Knowledge Transfer and the Translation of Technical Texts
This paper contributes to the ongoing debate as to the relevance of translation studies to professional practitioners. It exposes the various misconceptions permeating the links between theory and practice in the translation landscape in the Arab World. It is a thesis of this paper that specialization in translation should be redefined; taking account of the fact, that specialized knowledge alone is neither crucial nor sufficient in technical translation. It should be tested against the readability of the translated text, the appropriateness of its style and the usability of its content by endusers to carry out their intended tasks. The paper also proposes a preliminary model to establish a working link between theory and practice from the perspective of professional trainers and practitioners, calling for the latter to participate in the production of knowledge in a systematic fashion. While this proposal is driven by a rather intuitive conviction, a research line is needed to specify the methodological moves to establish the mediation strategies that would relate the components in the model of knowledge transfer proposed in this paper.
[1] J. Byrne. 2006. Technical Translation: Usability Strategies for
Translating Technical Documentation. Springer: the Netherlands.
[2] Maia, Belinda. 2010. “The role of translation theory in the teaching of
general and non-literary translation-Revisited. In Meaning in
Translation. ed. by Lewandowska, Barbara and Marcel Thelen
Tomaszczyk. Maastricht: Peter Lang.
[3] Robinson, Doug. 2003. Becoming a Translator. 2nd ed. London & New
York: Routledge.
[4] Pinchuck, Isadore. 1977. Scientific and technical translation. London:
A. Deutsch.
[5] Sykes, John Bradbury, ed. 1971. Technical Translator’s Manual.
London: Aslib.
[6] Kingscott, Geoffrey. 2002. “Technical Translation and Related
Disciplines”. Perspectives: Studies in Translatology. 10 (4): 247-255.
[7] Martin, Charles. 2011. “Specialization in Translation: myths and
realities.” Translation Journal. 16 (2). Accessed November 16, 2014.
[8] Alaoui, Ahmed. 2012. Translation: a Practical Guide for EnglishArabic
Translators. Rabat: Top Press.
[9] Byrne, Jody. 2010. “Are technical translators writing themselves out of
existence?” In The Translator as Writer, ed. by Ian Kemble, 14–27.
Portsmouth: University of Portsmouth.
[10] A. L. Ghazal, Méthodologie Générale de L’arabisation de Niveau.
Rabat: I. E. R. A Press.
[11] Kesbi, Abdelaziz. 2003. Attitudes towards Arabization
of Scientific Subjects in the Moroccan Educational System. PhD diss.
Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fés.
[12] Elbiad, Mohamed. 1985. A Sociolinguistic Study of the Arabization
Process and its Conditioning Factors in Morocco. PhD diss. State
University of New York at Buffalo.
[13] Toury, Gideon. 1995. Descriptive Translation Studies- and Beyond.
Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamin.
[14] Chesterman, Adrew and Emma Wagner. 2002. Can Theory Help
Translators? A dialogue between the Ivory Tower and the Wordface.
Manchester: St Jerome.
[15] Schjoldager, Anne. 2008. Understanding Translation. Denmark:
Academica.
[16] Newmark, Peter. 1988. A Textbook of Translation. New York: Prentice
Hall.
[17] Pym, Anthony. 2009. “Translator Training”. Accessed March 5, 2014.
[18] Alaoui, Ahmed. (in preparation). “Why is knowledge transfer
complicated in the translation landscape?”
[19] Becheikh, Nizar, Saliha Ziam, Othman Idrissi, Yan Castonguay and
Réjean Landry. 2010. “How to improve knowledge transfer strategies
and practices in education? Answers from a systematic literature
review”. Research in Higher Education Journal 7.
[20] Love, John. 1985. "Knowledge transfer and utilization in education.”
Review of Research in Education 12: 337-386.
[21] Huberman, Michael. 2002. "Moving towards the Inevitable: the Sharing
of Research in Education." Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice
8 (3): 257-268.
[22] Liyanage, Champika, Taha Elhag, Tabarakat Ballal and Qiuping Li.
2009. “Knowledge communication and translation–a knowledge transfer
model”. Journal of Knowledge Management, 13(3): 118-131.
[23] Johnson, Neville and Warren Brown. 1986. "The Dissemination and Use
of Innovative Knowledge." The Journal of Product Innovation
Management 3(2): 127.
[1] J. Byrne. 2006. Technical Translation: Usability Strategies for
Translating Technical Documentation. Springer: the Netherlands.
[2] Maia, Belinda. 2010. “The role of translation theory in the teaching of
general and non-literary translation-Revisited. In Meaning in
Translation. ed. by Lewandowska, Barbara and Marcel Thelen
Tomaszczyk. Maastricht: Peter Lang.
[3] Robinson, Doug. 2003. Becoming a Translator. 2nd ed. London & New
York: Routledge.
[4] Pinchuck, Isadore. 1977. Scientific and technical translation. London:
A. Deutsch.
[5] Sykes, John Bradbury, ed. 1971. Technical Translator’s Manual.
London: Aslib.
[6] Kingscott, Geoffrey. 2002. “Technical Translation and Related
Disciplines”. Perspectives: Studies in Translatology. 10 (4): 247-255.
[7] Martin, Charles. 2011. “Specialization in Translation: myths and
realities.” Translation Journal. 16 (2). Accessed November 16, 2014.
[8] Alaoui, Ahmed. 2012. Translation: a Practical Guide for EnglishArabic
Translators. Rabat: Top Press.
[9] Byrne, Jody. 2010. “Are technical translators writing themselves out of
existence?” In The Translator as Writer, ed. by Ian Kemble, 14–27.
Portsmouth: University of Portsmouth.
[10] A. L. Ghazal, Méthodologie Générale de L’arabisation de Niveau.
Rabat: I. E. R. A Press.
[11] Kesbi, Abdelaziz. 2003. Attitudes towards Arabization
of Scientific Subjects in the Moroccan Educational System. PhD diss.
Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fés.
[12] Elbiad, Mohamed. 1985. A Sociolinguistic Study of the Arabization
Process and its Conditioning Factors in Morocco. PhD diss. State
University of New York at Buffalo.
[13] Toury, Gideon. 1995. Descriptive Translation Studies- and Beyond.
Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamin.
[14] Chesterman, Adrew and Emma Wagner. 2002. Can Theory Help
Translators? A dialogue between the Ivory Tower and the Wordface.
Manchester: St Jerome.
[15] Schjoldager, Anne. 2008. Understanding Translation. Denmark:
Academica.
[16] Newmark, Peter. 1988. A Textbook of Translation. New York: Prentice
Hall.
[17] Pym, Anthony. 2009. “Translator Training”. Accessed March 5, 2014.
[18] Alaoui, Ahmed. (in preparation). “Why is knowledge transfer
complicated in the translation landscape?”
[19] Becheikh, Nizar, Saliha Ziam, Othman Idrissi, Yan Castonguay and
Réjean Landry. 2010. “How to improve knowledge transfer strategies
and practices in education? Answers from a systematic literature
review”. Research in Higher Education Journal 7.
[20] Love, John. 1985. "Knowledge transfer and utilization in education.”
Review of Research in Education 12: 337-386.
[21] Huberman, Michael. 2002. "Moving towards the Inevitable: the Sharing
of Research in Education." Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice
8 (3): 257-268.
[22] Liyanage, Champika, Taha Elhag, Tabarakat Ballal and Qiuping Li.
2009. “Knowledge communication and translation–a knowledge transfer
model”. Journal of Knowledge Management, 13(3): 118-131.
[23] Johnson, Neville and Warren Brown. 1986. "The Dissemination and Use
of Innovative Knowledge." The Journal of Product Innovation
Management 3(2): 127.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:71018", author = "Ahmed Alaoui", title = "Knowledge Transfer and the Translation of Technical Texts ", abstract = "This paper contributes to the ongoing debate as to the relevance of translation studies to professional practitioners. It exposes the various misconceptions permeating the links between theory and practice in the translation landscape in the Arab World. It is a thesis of this paper that specialization in translation should be redefined; taking account of the fact, that specialized knowledge alone is neither crucial nor sufficient in technical translation. It should be tested against the readability of the translated text, the appropriateness of its style and the usability of its content by endusers to carry out their intended tasks. The paper also proposes a preliminary model to establish a working link between theory and practice from the perspective of professional trainers and practitioners, calling for the latter to participate in the production of knowledge in a systematic fashion. While this proposal is driven by a rather intuitive conviction, a research line is needed to specify the methodological moves to establish the mediation strategies that would relate the components in the model of knowledge transfer proposed in this paper.
", keywords = "Knowledge transfer, misconceptions, specialized texts, translation theory, translation practice. ", volume = "9", number = "10", pages = "3380-7", }
