Is 'target language' the same as 'second language'?

Not exactly. 'Target language' is the language one is aiming to learn; it is always from the learner's perspective. 'Second language' (L2) is a broader category that can refer to any language learned after the first, often in a context where it is widely spoken (e.g., English in India). A target language could be a person's third or fourth language.

Can a native speaker have a 'target language'?

Typically, no. The term implies a learning goal. A native speaker has already acquired the language. However, in very specific contexts like mastering a specialised register (e.g., legal jargon), one might metaphorically refer to it as a target, but this is not standard usage.

In machine translation, what is the target language?

It is the language into which the system translates the source text. For example, if translating from German to Japanese, Japanese is the target language.

Should I always use the definite article 'the' with 'target language'?

No. Use 'the' when referring to a specific, previously mentioned, or contextually obvious target language (e.g., 'the target language of this course'). Use 'a' when speaking generally or introducing it (e.g., 'choose a target language'). The plural 'target languages' does not take an article when used generally.

target language

UK/ˈtɑːɡɪt ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/US/ˈtɑːrɡɪt ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/

Formal, Academic, Technical

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

The language that a learner is aiming to acquire or that a translator is working into.

Any language that is the object of study, translation, or analysis, as opposed to a source language or native language. In computational linguistics, the language into which machine translation outputs text.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Primarily used in contexts of language learning, translation studies, and linguistics. Implies a goal-oriented relationship between the learner/translator and the language.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling follows respective conventions (e.g., 'analyse' vs. 'analyze' in surrounding text).

Connotations

Neutral and technical in both varieties.

Frequency

Equally common in academic and pedagogical contexts in both regions.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

acquire the target languagemaster the target languagelearn a target languagetranslate into the target language

medium

specific target languageprimary target languagechosen target languagetarget language proficiency

weak

difficult target languageforeign target languagetarget language skillstarget language community

Grammar

Valency Patterns

[learner/translator/system] + [verb] + the target languagetarget language + [of] + [country/group][adjective] + target language

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

language of acquisitionobject language

Neutral

L2second languageforeign language

Weak

goal languagenew language

Vocabulary

Antonyms

source languagenative languagefirst language (L1)mother tongue

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“On target with the language”
“Hit the language target”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Used in corporate training contexts: 'The target language for our expatriate staff is Mandarin.'

Academic

Central term in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research and translation theory.

Everyday

Common among language learners: 'My target language is Spanish.'

Technical

Key term in computational linguistics for machine translation systems.

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

The programme is designed to target language learners at an intermediate level.
We need to target language acquisition gaps more precisely.

American English

The campaign will target language minorities in urban areas.
The software targets language processing errors.

adjective

British English

She achieved a target language level of C1.
The target language community was very welcoming.

American English

His target language proficiency is advanced.
We studied the target language culture.

Examples

By CEFR Level

I am learning English. English is my target language.
Her target language is French.

To improve, you should listen to music in your target language.
What is your main target language?

Immersion is one of the most effective ways to acquire a target language.
The translator must have an excellent command of both the source and target languages.

The study examined the fossilisation of grammatical errors in the target language.
Nuances in the target language's pragmatics are often the last to be mastered.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of an archer's TARGET. The language you are aiming to learn is your TARGET LANGUAGE.

Conceptual Metaphor

LANGUAGE LEARNING IS A JOURNEY (with the target language as the destination). LANGUAGE IS A TARGET (to be hit/acquired).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Avoid calquing 'целевой язык' directly; it is understood but sounds unnatural. Use 'изучаемый язык' or 'язык, который изучаешь' in informal contexts.
Do not confuse with 'язык-цель' (a rare calque) – the standard Russian equivalent in translation studies is 'переводящий язык'.

Common Mistakes

Using 'target language' to mean a language being spoken about (instead of 'subject').
Confusing 'target language' with 'native language' in instructional contexts.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

A good translator must understand the cultural context of both the source text and the .

Multiple Choice

In Second Language Acquisition research, 'target language' is best defined as:

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: Not exactly. 'Target language' is the language one is aiming to learn; it is always from the learner's perspective. 'Second language' (L2) is a broader category that can refer to any language learned after the first, often in a context where it is widely spoken (e.g., English in India). A target language could be a person's third or fourth language.
: Typically, no. The term implies a learning goal. A native speaker has already acquired the language. However, in very specific contexts like mastering a specialised register (e.g., legal jargon), one might metaphorically refer to it as a target, but this is not standard usage.
: It is the language into which the system translates the source text. For example, if translating from German to Japanese, Japanese is the target language.
: No. Use 'the' when referring to a specific, previously mentioned, or contextually obvious target language (e.g., 'the target language of this course'). Use 'a' when speaking generally or introducing it (e.g., 'choose a target language'). The plural 'target languages' does not take an article when used generally.