Translationfrom

Translationfrom is a term used to describe the practice of translating content with an emphasis on directionality from a specified source language. It highlights the act of rendering text primarily “from” one language to another, rather than focusing mainly on producing an ideal target-language version. The phrase is not universally standardized and is more common in discussions about translation direction or pedagogy than in formal theory.

The term emerged as a way to distinguish approaches that foreground the source language’s form, terminology, and cultural markers. In practice, translationfrom may accompany notes, glosses, or annotated explanations that preserve source features, helping readers understand how the original text signals meaning, tone, or context. It is sometimes contrasted with target-oriented or sense-for-sense translation that prioritizes naturalness in the target language over strict source fidelity.

In applying translationfrom, translators may employ glossing, parallel texts, or structured reviews to ensure that source cues remain visible in the final product. This can be valuable in scholarly editions, multilingual documentation, or localization workflows where traceability to the source is essential. However, overemphasis on source features can yield translations that feel archaic or cumbersome in the target language.

See also: translation studies, source-oriented translation, directionality in translation, dynamic and formal equivalence, localization.