Investigating Translation Peculiarities in Medical Discourse

Abstract

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the major peculiarities represented through one particular lexical feature of medical discourse, namely, medical terminology that directly affects the process of translating medical texts. The data comprise four selected English medical texts from the website: Cleveland Clinic. Three basic issues related to medical terminology are discussed. The first issue relates to the interference of common meanings with specialized meanings. The second issue concerns the two levels of medical terminology: highly specialized medical terms and general medical terms. As for the third issue, it deals with the use of Latin and Greek affixation which is regarded an especially distinguishing feature of medical terminology. To reinforce the ideas presented, relevant theoretical background is provided. It is hypothesized that terminology is one of the challenges faced by translators who specialize in medical translation due to the highly specialized character of medical discourse. The study concludes that a specialized knowledge of medical terminology is indispensable to accomplish high – quality and professional medical translations. Moreover, it is essential for medical translators to stay updated with the latest advancements in the medical field and the relevant terminology.