Issues involved in translating technical texts from English into Northern Sotho

Abstract

This article considers various challenges encountered in translating technical texts from English into Northern Sotho. It analyses the characteristics of technical language and discusses some of the problems encountered by the translator, such as the lack of equivalent technical terms in the target language. Some strategies for coining technical terms are discussed, with examples from Northern Sotho. The article further presents some criteria for assessing the adequacy of a technical translation which needs to be both accurate as well as accessible to the target reader.