Translational Equivalence
Definition:
Translational equivalence is the similarity between a word (or expression) in one language and its translation in another. This similarity results from overlapping ranges of reference.
A translation equivalent is a corresponding word or expression in another language.
Examples:
Alamblak (Papua New Guinea), English
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Here is an example of translational equivalence between Alamblak (Papua New Guinea) and English:
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yɨhop
An English speaker might analyze the Alamblak word with two meanings:
- yesterday
- tomorrow
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The two English words are simple translational equivalents.
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However, there is another word in Alamblak that can be analyzed as follows:
yuanane
- day before yesterday
- day after tomorrow
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These Alamblak words do not have two senses even though they each have two simple translational equivalents. A single, explanatory analytic definition followed by translational equivalents is the preferable analysis:
yɨhop
- one day removed from the present; yesterday, tomorrow
yuanane
- two days removed from the present; day before yesterday, day after tomorrow
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This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library. Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003.
