Scientific and technical text - specialised, non-literary translating

Abstract

The medium of the translating is a definite text. The concept of specialized, non-literary translating might be approached through the concept of the scientific-technical text. The linguistic concept of a text is dealt with textual linguistics, whereas various kinds of texts as well as individual fields of translating are analysed and hmited by the present article from the point of view of translation theory and practice. Different ideas of translation-science are analysed, summarizing the author's own theoretical considerations and experiences. In this way the basic difference between literary and non-literary texts (fiction and non-fiction) is the following: the text of fiction (poems, novels, drama etc.) contains imagination of transformed actions and situations, without any direct timeliness; conversely, the non-fiction text intends always to supply real and timely information referring to social coexist-ence and division of labour. Therefore while the text of fiction is author-oriented, it intends to give aesthetic-emotional impressions and its form is of decisive importance; in the scientific-technical text, on the other hand, the cognitive-informative factor, the content is the determinant, and these texts are subjects-oriented. This is what determines the linguistic means, usage and stylistic elements of the two big fields of texts. The above aspects are of decisive importance also with respect to the concept and methodology of the translating of specialised, non-literary texts. The translator of an author-oriented text has to interpret the personal message, impressions and emotions of the author. The translator of a subject-oriented text, however, is directed by the factual information content of the text as well as by the need of the aimed community which specifies the selection of linguistic means. Accordingly the confirming criteria of the two big fields of translations are not to be found in the area of form or artistry but in the subject and in the social-communicative function of the translation. The theoretical conclusions might be of relative validity because of the wide overlaps; their practical effectiveness is influenced to a large extent by the conditions and circumstances of practical translating tasks.