MEDICAL DISCOURSE AND TRANSLATION CHALLENGES: A THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

The article deals with medical discourse as a multidimensional phenomenon within the paradigm of contemporary translation studies. Theoretical approaches to the interpretation of the concept of “discourse” are examined, its paradigmatic, syntagmatic, and communicative-functional aspects being studied. The peculiarities and functions of medical discourse in the professional communication between physicians and patients are considered, and its impact on the safety and effectiveness of healthcare delivery is analysed. It is established that medical discourse constitutes an interdisciplinary concept, as it incorporates terminology and knowledge derived from biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and other medical disciplines. The lexical features of medical texts are investigated; the issues of using specialized terminology of Latin and Greek origin and interlingual borrowings as the subject to potential challenges in the translation process are stressed. The semantic transformations of commonly used words in the medical context, posing significant risks of communicative misunderstandings, are described. The grammatical and syntactic structures used in the English and Ukrainian medical texts are compared; the ratio of simple to complex sentences is considered. Emphasis is directed towards the significance of implementing translation strategies to maintain stylistic consistency and achieve naturalness in the translated text. Particular attention is paid to the formal aspects of medical documents as well as the way differences in various healthcare systems tailor the text adaptation process. The main groups of translation difficulties in medical discourse texts are identified too. Medical translation is defined as a field of significant responsibility, where accuracy and terminological consistency are crucial, as errors can have serious consequences for health of patients. The need for further research of the medical text translation principles and strategies within the context of contemporary linguistics and translation studies is concluded.