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The Role of Linguistics in Translation

Linguistics plays an important role in the translation of a document from one language to another. Translating information includes more than just changing each word from the original language to another. One must also decode and decipher all the facets and functions of the original language into the new language. This is where the study and understanding of linguistics comes into play in translation.

The study of linguistics is essentially the study of human language. It can be broken down into several sub-categories.

  • Grammar: the study of language structure and the system of rules it uses. It includes several fields as follows.
  • Morphology: the study of the formation of words.
  • Syntax: the study of the formation and composition of these words into phrases and sentences.
  • Phonology: the study of sound systems. (Phonetics is a related field concerned with the properties, production, and perception of speech and non-speech sounds.)
  • Semantics: the study of word meaning.
  • Historical linguistics: the study of language evolution over time.
  • Sociolinguistics: the study of how language is used in society.
  • Psycholinguistics: the study of language is processed within the mind.
  • Neurolinguistics: the study of the actual encoding of language in the brain.
  • Computational linguistics: the study of natural linguistics by using the techniques of computer science.

Accurate translation of one language to another requires addressing all the functions of linguistics. One must determine the grammar being used, the meaning of the words as individual components, as well as the phrases and sentences they create, how those phrases are placed in time and history, and so forth.

Each language differs in its linguistic functions but there are commonalities among languages as well. An accurate translation must determine where the similarities and differences lie. Relying on only one area, grammar for example, will not produce an optimal translation. It may, in fact, be lacking in vital information if the other functions are not fully realized.

A careful use of the tools provided by linguistic study will improve the quality and accuracy of a translated document.

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