Analyzing Bilingual Translation Errors: Insights, Gaps, and Future Directions

Nhan Thi Pham, Anh Hoang Nguyen, Minh Thi Nguyen

© 2025 Nhan Thi Pham, published by UIKTEN. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International. (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Citation Information: SAR Journal. Volume 8, Issue 4, Pages 349-358, ISSN 2619-9955, https://doi.org/10.18421/SAR84-06, December 2025.

Received: 14 September 2025.
Revised: 27 November 2025.
Accepted: 04 December 2025.
Published: 27 December 2025.

Abstract:

Bilingual translation plays a crucial role in communication between people around the world and supports intercultural exchange. However, errors frequently arise due to native-language interference, limited language proficiency, cultural incompatibility, and psychological factors. Although research has made some progress, the field remains fragmented, as reflected in the lack of consensus on error classifications, analytical approaches, and practical applications. Therefore, the objective of this study is to synthesize peer-reviewed publications on translation errors from 2017 to 2024 following PRISMA guidelines. Evidence from 60 publications reveals common error patterns, such as linguistic, semantic, cultural, and stylistic, stemming from various sources (e.g., inadequate language skills, psychological factors, and the complexity of the source text). The review identifies persistent challenges related to the scale of language data, theoretical consistency, AI-assisted translation accuracy, and intercultural competence. Prospective research agendas emphasize expanding and diversifying language data, developing integrated theoretical frameworks that combine linguistics and artificial intelligence, and enhancing translator training programs with a focus on intercultural competence. Furthermore, universal error-classification systems and standardized assessment metrics need to be developed to ensure the reliability and generalizability of research findings. As a result, the current study serves as a reference for future research on translation errors and as a practical guide for educators in developing effective teaching methods in multilingual environments.

Keywords – Translation errors, bilingual translation, error analysis, systematic review, translation studies.

                   

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