INDEX:
1. to translate something
2. something which has been translated
3. someone who translates
RELATED WORDS
see also
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1. to translate something
▷ translate /trænsˈleɪt, trænz-/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to change one language, especially in a piece of writing, into another :
▪ She has translated a number of his books.
translate something from something
▪ Michael Meyer translated the play from the original Norwegian.
translate something into something
▪ Can you translate this into French?
▪ The book has been translated into 27 languages.
translate from something into something
▪ The best translators usually translate from a foreign language into their native language.
translation [uncountable noun]
▪ Most computer programs that do automatic translation do not do a very good job.
simultaneous translation
the process of translating what someone is saying while they say it
▪ Courtroom interpreters provided simultaneous translation.
▷ interpret /ɪnˈtɜːʳprɪt, ɪnˈtɜːʳprət/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to immediately translate what is being said to someone in a foreign language, so that it can be understood or replied to :
▪ No one in our tour group spoke Spanish so we had to ask the guide to interpret.
▪ We’ll have to find someone who speaks Chinese to interpret the questions and answers for our guests.
interpret for
▪ I had to interpret for my boss on the last trip to Japan.
▪ During lunch, Ben interpreted for Sasha, who didn’t speak a word of English.
▷ put something into English/French/Japanese etc /ˌpʊt something ɪntʊ ˈɪŋglɪʃ/ [verb phrase] British
to translate a short piece of writing into a foreign language :
▪ I’ve written a birthday message for Fabio. Could you put it into Italian for me?
▪ You lived in Berlin - help me put this into German.
2. something which has been translated
▷ translation /trænsˈleɪʃ ə n, trænz-/ [countable noun]
a piece of language, especially a piece of writing, that has been changed from one language into another :
▪ Many of the poems are translations, but the sounds and rhythms are similar to the original language.
Spanish/English/Latin etc translation
▪ It is a Latin translation of a Greek manuscript.
translation of
▪ I’ve only read the English translation of the book, not the Japanese original.
direct translation
▪ ‘It goes without saying’ is a direct translation of a French phrase.
be lost in (the) translation
when the real meaning of something cannot be translated in a completely satisfactory way
▪ Much of the humour of the book was unfortunately lost in translation.
lose something in (the) translation
▪ His arguments are still powerful, but I think they lose some impact in translation.
▷ version /ˈvɜːʳʃ ə nǁ-ʒ ə n/ [countable noun]
English/Japanese/French etc version
a translation of a book, poem etc in that language :
▪ Most people would agree that the Italian version sounds better.
version of
▪ I had trouble understanding the French, so I got the English version of the book from the library and read it.
▷ in translation /ɪn trænsˈleɪʃ ə n/ [adverb]
if you read something in translation, you read it after it has been translated from another language :
▪ I don’t really like reading poetry in translation.
▪ All of Brecht’s plays are available in translation.
3. someone who translates
▷ translator /trænsˈleɪtəʳ, trænz-/ [countable noun]
someone who translates from one language to another :
▪ She worked in Geneva as a translator.
▪ The publishers are looking for an American translator for his novels.
through a translator
using a translator
▪ Speaking through a translator, Li told of his early life.
▷ interpreter /ɪnˈtɜːʳprɪtəʳ, ɪnˈtɜːʳprətəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who immediately translates spoken language, for example when politicians from different countries are speaking to each other :
▪ If I’m going to make the speech, I’ll need an interpreter.
▪ Both Presidents were accompanied by their interpreters.
through an interpreter
using an interpreter
▪ The only way we could figure out what they were saying was through an interpreter.