面臨知識經濟的時代，創新的研發成爲國家的經濟基礎，因此「專利的評估」常被視爲評估國家或者企業的發展潛能之指標（林美蘭2006:1）。知識經濟時代即是專利之戰：誰擁有某領域的專利愈多，就可以在此領域享有更多的「壟斷權利」。文科的語言學是很實用的科學，但是由於語言學學者的研究成果常常侷限於發展理論的架構，使得語言學的研究似乎無法直接貢獻社會，亦無法申請專利。相對於理工的「實用」科學，文科的語言學在社會上慢慢成爲弱勢團體。現行的翻譯專利亦大多是由理工背景專家申請，藉此慢慢佔據翻譯的專利市場，而語言學專家則停留在發表研發成果論文的階段。
本論文主要鎖定於台灣的翻譯專利，分析現行的台灣翻譯專利處理哪些翻譯問題。由於申請到專利意味著該內容是最新研究，因此研究專利可以掌握語言翻譯的最新趨勢。
We are in the times of the knowledge-based economy. The creative research is an economic foundation of the country. The ”valuation of the patent” is usually seen as the valuation of the development index of a country or of a enterprise (Lin, mei-lan 2006:1). The person who has more patents in a certain field, can enjoy more ”monopoly right” in this realm. Linguistics is a very practical science. However, because linguists often limit their research to the developing of the structure of the theories, their research often cannot lead to patent application and therefore fails to make further contributions to society. So the linguists become a disadvantaged group in society because of the lack of this socio-economic link. Currently, almost only the persons with science background apply for patents of translation and therefore monopolize this realm. And the linguists are confined to publishing their research in academic journals and books.
This paper focuses on the patent of translation in Taiwan. Having a patent means it presents new viewpoints in the research field, so that an investigation of patents can allow a person to understand the new trend of research into translation.