Anthropocentrism as a methodological principle in science translation research

Abstract

Anthropocentrism is becoming one of the basic methodological principles in Translation Studies. There appeared theories where a translator is assigned a part of an interpreter of the source text semantic code rather than a verbal code converter. This principle is not only a feature of modern science, it also defines subject fields of particular sciences, and science translation is not an exception. Anthropologically, science reflects human intellectual activity being the basis of translation of scientific texts. The anthropocentrism of science translation is stipulated by the fact that this type of translation activity requires from the translator’s personality special intellectual efforts, keeping in mind the specific type of knowledge a science source text contains. This article investigates anthropocentrism as one of the leading methodological principles of modern Translation Studies, in particular its manifestation in science translation. A special research interest is taken in the role of the translator as a broadcaster of scientific knowledge. We have also considered a correlation of the subjective and objective in the translation of science texts, analyzing stereotypic vs creative translation choices. We took a close anthropocentric look at translator’s solutions in rendering texts from various branches of knowledge. In our study, we have analyzed the causes of translator’s mistakes influenced by the human factor, and provided alternative translation solutions, with the purpose of preventing such translation failures in conveying scientific information and improving the general quality of science translations. The main reasons of translation failures have been proved as incorrect folding of the source text, in other words inadequate concept interpretation. Mistakes are also caused by the translator’s inability to unfold the science text in the translated language, which hampers the conveying of coherence as a main typological parameter of a science text. Our research also aims to highlight the importance of further investigation of anthropological and other approaches to the translation of science texts, to trace their role in forming the theoretical basics of science translation. We also find it important to verify the hypothesis of creating a theory of science translation as a type of special translation, in view of insufficient research in the methods and principles of translatological study of science translation.