The medical industry has been evolving since its inception and there are new interdisciplinary disciplines. Psychology is one of these. Psychological theories and practices come from different countries and emerge as unified practices globally. Most of these come from the West. The translation of all these theories, text and terminology, ideas, and conceptions demand that experts translate the content.
Psychological translation is evident for people in non-English speaking countries who find it hard to understand the non-conventional concepts of psychology. Most of the theories come from German and French and hence proficiency and knowledge relevant is important to ensure accurate and right translation. This translation type is relatively new and there are more unique and distinct challenges.
Challenges of the psychological translation
A few of the challenges include:
Translating specialized texts
Translation in psychology and the medical field cannot be accomplished without confronting specialized texts. Psychology is full of different ideas and concepts and translation of these can pose particular challenges for translators. This is because these texts often use technical language and concepts that can be unfamiliar to the translator. There are new updates and changes and new discoveries about the theories and their implementation in terms of search and practical solutions are imperative. Hence, making the translation a challenging job for everyone involved. Additionally, these texts may also have to deal with sensitive topics, such as mental illness or trauma.
The use of technical language
Psychological texts are full of technical language making the life of a medical translator full of translation challenges. This adds more difficulty to understand the meaning of the text, and it can also be hard to find equivalent terms in the target language. This has been another challenge where many words go without translation in the relevant language and hence translators have to look for suitable alternate words to make these fit in the translational text.
The complexity of psychological concepts
Psychological concepts and theories are the hardest and most difficult of their kind. These require the experts to understand and incorporate the information dully. Native speakers also have to struggle with the comprehension of these concepts. Therefore, it is not proficiency in the language only but profound knowledge in the psychology field with a sound grip on the content is also a must to navigate through the challenges of translation for the psychological domain.
The sensitivity of the topics
Psychology comes as an essential outlet for the medical and healthcare industry. The medical translator services that the clients hire for dealing with the language barrier that involves psychological content need to be aware of the sensitivities that this subject has. The psychological topic and subject overall are related to sensitive topics and can include the details of mental illness, trauma, anxiety disorders among other psychic issues. This also turns out to be a fatal challenge for the translators where they have to put maximum effort into dealing with the topic. They also need to be sensitive to the potential impact of the translated text on the reader.
Maintaining the psychological terminology
The psychological content has its specialized terminology. The translators need to have a solid grip on this terminology which often demands the skillful application of medical dictionary localization. The medical and psychological dictionary helps the translators to ace the translation meanwhile.
Setting up a glossary list is not only convenient for translators but also goes well with the client and healthcare centers who seek psychological translations. It is also helpful in bringing consistency to the translation. However, not sorting out the difficult terms also make translators suffer greatly and they fail to leave an impact with the help of the right placement of the psychological terms and terminology.
Quick tips to overcome these challenges
Challenges are part of the translation process and these get tough with the increasing level of psychology text. It is important to translate specialized texts in the field of psychology accurately and effectively. This is because these texts provide valuable information to people who need it, such as mental health professionals and patients.
Here are some tips for translating specialized texts in the field of psychology:
Do your research
Carrying out extensive research before you start translating can make you embark on this journey more swiftly. It is important to do your research and become familiar with the technical language and concepts that are part of psychology. This helps you to understand the meaning of the text and to find equivalent terms in the target language.
Consult with experts
You should not be reluctant to consult the experts while working on medical and psychological content. If you are not sure about the meaning of a particular term or concept, you should consult with an expert in the field of psychology. This allows you to clear the ambiguity that you face while translating the text accurately.
Be sensitive to the topic
Psychological texts mostly have to deal with sensitive topics, such as mental and psychological disorders. It is imperative to be sensitive while dealing with the text and its translation. You should translate the text in a way that is respectful and appropriate.
Conclusion
Medical and psychological texts are challenging to translate and get through. The main challenges that translators have to face while translating psychological texts include the translation of specialized and technical language, dealing with the sensitivity of the topics, and maintaining psychological terminology.
However, following certain tips such as considering the topic’s sensitivity, consulting with experts, and doing your research can help to navigate through these challenges more conveniently.
