LINGUISTIC TRANSFORMATIONS IN TRANSLATION TO MAINTAIN MEANING

Linguistic transformations are deliberate changes in form that translators use to preserve meaning when direct equivalence is unavailable or unnatural. This article explains why transformations are necessary and how they function as meaning-maintenance tools at lexical, grammatical, and discourse levels. Drawing on classic taxonomies of procedures (e.g., transposition and modulation) and the concept of translation shifts, the paper proposes a practical framework for selecting transformations based on context, genre, and reader needs. Multiple short examples demonstrate how transformations prevent semantic loss, pragmatic distortion, and cohesion breakdown. The analysis shows that successful transformations are not “free translation,” but controlled operations guided by communicative purpose and target-language norms. The article concludes that transformation competence is a core indicator of professional translation quality and can be systematically taught and assessed.语言转换（linguistic transformations）指译者在直接对等不可行或不符合表达习惯时，为保留原文语义而采用的形式层面刻意调整手段。本文阐释了语言转换的必要性，以及其如何在词汇、语法与语篇层面作为维持语义的工具发挥作用。本文借鉴经典的翻译程序分类体系（如转换法（transposition）与调变法（modulation））以及翻译移位（translation shifts）概念，提出了一套基于语境、文体与读者需求的语言转换选取实用框架。多个简短示例展示了语言转换如何避免语义流失、语用扭曲与衔接断裂。分析表明，成功的语言转换并非‘意译（free translation）’，而是以交际目的与目标语规范为指引的可控操作。本文最后指出，语言转换能力是衡量专业翻译质量的核心指标，且可通过系统化方式开展教学与评估。