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The problems of technical translation

Technical translation isn’t an easy task to do. Translator should master technical terms, technical knowledge and tips to avoid problems during the translational process. This article suggests brief information about  technical translation, problems of technical translation and problem solving activities.

Technical translations, in the broader sense, involve any non-literary translation, i.e., translation of texts dealing with electronics, medicine, law, economics, or sports. In a narrower sense, technical translations deal with texts from the world of engineering, including chemistry, computer science, automotive engineering, geology, etc. The number of technical fields is infinitely large, and terminology is expanding and changing daily.

Problems of technical translation

There are some particular problems in the translation process of technical terms : problems of ambiguity, lack of knowledge of technical terms. Another problem would be the grammar because there are several constructions of grammar poorly understood, in the sense that it isn't clear how they should be represented, or what rules should be used to describe them.
The words that are really hard to translate are frequently the small, common words, whose precise meaning depends heavily on context. Besides, some words are untranslatable when one wishes to remain in the same grammatical category.
Problems with the source text:                                                                                                  Text difficult to read or illegible text                                                                                        Spelled incorrectly or printed incorrectly     

Language problems:                                                                                                                  Technical  terms and neologisms                                                                                                 Unsolved acronyms and abbreviations                                                                                           Proper name of people, organizations, and places.                                                        Typical tips for translators to avoid problems in translation process                                         Be sure you are able to translate the given text before you accept it                                                 Try to work only one direction of translation  (technical profession has different directions)                                                                                                                       Learn as much information about technical equipments and terms as possible                                             Try to understand the meaning of each technical term                                                                   Learn technical terms every day                                                                                                 Learn the application of any technical term correctly                                                                       New day, new gadget, new technical term. Keep in touch with the modern sources of information                                                                                                                  Top ten tips for translators to avoid pitfalls                                                               1. Do not accept a project which you know is not within your abilities.

2. Do not accept jobs with impossible deadlines.

3. Do not hesitate to ask questions.

4. Do not accept a job without seeing the text first.

5. Do not accept work without knowing who your client is.

6. Do not proceed with the job until you have agreed on the rate.

7. Think about what you write in an email before sending it off to a mailing list. 8. Do not sell yourself short.

9. Keep all business records and correspondence for at least 12 months.

10. Read every clause very carefully before you sign a contract.  

References
Baker, M. 1992. In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation. London: Sage Publication.
Bell, R.T. 1991. Translation and Translating: Theory and Practice. London: Longman.
Catford, J.C. 1965. A Linguistic Theory of Translation. London: Longman.
Hervey, S., Higgins, I., and Haywood, L. M. 1995. Thinking Spanish Translation: A Course in Translation Method: Spanish into English. London; New York: Routledge.
Koller, W. 1995. “The concept of equivalence and the object of translation studies”.