14. Translation of technical texts.

Clarity is one of the main criteria that characterize translation of technical texts. Of course there are some particular things, but they are different in both lngs. In English usually use structures with finite verbs & in Russian in similar situations – nonfinite.

*You might ask why engineers have generally сhosen to supply us with AC rather than with DC for their household needs. – Можно спросить почему для домашних нужд обычно используется переменный а не постоянный ток.

*We know the primary coil of the ordinary transformer to have more coils than the secondary one. – Известно, что первичная обмотка трансформатора имеет больше витков, чем вторичная.

In English we use future constructions to denote everyday actions, in Russian – Present Simple.

*The zinc in the dry cell accumulates a great many excess electrons, which will move to the carbon electrodes. – Цинк в сухом элементе аккумулирует большее число избыточных электронов, которые движутся к угольному электроду.

*Figure 10 gives a drawing of a bulb; the filament will be seen in the center. – На рисунке приводится чертеж лампочки, нить накала видна в центре.

In English the passive construction is used very often in technical texts. In Russian the passive is used relatively seldom & it should substituted by other means, more characteristic of Russian.

*The question was discussed at the conference. – Мы обсудили этот вопрос на конференции.

Sometimes the original contains some notions or idioms alien to the TL culture. In this case the translator should use culture friendly notions.

*Dozens – десятки

There are certain abbreviations that are used in SL. The challenge is that the same abbreviation may be translated only concerning the context. Some of them should be remembered & we can’t use other in the text.

d.c. – direct current

a.c. – alternating current

s.a. – sectional area

b.p. – boiling point

Technical texts are usually written in 4 major modes of speech.

Description. When we use description our intention is to produce an impression upon the reader similar to the impression that we experience. When we describe an object our purpose is to impress, to influence one’s emotions. A description usually produces a static picture of an object or phenomena.

Narration. It deals with actions & processes. It is usually meant to produce an impression giving us a dynamic picture, but the result is the same imagery.

Exposition & Argumentation. When we use it we want to create a notion in the mind of a listener. The authors of technical texts very often use them, bcos their purpose is to explain things to people or to show that they are right in some questions. In fact when we speak about technical texts, we should use a frame that is a logical pattern, which helps to anticipate. The classification of vocabulary used in technical texts.

1st approach

Terms.

General scientific & technical vocabulary.

Common core vocabulary.

2nd approach

Terms

Non-terms.

Both classifications are rather vague & we should resort to some other classification. Dictionaries used by people are based on the fiction & do not register the technical meaning of a word. The vocabulary used in technical texts depends for the most part on the situation. All the situations are divided into groups:

Elocutionary situations. These are the cases when there are one to one equivalents in the SL & in the TL. E.g. a similar tool exists in both cultures (pliers, pincers).

Perlocutionary situations. Here the message is a challenge. There is no one to one equivalent in both cultures. The translator should give an explanation that will accompany the required term. E.g. smart board  сенсорная доска

If we divide non-terms into common core vocabulary & general scientific vocabulary we find out that there are some words, which don’t belong to any category. The non-terms layer comprises words that function to describe scientific & technical phenomena & acquire therefore a specific meaning acc. to the situation. This vocabulary can be classified into 3 substrata, acc. to their informative importance & to their function.

Nuclear vocabulary. It is used to describe the process & the objects of investigation. It is used in texts dealing with fundamental scientific research & applying research as well.

*Application, development, analysis, background etc.

Words of everyday use. These are used in special situations, dealing with investigation, its result, the implementation of the results & the dissemination. Many of these words are synonyms. They represent different parts of speech (functional & notional words). They acquire quantitative & qualitative features depending on the nature of the scientific or technical text. They are very difficult to translate as they seem to be familiar, but the meaning is rather vague. That’s why they do not let themselves easily to translation.

*This system is favorable. – Эта система вполне удовлетворительна.

* The agreement is favorable. – Соглашение вполне приемлемо.

* It is the favorable commentary on the resources of modern chemistry. – Ресурсы современной химии заслуживают самого высокого понимания.

*History of temperature – перепады температуры

*Radiation-time-pulse history – график импульсов облучения

*Reliable history – надежные данные

Functional words. They have different meanings & for the most part they do not coincide with the meanings of words that are usually used in Russian. People usually use different approaches to classify words & the most important is classification from the point of view of translation challenges. Words that cannot be found in the recent English-Russian dictionaries. False friends of the translator. Words with a broad semantic range. Words with a very narrow semantic range & low frequently of occurrence. Words that are stylistically colored & have affective connotations.