Why most translators prefer to stay away from working with technical texts?
Because it is one of the most difficult types of translation. What makes it so hard and what one has to keep in mind while doing the technical translation? Let's have a closer look.
Not a simple text
One of the most distinctive features of technical texts is the abundance of special terminology. An interpreter has a hard job to choose the terms in the target (translated to) language so that they are as precise as in the source (translated from) language and have the only one meaning.
However, it is by far not the only hurdle translators have to overcome. Technical texts are full of formulas and cliches common only for these specific texts. Be it an instruction for engineers or a medical record, these texts are written in a special style: it excludes emotionality and personality, is 100% accurate and unambiguous.
A person who performs the translation of a technical text should not only be competent in translating but also proficient in the subject he or she is working with. If an interpreter does not fully understand the subject, he or she cannot guarantee the high quality of the result, as even slight misunderstanding in such text may lead to distortions of meaning. As a result, the whole translation may look unprofessional and even restrict the normal flow of the user's working process.
Technical descriptions: where the figures come in
We all understand that technical description is something very specific and difficult to comprehend for the unprepared user. But what it really is? In fact, technical descriptions are detailed discussions of the physical aspects of a thing (machinery, appliance or procedure). Often they go with lots of numbers, measurements, qualities etc. Indeed, such descriptions rarely are big – most often they are parts of other texts, like manuals or guidebooks, but they require much more efforts than other translation types.
Additionally, the translator has to always keep in mind the target audience of the text. For example, translation for an advanced engineering textbook will be full of highly technical terms, while the same description for a user's manual will consist mainly of common words familiar to laymen.
Manuals: complication and simplicity combined
Manuals are the most common forms of technical texts, and almost always have to be translated to other languages. They range from the household appliance manuals for homeowners to the factory equipment manuals for machinery operators. All manuals prompt a user to fulfill some actions, and any inaccuracy of the translation may end up provoking serious consequences, up to the fatal outcome. That's why translating agencies often hire an experienced engineer to proofread and edit the resulting text.
The trick to manual translation which come with technical appliances and medical equipment for the market is that while being technical texts, they are intended for every adult reader, regardless of their education and knowledge. For that reason the language of the translated manual should be easily comprehensible without the loss of meaning.
The most difficult part
To err is human, but translators don't have the right to make mistakes. While doing technical translation, they have to be especially alert when dealing with polysemy, as well as highly specialized terminology. At the same time, around 50% of technical translation mistakes are caused by the difference in grammar structures of source and target languages. That's why competence and attention are two main virtues of any translator.
No comments:
Post a Comment