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Written translation is a creative process. It is much more than the conversion of words or groups of words, basically is the adjustment to foreign cultures, uses, behaviors, and manners.

There are different types of translation:

  • Direct translation, which is done from a foreign language into the language of the translator;
  • Reverse translation, which is made from the language of the translator to a foreign language.

Moreover, we can speak of several translation techniques:

  • Word for word translation: Respects the order of the words in the source language and uses the usual meanings of the words.
  • Literal translation: Respects the order of the words in the source language, the difference occurs in the grammatical constructions, trying to find the most appropriate equivalent in the target language.
  • Free translation: Respects the content in the source language, but the form may be different.
  • Semantic translation: Emphasizes the aesthetic value of the target text: no repetitions or vague words.

Dictionaries or translation programs are helpful for translations, but they do not fully meet the professional requirements of a translation.

If you want to find out about interpretation, check out our article on this topic: What is interpretation?

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