transcription

/trænˈskrɪpʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /trænˈskrɪpʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /tran(t)-ˈskrip-shən/ (ame, mw)

transcription — noun

  • transcriptionsingular
  • transcriptionsplural

1. a written version of spoken words or music that has been produced by listening t

1.名詞B2
釋義

a written version of spoken words or music that has been produced by listening to an audio source and writing down what is heard

例句

The court reporter prepared a transcription of the witness's testimony.

collocation: transcription + of + [speech/document]

Noa kept a transcription of the podcast interview for future reference.

同義詞
  • transcript

    refers only to the written product, not the process of creating it

  • copy

    broader term — any reproduction, not necessarily of audio or speech

  • record

    can be written or audio; less specific about the mode of conversion

反義詞
  • original

    the source recording or speech before it was written down

文法句型

transcription + of + [speech / music / recording]

用法筆記

Often paired with 'of' to identify the source material. Overlaps with 'transcript', but 'transcription' can refer to either the process or the resulting document, while 'transcript' refers only to the final written copy.

常見錯誤

❌I need a transcription of the lecture' (when the process is irrelevant).
✅I need a transcript of the lecture.
💡Use 'transcript' when you only mean the written copy, not the process of creating it.

2. the activity of turning spoken language, music, or handwritten material into a w

2.名詞B2
釋義

the activity of turning spoken language, music, or handwritten material into a written or typed form

例句

The transcription of the old family letters took Ritu several weeks.

collocation: transcription + of + [document] as subject

Aoi is working on the transcription of her grandmother's audio memoirs.

同義詞
  • transcribing

    the verbal noun form; more informal and action-oriented

  • copying

    broader meaning — any duplication, not just speech-to-text

  • recording

    can mean writing down, but more commonly refers to audio capture

文法句型

the transcription + of + [document / recording]

用法筆記

Typically uncountable or used with a definite article ('the transcription of...'). Distinguish from sense 1 (WRITTEN COPY): sense 1 refers to the finished document; sense 2 refers to the act or process of creating it.

常見錯誤

❌I finished the transcription yesterday' (ambiguous whether it means the document or the process).
✅I finished transcribing the audio yesterday.
💡Use the verb form to make the process meaning clear.

3. a rewritten form of a musical work that allows it to be performed on an instrume

3.名詞C1
釋義

a rewritten form of a musical work that allows it to be performed on an instrument or by a voice different from the one originally intended

例句

Brooke played a piano transcription of the violin concerto at the recital.

collocation: transcription + for + [instrument]

The composer created a new transcription of the symphony for a chamber ensemble.

同義詞
  • arrangement

    allows more creative reinterpretation; broader than transcription

  • adaptation

    general term for changing a work to suit a different medium

  • version

    neutral term for any alternative form of a piece

反義詞
  • original

    the piece as first composed, before any adaptation

文法句型

transcription + for + [instrument]

transcription + of + [original piece]

用法筆記

Common in classical and jazz contexts. The instrument the piece is adapted for is introduced by 'for' (a transcription for flute). A transcription aims to preserve the original character, whereas a looser 'arrangement' allows more freedom.

常見錯誤

❌She played a piano arrangement of the violin sonata' (when the notes are closely preserved).
✅She played a piano transcription of the violin sonata.
💡Use 'transcription' when the adaptation stays faithful to the original notes; 'arrangement' implies greater creative changes.