What is the function of a compiled programming language?

A compiled programming language primarily functions by converting human-readable code, often written by developers, into machine language through the use of a compiler. This process entails translating the high-level language syntax and semantics into low-level machine code that the computer's processor can directly execute.

Compilers act as intermediaries, ensuring that the optimizations and translations take place before the code is run, which generally results in performance improvements when executing the compiled code compared to interpreted languages. This change from high-level to machine language is essential for the computer to understand and carry out the instructions written by the developer. Therefore, this option accurately encapsulates the primary function of a compiled programming language.