Text translator

The translator must have an excellent, up-to-date knowledge of his source languages, full facility in the handling of his target language, which will be his mother tongue or language of habitual use, and a knowledge and understanding of the subject-matter in his fields of specialization. This is, as it were, his professional equipment. In addition to this, it is desirable that he should have an enquiring mind, wide interests, a good memory and the ability to grasp quickly the basic principles of new developments. He should be willing to work on his own, often at high speeds, but should be humble enough to consult others should his own knowledge not always prove adequate to the task in hand. He should be able to type fairly quickly and accurately and, if he is working mainly for publiction, should have more than a nodding acquaintance with printing techniques and proof-reading. If he is working basically as an information translator, let us say, for an industrial firm, he should have the flexibility of mind to enable him to switch rapidly from one source language to another, as well as from one subject-matter to another, since this ability is frequently required of him in such work. Bearing in mind the nature of the translator’s work, i.e. the processing of written word, it is, strictly speaking, unnecessary that he should be able to speak them, it is an advantage rather than a hindrance, but this skill is in many ways a luxury that he can dispense with. It is, however, desirable that he should have a approximate idea about the pronunciation of his source languages, even if this is restricted to knowing how proper names and places names are pronounced. The same applies to an ability to write his source languages. If he can, well and good; if he cannot, it does not matter. There are many other skills and qualities that are desirable in a translator.

Grammar Review

Verbs followed by a preposition which is retained in the passive structure

To account for - объяснять, учитывать

To agree upon – договариваться о

To call for – требовать, призывать

To deal with – иметь дело с , рассматривать

To refer to - ссылаться на, упоминать

To rely on/upon - полагаться на

To substitute for - вводить

To think of as - считать

I. Translate the expressions:

A determination problem, problem identification, an indentification problem, a system model, crystal growth, control of systems

II. Translate the sentences:

It is essential that both experiments (should) start simultaneously. 2. They suggested that he should explain his explanation. 3. I would go home. 4. He proposed that the conditions should be made more severe. 5. But for the good weather we should not have gone for a walk. 6. They lived as if it were an imaginery world. 7. Make haste you should be late.

III. Translate:

1. This is not the effect, it is rather the cause. 2. It is a rather surprising result. 3. This rather simplified model will account for our observation. 4. Rather, I shall begin with answering questions. 5. These values are rather the exception than the rule. 6. This should facilitate rather than hinder necessary changes. 7. Rather than to facilitate necessary changes these programs hindered them.

Phrasal Verbs

LOOK

About/around осматриваться

After присматривать

Back оглянуться назад

Down (on) презирать, смотреть свысока на

Look forward to с нетерпением ждать

In заглянуть к

Into рассматривать

Like быть похожим на

On считать, наблюдать

Out (for) выглянуть; остерегаться

Over/through просматривать

To ждать

Up поднять глаза; искать; улучшаться

Up to уважать

Upon смотреть как на

Think about the sentences of your own using the verbs.

Unit 2

Read and translate the text: