In the Indonesian and Malay languages, the term "terjemahan" is a noun. It is etymologically derived from the verb root "terjemah" (to translate) through the addition of the nominalizing suffix "-an". This suffix transforms the verb, which denotes an action, into a noun that signifies the result, product, or abstract concept associated with that action.
The noun "terjemahan" encompasses two distinct but related meanings. It can refer to the product of the act of translating, such as a translated document, book, or subtitle text. Alternatively, it can refer to the process or concept of translation itself, synonymous with the field or art of rendering meaning from a source language into a target language. This is distinct from the active verb "menerjemahkan," which means "to translate." For example, one would say "proses penerjemahan" (the process of translating), while the finished work is "sebuah terjemahan" (a translation).
Understanding "terjemahan" as a noun is critical for its correct grammatical application. In sentence construction, it can function as a subject (e.g., "Terjemahan ini akurat" / "This translation is accurate"), an object (e.g., "Dia membaca terjemahan itu" / "He reads that translation"), or a complement. This classification dictates its syntactic role and is fundamental to any academic or technical discussion centered on the quality, theory, or analysis of translated works.
