nontranslated

Nontranslated is an adjective describing content that has not been translated from its original language into other languages. In linguistics and translation studies, it distinguishes material that remains in the source text or language from material that has been or will be translated. Nontranslated elements can include proper names, culturally specific terms, quotations, or entire sections preserved in the original language for authenticity, legal reasons, or audience adequacy.

In publishing and digital workflows, nontranslated may appear as a flag or metadata indicating that a document, term, or string should not be translated during localization. In software development and content management, strings that must remain in the source language are marked as nontranslated to preserve branding, technical meaning, or regulatory terms. Localization pipelines may exclude such items from translation memories or apply special handling to ensure consistent use across platforms.

Nontranslation raises several considerations. It can affect user experience, accessibility, and comprehension for multilingual audiences if some parts are not available in their language. It also poses challenges for quality control and documentation, as translators must track which elements are nontranslated and why. In multilingual resources, clear labeling and consistent application of nontranslation rules help maintain coherence between original and localized content.