LOST IN TRANSLATION OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL TEXTS
Abstract: The article deals with the actual issue of scientific texts translation and the difficulties that may arise. The paper describes
the main features and peculiarities on grammatical, syntactic and lexical levels in translation of scientific and technical texts. The basic
requirements for competent translation of specific texts to be satisfied are also described in the article. Accuracy of the translation of
scientific and technical texts and documentation depends on consistency, validity, equivalence and adequacy. Knowledge of special
vocabulary, terminology and abbreviations promotes accuracy and clarity of text transcription into the target language. An experienced
translator is sure to properly understand and translate unrelated semantic groups of words that make up the idea of separate segment
information in order to do accurate and complete translation of scientific texts or documentation. Competent translation of such specific
lexis collocations is also provided by the use of specialized dictionaries as well as adequate language equivalents.
Key words: translation of scientific and technical texts; accuracy; scientific style; meaning; term.
Technical translation is the translation of texts on technical subjects, in particular, documents of different specializations, all kinds of
reference books, various dictionaries, product conformity certificates, operating instructions, engineering plans, scientific and technical
articles, business contracts and other commercial technical proposals. The difficulty of technical translation lies in the fact that it should
be as accurate as possible, since the slightest translation errors can change the semantic load of the text. In the scientific literature there
are various approaches to the classification of translation by forms, types and genres.
In the words of A.L. Pumpyansky “Translation of scientific and technical literature is a special discipline that arose at the junction of
linguistics, on the one hand, and science, and technology - on the other. Therefore, the translation of scientific and technical literature
should be considered both from linguistic and scientific and technical positions, with the primacy of the first in the study of common
language issues and the second - when considering narrow terminology” [2, p. 19].
Difficulties of translation can be caused by the fact that many words are used in a scientific and technical text not in the meanings that
students have previously learned or which are given in general dictionaries. For example, the verb to offer is more commonly used to
mean “чинити (опір)”, “виявляти (якості)”, “пропонувати”; to happen – “виявлятися”, but not “траплятися”, development –
“розробка, створення, проектно-конструкторські роботи”, not “розвиток”.
Often the dictionary meanings of words can be too general, and then the task of the translator is to modify them depending on the
context. So, the right definition often includes participles (I and II) from the verb to involve - включати, містити, залучати”, which
can be translated depending on the context in various words that convey the idea of connection, inclusion (in the process, action and
etc.) “ зв’язаний з…, розглянутий, даний, наявний, який використовується ”. The same applies to the adjective inherent - “
властивий, притаманний, невід'ємний ”.
The same broad meanings have the words available - "Наявний, доступний, отриманий"; item - "предмет, пункт, питання",
transmitted in the text by the words "деталь, прилад, верстат, елемент, виріб" etc.
The most difficult is the translation of terms. Scientific and technical text is full of special terms that are often absent not only in
general, but also in special (terminological) dictionaries. Such new terms (neologisms), which are not yet registered in dictionaries,
constitute a relatively large percentage of all vocabulary in scientific and technical literature. Examples of neologisms in American
literature: breakthrough – важное открытие, достижение; backup – дублирующий агрегат, деталь, дублирование, задел;
coupling – внедрение, доведение; facility – завод, лаборатория, установка, оборудование; troubleshooting – выявление
недостатков (неполадок).
Translation is complicated by the fact that many terms are ambiguous valve - an electronic lamp (in radio engineering), a valve (in
heating engineering), a valve in the heart (in medicine), and there are many synonyms (different terms that have the same meaning).
In English and Russian languages are widely used words derived from Latin and Greek words. Sometimes they turn out to be “false
friends of the translator”, i.e. having a similar sound in Russian and English, they differ in their meanings, so they often cause erroneous
associations. For example, the English term “resin” does not mean “резина”, but “смола.” The word “compass”, besides the meaning
“компас”, means “циркуль”.
Examples of “false” translator friends: balance - ваги, factor - коефіцієнт, meter - лічильник, accurate - точний, dramatic вражаючий, extra - додатковий, technique - метод.
Technical translation involves not only the translation of words from one language to another, but also the use of a whole range of
knowledge, both linguistic and highly specialized. Only having versatile and specialized knowledge, having the flexibility of thinking,
the translator can make a full-fledged qualified translation and accurately convey the contents of the translated document in the form
corresponding to the original, without violating the norms of the language into which the translation is being made.
References
1. Рецкер Я.И. Методика технического перевода М.: Дрофа, 2009. – 216 с.
2. Пумпянский А.Л. Введение в практику перевода научной и технической литературы на английский язык. М.: Наука,
1965. – 304 с.
3. Галецкая. И.М. О некоторых трудностях перевода научно-технической литературы.
http://www.trudymai.ru/upload/iblock/d90/o-nekotorykh-trudnostyakh-perevoda-nauchno_tekhnicheskoy-literatury.pdf
4. Виноградов В.С. Введение в переводоведение (общие и лексические вопросы) М., 2001.
5. Русско-украинский словарь
https://gufo.me/dict/ruuk