Languages and Cognition in Scientific Communication: Mutual Knowledge and Understanding within Translation
Elena A. Notina, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (Russian Federation)
Irina A. Bykova, Department of Foreign Languages of the Agrarian Technological Institute; Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (Russian Federation)
Abstract
In recent decades gradual evolution of linguistics has been based to a certain considerable extent on the cognitive discoursive paradigm that is focused on defining the role attributed to language in building up of the conceptual and language pictures of the world. In the realm of scientific communication linguistic processing of information within knowledge transfer gives rise to issues that cannot be reduced to linguistic ones and becomes central to the development of a theoretical frame for cognitive and discoursive researches, and translation studies as well. Special significance of the interdisciplinary approach in this area of knowledge owes to the multi-faceted nature of human cooperation and communication that have as their pivot cognitive, cultural, and pragmatic aspects of communication processes.
The objective of this article is to consider scientific communication specificities within translation process with due account taken of the phenomenon of linguistic personality of translator and relevant intertextual peculiarities essential to semiotic and functional potential of scientific communication.
The method of comparative analysis, along with translation method, and native speakers questionary method are used in this study. Ph.D. students of People’s Friendship University of Russia (107) from different countries speaking two languages who are both early and late learners of a second foreign language are involved in this study.
We come to the conclusion that in the context of mediated scientific communication the target text commences to function independently or autonomously throughout the act and the process of translation, and it is the translator’s personality, along with professional experiences, theoretical and practical understanding of a given branch of science that predetermines both translators’ activity, and the strategy of decision making in the course of cognitive and linguistic information processing aimed at facilitating an adequate effect, a fitting and remarkable grasp of the subject, and communication efficacy, throughout dynamic interaction of the conceptual systems of the translator and the other participants of the communication.
The article is of practical value for language and translation teaching, translation-training studies, and second language learning, including discourse studies in modern linguistics.
Keywords: linguistics, translation, translator, conceptual systems, scientific communication