Translation of Scientific Texts into English as Intercultural Mediation

Abstract

With English functioning as a lingua franca in the academic world, many non-Anglophone scholars wish to publish their articles in English-medium international journals and seek professional assistance with translating them into English. Translators facing this task may encounter several issues stemming from cross-cultural differences in the style and structure of academic texts. While linguistic errors alone rarely result in rejections, deviations from Anglo–American conventions in scientific writing may even lead to the reviewers questioning the author’s competence as a scientist. For example, there are significant differences between two intellectual traditions: Teutonic, which has influenced the Polish style of academic communication, and Saxonic, which has shaped Anglo–American standards. As a result, introductions written by Polish scholars often do not meet the requirements of English-medium international journals. This may inadvertently place Polish authors in a disadvantaged position. It is therefore important that translators should know how to approach these differences when they encounter them. Drawing on existing literature, this paper calls for an inquiry into the role of the translator in these circumstances, including the scope of their responsibilities and strategies for dealing with potential problems.