreviation translations retrievably associated with corresponding ones of a plurality of foreign language abbreviations, wherein said foreign language abbreviations are foreign language abbreviations frequently used by people from said user indicated source culture;
• candidate term locating logic for locating a candidate term that is possibly a foreign language abbreviation in an instant message input from said user;
• comparison logic for comparing said candidate term-said with said plurality of foreign language abbreviations stored in said identified foreign language abbreviation translation database, wherein said comparing said candidate term with said plurality of foreign language abbreviations includes obtaining a transliteration of said candidate term, said obtaining said transliteration including changing individual characters of said candidate term into characters of an alphabet used to represent said plurality of abbreviation translations to provide a phonetic representation of said candidate term, and comparing said transliteration of said candidate term with said plurality of abbreviation translations;
• display logic for, in the event that said candidate term matches one of said plurality of foreign language abbreviations stored in said identified foreign language abbreviation translation database, retrieving and displaying one of said plurality of abbreviation translations corresponding to said matching one of said plurality of foreign language abbreviations;
• adding said candidate term to said instant messaging session, wherein said adding is based on said locating, wherein said locating said candidate term that is possibly a foreign language abbreviation in said instant message input from said user is in response to an indication from said user;
• and
• wherein said displaying said one of said plurality of abbreviation translations corresponding to said matching one of said plurality of foreign language abbreviations is within an instant messaging session graphical user interface.

A computer program product stored in a computer readable memory having program code stored thereon, wherein said program code, when executed, causes a computer system to automatically provide foreign language abbreviation translation in an instant messaging system, said program code comprising:

• program code for identifying at least one foreign language abbreviation translation database in response to a user indicated source culture, wherein said identified foreign abbreviation translation database stores a plurality of abbreviation translations retrievably associated with corresponding ones of a plurality of foreign language abbreviations, wherein said foreign language abbreviations are foreign language abbreviations frequently used by people from said user indicated source culture;
• program code for locating a candidate term that is possibly foreign language abbreviation in an instant message input from said user;
• program code for comparing said candidate term with said plurality of foreign language abbreviations stored in said identified foreign language abbreviation translation database, wherein said comparing said candidate term with said plurality of foreign language abbreviations includes obtaining a transliteration of said candidate term, said obtaining said transliteration including changing individual characters of said candidate term into characters of an alphabet used to represent said plurality of abbreviation translations to provide a phonetic representation of said candidate term, and comparing said transliteration of said candidate term with said plurality of abbreviation translations;
• program code for, in the event that said candidate term matches one of said plurality of foreign language abbreviations stored in said identified foreign language abbreviation translation database, retrieving and displaying one of said plurality of abbreviation translations corresponding to said matching one of said plurality of foreign language abbreviations;
• adding said candidate term to said instant messaging session, wherein said adding is based on said locating, wherein said locating said candidate term that is possibly a foreign language abbreviation in said instant message input from said user is in response to an indication from said user;
• and
• wherein said displaying said one of said plurality of abbreviation translations corresponding to said matching one of said plurality of foreign language abbreviations is within an instant messaging session graphical user interface.