The problem of translating Russian and English academic terms (the experience of the Center for Translation, Faculty of Foreign Languages, TSU)

In the age of globalization and internationalization of the higher education system, university lecturers and academics are faced with the necessity of translating various materials - from information and advertising texts to research papers - from Russian into English and vice versa. It would seem to be a simple task for a professional, but the problem is that some incorrect translations and inaccurate beliefs about English language realia have become so ingrained in the Russian academic community that even highly-qualified specialists sometimes make mistakes when translating certain academic terms. The paper examines issues of translating academic terms used in academia. The authors focus on problems connected with difficulties of interpreting academic terms, which occur during the translation process. The main obstacle to the correct interpretation of Russian and English academic terms is the dissimilarity between the two systems of education. The authors analyze a range of academic terms used in higher education institutions and come to the conclusion that academic terms have multiple meanings. Many terms have duplicate meanings. These factors lead to confusion in selecting the appropriate term when translating. Moreover, as the analysis shows, a more detailed study of each academic term individually is necessary in order to correct convey its meaning in the target language. The dissimilarities identified during a comparison of a range of academic terms used in academia are mostly connected to extra-linguistic information. The systems of higher education in Russia, Great Britain, and America have many differences. Correspondingly, the names for different academic realia are different. This is shown in the whole specter of academic terms: in the morphological and syntax structure, in the lexical component, in the lexical and grammatical structure of terms in English and Russian. Extra-linguistic information is necessary for the correct interpretation of English and Russian academic terms. Without taking into account the influence of extra-linguistic factors on the appearance and functioning of a lexical item, it is impossible to correctly convey its meaning in the target language. The paper examines in detail terms connected with designations of academic staff, levels of education and academic titles in higher education institutions, stipends, and research fellow positions.

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