The difference between the translation of technical documents and translating literary texts boils down to their difference in core stylistic purposes to carry over from one language into another language.
Many will agree that the world of translation is made up of many subcategories that can differ greatly in terms of language, complexity, context, meaning, etc. Each type of translation requires a specific specialization beyond the source and target languages. There are cultural references, cultural nuances, the author’s writing style and many more factors that most wouldn’t even consider despite just how important they are in the grand scheme of the translation. In this article, we will analyze the main differences between technical translation and literary translation.
Let’s take a brief look at the most important differences:
- Literary translation focuses on artistic works such as novels, dramas, literary studies, poems and plays.
- Technical translation concerns the world of science, and therefore manuals and specialist documents.
- Literary translators do not limit themselves to a literal translation but must grasp and adequately render the tone and style of the original author.
- Technical translators must have specific knowledge of the relevant sector for quality work.
- Creativity is more important in literary translation, while technical translation requires rigor and precision, with very little or no room for creativity or free interpretation.
In the course of the article, we will address the topic in more detail, but for now, let’s look at some useful figures:
- 62.3% of professional translators specialize in technical translations.
- Approximately 37.5% of works translated each year are fiction and poetry.
- The technical translation market has grown by 15.7% over the past five years.
- More than 50% of translation agencies offer services for both literary and technical translation.
- Technical texts require, on average, 25% more time than literary texts for revision and approval.
These numbers tell us that there is significant activity in both translation sectors, which we will explore in greater detail.
What is technical translation?
Technical translation is a highly specialized type of translation concerning the technical-scientific field.
This type of translation requires not only an in-depth knowledge of the source and target languages but also experience in the sector in question, which is not unique but branches out into many areas, like engineering and biotechnology.
Serious technical translators write within only one, or two branches at most, and prefer to specialize vertically. This allows them to master their writing skills and understand the text in depth in case it must be reinterpreted and adapted. Furthermore, technical translators must be trained through years of field experience.
Where is technical translation primarily used?
Technical translation focuses on many fields, including:
- engineering
- information technology
- chemistry
- technology
As is evident, these are areas characterized by specialized terminology, which requires faithful translation rather than reinterpretation. Technical translation is primarily used to translate:
- manuals
- websites
- studies and research
- specific texts
- articles
- documentation
Technical translation is often employed for sharing important information related to the marketing of products from one country to another, collaboration between companies, and the dissemination of useful news to the technological community and consumer audience. It is used for things that make use of just the right amount of information to leverage deeper understanding that is easy to read and digest. For example, a user manual translation is necessary to build a bookshelf and must be translated properly to convey the message to the person that wishes to build that product bookshelf for their space of choice.
What skills are needed for technical translation?
There are various constants and tools characteristic of the technical translation process. Here are the most important ones:
- Specialized terminology: Every sector has its specific terms that the translator must know perfectly and be able to render into both the source and target languages.
- CAT Tools: These are the software tools that assist the translator in ensuring precision and carrying out revisions.
- Norms and standards: Every sector is defined by precise regulations that the translator must adhere to.
Also Read: What is technical translation?
What is literary translation?
Literary translation is very different from technical translation, as previously mentioned and pertains to the world of culture and art.
Writing is important and language is mastery. For a literary writer, the use of metaphors beyond the way people speak to convey a specific meaning to the thoughts of others is powerful. It is important for them to give more meaning to text.
Literary translation often requires a unique art spin to carry the meaning forward to the audience that focuses on it. It is not a simple word-for-word translation but a transposition process that preserves the style and artistic intent of the original text as much as possible. Literary translators know this.
The translator also requires knowledge not only of the language but also of the culture, the author, the context, and much more. The purpose of literary translation is to disseminate and spread works in countries with a language different from that of the original text. In this profession, localization is essential: some original information, wordplay, and idiomatic expressions may be lost in the translation process due to deep cultural differences.
Localization helps to bridge this linguistic and cultural gap, maintaining the sense of the text while adapting it to the local culture, providing readers and audiences with a version that is as faithful as possible to the original.
Where is literary translation primarily used?
What are the fields in which literary translation is required? All those involving artistic production attributable to specific authors, such as:
- Literature
- Art
- Music
- Theater
Experts in the translation of literary works are engaged to translate various types of works, including:
- Essays, novels, biographies, etc.
- Exhibition catalogs
- Theatrical texts
- Texts for cultural websites
- Musical texts
Literary translators are part of the intellectual sphere and, as such, must continuously cultivate their culture and stay updated on the evolutions of the languages in which they are experts.
What characterizes literary translation?
Literary translation is a complex process, in many ways an art form itself, because while promising fidelity to the original text, it must adapt it to the culture of those who come from very different places.
Literary translation requires perfect knowledge of both languages (source and target) but also direct experience of the places, people, and culture of both the authors and the recipients. The translator thus becomes a bridge between two worlds. The translation of literary texts therefore requires:
- Linguistic skills
- Culture
- Creativity
- Flexibility
What skills are vital for literary translation?
To become an expert in literary translation, in addition to a degree in languages, a solid cultural background in the chosen field is necessary and not simply to be able to speak and understand the other language.
Further specializations are often necessary, such as master’s degrees from universities, seminars, and possibly a stay in the country of the language in which one specializes to experience the local culture firsthand. Sometimes, one must follow a very demanding course.
To gain experience, it can be useful to study the translation and adaptation techniques of established professionals and to collaborate with agencies, even through internships and traineeships, working on editing to begin accumulating concrete experience. In addition to consulting a good dictionary, it is also useful for the literary translator to know how computer-assisted translation tools work. One of my favourite stylistic figures of language is Marcel Proust who later had many great plays based on his work as a writer.
The world can experience his work thanks to properly translated literary translations. The formal training as professional translators soon involves translating magnificent works of his for universities and other institutions for work in one’s developing career.
What is the difference between technical and literary translation?
Literary vs technical requires specific knowledge, and as we have seen, it involves many different types of translation native professionals that are capable of not only accurately converting a text from one language to another.
They must also paying attention to grammatical and lexical aspects and always consider the target audience. Naturally, when it comes to technical specifications, a good level of terminological accuracy is mandatory in the language area, while in literary translation, the effort lies more in satisfactorily conveying the authors’ intentions rather than translating literally word for word.
More often than not, without literary translators, the text must be reinterpreted. In other words, while the former is a scientific translation that must perfectly convey the meaning of the original word, the latter is a freer translation where the professional focuses on the content rather than the form.
It is no coincidence that the literary translator is considered a “second author” while interpreting the writing of the text and often, when possible, collaborates with the author of the original text for an exchange of ideas and opinions. Both types of translation face risks: technical translation may contain compromising errors, while literal translation can sometimes feel mechanical.
Let us now look at the key differences between the two translation methods in the table below:
| Description | Literary translation | Technical translation |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | Emotion / Aesthetics | Precision / Functionality |
| Creativity | High | Low |
| Scope | Books, fiction, poetry, music, art | Manuals, guides, documentation |
| Tools | Stylistic | Technological (CAT tools) |
When to choose a literary translation or a technical translation?
It depends on the source text, but in general, a translator experienced in technical translations is not necessarily skilled in literary translations.
They require different translation types as these are two very distinct fields – each with its own unique linguistic culture and requiring different translation strategies.
Literary translation is used for editorial translations, translations of prose, poetry, and cultural content, while technical translation pertains to the world of science and technology, although there is some overlap into academic translation.
Translators simply understand what is necessary for the different fields they are a part of. Despite being an excellent writer, a professional offering translations in both fields does not present a good image of their work or the entire category.
On the other hand, it is absolutely normal for a translation services agency such as Espresso Translations to offer both technical and literary translations, as they have specialists in all fields within their team.
Does a literary translation or a technical translation cost more?
It is not possible to give a definitive answer to this question because several factors need to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, such as the two languages involved, the structure of the source and target texts, the length, etc.
The fact remains that both specializations have specific characteristics that make them appealing in the market: literature is still considered the most difficult field to reformulate in a new language precisely because it requires artistic revision and reinterpretation, often times from a different culture entirely, but this also depends on the sector, the client, and the type of text. Regarding technical translation, the higher the level of specialization, the better the work will be paid, but even in this case, everything depends on the context and the client.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the literary translation vs technical translation argument revolves around translating a specific core text behind one of two distinct disciplines that share inherent difficulties but ultimately require specific skills and knowledge on a deep level. At their core, it’s translating. While technical translation is based on maintaining the original meaning of manuals and documentation through precision and accuracy, literary translation requires preserving the style and essence of the work with creativity and originality. As anyone can see, linguistic skills, though great are never enough. Translators often find taking that skill through a demanding course of study will allow them to handle transmitting messages in a second language to provide a final text of high quality work.
Both types of translation are valuable and important. They demand a serious and professional approach to ensure results that can convey the intentions of the original text to readers and users.
