28/03/2024 Language services Pricing Payment terms Why us Articles Contact us

Actual Problems of Scientific-Technical Translation 2

The important feature of the modern stage of scientific and technological advance is in the interpenetration of terms from  different knowledge  fields. As a result, for  translation of technical literature and documentation, for instance, in communications, translators  need to use branch-wise dictionaries and glossaries in telecommunications, radio electronics, microelectronics, computer science, economics and financies, advertising and marketing and often – in mass media. Approximately the same set of dictionaries is necessary today even during the translation of some modern  magazine for car owners.

And what about new terminology in the areas where our lagging can be estimated at several decades (for example, in the field of physics of failures and complex manufacturing equipment maintenance organization)? It is an important task for the professional technical lexicographers working at creation of branch-wise dictionaries as they have to create or find sensible Russian analogues (but not loan translations) in full compliance with the norms of the source language. But how can the potential authors of new dictionaries be forced to transform their notes into means that help everybody? And how can it be done under the circumstances when paper-based special dictionaries don't keep pace with technological advance and their electronic analogues have, as a rule, closed architecture? Maybe a good stimulus would be constant publication of an extended variant of a dictionary by an authoritative dictionary publisher after appearance of an updated electronic dictionary with the following publication of a newer augmented electronic version of this dictionary etc.

Authoritative dictionary publishers are already bored with republishing their outdated creations. They are ready for collaboration with new authors, but are the authors ready for such publishers'  strict  requirements? And do they know something about these requirements or do they suppose that  everything has been decided for them?

How can dictionaries get back their normative significance that is very important with almost full stop in functioning of former "terminological committees" which had budgetary financing? How can professionals oppose the tendency of "slangification" of Russian technical literature? How can translators and authors of dictionaries be defended from the  illegal use of their works? What are the possible ways of solving the problems of technical translation enumerated in the article? Is the professional certification of technical translators necessary? Technical translation – art or trade? This is just partially filled list of issues which are raised for discussion within the bounds of "The school of technical translation".

Will the establishing Association of lexicographers Lingvo be able  to raise the prestige of translators' work in today's "downturn"? It appears that it not only will but it must do it, - by providing peculiar exchange through "The school of technical translation", the art of which so far cannot be taught either by special schools, or universities, or courses which advertise to teach you any language in one  week during your sleep-time. You only have to go to bed  in headphones and put a textbook under your pillow!

"The school of technical translation" will help to establish the virtual translators' environment which will scare the scampers away;  beginners will be able to ask questions to professionals with many years' practical experience and receive consultation in all the questions connected with translation; professionals will get the strongest feedback with the customers become well-known in the translation sphere, and potential clients will possibly understand at last what is good and what is bad.

Translated from article written by E.K.Maslovskyi

Pages 1 2 Or, get a sample translation for —
free!
Yes, we translate:

List of languages