ASPECTS OF SPECIALIZED
TRANSLATIONS IN THE FIELD
OF ECONOMICS
Ioana-Paula ARMSAR1
1
Department of Literature and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Letters, Transilvania University of Brasov.
252 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braov Series V Vol. 7 (56) No. 2 - 2014
knowledge, taking into account the fact language to penetrate into the specialized
that the two are closely related to the one, as, via resemantisation (analogy or
advancement of specialized languages [4]. metaphoric use are essential), they acquire
In fact, the translators art (whether they the status of specialized terms. Sometimes,
are economists, as the case is for our such meaning movements take place under
discussion, linguists or people of letters) the influence of other languages Romanian
consists in mastering terminology and was or still is in contact with. Thus, the
writing techniques, knowing the terminological meaning of the word aciuni
conventions specific to each type of text (shares): securities which represent a certain
(research study, popularisation document part of a companys capital and which offer
etc.) and having the capacity to meet the their owner the right to receive dividends,
authors needs and the challenges of the was transferred from French. The transfer of
text. a word from general use into a specialized
After all, the translation act resides in language by amplifying its semantic
overcoming polysemy or ambiguities and structure with a new meaning is a process
in rephrasing information from one which specialists call terminologization.
linguistic code to another, allowing the Many words in the common language are
message to be conveyed from the source terminologized due to the combination of
text into the target language, in terms of words with a terminological character (for
communication, mediation or message. As example, in Romanian blocad economic,
regards the precision of translations, bani ghea, pre de pia, pre de cost, vad
considering their purposes and the comercial, pachet de aciuni etc.) or by
distancing from the source text, the result means of transfers from other languages (for
may reside in translations as adaptation, Romanian, the most frequent sources are
scholarly translations or literary ones. If in French and English: cont descoperit, vnzare
the case of texts other than specialized en gros, plat cash, intrare free etc.).
ones, the translation in spirit is of primary Although everyday language and
importance, not necessarily a text specialized languages use the same
translated literally, for the texts written in phonetics and grammar, the differences
specialized languages emphasis is given to become manifest especially as regards the
closeness in the sense of functionality. lexis (lexical systems are formed with
Thus, the notion of closeness towards the meanings isolated from the common
text (considering the language under language), in which nouns prevail. They
discussion, Romanian, English, French, as are followed by verbs, adjectives and
either source or target) is perceived by the adverbs. Thus, for exemplification, if in
translator taking into account the the Romanian common language nouns
circumstances in which the translation is such as scar, camer, cutie, corp are easy
performed, what anglophone translators to understand without determiners, in the
call the translation situation. To translate specialized language, a determinant is
means, first of all, to understand. imperative in order to delimitate the
terminological fields: (techn.) scar
2. Translation trends in the economic rulant; (mus.) scar muzical; (phys.)
specialized languages scara duritii; (techn.) camera de
comand; camera de sunet; (mil.) camera
It is a well-known fact that the semantic cartuului; (techn.) cutie de viteze; (mus.)
derivation process, as a way to enrich cutie de rezonan; (med.) cutie cranian;
vocabulary, allows words from the common (jur.) corp delict; (chem.) corp simplu;
I.-P. ARMSAR: Aspects of Specialized Translations in the Field of Economics 253
(med.) corp strin; (techn.) corp de liter. theoretical or practical activity use the
Conversely, the penetration of words from standard literary language, in which they
specialized languages into everyday introduce the necessary terms to designate
language is mostly due to the media and notions characteristic to the respective
the Internet, as well as to the attempts to field of activity. By the technologization of
vulgarize the realities named. Taken out of daily life, the migration of lexical elements
the context, of their professional field, from the technical and scientific area
these words are typically considered towards the usual lexis is on the increase.
neologisms and professionalisms in the Explanatory dictionaries register this
system of literary language, being phenomenon, including terms that belong
understood and only occasionally used by to different specialized fields. According to
speakers who do not belong to the the level of complexity and functionality,
professional area under discussion (for specialized translations reveal some types
example: remanier, entamer, modique, of texts: scientific texts (books, articles,
honoraires, target, dealer, board, pool, monographs etc.), functional texts (official
deadline, brand, discount and many letters, contracts, regulations, reports etc.),
others). Although the morphological utilitarian texts (technical or pharmaceuti-
adaptation of anglicisms arises many cal instructions, recommendations etc.),
adaptation problems to Romanian, taking technical texts (specifically denotative).
into account the differences between the According to A. Guu, the process of
two grammar systems, there is, still, an translating a text into a specialized
extension of the words meaning according language is characterized by the following:
to the English model (to the detriment of 1.the semasiological stage (which is
French) under the form of the semantic connected to the text form in the source
transfer: a aplica also acquires the language), when translators have to:
meaning a solicita un post/funcie, a face o define their uncertainties, establish the
cerere, from the English to apply(for), comprehension level, delimitate the
ataament takes the recent meaning anex semantic and terminological units,
of the English word attachment, apreciere conduct terminological research;
becomes cretere, from the English 2.the onomasiological stage (which is
appreciation etc. The specialized language, connected to the meaning of the text,
developed from the common one, is both in the source and in the target
characterized especially by clarity and language), when translators have to:
concision. It precisely defines or describes establish the necessary precision level
concepts, creating its own, purely for the target audience, to find the
denotative and monosemantic terminology. appropriate terminology to render
Specialized languages can only be meaning, to choose an appropriate form
introduced with the help of the current (univocal, clear and precise), to control
language, their basic concepts being meaning (internal and external
defined by means of this language only coherence) and form (spelling, syntax,
and the terms subsequently deduced being terminology) [3]. In order to translate a
obtained from these basic concepts with specialized text, one needs, first of all, to
the help of logical thinking. Given that decode it. The decoding of the
specialized languages do not have other specialized text consists in
peculiarities as regards grammar structures comprehending the conceptual nucleus
or the basic vocabulary than the national of the terminological notions used in the
language, specialists in a particular field of text. The concept makes reference to the
254 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braov Series V Vol. 7 (56) No. 2 - 2014
of the economic language, but they each Just like the understanding of a text
represent one close linguistic sub-field requires both linguistic and extra-linguistic
comprised within economics, being used knowledge, in the case of translators of
interdisciplinary (for example, elements of economic texts (like in the case of
finance and accounting present in terms of professional translators) the linguistic
tourism and insurance, elements of human knowledge is supposed to have been
resources in terms connected to budget and theoretically acquired, the extra-linguistic
marketing etc.). In the economic one taking into account the times they live.
specialized language, the stages of Translators can easily resort to an optimum
translating texts from English or French documentation in order to have a clear
into Romanian differ from the general case view on a certain subject, either in the
only in point of the specific discourse, specialized literature or in magazines in the
lexical or stylistic features of the text field of economics, web sites, TV
given. After a thorough reading of the text programmes etc. The fact that they are up-
to be translated, in order to have a mental dated with the latest events in the reality
overview of what is to be transferred in they live in allows translators to fill in the
another language, after recognizing the gaps (for example, in a text about the
economic sub-field addressed, the register regionalization of Romania and the
of the text, and after detecting the administrative decentralization for making
difficulties regarding syntax or the expenditure more profitable, they can find
terminology itself, translators need to out in the audio-visual media that the
identify the context (for example, for necessary term for a translation would not
alternative, a noun or adjective in English, be efficacit, but rentabilit, not frais, but
energy alternatives is used in the field of dpenses; in another context, in order to
energy economics for the French translate oil-induced increases in
expression nergies de substitution, while Consumer Price Index rates, they will find
in the context of project economics project out that the price of the oil is to increase,
alternatives is used for variantes de projet; which would be rendered in French by: La
in these situations, Romanian takes the flambe des cours du ptrole continue de
variants from French). An important stage pousser l'indice des prix la
is that of the research, which supposes consommation la hausse).
searching for terms and the choice of As regards the tendency towards a
equivalences by consulting specialists to euphemistic style, one can notice its
explain terms or contexts, but especially frequent use. For example, in French,
with the help of a wide range of economic instead of chmeur, the expression
dictionaries and encyclopaedias in/ from chercheur d'emploi is also used; the terms
English, French, Romanian, as well as by Third World countries and under-
using data bases on web sites. For developed countries, with their French
example: equivalents pays du Tiers Monde and pays
www.dictionar-economic.com, sous-dvelopps, have been replaced by
www.wordreference.com/enro/economic, the expressions less developed countries or
http://liensutiles.org/econom.htm, developing countries, i.e. les pays moins
www.banknews.ro/dictionar_financiar- dvelopps or pays en (voie de)
bancar, www.rdt-contabilitate.ro/dictionar- dveloppement. Nevertheless, PMA (pays
economic-on-line.html, les moins avancs), with the English
www.webdex.ro/online/dictionar/economic equivalent least developed countries, is
e.
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pour tre compris, aimed at the clerks of translation of decision maker presents no
the Ministry of Economy and Finances, difficulty, this does not happen with policy
advises users to avoid the so called passe- maker, which can mean responsable, but
partout verbs, such as tre and faire, and also stratgique, thoricien, technocrate,
recommends, instead of the expres- and dirigeant (from this enumeration of
sions tre sur une liste, faire usage d'un terms translated into French, most of them
droit, faire un certificat, faire une liste, have the same meanings in Romanian, as
the use of: figurer sur une liste, exercer un they are of French origin). It is the
droit, dlivrer un certificat, dresser une translators art to find the term with the
liste [7]. It is self-understood that perfectly appropriate meaning in the target
competent translators will notice these language.
differences and, in addition, their readings Another frequent problem of economic
will guide them from the use of the specialized translations comes from long
meanings the words have in everyday sentences, typical for research articles in
language, towards a pertinent the field of economics, when closeness to
interpretation from a contextual point of the original is imperative. A way to solve
view (for example, price from the common this may be represented by their
language will be translated prix if it is segmentation and use of discourse
about the market, or cours, if it is about the connectors (such as, in French, en outre,
fluctuations of the stock exchanges, i.e. par consquent, ensuite, ainsi, mais).
les cours du ptrole not les prix du J. Delisle highlights them, analysing them
ptrole. as words or groups of words which
Certain difficulties are caused by the connect the parts of a discourse in a way
existence of the terms which are very that emphasises their logical rapports [2].
precise in English, but which need to be In this situation of sentence fragmentation,
enriched in French in order to preserve it is important to preserve the initial
their meaning. This enrichment consists in meaning, as there is a danger of
using more words in French than were simplification or, even worse, of changing
used in English to express the same idea. meaning.
Thus, the term policy can have different
translations within different economic 3. Conclusion
contexts. After the meaning has been
identified and inserted into a sentence, Instead of a conclusion, we have to
policy decision will be translated into underline the translators challenge,
French both by dcision de politique skilfulness and effort to preserve the
conomique / environnementale / meaning of the original text, considering
financire etc., and by dcision the specific linguistic and cultural features
stratgique (enterprises, management) or of the equivalent words in the target
by dcision de principe (public language. The major criteria for their
administration), whereas policy instrument choices will be: the lack of ambiguities (in
will be rendered either by instrument order for the target audience to be able to
dintervention, or by instrument easily identify the reference concept), the
stratgique. closeness towards the original, as
In actual fact, the concision of nominal information conveyed, the need to preserve
and adjectival associations in English the coherence in synchrony of the elements
increases the difficulty of their conversion that represent the final text, and the
into Romanian and French. If the compliance with the diachronic evolution
258 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braov Series V Vol. 7 (56) No. 2 - 2014