FOR INTERPRETERS ON MEDICAL TRANSLATION

The Many Issues in Medical Translation Posted on June 15, 2015 Leave a Comment Image Copyright: kentoh / 123RF Stock Photo Medical translation requires great skills, because it needs to be precise and very accurate. However, medical translation has terminologies that are unique to this field, and appears in different spellings based on the target language. Added to this is the fact that abbreviations could mean different things. The main obstacles a medical translator is likely to face are medical terminology and medical knowledge. Medical terminology can present problems different and separate from other types of translation. Localization and globalization Health products and research undergo wider expansion due to the popularity of medical technology. Medical devices and products are being manufactured in different countries around the world and are made more available today to a wider consumer base. Thus there is an increase in pharmaceutical translation and medical translation, which ranges from research materials, packaging inserts, product information, brochures and user guides. Each year there is an increase in the number of scientific ideas and medical terms and it is obvious that translating and localizing scientific and medical content is more complex now than it was a few years back. Language proficiency Language proficiency as well as specialized scientific knowledge play key roles in successfully doing medical translation. It is a highly technical undertaking because of the number of specialized terms that are difficult or even not suitable to be translated into various languages. Thus only skillful and professional translators knowledgeable on the subject matter should be doing medical translations. Identifying the target audience Determination of the target audience is one of the first things that a medical translator should do. This is because this will determine if the translation should be done in medical terms or in a lay person’s (patient’s) terms, or probably both. For example, the medical term Varicella (English) or Varicelle (French) means “chicken pox.” If the translation is intended for medical practitioners, then the medical term should be used. If the translation is for patients, then the translator must use the layman’s term. The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated an International Nonproprietary Name (INN) to several substances in pharmaceutical products. The INN is the official non-proprietary and generic name for specific pharmaceutical drugs such that a unique standard name is given for each active ingredient for easier communication and to avoid errors when making prescriptions. For example “Salbutamol” is an INN for a prescription-only medicine for the treatment of asthma. One of its English trade names in “Ventolin” or “Ventoline” in French. The United States Adopted Name (USAN) for salbutamol is “albuterol.” Since there are several companies that produce one drug, adding a generic name means that it is easier to understand the drug’s chemical function in various languages. British and American English spellings differ as well, so for consistency, this should be considered. At times, the meaning of a term could be different, too. In the United States, “surgery” means an operation whereas in the UK, it could mean the doctor’s office or the opening hours of a doctor’s office. Cultural knowledge should also be taken into consideration so a translator must be able to discern when to use euphemisms and metaphors to replace unpleasant topics. This is not by any means an exhaustive list of problems related to medical translation. The fact remains that a medical translator must have sufficient background knowledge, great research skills and reliable medical journals and websites to consult when doing medical translation. Do you know of other challenges that people may face when it comes to medical translation? Join the discussion and share with us your thoughts through the comment section below. Posted by Day Translations Filed Under: Translation