Võõrkeelde

Võõrkeelde is an Estonian term used to denote translation into foreign languages. It refers to the direction or target of translation when a text originally written in one language is made accessible in other languages. The expression is common in publishing, translation studies, and dictionaries, where it marks the target language for a translation rather than the source language.

In linguistic form, võõrkeelde is built from võõr- meaning foreign and keel meaning language, with the ending that marks the directional complement used with verbs such as tõlkima (to translate). It typically does not function as a standalone noun; instead, it appears as a complement in phrases like tõlkida võõrkeelde (to translate into foreign languages) or võõrkeelde tõlkimine (translation into foreign languages).

Usage and scope: The term is widely used to describe translations intended for audiences who speak languages other than Estonian. In practice, võõrkeelde translations are a key part of international publishing, localization workflows, and cross-cultural communication. It appears in bibliographies, catalog descriptions, and linguistic corpora to categorize content by its target linguistic audience.

Related terms and distinctions: Võõrkeel refers to a foreign language itself, while emakeel denotes one's native language. The phrase võõrkeelde is specifically about the direction of translation into languages other than the source language. Understanding this distinction helps in cataloging, translation planning, and multilingual information exchange.