As an extremely crucial and specialized form of translation, Technical Translation is centered on translation of technical writing in a wide category of technical and occupational fields such as Engineering, IT, Software, Chemistry, Consumer Electronics, Aeronautics, Biotechnology, Finance etc. Each of these fields is very different from each other and therefore has a distinct set of terms, terminologies, translation guidelines and quality benchmarks. Since technical writing deals with communication, transmission, interpretation and analysis of voluminous data which is highly field-specific, technical translation needs to be done using the appropriate Terminology Database, Translation Memory and relevant software aids wherever possible. Also, since this is a highly specialized field of translation, linguistic skills are just one aspect of a technical translator’s proficiency. To be a good technical translator, one also needs to be well versed with the specific language, technical know-how’s and quality control mechanisms of one’s field of specialization in order to effectively undertake and execute assignments with ease. Since any technical translation assignment entails excellent linguistic skills backed by sound technical knowledge coupled and thorough understanding of the end-user’s requirements, it can be safely said that technical translators play a role akin to technical writers.
As a highly specialized field of translation, technical translation involves a number of challenges, the first being keeping a tab on the length of the text. For instance the Script length of German is 30 percent more than that of English, while certain Chinese scripts are much shorter. In case of non-technical translation, this is usually not a problem, but in case of technical translation, there are several restrictions like software codes, display size, text blocks, fixed layouts of manuals etc which do not allow you to exceed or reduce text length after a certain point. Also, the translation style needs to be accurate and precise, unnecessary phrases or flowery sentences need to be avoided unless otherwise stated. The originality of the content needs to be maintained, but it should be appropriate to suit the requirements of the end-user as well. For example, it is a general norm for user manuals in Germany to be extremely rigid and formal as compared to user manuals in English that use comparatively friendlier language. Such nuances need to be kept in mind while retaining technical accuracy and clarity at the same time. Technical Translators must make use of relevant translation software aids wherever necessary. They should also maintain, update and keep referring to relevant technical databases. Precision, accuracy and clarity are the vital benchmarks for determining the effectiveness of technical translation, which is why organizations must be very careful while availing technical translation services and ensure that the service provider is certified, reliable, proficient and experienced.
