Mistranslation

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /mɪsˈtɹænz.leɪ.ʃən/

Definitions

1. A situation where the meaning of words is incorrectly expressed across languages, potentially causing ambiguity and misunderstanding
2. The occurrence of conveying the wrong interpretation in translation, leading to miscommunication between languages
3. A misunderstanding arises when words are improperly translated, resulting in an inaccurate representation of the intended meaning across languages

Etymology: "Mistranslation" is a plain compound: the prefix "mis-", meaning "wrongly" or "badly", attached to "translation." The prefix traces back to Old English "mis-", a word with Germanic roots that has long meant error or wrongness, and it appears in many English words such as "misunderstand" and "mistake." Translation itself comes into English through Anglo-Norman and Middle English from Latin "trānslātiō," a noun formed from "trānsferre," meaning "to carry across." The original sense of carrying something from one place or state to another is still visible in the word's core. The result is a word that describes an error at the point where meaning crosses between languages. Because the prefix is attached to a word that already means carrying across, "mistranslation" literally describes carrying meaning across incorrectly.

Synonyms: misinterpretation, error, mistake, misrepresentation, inaccuracy

Antonyms: accurate translation, correct translation, faithful translation