Technical Translation into English

Scientific & Technical Texts:
Romance Languages into English
Romina Marazzato Sparano
languagecompass

LanguagesRomina Marazzato Sparano
© Romina Marazzato Sparano 2019

Technical translation is about:
 Terminology & Subject Matter Complexity
 Technical Text Features across the disciplines
 Nominalizations, complex syntax, etc.
Plain Language
 Clarity: grammar / structure / cohesion / coherence
 Adequacy: audience / design
 Language Idiosyncrasies
 Syntactic Mismatches: verbs, resultatives, nominalizations
 Rhetorical Style: length, embedding, abstraction
Examples will
appear here…

Subject Matter Complexity
“If it could be summarized
in a sentence,
it wouldn't be worth
the prize.”
Richard Feynman
Nobel in Quantum Electrodynamics
Expertise
Interests

Obscurity of Expression
“Consequences of Erudite Vernacular
Utilized Irrespective of Necessity:
For achievements that first make people LAUGH then make them THINK
Problems with Using Long Words
Needlessly.”
Daniel Oppenheimer
Ig Nobel in Literature
2019 Medicine: Silvano Gallus, for collecting evidence that pizza
might protect against illness and death, if the pizza is made and
eaten in Italy.

Technical Text Features – Beyond the Lexicon
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with a considerable mortality
rate that can be reduced by using different prevention strategies.
Among such strategies, endoscopic surveillance of high-risk
individuals and population-based endoscopic screening of average-
risk individuals enables detection and removal of premalignant
lesions (adenomas) as well as presymptomatic detection of cancer.
Similarly, implementation of cancer detection tests such as fecal
occult blood tests (FOBTs) is another strategy to reduce cancer
mortality by early detection of CRC. We hypothesize that
personalized management, based on information concerning
environmental and lifestyle factors, and phenotype in combination
with a variety of genotipic biomarkers will become more important as
a strategy to optimize CRC prevention in the future.© Romina Marazzato Sparano 2019

colorectal,
implementation
similarly
that can be reduced
strategies
[exemplification] among such
strategies
we hypothesize
Technical Texts Features
complex terms
complex syntax
discourse markers
anaphoric reference
text organization
metalinguistic vocabulary

Nominalization
Lexical Density
 Single entity > richer text
 Logical/Rhetorical Organization
Product vs. Process > Rhetorical vs. Narrative
 Cohesive Device
Information flow > Picks up rheme as theme
+ = N
actionagent
abstraction
The surgeon removed a bone flap from the left side
of the patient’s skull to maintain blood flow and
minimize swelling and pressure. The removal
proved clinically successful and MRI confirmed
minimal disruption to white matter. © Romina Marazzato Sparano 2019

 But, when Romance verbs yield
more acceptable nominalizations than English
 Use a sensory image
have a shared knowledge and understanding > be on the
same page
 Revert to sequence & habitual verbs
Our goal is the improvement of the quality > …to bring up the
quality
 Find an alternative cohesion strategy
We had to postpone the procedure due to... This postponement
led to
> …Putting off the procedure led to…

Plain Language 2.0
LOCATE UNDERSTAND ACT UPON
relevant information

PLAIN LANGUAGE
…means clear communication with and among: • Experts
• Lay audiences
• People with limited abilities
…requires suitability to the audience and appropriateness of wording.
© Romina Marazzato Sparano
languagecompass
Audience
Wording
Purpose
Structure
Design
Grammar
Coherence
Adequacy
Textuality
&

Plain Language: Clarity in Communication
*Guilt and bitterness can be emotionally
destructive to you and your children. You must
get rid of them.
*Both age and pharmacotherapy are associated with
higher adherence to the cessation program.
Migraine is a neurovascular disorder,
characterized by paroxysmal attacks of unilateral
throbbing pain.Migraine is a type of headache that causes
pounding pain, often on one side of the head.
Grammar
Coherence
Adequacy
This points to the
need for greater care when providing no
pharmacotherapy and with subjects who started
smoking at a young age.

Plain Language: Clarity in Communication
Wording
Audience
Purpose
Structure
Design
Grammatical?
Coherent?
Syntax
Word Order
Punctuation
Cohesion
Flow
Logic
& Connectors
Word Chains
References
Recasting

Purpose, Structure, Design

Migraine is a disabling condition that affects nerves and blood vessels.
Its main symptom is sudden pounding pain usually on one side of the
head. Migraine also includes other symptoms like sensitivity…
Clarity & Adequacy: more than term substitutions
Migraine is an incapacitating disorder of neurovascular nature,
characterized by paroxysmal attacks of unilateral throbbing headache
and autonomic nervous system dysfunction, including sensitivity…
Migraine is a type of headache that:
• causes pounding pain, often on one side of the head, and
• includes symptoms like sensitivity to sound, light, or smell.

Plain Language in Science & Technology
Definition
Context &
Interlocutors
Dimensions
Strategies

Techniques
to express thoughts
clearly
PLAIN LANGUAGE
Techniques to
communicate
(technical) information
to lay audiences
PLAIN ENGLISH
Techniques to adapt &
simplify content for
audiences with
limited abilities
SIMPLE ENGLISH
© Romina Marazzato Sparano
languagecompass

1) Lexicon
2) Syntactic Mismatches
3) Rhetorical Style
Language Idiosyncrasies: Romance vs English
empower / meriggiare / dépaysement /
caricia
dance the night away / ci se ne poteva fidare / you vs. tu-
usted
s'inscrivant dans le cadre de / cabe observar que / ocorre
valutare /
it was observed

╪ Translation Approaches
SOURCE-ORIENTED TARGET-ORIENTED
FOREIGNIZATION DOMESTICATION
quitarse, togliersi, enlever
remove > > get off > > take off > > peel off
Language Idiosyncrasies: Romance vs English

Rimuovere il primo guanto afferrando la parte esterna del
guanto sul polso e sfilandolo in modo tale da rovesciarlo una
volta rimosso.
Take off your first glove by pinching the outside of
the glove near your wrist and peeling it away, turning the glove
inside out until removed.
Idiosyncrasies: Verbs vs. Satellite Frame
Remove the first glove by grasping the outside of the glove
near your wrist and pulling it so that it inverts once
removed.

Verb-Frame vs. Satellite-Frame
Romance
path / result is internal
> salir, entrar, correrse
> uscire, entrare, spostarsi
> sortir, entrer, s’écarter
English
path / result is external
> go out, come in,
step aside
≠ aspects of the event!What How
He run out of his
office.
Salió corriendo...
Il s'est enfui...
E' scappato di corsa ...

Lost in Translation (Dan Slobin, 2004)
Manner lost into Romance
Manner not recovered into English
A bird entered the
room.
A bird got into the room.
A bird flew into the
Un pájaro entró a la
casa.
Un oiseau entra dans la
maison.
A bird flew inTo the
house.
Un uccello è entrato in
casa.

Fronting of Impersonal verbs
 Shifting focus from observing subject onto observed object
En este texto se refieren las preocupaciones y miedos que las
posibilidades de "manipulación genética” suscitaron durante
Descrevem-se três casos clínicos de crianças de apresentação
invulgar…
Depuis le tournant des années 1990, se multiplient dans les revues
scientifiques médicales les tribunes ou éditoriaux traitant des
rapports de la neurologie…
Attualmente in Italia è obbligatoria per legge l’esecuzione di
cinque test di screening neonatale…

Passive Voice: shedding light on the object
Agent is:
Irrelevant
> unknown or old news
Heavy
> cognitive load
Big news!
> relevant to object perception
The baby had been brought to the shepherd by a servant
servant from the Laius house, who had been told to get rid
rid of the child.
Oedipus© Romina Marazzato Sparano 2019

Let’s Practice: Idiosyncrasies
Syntactic Mismatches: verbs, resultatives, nominalization
Rhetorical Style: length, embedding, passive, abstraction
(including nominalization)

Las espiroquetas provocan una infección generalizada que afecta
todos los tejidos del cuerpo. Una vez que penetran la barrera de la
piel o las membranas mucosas, las bacterias ingresan a los
capilares linfáticos que aceleran su llegada a los nódulos linfáticos
más cercanos. Allí, se multiplican rápidamente y comienzan a
invadir el torrente sanguíneo.
Spirochetes inflict a generalized infection involving tissues
throughout the body. Once they manage to penetrate the skin
barrier or mucous membranes, the spirochetes enter the lymph
capillaries, which accelerate their passage into the nearest lymph
glands. There, they multiply at a rapid rate and start to invade the
bloodstream.
Let’s Practice: Verb vs. Satellite Frame

Source- vs. Target-Oriented
…Once they wiggle their way through the skin or mucous
membrane, the spirochetes enter the lymph capillaries, where they
they are hurried along to the nearest lymph glands. There, they
multiply at a rapid rate and
work their way into the bloodstream…
Spirochetes inflict a generalized infection involving tissues throughout
the body. Once they manage to penetrate the skin barrier or mucous
membranes, the spirochetes enter the lymph capillaries, which
accelerate their passage into the nearest lymph glands. There, they
multiply at a rapid rate and start to invade the bloodstream.

…If you have to fill a cylinder or reach a certain mark, you must pay attention
attention to the type of meniscus that the liquid which you are working with
with forms.
Let’s Practice: Resultatives & Passives
Le scale graduate dei cilindri sono tutte diverse e ci vuole tanta attenzione per
capire con esattezza la sensibilità di ciascuno strumento…
Se si deve riempire il cilindro o raggiungere una tacchetta particolare,
bisogna fare attenzione al tipo de menisco che forma il liquido con cui si
lavora.

Resultatives & Passives: Source- vs. Target-Oriented
… If you have to fill a cylinder or reach a certain mark,
you must pay attention to the type of meniscus that the
the liquid which you are working with forms.
If you have to pour a cylinder full or add up liquid to a certain mark,
you must pay attention to the type of meniscus formed by the liquid
you are working with.

Let’s Practice: Passive
La noticia sobre los riesgos para la salud del bisfenol A (BPA), una
sustancia química común en los plásticos, apareció en primera plana e
inmediatamente alarmó a los padres, inundó los consultorios pediátricos
de preguntas y arrasó con los biberones y vasitos sin BPA en todas las
tiendas.
News about the health risks of bisphenol A (BPA), a common chemical
in plastics, made the headlines and immediately alarmed parents,
flooded pediatric offices with questions, and cleaned out all BPA-free
bottles and sippy cups in stores.

Passive: Source- vs. Target-oriented
 Passive objects become the topic of your sentence
The health risks of Bisphenol A, a common chemical in plastics, made
headlines and immediately caused havoc. Parents were alarmed,
pediatricians flooded with questions, and stores cleaned out of BPA-free
bottles and sippy cups.
News about the health risks of bisphenol A (BPA), a common chemical
in plastics, made the headlines and immediately alarmed parents,
flooded pediatric offices with questions, and cleaned out all BPA-free
bottles and sippy cups in stores.

Strategies so far
 Phrasal & prepositional rather than Latinate verbs
postpone > put off
 Resultative constructions with manner verbs to express result
Clean the surface with a dry cloth > Wipe the surface clean with a
dry cloth
 Passive voice to redistribute information for flow or emphasis when
shedding light on the object
Doctors diagnosed me early enough > I was diagnosed early
enough

Let’s Practice: Nominalization
Les changements de la prise en charge des lombalgies sont la
conséquence d’un approfondissement des savoirs cliniques,
biomécaniques, physiologiques et psychologiques qui tous influencent
la compréhension de cette pathologie.
The changes in the management of lumbago are the result of a
deepening of clinical, biomechanical, physiological, and psychological
knowledge that all influence the understanding of this pathology.
from Peter Prowse

New clinical, biomechanical, physiological, and psychological
knowledge allows us to better understand lumbago. As a result, we
have changed how we manage this condition.
Nominalization: Source- vs. Target-oriented
The changes in the management of lumbago are the result of a
deepening of clinical, biomechanical, physiological, and psychological
knowledge that all influence the understanding of this pathology.
 sequential order with agents & verbs

Nominalization is not Evil!
The jaw replacement allowed her to go back to
school.
During the procedure, surgeons replace the
diseased jaw with a titanium plate.
Durant l'intervention, le retrait de l'os malade de la
mâchoire est suivi par le remplacement avec une plaque
en titane.
Le remplacement mandibulaire a permit qu'elle soit
rescolarisée.
used for summarizing info
PROCESS
PRODUCT

Let’s Practice De/Nominalization
Modern medicine uses several techniques for early removal of
large colorectal polyps which are oncologically and technically
successful for most such polyps and remain one of the most
effective interventions for colorectal cancer prevention.
La medicina moderna utilizza diverse tecniche per la rimozione precoce
dei grandi polipi colorettali, che sono oncologicamente e tecnicamente
efficaci per la maggior parte di questi polipi e rimangono uno degli
interventi di più efficaci per la prevenzione del cancro colorettale.

De/Nominalization: Source- vs. Target-oriented
Modern medicine uses several techniques for early removal of
large colorectal polyps which are oncologically and technically
successful for most such polyps and remain one of the most
effective interventions for colorectal cancer prevention.
Early removal of these polyps remains one of the
most effective interventions for colorectal cancer prevention.
Several techniques are available to remove most large
colorectal polyps early.
 for cohesion to shorten a sentence

= Cohesion ≠ Adequacy
Several techniques are available to remove most large
colorectal polyps early. Early removal of these polyps
remains one of the most effective interventions for
colorectal cancer prevention.
Doctors use different techniques to remove large polyps
from the bowel. Taking away these polyps early
continues to be one of the most effective ways to prevent
bowel cancer.

Strategies so far
 Phrasal & prepositional rather than Latinate verbs
postpone > put off
 Resultative constructions with manner verbs to express result
Clean the surface with a dry cloth > Wipe the surface clean with a
dry cloth
 Passive voice to redistribute information for flow or emphasis
(shedding light on the object)
Doctors diagnosed me early enough > I was diagnosed early
enough

Strategies so far
 Nominalizations
 Rhetoric >> Logic vs. Sequence
Hip replacement is a surgical procedure.
 Density >> Summarizing
Why do we need assessment in education? (teachers assess
students)
 Cohesion >> Anaphoric reference to shorten sentences
I believe in the power of democracy. This belief is grounded in a
deep…

Rhetorical Style in Romance
Abstraction & Embedding of Information
 Nominalizations
 Verb Fronting rather than passive
se observa, on peut observer vs. it was observed
 Logical Gerund

Logical Gerund
Sequence
Condition
Concession
Consequence

Idiosyncrasies: Gerund
 Manner & Simultaneity
 Subject of sentence > agent of gerund
Que dissent ceux qui parlent en
dormant ?
Aprobó el examen estudiando
mucho.

Gerund
Sequence
Ayant reçu les résultats des tests de sensibilité pour s'assurer que l'enzyme
l'enzyme métabolisant fonctionne correctement, les patients ont été traités
traités avec trois anticancéreux à base de 5-fluorouracile.
Once the sensitivity tests confirmed that the metabolizing
enzyme was functioning properly, patients were treated with
three 5-fluorouracil-based anticancer drugs.
Having received the results of the sensitivity tests to ensure that the
metabolizing enzyme functions properly, patients were treated with three
5-fluorouracil-based anticancer drugs.

Idiosyncrasies: Gerund
Condition
Havendo conflito entre direitos de igual valor normativo, em vez de ser
resolvido com base na supremacia absoluta de um sobre o outro, todos os
direitos devem ser ponderados como limitados.
There being a conflict between rights of equal legal status instead of being
resolved attending to the supreme rule of one over the other, all rights must
be weighed as limited.
When there is a conflict between rights of equal legal status, all rights
shall be viewed as limited rather than assuming that one should
supersede the other…

Gerund
Concession
Two shareholders still control two-thirds of the voting rights, having
retained only 15% of the shares.
Due azionisti ancora controllano due terzi dei diritti di voto, pur avendo
conservato solo un 15% del capitale.
Two shareholders still control two-thirds of the voting rights,
even though they only retained 15% of shares.

Gerund
Consequence
Se transformaron tanto la edad gestacional como el peso al nacer de variables
variables continuas a variables categóricas, posibilitándose así su inclusión en
inclusión en el modelo final.
Both gestational age and birthweight (were) changed from continuous
variables to categorical variables, opening the possibility of their inclusion in
the final model.
Both gestational age and birthweight were turned from continuous to
categorical variables. As a result, both variables could be considered for the
final model.

Gerund in Romance vs. English
Simultaneity vs. Nominal/Modifying Meaning
Walking was associated with a reduction of metabolic
syndrome.
We offered participants looking for resistance training gym access free
of charge.
We would suggest refining the instrument before
implementation.
What kept us going was reaching the at-risk
population.
This guide explores practices for engaging the at-risk population in
health care.
Subject
Object
Complements

Idiosyncrasies: Strategies so far
 Verbs: Latinate verbs to phrasal verbs (satellite frame)
 Resultative constructions: for result + manner
 Passive: Redistributed information for flow or emphasis
 Nominalizations: Rhetoric >> Logic vs. Sequence
Density >> Summarizing
Cohesion >> Anaphoric reference for brevity
Caveat: It may be necessary to revert to sequence or sensory image
 Gerund: Use of markers to express logical connection
In English, they can function as complements or nominalizations

Scaffolding is breaking up the learning into fragments and
then
you provide a tool, or structure, with each fragment.
El andamiaje consiste en fraccionar el aprendizaje en fragmentos
asequibles y luego se ha de proporcionar una herramienta, o
estructura, con cada fragmento.
Grammar: Parallel Structure
Occam’s Razor: SIMPLIFY
Scaffolding is breaking up the learning into chunks
and then providing a tool, or structure, with each
chunk.

Los nuevos datos la convencieron de que los estudiantes
cuentan con la madurez para tratar temas difíciles.
Grammar: Garden Paths & Ambiguity
The new data convinced her students have the maturity to
talk about difficult subjects.
her that students have…
Object + Subordinate Clause
her students
NP: possessive + noun
convinced…
Small Word Matter!

Punctuation: The $5M Comma (?)
Truck drivers sued a dairy for 4 years of due overtime pay
Maine law exempts overtime pay for:
The canning, processing, preserving, freezing, drying,
marketing, storing, packing for shipment or distribution of:
(1) Agricultural produce;
(2) Meat and fish products; and
(3) Perishable foods.
NO SERIES COMMA!
no –ing either!

Noun Piling
Cell/Oxygen Research British-American Trio Medicine Nobel Prize
Winner
British-American Trio Awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine for
Cell/Oxygen Research
Buried cable technician

Coherence
It was also observed that both age and educational level were
associated with a higher level of comprehension. This may suggesta need for
greater care in explaining clinical trials to the elderly.
Age
Comprehension
Education
Comprehension
Age
Comprehension
Education
Comprehension
…comprehension significantly decreased with the increasing age of
the participants (p=0.03)…

associated with a higher level of comprehension…
It was also observed that age and educational level have opposite
correlations with the level of comprehension. This may suggest a
need for greater care in explaining clinical trials to the elderly.
Age
Comprehension
Education
Comprehension
Health Literacy passage restated

Coherence
associated with a higher level of comprehension.This may suggest a
need for greater care in explaining clinical trials to the elderly.
Age
Comprehension
Education
Comprehension
Age
Comprehension
Education
Comprehension

Abstract: Reassessing Hyterectomy
The surgery performed to remove the uterus is called a
hysterectomy. The removal of the uterus relieves symptoms caused
by medical conditions affecting this organ. It is usually only
considered if other treatments aren’t effective enough. It is a major
surgical procedure that is associated with risks and side effects.
Hysterectomy may be necessary to remove the tumor if a woman
has uterine or ovarian cancer.

Theme Rheme
The surgery
performed to remove
the uterus
is called a hysterectomy
The removal of
the uterus
relieves symptoms caused by medical
conditions affecting this organ.
So it [hysterectomy] is usually only considered if other
treatments aren’t effective enough.
It [hysterectomy]
Hysterectomy
is a major surgical procedure that is
associated with risks and side effects
may be necessary in order to remove the
tumor if a woman has uterine… cancer

Abstract
A hysterectomy is a surgery to remove the uterus. The removal of
the uterus relieves symptoms caused by medical conditions
affecting this organ. If a woman has uterine or ovarian cancer, for
instance, a hysterectomy may be necessary in order to remove the
tumor. But it is a major surgical procedure that is associated with
risks and side effects. Because of these risks, it is usually only
considered if other treatments aren’t effective enough.

Theme Rheme
A hysterectomy is a surgery to remove the uterus.
The removal of
the uterus
relieves symptoms caused by medical
conditions affecting this organ.
If a woman has
uterine… cancer
hysterectomy may be necessary in order
order to remove the tumor.
But it
Because of these
risks, it
is a major surgical procedure that is
associated with risks and side effects.
is usually only considered if other
treatments aren’t effective enough.

Recasting: Syntactic Redistribution
Rearrange structure
Preserve semantic roles
Old before new
References
Bad neighbors
Memory
Effect Subject ≠ Agent ≠ Topic
My keys disappeared.

He was advised to force fluids through his
interpreter.
Recasting & Redistributing Information
Fronting
 Old before new
 For meaning
Through his interpreter, he was advised to force
fluids.
The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial species in
North America. Like kangaroos and other marsupials
female opossums rear their young in a fur-lined pouch,
___________.

Recasting
Verb Choice
= event ≠ perspective
give-receive / rob-steal / buy-sell / lend-borrow
The Mona Lisa was famously stolen in 1911, after three handymen
hid all night in the art-supply closet of the Louvre.
The Louvre was famously robbed in 1911, when three Italian
handymen hid in the art supply closet to take the Mona Lisa.

Some Plain Language Strategies
 Parallel Structure
 Fixing Ambiguity & Forking Paths
 Punctuation for logic
 Restatement of info
 Recasting:
Redistributing info within the sentence
 Reflow:
Redistributing info within the text

Textuality: Grammaticality + Connectivity
Word Order Syntax Semantic Roles
COHESION
Lexical
Repetitions
Definitions
Associations
Grammatical
References
Recasting
Connectors &
Punctuation
COHERENCE
Information Flow
Topic & Frames
Hierarchy
Theme & Rheme
Relationships
Resemblance
Contiguity
Cause & Effect
Wording

Trebecular Bone
Trebeculae: 3D Lattice
• Structural support and flexibility
• Lighter than compact bone
Inspired in a presentation by Dr. Genevieve Brown

0
10000
20000
30000
40000
Most Populated Cities in M
38000
28000 25700
22700 22000 21700 21500 20000 19700 18700
Most Populated Cities in M
in M
City Population
in M
Tokyo 38,000
Delhi 28,000
Shanghai 25,700
Beijing 22,700
Mumbai 22,000
Sao Paulo 21,700
Mexico City 21,500
Cairo 20,000
Dakha 19,700
New York 18,700

Show, Don’t Tell
Work
Education
Eating
Self-care
Sleeping
Phone Calls
Religion
Sport
s
Leisure
Shopping
Prof. Svc.
Non-
household
Household
Homework
Misc.
Volunteering
Traveling
1,000 people
average day

Idiosyncrasies Strategies
 Verbs: Latinate verbs to phrasal verbs (satellite frame)
 Resultative constructions: for result + manner
 Passive: Redistributed information for flow or emphasis
 Nominalizations: Rhetoric >> Logic vs. Sequence
Density >> Summarizing
Cohesion >> Anaphoric reference for brevity
Caveat: It may be necessary to revert to sequence or sensory image
 Gerund: Use of markers to express logical connection
In English, they can function as complements or nominalizations

Plain Language Strategies
 Parallel Structure
 Fixing Ambiguity & Forking Paths
 Correct Punctuation
 Restatement of info
 Recasting:
Redistributing info within the sentence
 Reflow:
Redistributing info within the text

THANK YOU!!!
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Technical Translation into English

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