Transcription
tran-SKRIP-shuhn
/trænˈskrɪpʃən/
A written, printed, or typed record of spoken words, audio content, or musical notes.
Focuses on converting auditory human language directly into precise readable written text.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'transcribere', meaning 'to write across' or copy over from one form to another. Ancient Roman scribes performed transcriptions by copying spoken court speeches into written parchment rolls.
Word relationships
- transcript: Transcript refers to the completed written text document, whereas transcription can refer to both the process and result.
- record: Record can mean audio or legal logging, while transcription strictly refers to written conversions of speech.
- audio recording: Audio recording is the captured acoustic sound itself, while transcription is its written textual counterpart.
Commonly confused with
- translation: Transcription changes audio to text in the same language; translation converts text or speech into a different language.
Word family
- transcribe (verb): To make a written copy of spoken words.
- transcriber (noun): A person or software tool that produces transcriptions.
Collocations
- audio transcription
- automated transcription
- accurate transcription
- read the transcription
Example sentences
- "Providing an accurate transcript or automated transcription allows hearing-impaired audiences to enjoy spoken audio." Accessibility
- "The creator generated an automated transcription of the interview to format it into a blog article." Publishing
Memory hook
TRANS (across media) + SCRIPTION (writing) = changing audio across into text. Write spoken sound down across onto paper.
When not to use
Do not use for creative translation across languages or summarizing opinions; it means capturing spoken words.
Fun facts
- AI speech-recognition models have cut transcription costs by over 90% since 2015, making full episode texts standard practice.
Explore more words
transcribe, transcript, auditory, legible, minutes, manuscript
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