Scientific and Technical translation

Scientific translation: transfer information from one language

into another to help the scientific in their science. It is a tool to
help people around the world to develop and progress in the
field of science. It should be accurate in delivering information
and shows faithfulness and commitment to the source and
target language so it can be used easily to help in developing
other countries. Ex, in medical the term signs which means
‫ أعراض‬.
Technical translation: it is the translation of special language
texts in a certain kind of knowledge. It includes the translation of
texts in engineering, medicine, economic, psychology, law and
tourism. Depression in economic means ‫كساد اقتصادي‬
Terminology: is the study of terms which refer purposely to
specific concepts within particular subject fields. It is a newly
coined units or existing lexical units that acquire a new sense.
Ex, Antibiotic it is a specific term in medical field.

The differences between scientific and literary translation:

The scientific is objective (focus on the object and facts) and
unemotional because you are dealing with facts but the literary
text is subjective and emotional.

The aim of scientific and technical translation:

The main goal is to deliver scientific and technical information
and presenting these information and facts in a good way. It
should be easily (understandable and clear), properly (true) and
effectively in terms of truth not as emotions. It is as a
communicative service which offers new information for new
audience and it should involve three main people the author, the
translator and the reader.
According to Al-Hasnawi the scientific translator should have
some characteristic:
1. Broad knowledge of the subject matter of the text to be
translated.
2. A well-developed imagination that enables the translator to
visualize the equipment or process being described.
3. Intelligence, to be able to fill in the missing links in the
original text.
4. A sense of discrimination, to be able to choose the most
suitable equivalent term from the literature of the field or
from dictionaries.
5. The ability to use one’s own language with clarity,
conciseness and precision.
6. Practical experience in translating from related fields.

Feature of scientific and technical translation :

The basic feature in general objective, precise, unemotional,
accurate and easily (clear).
1. Logical sequence of utterance with a clear indication of the
interrelations and interdependencies. It is about the text as
a whole not a term. It means something logical such as this
is a cause of that or this is a result of that. Each
information has a relation with previous or next one not
only the term.
2. Domain specific terminology: each scientific field will grow
up new terms in each field. There is need to name new
concepts to discover the substance of things by coining
new words. Also, the modern science will have a tendency
to exchange terms between various branches of science.
3. Use of specific sentence-patterns: a. postulatory: a thing
that is accepted as true or as certain to happen without
proof. (we think it is true but we don’t have evidence)it’s
assumed that.
b. Argumentative (I think the earth is circle) and
formulative: express an idea in a
 concise or systematic way (limited to certain things).
4. The use of quotations, references and footnotes. To write a
star next to the word and explain it at the bottom of the
page. Ex, ramadan it is a term Muslim know but other
religion will not understand it.
5. Science does not have it own syntax only, but also its own
terminology.
6. Impersonality: is required to present the character of the
style which should be invariant to all observers:
a. using passive construction Ex, the house is cleaned
everyday.
b. using general pronoun we. Ex, we observe
c. using third person style. Ex, (he likes math.)
d. using abstract nouns formed from verbs and adjectives.
Ex, fear, brave.

7. Use of modal verbs it is very important because we are

describing a possibility or a probability whether sth is
certain or probable or uncertain. Ex, should, will, could…

8. Causative: Make+N+adj (allow, enable, permit, cause,

make+inf). Ex,This causes the airplane to turn on.

9. condensation: intensive details and information.

Lexical feature: 10. It seeks to be economic in terms of using
linguistic means such as, mumps ‫التهاب الغدة النكافية‬
11. simple and informative language. (explicitness) ex, The
apple pie needs flour.
12. use of metaphors: we use it to explain sth in the scientific
text. Ex, black hole or greenhouse effect.
Syntactic features: 13. Abstract subject (objectiveness) we
replace I by we or the passive voice
14. passive (impersonality) the house is cleaned everyday.
 15. use of connectors to links between ideas. (because,
although)
16. simple sentence (explicitness) clear. Ex, The apple pie
needs flour. Simplicity aims to :
1. Reducing the work readers need to do
2. Reducing the risk of misunderstanding
17. Nominalization: heavy use of nouns
The use of a noun which in the same language or in a TT
could be replaced by an expression not containing a noun.
Ex, Jordan dinar: ‫الدينار األردني‬
Why we use nominalization:
a. It is easier to write
b. Its impersonality avoid commitment to tense.
c. It distinguishes the grammar of technical texts from the
grammar of the spoken language.
d. It is focus on the information using lexical density.
Stylistic features:
18. Clarity: we should have clear information. The use of
pronouns (the driver is parking a car near a house, it is new. It
refers to a house or a car.
19. Concision: it should be accurate in meaning. Ex, meeting
minutes : ‫ تفاصيل االجتماع ماحكيت‬details. we should be faithful in
delivering information.
20. Correctness: it means recreating the technical terms of
the original in the target language and producing accurate
target language technical documents despite the mistake in
the original. Ex, heavy meals ‫الوجبات الدسمه ليست الثقيلة‬
21. Addressing specific readership: who is specialist in this
field. Each field has a specific reader who is specialist in this
 field helping them to perform a certain task and providing
information for making a decision.
22. Technical communication is a tool: it is a tool to
performing a task and delivering information and facts to help
the specialist in this field in making a decision.
23. Mixed style. Term standardization to make better
translation. Ex, the book we translated the last semester.
Three students translated a book from Arabic into English
language and it was contained different style of translation.
24. imperative. Take a medicine

Problems of scientific and technical translation:

1. English use Latin or Greek Compound morphemes to
express some technical terms such as television which is a
term made up of two morphemes telos means remote and
vision mean sight or image. This compound term refers to
a something that brings image and indicate its purpose.
Arabic is not flexible as English language either in
borrowing from other language or in using compound
morphemes because of its rules.

2. Technical terms that stand for the inventor’s name such as

watt stands for the electric which is named after person
who invented it (james watt). Pasteurization which refers to
a method of sterilizing especially milk devised by the
French scientist louis Pasteur.

3. There is no agreement among the Arabs on the rendering

of scientific and technical terms such as engine some
Arabs transliterated to ‫ موتور‬and others prefer to give it
arabicized name ‫محرك‬.the problem is that muhark means a
mover. Another example “mobile” it has eight equivalents
in Arabic language: sililur, mubayl, burtable, mahmul,
jawal, hatif mutahrik, khilyawi and naqqal.
4. Most of the foreign terms are strange and new to the Arab
environment and culture which make it difficult to find
equivalents for every term in Arabic. Ex, satellite some
translator keep its original latin name satalayit other
translated it semantically as ‫ قمر صناعي‬and recently it has
been a term in Arabic ‫ ساتل‬but it complicated and not clear.
5. Lexical problem: technical terms totally unfamiliar to the
lay translator because they used in technical context only.
Ex, mumps in medical ‫التهاب الغدة النكافيه‬
6. Lexical problem: technical terms familiar to the translator
because they are used in non-technical context but look as
if they are being used in some technically specialized way
in the ST. ex, ‫ التماس‬contact which means that he touch
something and happen an allergy contact can means
‫العدوى‬we can use it in more than one field (general or
specific)
7. Technical terms familiar to the translator because they are
used in non-technical contexts but do not obviously look
as if they are being used in some technically specialized
way in the ST. ex, depression ‫ كساد أو اكتئاب‬it depends on the
context. ‫ جراثيم‬means in technical germs but in certain field
means bacteria also such as ‫ ابرة‬means needle but in
medical field mean syringe.
Strategies of scientific and technical translation:[
1. Transcription/ Arabicization/ transliteration/ borrowing
Translating the scientific or technical terms using the
Arabic alphabet, without changing how they are
pronounced in the SL. Such as Microwave: ‫ ميكرويف‬not ‫الفرن‬
‫ الموجي‬because it will be not clear and difficult to
understand it.

The problem of Arabicization:

1. It does not give the meaning of the word in Arabic.
2. It is not pure Arabic.
3. It is neither serves the Arabic languages nor enriches its
vocabulary.
 The criteria of using Arabicization:
1. It should concern the social use of language because
people prefer to use the word which is easier to
pronounced and write.
2. Avoid the compound terms with difficult structure. Short
terms are more preferable than long ones. Such as the
prepositions on and off which are ‫ تشغيل‬and ‫ إيقاف‬some
people prefer to use the English terms because they are
shorter and easier to pronounce.
3. The most practical method of creating Arabic
neologisms and terminology.
4. It is more effective because it deals with mono-
morphemic word by applying certain rules but in
compound morpheme it is difficult to apply the same
rules.
5. It is more flexible than other strategies.

2. Coinage: presenting new terms in the Arabic language via

three processes:
1. Derivation: it means add affixations and vowels to the
roots of a word to coin new word. Ex, Data ‫ معطيات‬from
‫ أعطى‬to give.
Derivation based on measurements: machine names ex,
‫ مفعل‬laboratory ‫ مخبر‬.
Derivation is less attractive because there is lack of
coordination between the Arab neologizers and academic.

Good points of using derivation:

1. It makes understanding of the meaning easier and
useful to the reader.
2. It does not violate the identity of Arabic language.
3. It is practical and more natural
Less attractive
It does not apply to the all words
2. Revival: it means to use old Arabic words that were used
and give them new meanings. Ex, train ‫ قطار‬it was mean a
line of camels.
Car‫ سيارة‬it was mean the night travelers.
Neologisms aim to introducing new terms into the Arabic
language by translating meaning. Ex, software ‫برمجيات‬
The problem of revival:
It is not easy to find the old words. It needs a lot of time
and sometimes the word are not suit to our world such as
‫البته أبدا‬
it does not apply to all words
3. Circumlocution: it is a method of introducing new terms
into Arabic language by giving the meaning of the foreign
term. Ex. Ideal : ‫ المثل األعلى‬burglar: ‫لص يسطو على المنازل ليال‬
Sometimes circumlocution leads to a problem of dualism
of terminology such as the word “reflex” is translated into
Arabic sometimes as ‫ االنعكاس الشرطي‬or ‫االنعكاس الظرفي‬
The problems of technical terms:
1. it produces longer term than the original. Ex, cartoon
‫رسوم متحركة‬.
2. A phrase not a word that deviates from their real
functional meaning. Ex, burglar ‫لص يسطو على المنازل ليال‬
3. some translator invent their own arbitrary translation
that does not follow the linguistic system of Arabic
language. Ex, facebook: ‫ فيسبوكية‬does not follow the Arabic
language rule.
Direct translation:
1. Borrowing/ transliteration: is a word taken from one
language into another language alphabet.
The problem of borrowing: we do not have an equivalent to
the concept in the SL so we use borrowing. ( the concept is
not exists in the TL). SARS: ‫ سارس‬/ server: ‫سيرفر‬
2. calque or loan translation: is a kind of semantic
translation. It renders a phrase borrowed from another
language keeping the SL structure. Ex, secretary general:
‫ األمين العام‬/ gasohol: ‫بنزحول‬
3. Gloss translation: it renders the terms and concepts into
the Arabic language by translating the lexicon. Ex, HDTV:
‫ التلفزيون عالي الوضوح‬/ DNA: ‫الحمض النووي‬
4. communicative translation/ explanation/ paraphrasing:
render the exact context of the ST in a way that both the
text and the form are easily acceptable and understandable
to the readers. Ex, glue: ‫ جسيمات صغيرة‬/ blast furnace: ‫فرن صهر‬
)‫عال( يستخدم لصهر الحديد‬
5. literal translation: word for word translation is
translating the words separately without looking at the
structure. ex, Ahmad is a student ‫ احمد يكون طالب‬/ I love ahmad
: ‫انا احب احمد‬
Indirect translation:
1. Transposition: it means changing the part of speech
(word order) without altering the meaning ex, Jordan dinar
‫الدينار األردني‬
2. Modulation: it is the changes of semantics and point of
view expressed in the Sl. This strategy is followed when
literal translation or transposition can result in unidiomatic
or unsuitable text in TL. Ex, you are going to have a child :
‫ستصبحين أما أو ستصبح أبا‬
3. equivalence: we use it when the translators want to
convey the message of the ST using different stylistic and
structural idioms, cliches and proverbs. Ex, willy nilly : ‫شئت‬
‫أم أبيت‬
4. adaptation: is the changing or explaining of cultural
differences between SL and TL. Ex, damn: ‫ اللعنه‬/ hello: ‫السالم‬
‫عليكم‬/ boy/girl friend: ‫صديق أو صديقة‬
5. Addition: it means that we add sth that is not mention in
ST. We use it to make grammatical and clear. Ex, night
shift: ‫نوبة ليله خطأ الزم نوبة عمل ليلية‬
6. deletion: we use it when there is repetition and
unnecessary information. Ex, ‫ يسيطر على‬control on is wrong
we say control.

Blending: is a term used in descriptive linguistic studies to

refer to a linguistic unit which is composed of elements
that function independently in other occasions. Ex, smog
from (smoke+ fog) / ‫ برمائي‬/‫ اسراطين إسرائيل و فلسطين‬barr (land)
and ma’ (water). Brunch (breakfast+ lunch)
Compounding is to merge two words together it can be
compound noun or compound verb
Compound noun such as, teatime ‫وقت شرب الشاي‬, rainfall
Compound verb such as, check out
The criteria of using blending:
1. It must be only for scientific and technical terms.
2. It must be created according to the Arabic linguistic
system.
3. it must be readable. Produce report :‫ أنتج تقريرا‬is not
accept in the Arabic language system but ‫ أعد تقريرا‬is
accepted.
4. Applicable in creating new terms in new world.
Bad point of using blending:
It’s the least accepted strategy between the Arabic linguist