Linguistic translation, also known as natural translation, is the act of translating a language through learning it as opposed to using a spell to impart the semantic meaning of what is spoken or written in another language. Though it is time-consuming to learn even related languages, let alone different ones that arose on wholly separate planets from one's origin, linguistic translation is highly valued in diplomacy and social sciences for the knowledge it imparts that spells cannot. Spells are known to impart general semantic understanding of the translated words; while this can be vital in some cases, such as bridging communication between individuals with no mutual language, spell translations have limitations that can dampen understandings of other cultures or possibly lose meaning in translation, especially if the user of the spell is not particularly skilled and does not pick up on the full significance imparted by the spell.
At times, linguistic translation is assisted by spell translation, especially in cases of languages with few or no living speakers. Spell translations can serve as a means of "decrypting" unknown words and act as a starting point for more natural translation efforts.