What Is The Purpose Of Translation?

Riley Walz

Aug 6, 2025

woman working - What Is The Purpose Of Translation

Consider this: You are planning a trip to a foreign country, and you want to learn more about what makes it tick before you go. You scour the Internet and come across a website with interesting information about the local culture and traditions.

There's just one problem: it's in a language you can't understand. Suddenly, your excitement turns to frustration. Instead of learning about your destination, you've hit a wall. This scenario illustrates the value of translation. If only someone had translated that website (or the information within it) into your native tongue, you could have enjoyed a smooth start to your trip.

Translation helps break down communication barriers, allowing people from different cultures and backgrounds to connect and understand one another better. The more we translate, the easier it becomes for humanity to tackle shared challenges, such as disease outbreaks, climate change, and global conflict. This blog content formatting will help you understand the purpose of translation and how it can help your organization improve its content localization efforts. To help readers know the purpose of translation. Let’s get started!

Before we get started, Numerous's spreadsheet AI tool offers practical support for organizations looking to improve their translation efforts. This robust tool can help you organize your translation projects. It can even help you automatically translate your spreadsheets and other content files.

Translation Defined: What Is The Purpose Of Translation?

person working - What Is The Purpose Of Translation

Translation is the process of converting text, speech, or any other form of communication from one language into another while retaining the original meaning, tone, and context. It is not just about replacing words; it's about conveying the same message so it resonates with speakers of the target language just as it did with the original audience.

For example, the English phrase “break the ice” cannot be literally translated into many other languages. A good translator would find an equivalent expression in the target language that conveys the same idea, easing tension in a new social situation.

A Brief History of Translation

Translation is one of humanity’s oldest practices, dating back to when different linguistic communities first began interacting. Historical texts like the Bible, Quran, and Buddhist scriptures were translated early on to reach new cultures. With the invention of the printing press, translation became vital for spreading knowledge across Europe.

Today, translation has moved beyond scholars and scribes; we now use software, mobile apps, and AI tools (like Numerous) for real-time, large-scale translation. This evolution shows how technology and human needs have shaped translation over centuries.

The Importance of Translation in a Globalized World

In the 21st century, translation isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity. Here’s why it matters more than ever:

Global Business

Companies need translation to localize product labels, ads, customer service, and legal documents. A single mistranslated word could cost millions or damage brand trust.

Education

International students, researchers, and professionals rely on translated academic content to learn, publish, and collaborate globally.

Healthcare

Doctors and patients from different countries often require translated medical records, prescriptions, and instructions which can be a matter of life or death.

Media & Entertainment

Movies, video games, books, and news are translated to reach broader audiences and foster cross-cultural appreciation.

Government & Diplomacy

Treaties, laws, and international relations depend on precise and accurate translation to avoid conflict and confusion.

Translation vs. Interpretation

While translation and interpretation share the same goal of facilitating communication between speakers of different languages, their processes differ. Translation refers to the conversion of written text, while interpretation involves relaying spoken communication in a different language.

7 Core Purposes of Translation

1. Bridging Language Gaps in Global Communication

Translation connects people. Whether it’s a business deal between a Chinese manufacturer and a Nigerian retailer or a French academic reading a Japanese research paper, translation allows information to flow across borders without the barrier of language. It ensures mutual understanding. It helps reduce miscommunication and cultural confusion. It builds bridges between diverse communities. In a world with over 7,000 languages, this purpose is foundational.

2. Enabling Cultural Exchange and Preservation

Language carries culture — idioms, traditions, humor, and beliefs are embedded in it. Translation allows stories, literature, music, and philosophies from one culture to reach others without distortion.

For example, translating Chinua Achebe’s works into Spanish or German introduces African narratives to new cultures. K-dramas and Bollywood films gain global fans because subtitles and dubbing preserve emotional tone and humor. Translation doesn’t just export words — it preserves heritage and promotes global empathy.

3. Expanding Access to Education and Knowledge

Consider a medical breakthrough or a groundbreaking study written only in Russian or Arabic. Without translation, global learners, scholars, and professionals might never access it. Translation supports: Academic journals, Online learning platforms, Instructional content, and Technical manuals.

Tools like Numerous even integrate AI translation into spreadsheets and documents, making academic data universally accessible.

4. Facilitating International Business and Commerce

Global trade depends on mutual understanding. Contracts, product descriptions, customer support, and marketing materials all need flawless translation to: Enter new markets, Stay legally compliant, Build consumer trust, Avoid costly misunderstandings.

Many companies use AI-powered platforms like Numerous to automate translation across sales data, dashboards, and documents in Google Sheets — helping them scale faster and more efficiently.

5. Supporting Legal and Government Processes

Legal systems require precision in every word. Translation ensures that:

International agreements are upheld
Immigrants understand their rights
Multilingual policies are inclusive
Court proceedings remain fair.

Whether it’s a contract, law, ID document, or visa application, certified translation often stands as the legal backbone of international cooperation.

6. Providing Equitable Access to Healthcare

Healthcare systems must communicate clearly with patients of all backgrounds. Translation is used for:

Medical histories
Prescription instructions
Emergency alerts
Consent forms.

The stakes are incredibly high; a misinterpreted dosage could be deadly. That’s why health providers are now exploring AI tools like Numerous to translate and interpret medical data quickly and safely in real time.

7. Promoting Inclusive Digital Experiences

From websites to apps, users expect content in their native language. Translation helps companies:

Localize UX and UI
Customize onboarding flows
Serve multilingual customer bases
Comply with accessibility standards.

Using translation platforms like Numerous, teams can dynamically update spreadsheets and content in multiple languages — without rebuilding everything from scratch.

Numerous help businesses streamline processes like translation to make operations more efficient. With our AI-powered tool, you can automatically generate translations for multilingual SEO content or product descriptions within seconds. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI, in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Learn more about how you can 10x your marketing efforts with Numerous’s ChatGPT for Spreadsheets tool.

9 Common Types of Translation (With Real-World Examples)

1. Literary Translation: More Than Just Words

Literary translation requires capturing not just the meaning of words but also emotion, style, rhythm, metaphor, and cultural nuance. For example, translating Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart from English into Italian means preserving the Igbo proverbs and cultural storytelling — not just converting words.

2. Technical Translation: Accuracy is Critical

Technical translation involves manuals, user guides, instruction leaflets, product descriptions, and scientific materials. Accuracy is critical. A single mistranslation can lead to misuse of machinery, wrong medication doses, or system failure. For example, a user manual for a 3D printer being sold globally must be translated into multiple languages, including visual guides, safety instructions, and warranty clauses.

3. Medical Translation: Lives May Depend on It

Medical translation focuses on translating patient records, prescriptions, research studies, medical device manuals, and healthcare websites. Lives may depend on accurate translation. Misunderstood medical instructions can be fatal. For example, translating a COVID-19 vaccination guideline for use in a rural African community, ensuring local dialects and basic literacy levels are considered.

4. Legal Translation: Precision is Key

Legal translation involves translating contracts, court documents, terms of service, privacy policies, immigration forms, and compliance documents. Words must be translated with legal precision, preserving structure and implications. For example, a merger agreement between a U.S. and German company requires both English and German versions that are legally binding and equally enforceable.

5. Website & Software Localization: It’s About More Than Just Words

Website and software localization focuses on adapting content, layouts, images, currencies, and user interface text to fit a new locale or language. This goes beyond translation—it ensures that everything feels native to users in different regions. For example, translating an e-commerce site from English to Arabic isn’t just word-for-word; the entire layout may need to flip to a right-to-left reading direction.

6. Business Translation: Communicating Across Cultures

Business translation covers the translation of business proposals, marketing campaigns, internal memos, financial reports, and presentations. Global businesses must communicate clearly and persuasively with partners, investors, and customers across cultures. For example, an AI startup pitching to Japanese investors needs their pitch deck and KPI sheets translated, using respectful business language and localized references.

7. Subtitling & Multimedia Translation: It’s All About Timing

Subtitling and multimedia translation involve translating spoken words in videos, movies, podcasts, training videos, and interviews into written form. Timings, tone, and space constraints matter. Subtitles must be concise and contextually relevant. For example, a Netflix series is subtitled in 35+ languages. Each must reflect local slang, idioms, and timing, so the humor or drama isn’t lost.

8. Academic & Research Translation: Spreading Knowledge

Academic and research translation helps spread knowledge, encourages collaboration, and ensures global participation in research progress. For example, a Chinese research paper on AI ethics is translated into English so it can be reviewed and cited by international scholars.

9. Financial Translation: Accuracy is Crucial

Financial translation involves bank statements, investment reports, shareholder letters, auditing documents, and tax records. Financial accuracy is crucial. Even a decimal error can result in regulatory violations or investor mistrust.

For example, a U.S.-based fintech company uses tools like Numerous to convert financial Excel sheets and reports into multiple languages for stakeholders in Europe and Latin America.

How to Choose the Right Type of Translation for Your Needs

1. Define Your Purpose First

Before choosing a translation type, ask:

What is the goal of the document?
Who will be reading it?
What do I want them to do with the information?

Example: If you're localizing a product page for international buyers, the goal is sales conversion. You'll need marketing translation + localization, not just literal text conversion.

2. Identify the Document Type

Different documents naturally align with different translation types:

Creative writing → Literary Translation
User manuals or how-to guides → Technical Translation
Privacy policies or contracts → Legal Translation
Medical prescriptions or reports → Medical Translation
YouTube videos or films → Subtitling & Multimedia Translation

Tip: If your documents live in spreadsheets (like financial data or product descriptions), using a tool like Numerous can help organize and tag them by type and intended translation format. It automates part of the sorting process.

3. Match the Audience’s Needs

Different cultures interpret tone, formality, and metaphors differently. A joke in one language may be offensive or meaningless in another. Questions to ask:

Is the audience technical or general?
Are they global readers or local users?
Do they expect a formal or conversational tone?

Example: When translating a financial dashboard for international investors, you’ll need financial translation with precise terminology, whereas marketing content might need creative adaptation.

4. Factor in Accuracy vs. Creativity

Some translation jobs require strict accuracy (e.g., lab test results), while others allow for creative interpretation (e.g., poems or slogans).

For accuracy → Use medical, legal, technical, or academic translation.
For creativity → Use literary, marketing, or multimedia translation.

Pro Tip: Use Numerous to maintain separate spreadsheet versions—one for strict translations (like internal docs) and another for creatively localized content (like ads). It helps manage tone without losing the core message.

5. Consider Turnaround Time and Budget

Time and money matter. Literary or legal translations often take longer and cost more because they demand human experts. On the other hand, some tasks (like translating product SKUs or survey forms) can be automated using AI. Examples of AI-supported options:

Use Google Translate for quick drafts
Use Numerous for bulk spreadsheet translation with accuracy checks
Use DeepL for more nuanced machine translations
Use GPT-powered tools for rephrasing or content polishing

6. Don’t Forget Confidentiality

Legal and medical translations often contain sensitive data. You’ll need to work with a translator (or AI tool) that guarantees data security.

Action Point: If using AI tools like Numerous for sensitive data, ensure they comply with GDPR, HIPAA, or your local privacy regulations.

Make Decisions At Scale Through AI With Numerous AI’s Spreadsheet AI Tool

Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, E-Commerce businesses, and more to automate tasks through AI, like writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and many more things by simply dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet. With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, complex or straightforward, within seconds.

The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI, in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Learn more about how you can 10x your marketing efforts with Numerous’s ChatGPT for spreadsheets tool. Use Numerous AI’s spreadsheet AI tool to make decisions and complete tasks at scale.

Translation Defined: What Is The Purpose Of Translation?

Translation is the process of converting text, speech, or any other form of communication from one language into another while retaining the original meaning, tone, and context. It is not just about replacing words; it's about conveying the same message so it resonates with speakers of the target language just as it did with the original audience.

For example, the English phrase “break the ice” cannot be literally translated into many other languages. A good translator would find an equivalent expression in the target language that conveys the same idea, easing tension in a new social situation.