Translation Definitions

Front 1

Connotation

Back 1

The subjective, emotional, and variable elements that comprise the meaning of a word.
fr: connotation

Front 2

Denotation

Back 2

The stable and non-subjective elements that comprise the meaning of a word.
fr: dénotation

Front 3

Fidelity

Back 3

A property of a translation that respects the presumed sense of a source text as much as possible, and whose expression in the target language conforms to appropriate language usage.
fr: fidélité

Front 4

Documentation

Back 4

An action taken to locate and utilize documents in various formats to acquire terminological knowledge or background information necessary for a translation.
Prints, electronic, multimedia docs, oral sources.
fr: documentation

Front 5

Correspondence

Back 5

A relationship of identity established independent of discourse between words or syntagmas of different languages.
ex: large = grand, vaste, important.
fr: correspondance

Front 6

Equivalence

Back 6

A relationship of identity established by a translator between two units of translation whose discourse function is identical or almost identical in the respective languages.

Front 7

Translation strategy

Back 7

An approach or a plan of action used in a coherent way throughout the text with regards to the goal for the translated text.

Front 8

Collocation

Back 8

Two or more words used together, that form a unit of meaning, and that are accepted by common usage.

Front 9

Translation process

Back 9

General term for the cognitive activity through which translators establish interlingual equivalences between texts of text segments.

Front 10

Text typology

Back 10

A system for classifying texts according to subject, field, genre, intention or type of discourse.

Front 11

Target-oriented

Back 11

A translation strategy in which the translator focuses on the translated text as an entity in its own right in the Target Language. A target-oriented translator tries to produce an idiomatic text that conforms to conventional usage in the target language and culture.

Front 12

Source-oriented

Back 12

A translation strategy in which the original structure and form of the source text are closely reproduced in the target text.

Front 13

Parallel text

Back 13

A text originally written in the target language that is comparable to the text to be translated in terms of subject matter, text type, and intended audience.

Front 14

Register

Back 14

A property of discourse that takes into account the nature of relationships among speakers, their socio-cultural level, the subjects treated, and the degree of formality and familiarity selected for a given text.