Literal Translation

Literal Translation

Literal translation, also known as direct translation, is the rendering of text from one language to another "word-for-word" (Latin: "verbum pro verbo") rather than conveying the sense of the original. Literal translations thus commonly mis-translate idioms. Also, in the context of translating an analytic language to a synthetic language, it renders even the grammar unintelligible.

A literal English translation of the German word "Kindergarten" would be "children garden," but in English the expression refers to the school year between pre-school and first grade. Literal translations in which individual components within words or compounds are translated to create new lexical items in the target language (a process also known as “loan translation”) are called calques, e.g., “beer garden” from German “Biergarten.”

Literal translation of the Italian sentence, "So che questa non va bene" ("I know that this is not good"), produces "Know(I) that this not go(it) well," which has English words and Italian grammar. Source

Tags: Literal Translation, Literal Translations, Translation, English Translation,