1. A method performed by a computing device having at least one processor and a memory, the method comprising: receiving, from an application being executed by the at least one processor, a request to provide a first word for use by the application; determining a default language of the computing device; accessing, in the memory of the computing device, one or more resources; determining if the one or more resources include the first word in the default language by iteratively eliminating, based on identified qualifiers, resource directories for the one or more resources until only one resource directory remains, the one resource directory excluding resource files that contradict a configuration of the computing device; if the one or more resources include the first word in the default language, then providing, from the one resource directory, the first word to the application; and if the one or more resources do not include the first word in the default language, then: transmitting the first word and an indication of the default language to a translation server; receiving from the translation server a second word obtained by translating the first word into the default language; and providing the second word to the application.