The problematics of technical translation into Arabic : the case of the Royal Air Force of Oman

Al-Ma'ni, M

Abstract

This thesis examines the scope and intricacies of technical translation in
Oman, in general, and its Royal Air Force (RAFO), in particular. The
Study, which is the first of its kind in Oman, focuses on a specific
category of Omani translators: technical translators currently working in
RAFO with experience ranging from 3 to 10 years. To capture the
reality of translation in Oman and to provide a corpus for this study,
samples of translations rendered by the subject translators are examined
and analysed. To achieve such objectives, six chapters make up the
thesis:
Chapter 1 sets both the motivations and the assumptions which underly
the thesis.
Chapter 2 selectively reviews some translation approaches within the
sphere of translation studies.
Chapter 3 is devoted to the study of technical translation and explores
the scope of this type of translation.
Chapter 4 examines the development of translation in the Arab world
and focuses on the way it spread in the past and its current situation.
Chapter 5 specifically takes the translation movement in RAFO as the
case study. The chapter starts with a description of translation in Oman
and RAFO and then moves to data collection, processing and analysis.
Technical texts have been categorized, to our knowledge for the first
time in the literature of technical translation, to three main groups
according to the degree of their technicality: 1) Local Technical Texts
(LTT), 2) Common Technical Texts (CTT), and 3) Highly Technical
Texts (HTT).
Chapter 6 concludes the thesis and provides some recommendations as
well as suggestions for further research.

The results of data analysis indicate that although technical translation
plays a vital role in the development of the nation, there is still a lack of
an overall strategy towards the organization of this profession at various
levels. RAFO has endeavoured to introduce a programme that would
produce qualified translators capable of dealing with texts of different
degrees of technicality. Data analysis shows that the translators face
little problems in handling texts from a linguistic point of view.
However, the source of their problems is technical terminology for
which there are neither specialists translators nor adequate Arabic
dictionaries available.

The fact that Oman still lacks a body and special dictionaries devoted to
technico-scientific terms places obstacles for translating. It further
hinders the standardization of terminology and causes confusion for
translators as to which terms they may choose. It follows, therefore,
that these and other results can be interpreted as reflecting support for
the establishment of a body that would supervise and organize all
translation activities in Oman such as a language academy. There is also
a need for a nation-wide policy towards arabicisation, translation and
dissemination of scientific and technical terms. A pan-Arab policy
remains an ultimate goal.

Citation

Al-Ma'ni, M. The problematics of technical translation into Arabic : the case of the Royal Air Force of Oman. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Oct 3, 2012
• Award Date: Jan 1, 2000