A system and method of translating functions of a program. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a local-scope variable identifier operable to identify local-scope variables employed in the at least some of the functions as being either thread-shared local-scope variables or thread-private local-scope variables and (2) a function translator associated with the local-scope variable identifier and operable to translate the at least some of the functions to cause thread-shared memory to be employed to store the thread-shared local-scope variables and thread-private memory to be employed to store the thread-private local-scope variables.