CHALLENGES OF TECHNICAL TRANSLATIONS

Technical translation means much more than the correct use of terminology. It is also about the ability to write credible texts and to express information clearly and concidely. In the present paper, technical translation is dealt with from two perspectives: on the one hand, from a didactic perspective, as translation can be successfully used as a teaching/learning method in ESL/ESP classes. On the other hand, it is approached from a linguistic viewpoint since it incorporates such concepts as meaning, equivalence, text purpose and analysis, concepts examined in the context of semantics, pragmatics and stylistics. The Communicative Approach has been hailed as the best method to teach English as it lays great emphasis on the development of the four skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. According to Harmer (2001: 84-86), accuracy is less important than fluency. Yet, there are fields in which accuracy is very important, one of them being science.