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APRIL/MAY 2017 The Linguist 21
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A final interesting false friend example
comes from a translation of a Russian text I
was checking a little while ago.
полутон
(poluton) was translated as 'semitone' – an
understandable mistake, perhaps, since polu
means 'half-/semi-/demi-' and ton means
'tone/tint'. However, the context was image-
processing rather than audio. Now, if you
happen to know the printing (or Photoshop)
terms 'half tone' and 'half tint', you will realise
that the author is discussing gradations of an
image colour density. A good Russian
dictionary will give both terms, but an online
version defining the terms in the source
language is particularly useful; readers with a
knowledge of Russian will easily clarify this
particular issue with a search result such as:
ПОЛУТО́ Н
1) Наименьший интервал темперированной
гаммы (муз.)
2) Цвет, краска, образующая переход от
светлого тона к темному в картине.
Where 1) is the musical definition and 2) the
use in printing.
1
Other uses of the web
Wikipedia is, of course, another highly
useful resource, as it will give reasonably
authoritative entries on technical topics in a
whole range of languages. For example, the
beginning of entries on digital modulation in
English, French and German both further the
translator's technical understanding and give
RELIABLE INFORMATION
Good reference materials, such as bilingual
technical dictionaries, are essential
useful examples of terminology (see box,
left). Technical diagrams in various language
versions were not easily available before
the internet. The diagrams of basic
microprocessor architecture in English, French
and German (right), although not completely
identical or equivalent, enable the comparison
of vocabulary as well as giving technical
information. It is easy to identify French and
German terms for 'arithmetic and logic unit',
'buffer', 'instruction register', various 'buses'
(i.e. communication links) and so on.
While the internet is an incredibly useful
resource, it is not everything. For each
language I translate from, I still find a good
bilingual and monolingual dictionary,
appropriate bilingual technical dictionaries,
and reference works, such as up-to-date
encyclopedias, very useful.
Many of the points raised in this short
piece can be applied to other fields of
specialist translation, for example the hints on
using the internet and the need to triangulate
to avoid error. Perhaps the most important
matters for technical translation are still:
1) always remain aware of the many-to-one
mappings of terms and concepts between
languages; 2) be reasonably sceptical of
'equivalent' terms, wherever you find them;
and 3) ensure you have enough specialist
knowledge for the task in hand, something
that requires ongoing self-evaluation and
critical reflection on your professional practice.
Notes
1 http://slovari.bibliofond.ru/ushakov_word/
Полутон
Basic microprocessor diagrams
in English, French and German
IMAGES
©
SHUTTERSTOCK
