Common mistakes in the use of articles when translating research papers into English

The use of articles (the definite, indefinite and zero articles) in English are a particular difficulty for Russian native speakers. This issue is especially acute when translating research papers from Russian into English, where even the most capable translators are prone to making serious errors. Resolving this problem, however, is not a priority in translator training in Russia, possibly due to the fact that the vast majority of translator trainers in Russia are themselves native speakers of Russian and thus lack the necessary skills to appropriately teach this topic. There is, therefore, an ever-repeating cycle of making errors in the use of articles. In this context, the paper examines a range of common errors made when using articles during the process of translating research papers from Russian into English. The use of articles is reviewed using translations of research papers completed by young translators and also corrections of translations made by an English-language native speaker. The research shows that even at a high level of proficiency in English (C1 or C2 on the CEFR scale), the incorrect use of articles is a frequent phenomenon. The authors establish a classification system for errors concerning the use of articles while rendering translations of research papers from Russian into English. The most widespread type of error is the absence of or use of the indefinite article instead of the definite article. A conclusion is made that although some errors might be made as a result of translators' inattentiveness, there are some that are probably due to gaps in grammar knowledge. The authors demonstrate that in academic writing there exist certain patterns, for example, the greater use of the definite article. This is an aspect to which greater attention must be paid at Russian universities. The typical difficulties presented in the paper may be of use in teaching Russian native speaker professional.

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