Localization problems

Localizing software is a very tedious effort, and most times its up to the translators language knowledge on how good the result will be. Most applications shares also a bunch of menu entries that must be the same in all localized applications. (You can't replace a "Save" button with a button named "Store"). There are other definitions that you can find several synonyms for but where only one is applicable.

How do you know that one word is more appriopiate than another one? This must happen to every open-source project that is undergoing localizations. How much time isnt spent on getting the right words for some actions or menu entries?

Im looking for a common source for localizing softwares, a place where you can get the simplest menu entries translated just by looking at some documents. This common place could be a community with a forum for placing questions, language defintions, basic help on getting a localization working. Each language would have their own section of it, this would of course help open-source projects to become accepted quicker among ordinary users. There must be loads of info/data already available in different linux builds, (debian comes to mind) why cant we put this knowledge where it is easier to get?

Is there such a place, Ive done some googling but havent found any. Perhaps SF or any other open-source site would be suitable for this... (Or am I just dreaming?)