Multiple Arabic Equivalents to English Medical Terms: Translation Issues (original) (raw)
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Multiple Arabic Equivalents to English Medical Terms
International Linguistics Research, 2018
Translation of medical texts poses several challenges to undergraduate student-translators due to multiple Arabic equivalents to English medical terms. For medical terms such as clinical, intensive care, polyp, and osteoporosis several Arabic equivalents exist. A sample of English medical terms with multiple Arabic equivalents was collected from several English-Arabic medical dictionaries to find out the types of multiple Arabic equivalents given, the shortcomings of Arabic equivalents, and the difficulties that students have with multiple Arabic equivalents. Two lists of categories with definitions and examples were developed and used in classifying and evaluating the equivalents. In addition, students answered an Arabic medical terminology test and responded to a questionnaire-survey to find out their difficulties. Results of the analysis and evaluation of the Arabic equivalents, medical terminology test, and responses to the questionnaire-survey are reported in detail. Recommenda...
The aim of this study was to investigate the language and strategies used by Syrian postgraduate medical students at the ESP Centre, Damascus University, when translating English medical texts into Arabic. Students were asked to translate into Arabic English medical texts taken from authentic medical journals without being taught any principles about translation and schools of translation. The procedure was repeated several times, and the data collected were based on students’ edited drafts, students’ introspection, final exam papers and the teacher’s analysis of the target texts. The results show that, although individuality of translated texts was a common feature of students’ translations, micro-text processing and macro-text processing were two main techniques followed by students in translating the assigned texts. Mistranslation was attributed to several factors, such as the translator’s lack of knowledge of the principles of translation and the already translated materials. It is recommended, therefore, that students be exposed to translation techniques and possible occurrences of mistranslation. Further recommendations are given based on target text analysis and the survey conducted by the American International Health Council asking Arab doctors in the United States about their experience concerning arabizing medicine in Syria.
Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research, 2023
Purpose-All colleges of medicine in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) adopt English as a language of instructions. This study aimed to examine medical students' views on introducing medical terminology in Arabic within an English-based curriculum. Design/methodology/approach-This descriptive study targeted preclinical second-and fourth-year students in the College of Medicine and Medical Sciences at the Arabian Gulf University, during the academic year 2022-2023 (n 5 407). Within the pharmacology teaching material in unit I (second year) and unit VIII (fourth year), which are taught in English, students were provided with medical terms in Arabic. At the end of these two units, students' views were sought by using a self-administered questionnaire. Findings-The number of respondents was 263 (response rate 64.1%: 22.2% males, 77.8% females). Most participants received their school education mainly in Arabic (78.8%). A significant percentage of students believed that providing Arabic terms helped their learning (79.8%). If pharmacology is taught exclusively in English, majority of the students anticipated to face difficulties when explaining drug treatment to their patients in the future (71.3%). Most respondents expected this intervention to help them communicate with patients (86.7%), and preferred to include it in the clinical skills training (82.2%). The second-year students and those whose school education was mainly in Arabic were more likely to agree to the intervention (p < 0.05 for both). Originality/value-The introduction of medical terms in Arabic is an acceptable alternative to complete Arabization, and is believed to help students in their learning and communication with their patients.
Examining the Usefulness of Medical Bilingual Dictionaries for Translation Purposes
International Journal of Linguistics
This paper aims at examining the effectiveness of four medical bilingual English-Arabic dictionaries for translational purposes. This is done by investigating the provided information used in the presentation of a number of medical words in the examined dictionaries. The results reveal an inconsistency in the presentation of the selected words in the dictionaries; which might be correlated to the lack of provision policies given by the compilers of the dictionaries. Moreover, an inadequacy in the provision of semantic, pragmatic, and encyclopedic information was noticed which would be inadequate for translational purposes. However, it was found that the Unified Medical dictionary covered more types of information like the provision of encyclopedic illustrations and pictorial illustration.
Article, 2023
This article aims to tackle the problems of translating medical terms from English to Arabic, particularly terms related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It first examines medical terminology in English, considering how such terms are coined or created, and later sheds light on the importance of neologism in medical discourse. Although English maintains itself as the lingua franca of science and medicine, many researchers have examined the importance of translating medical terminology into Arabic and creating new equivalents instead of borrowing foreign words directly into Arabic. Thus, this article aims to first shed light on newly used words that have emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, and then analyse their most commonly used translations. The data consists of four common words that have been extensively used during the pandemic. The study concluded that the majority of these terminologies are translated using a descriptive method, or Arabicization. The article further highlights the importance of creating a consistent medical terminology base in Arabic.
This study empirically examines lexical translation problems encountered by accredited translators in English Arabic Translations. Its main aim is to identify whether lexical errors occur in professionally translated documents and investigate the type of lexical errors occurring as well as identify the possible reasons for them. Five translated health documents in New South Wales were randomly, lexical errors were counted and then analyzed. The functionalist approach has been adopted in this research. Analysis of the errors was mainly focusing on semantics. The lexical errors found were related but not limited to additions, omissions, compounds, synonyms collocations and inconsistencies. More extensive research is required to identify additional types of lexical errors found in professionally translated documents. This research has many limitations due to the paucity of data and its inability to accommodate for all types of errors and their related factors. Therefore, more research is required in this field in order to improve translation outcomes. The findings affirm the hypothesis that lexical errors are made by accredited as well as student translators. It does not reveal conclusively, however, that errors at the lexical level are due to complex and or new lexical items.
Language Planning and Terminology Management: Case Study Medical Terminology in Jordan http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/book/B-978-1-940366-09-8 Dr Hussein Abdo M. Rababah Al- Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University- KSA Languages and Translation College Abstract Language Planning and Terminology Management: Case Study, Medical Terminology in Jordan Language planning and medical terminology management in Jordan is investigated as a case study, both qualitatively and quantitatively, from the perspective of general language planning and terminology management theories and principles. English is the communicative and professional medical language in Jordan. Medical staff often switch from English to Arabic and vice versa. Arabic medical terminology, which is important for patient and medical staff communication, is not properly standardized. There is more than one Arabic medical equivalent for the same medical concept, which causes ambiguity and confusion to language users. The assumption of this study is that Arabic medical terms are available, but they are not well disseminated. Code switching, translation, bilingualism, euphemism, dysphemism, synonymy, term formation, as linguistic notions, are discussed in their relation to language planning and terminology management. The methodology of this research includes attitudinal questionnaires for investigating medical language users’ opinions and attitudes towards terminology management, a translation form for evaluating the mechanisms for spreading Arabic medical terminology, a survey of medical dictionaries for the availability of Arabic medical terminology, and interviews with the people responsible for language planning and terminology management. The expected benefits of having a standardized and disseminated Arabic medical terminology include the enhancement of communication between health care providers and users, the facilitation of the translation process, the transfer of medical knowledge to Jordan, an increase in the health awareness of people, and improving the education of medical related careers. The research concludes that there is no organized strategy for innovating and disseminating medical terminology in Jordan. The subjects are generally in favour of keeping English as the medical language as well as having a standardised and disseminated Arabic medical terminology. A practical strategy is proposed, and the terminology committee is recommended to appoint a Medical Terminology Monitor and a Liaison Person.
Terminological Equivalence in Translation of Medical Text
Schriften zur Sprache und Literatur VII, 2023
Medical language and terminology play a key role in the healthy and comprehensible exchange of information between people from different languages as well as between people using the same language. In this regard, two important issues stand out. One of them is the medical language and terminology used in the source text. The medical language used in the source text (whether it is a language dominated by medical terminology of Latin and Greek origin or an easy-to-understand language using commonly used medical terms) is influential in determining the terms to be used in translation. The other is the target audience. Will the translation be done for people who are familiar with medical terminology and who are in the medical field, or will it be done for people who are not from the field, with little or no knowledge of the terminology? Because it is essential to use a language that the target audience can understand. This study focuses on medical terms used in medical texts that serve to inform the public. The aim of the study is to investigate whether the linguistic features of terms are taken into account in translation, i.e. whether equivalence is achieved at the term level, and to reveal the importance of equivalence for the target audience.