semantic drift

From OmegaWiki

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Semantic drift occurs when a concept is translated from language A into language B, and then again from language B to language C and so on. The result is that slowly but surely, a difference grows between the original meaning of the concept in language A and the concept in language D, E or M. One of the reasons for this drift is the understandable urge of the translator to make the definition fit his concept well.

Within OmegaWiki, we aim to prevent semantic drift from happening by introducing the concept of the DefinedMeaning. As it is the expressed intention to translate both the Expression AND translate the Definition as literally as possible (maintaining proper sentences), we hope to prevent semantic drift. When the Expression cannot be exactly translated, it should be expressed as well as possible and will be indicated as not being an identical meaning.

A planned feature is the possibility to indicate one translation of the Definition as being the source text, which is representative, and from which all others are translated. The software does not support this yet, though.