Translation facts for kids
Translation is when you change writing or speech from one language into another. Think of it like changing a message from English to Spanish so someone who only speaks Spanish can understand it!
The people who do this job are called translators. If they are translating a book, they might use a language dictionary to help them find the right words. If they are translating spoken words, like during a meeting or a speech, they are called an interpreter. Translators can work for themselves (called freelancers) or for companies that specialize in translation. Some translators focus on translating poetry, novels, plays (called drama), or short stories. These are called literary translators.
In the world of computers, when a special computer language (called a programming language) is changed into a language the computer can directly understand (called machine language), it's known as compiling. You can also find many free translation tools online on the internet that can help you translate words or sentences quickly.
Contents
What is Translation?
Translation is all about taking words or ideas from one language and putting them into another. It's not just about changing words one by one. A good translator makes sure the meaning, feeling, and style of the original text are kept in the new language. This helps people from different parts of the world understand each other better.
Who are Translators?
Translators are language experts! They spend a lot of time learning different languages and understanding how they work.
- A translator usually works with written text, like books, websites, or documents.
- An interpreter works with spoken language, helping people talk to each other in real-time, like at a conference or during a conversation.
Translators need to be very careful and precise. They make sure that nothing gets lost or changed when they move words from one language to another.
Translation in the Computer World
Computers also "translate" things! When you write a program using a programming language, the computer doesn't understand it directly. It needs to be changed into a special code called machine language. This process is called compiling. It's like the computer is translating your instructions into its own secret language so it can follow them.
There are also many online tools and apps that can translate text for you instantly. These are very helpful for quick translations, but sometimes they don't get the meaning perfectly right, especially for complex ideas or jokes!
Related pages
Images for kids
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The Rosetta Stone, a famous stone that helped us understand ancient languages.
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A Buddhist Diamond Sutra, translated into Chinese: the world's oldest known dated printed book (from 868 CE).
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Perry Link
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Venuti
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Mark Twain even translated his own story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", back into English!
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Hernán Cortés and La Malinche meeting Moctezuma II in Tenochtitlan, 1519.
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Claude Piron
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Michelangelo's horned Moses, sometimes linked to a mistranslation.
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A Chinese translation of verses from the Quran.
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See also
In Spanish: Traducción para niños
