A system and method of generating a target language markup language (ML) text template comprise translating one or more words in a source language ML text template to one or more words in the target language so as to generate a target language ML text template, and defining a target language localized template for the target language ML text template using the translated words. The method may also include adding and modifying metadata for variant text associated with a source language text string according to attributes of a target language, wherein the target language localized template is defined using the modified metadata in addition to the translated words