Vocabulary 1

Read the definitions below and find the appropriate words and expressions from the text that you've just read. The numbers of paragraphs are given in brackets. Then translate the expressions you've found from English into your target language.

1. the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions (noun) (Par. 1)

2. a verbal formula giving an indication as to what is to be inserted in a particular space in a text, verbal information that helps to understand the message of a text (adj.+noun) (Par. 1).

3. to recognize, understand and realize fully the differences (verb+noun) (Par. 1).

4. used to emphasize the basic, fundamental, or intrinsic nature of a person, thing, or situation (adverb) (Par. 2).

5. a part of a Patent document that presents the patent formula of any invention or tool being patented (noun) (Par. 2)

6. a preliminary version of a piece of writing which is not finished tidily or decoratively and which is plain and basic (adj.+noun) (Par. 3)

7. abstruseness, doubtfulness, uncertainty or inexactness of meaning in language (noun) (Par. 3)

8. predictable, unchangeable and containing no logical contradictions (adj.) (Par. 3).

9. the process of detailed development and further presentation or delivery of some physical or mental work, such as an idea, theory etc. (noun) (Par. 4).

10. a noun used as a commonly adopted word for a thing such as invention, discovery, place etc. named after or thought to be named after some personality (noun) (Par. 4)

11. a vexing, tiresome part of a text that causes difficulties and annoyance for those who deal with it (adj.+noun) (Par. 5)

12. an opinion or a conclusion made by people (noun) (Par. 5)

Reading 2

Now read the second part of the article and perform the exercises after the text.

Approaches to Translation by John Bukacek

Part II: Necessary steps in the translation process

1) Before Getting Started I frequently get calls from people who say they are interested in becoming translators, and who are asking how to get started. I always tell them that they must first do some soul-searching. They need to examine carefully and honestly their motives for embarking on translation as an occupation, and to assess as realistically as they can their potential for success in the business. One question I always ask them is, "Have you ever done a translation before?" The answers range from "never have" from wanna-bes, to "quite a lot" from people who have years of experience with in-house translation and now want to break into full-time freelance work.

2) I always ask people about their background in language. I am amazed at how many people say they have studied Japanese for one year and now want to become translators. I am afraid that they have been told "o-jozu desu ne" so many times that it has gone to their heads! I have to tell them that much more study is necessary. And they should live in Japan for a while and experience something of the culture. There is always a cultural sub-context, even in scientific and technical documents. I have also received calls from Japanese nationals who have gone no further than studying English in their local schools for six years, and still want to be translators.

3) This surprises me greatly, because I would think they would be suffering from "honyaku-sho" so severely that they would never even think of becoming translators! And on top of that, they almost always think they can translate into English. I tell them that the general rule of thumb in our profession is that the translator translates from the foreign language and into the native language. Of course, there are exceptions, but they truly are exceptions. After all, writing is the most difficult of all language skills, and it is difficult to write well even in one's "native" language, let alone a "foreign" language.

4) The truth is that knowledge of a foreign language is a necessary, but not a sufficient condition, to become a translator. Many additional skills and aptitudes are required. A translator must be able to write well in the target language. The terminology, phraseology, and speech level of the translation must be accurate, up-to-date, and appropriate to the specific context and audience. In order to achieve this, the translator must have an understanding of the subject matter of the text, and the translator must know how to write in the specialized jargon of the field. This does not necessarily mean that the translator has to be an "expert" in the field, but to a significant degree, the translator needs to have acquired knowledge of the field through schooling, work experience, and self-study.

5) Some translations require expertise that the translator cannot possibly possess, and this is particularly true of certain types of interdisciplinary work. In many cases, it is the client who possesses the necessary subject-specific expertise and expertise related to a particular document, and the translator should not feel embarrassed to ask the client for help. Clients would much rather work with an honest translator than with a translator who makes false claims of "expertise" in a field, or an agency that claims to do "all languages and all subjects." Some agencies claim to provide terminology assistance to translators, but in many cases, the questions that arise are not about terminology but about the meaning and background of certain portions of the text. It is a good idea to ask the client for as much background material as possible before beginning a translation.

6) Obviously, it is not appropriate for the translator to go running to the client with every question that comes up while working on a translation. A translator needs to know how to do research on the terminology and concepts appearing in the source language text. The translator should, of course, have specialized bilingual dictionaries in his or her chosen fields of concentration. Beyond that, the translator must be familiar with other research tools to help unravel knotty questions of meaning that can arise in the course of doing a translation. In addition, all kinds of vexing issues can come up that are not necessarily issues of translation, but must be dealt with: personal names and place names, geographical entities, company names, company-specific terminology, out-of-date terminology, specialized symbols, katakana abbreviations, typographical errors, and so forth. Handwritten documents can present special challenges, especially if the penmanship is poor, and the only copy the client can provide is a third-generation fax!

7) Although finding the appropriate scientific and technical terminology is certainly difficult, the really hard part about translating is dealing with the everyday language that links and gives context and relevance to the specialized terms. I do not mean to downplay the terminological difficulties encountered in translation. Dictionaries are often filled with errors. Standard terminology is sometimes used in nonstandard and idiosyncratic ways. Nonstandard terminology is sometimes used as if it were standard. New terms are being coined all the time, especially in leading-edge technologies. Scientific fields and technologies that previously were considered separate are now merging to form new fields with concepts requiring new terminology. There is now so much interdisciplinary work being done that no dictionary, even in electronic form, could possibly be large enough or current enough to contain all the terms needed to translate in rapidly developing fields of technology. This forces translators to do terminological research using a variety of sources.

8) In addition to the daily task of researching factual and technical details involved in any particular translation job, there two very practical things a translator can do to improve translation skill on a long-term basis:

• Read widely in the source language and in the target language.

• Study translations done by other translators, and have other translators study your translations, and exchange feedback.

Reading and comprehension

Answer the following questions according to the whole text of the article:

1. What linguistic aspects does a translator deal with in practice?

2. What must a translator do in order to perform his work properly?

3. What are the steps in translation process according to the author?

4. What does the choice of an approach to translation depend on?

5. What are the main ways translators usually prefer to perform their work? What are their advantages and drawbacks?

6. In what way do some translators use “literal” translation? What's the author's approach to such a way and why?

7. What's the best approach to translation from the author's point of view? Why?

8. What is a tentative translation and when is it used?

9. What role does the subconscious mind play in the process of translation?

10. What according to the author is the thirst thing to do before getting started as a professional translator?

11. What other things except language are needed for a good translator?

12. What is the “general rule of thumb” in the translator's profession?

13. Name some additional skills and aptitudes that are required from a professional translator?

14. Is it good or bad from the author's point of view for a translator to ask the client for help?

15. What is according to the article the hardest part about translating? Why?