A system and method for language-neutral runtime user interface automation by: providing an automation script for automating use of the user interface in an application; intercepting a call from the automation script to a function simulating a user action on the application; retrieving a translated text string associated with the function call; and calling the function simulating the user action with the translated text string. This provides the advantages of not attaching any extra burden on the script developer and requiring little extra from the user (other than providing a native-language reference file).