Which term is described as preserving the sense of the source while allowing changes in form?

Which term is described as preserving the sense of the source while allowing changes in form?

• A. Synonymy
• B. Functional Equivalent
• C. Equivalence
• D. Calque

Answer: (C)

Equivalence in translation is about keeping the meaning or sense of the source text intact, while letting the surface form—words, order, and style—change to fit the target language. This matches the idea of preserving what the text is trying to convey rather than reproducing it literally. A calque sticks to the original form and can mislead when the structure doesn’t transfer well; synonymy is about finding words with similar meanings within one language, not about cross-language rendering. Within equivalence, you often talk about dynamic or functional approaches that focus on the reader’s understanding and the text’s function rather than a strict word-for-word match. So, the best term for this description is equivalence.

Equivalence in translation is about keeping the meaning or sense of the source text intact, while letting the surface form—words, order, and style—change to fit the target language. This matches the idea of preserving what the text is trying to convey rather than reproducing it literally. A calque sticks to the original form and can mislead when the structure doesn’t transfer well; synonymy is about finding words with similar meanings within one language, not about cross-language rendering. Within equivalence, you often talk about dynamic or functional approaches that focus on the reader’s understanding and the text’s function rather than a strict word-for-word match. So, the best term for this description is equivalence.