Translation and cultural adaptation with specific reference to Tshivenda and English: a case of medical terms and expressions

Abstract

This article investigated the challenges encountered by translators when translating medical terms from English into Tshivenda and vice versa. The article revealed that translators face a major difficulty with regard to a lack of terminology in Tshivenda. This often results in mistranslation and miscommunication. In addition, the article showed that cultural differences pose a serious challenge to translators. Translators need an in-depth knowledge of languages and their cultures in order to produce acceptable translations. Lastly, the article proposed effective translation strategies and procedures to render a translated medical text meaningful to the target audience.