translation
translation — noun
1. The work of converting written or spoken material into a different language, or
The work of converting written or spoken material into a different language, or the piece of writing that results from this work.
Jisoo spent three hours checking her translation of the Japanese poem into Korean.
translation + of [text] into [language]
The Watanabe family used an online translation tool to read the Portuguese news article.
Linh compared three different English translations of the same French novel for her class report.
The publisher hired Cyrus for the German-to-English translation of the legal handbook.
Sivan felt her English translation of the Japanese recipe kept the author's playful tone.
- rendering
Often suggests a more interpretive or artistic version of a translation
- version
A particular translation among several possible ones in a given language
- conversion
Rare in language contexts; more common for changing units or formats (sense 3)
- original
The source text before any translation is performed
文法句型
the translation of [language/text] into [language]
常見錯誤
2. A way of referring to a written or spoken work that has been changed into a lang
A way of referring to a written or spoken work that has been changed into a language different from the original one, often with the suggestion that some subtle meaning or quality is lost.
Chidi read the Russian novel in translation because he never learned the Cyrillic alphabet.
in translation — reading a work not in its original language
Marta believes that poetry always loses something important when read in translation.
The night-shift nurse laughed because the joke was lost in translation during the movie.
Kemi decided to watch the documentary in translation because she does not speak French.
Some songs sound better in the original language than they do in translation.
- adaptation
Broader than translation; can involve changes to suit a different audience or medium
- translated version
A more explicit way to say 'in translation', but less idiomatic
文法句型
in translation
lost in translation
用法筆記
This sense occurs mainly in the fixed phrases 'in translation' and 'lost in translation'. It is rarely used in other grammatical structures. Distinguish from sense 1, which can take objects and modifiers freely (e.g. 'a translation of the document').
常見錯誤
3. Conversion of something from one shape, system, or condition into a different on
Conversion of something from one shape, system, or condition into a different one, typically without human language being involved.
The librarian supervised the translation of the old handwritten letters into digital text files.
translation + of [physical object] into [digital format]
Minho studied the translation of sunlight into electrical energy using solar panels.
Constanza called the translation of her design idea into a working model the hardest step.
The translation of sales data into bar charts helped the team see the results clearly.
Eitan watched the translation of his garden sketches into a landscape plan with great interest.
- conversion
The most precise synonym; interchangeable in most technical contexts
- transformation
Implies a more thorough or structural change than translation
- adaptation
Suggests adjustment for a new purpose rather than a direct form-for-form change
文法句型
the translation of [something] into [something else]
用法筆記
Common in academic and technical writing. The object usually names a medium, format, or state being changed. This sense differs from sense 1 in that no human language is involved.