The course is students' first encounter with the translation of specialised scientific and technical texts from English into Greek and lays the foundations for the subsequent semesters of the cycle. Work is carried out in teams, so that students become familiar with the translation process as practised in the professional market. 

Upon successful completion of the course, students are expected to:

• recognise the features and requirements of specialised scientific and technical discourse in the English-Greek language pair;
• apply terminology methodology and compile glossaries as the product of term extraction from documented texts;
• use and evaluate specialised sources and reference tools;
• broaden their conceptual and factual background through research into, and comprehension of, the texts to be translated;
• lay the groundwork for etymological analysis and the rendering of neologisms for new or untranslated terms;
• produce translations of specialised texts of low and intermediate difficulty in correct, idiomatic Greek;
• collaborate in teams, taking on a distinct role and delivering a unified, consistent and complete piece of work;
• critically evaluate translation renderings, including machine-generated ones, and justify their choices.

The aim of the course is to familiarise students gradually with the translation of scientific texts. The course covers texts from medicine, biology, pharmacology, biogenetics, chemistry, mechanical engineering and environmental topics, as well as EU texts both in general and in particular, since these are characterised by a specific language and style. Texts of lower difficulty are selected at first, introducing students both to terminology methodology and to the subject matter of the texts to be translated. More specialised scientific texts are selected in the following semesters. Each semester, students compile short glossaries extracted from the translated, checked, verified and documented texts. The course is organised into thirteen weekly units, distributed across three phases. Each unit includes a theoretical introduction, application to authentic texts, use of the relevant technologies and a deliverable, which is formative in nature and feeds into the semester’s exemption assignment.

PHASE A: FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF SPECIALISED TRANSLATION (weeks 1-3)
Week 1: Introduction to the translation of specialised scientific texts
Theory: Features of specialised discourse: terminological density, style, standardisation, objectivity. Types of scientific and technical texts and levels of specialisation.
Application: Comparative analysis of English specialised texts of varying degrees of specialisation and identification of translation requirements.
Technology: Electronic documentation sources and criteria for assessing their reliability.
Deliverable: Table of the features of specialised discourse by text type.

Week 2: Introduction to the terminology of specialised scientific texts
Theory: Basic principles of terminology: concept, term, definition, principles of term formation, the analogy rule (Valeontis).
Application: Term extraction from an authentic text and glossary compilation methodology: fields, definitions, documentation.
Technology: Terminology databases (IATE, TERMIUM Plus) and comparison of renderings.
Deliverable: Sample glossary of 50 terms with documented sources.

Week 3: Assignment of the project text and organisation of the teams
Theory: Stages of the translation process and the functionalist approach: translation brief, skopos, target audience (Nord, Kelandrias).
Application: Assignment of the project text to each team, analysis of the translation brief and allocation of roles.
Technology: Collaborative environment, shared terminology base and online submission via Open eClass.
Deliverable: Team work plan with timeline and allocation of roles.

PHASE B: APPLICATIONS BY SCIENTIFIC FIELD (weeks 4-9)
Week 4: Medicine
Theory: Etymology and formation of medical terms (Greek and Latin roots). Levels of specialisation according to the target audience (Newmark).
Application: Translation of patient information material and comparison with an equivalent text for specialists.
Technology: MeSH, IATE and Greek medical sources.
Deliverable: Glossary of medical terminology and translation of an excerpt.

Week 5: Biology and pharmacology
Theory: Text typology and text function as a criterion for translation choices (Reiss). Standardised wording and nomenclature.
Application: Translation of an excerpt from a scientific article and identification of fixed structures.
Technology: PubMed and terminology sources for the field.
Deliverable: Annotated translation with commentary on terminological choices

Week 6: Chemistry
Theory: Standardisation and harmonisation of terminology, safety issues and the translator’s responsibility (Parianou).
Application: Safety data sheet: structure, mandatory standard phrases, rendering into Greek.
Technology: ECHA, ChemSpider and EU sources.
Deliverable: Translation of a safety data sheet with documentation.

Week 7: Mechanical engineering
Theory: Instructions for use: structure, controlled language, imperative and impersonal wording, accessibility (Nord).
Application: Translation of an excerpt from a user manual with illustrations and captions.
Technology: Translation memories and consistency checks for repeated segments.
Deliverable: Translation of a manual and list of recurring structures.

Week 8: Environment and European Union texts
Theory: EU discourse: multilingualism, standardised terminology, mandatory equivalents and drafting conventions.
Application: Translation of an excerpt from a regulation or report on an environmental topic.
Technology: EUR-Lex, IATE and parallel text corpora.
Deliverable: Translation with the corresponding EU equivalents listed.

Week 9: Energy and technology
Theory: Neologisms, borrowing and the rendering of new or untranslated terms (Doudoulakaki, Valeontis).
Application: Technical specifications: team processing of a longer text with unified terminology.
Technology: Computer-assisted translation tools and the team’s shared terminology base.
Deliverable: Team translation with unified and documented terminology.

PHASE C: QUALITY, TECHNOLOGY AND PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE (weeks 10-13)
Week 10: Machine translation and post-editing
Theory: Capabilities and limitations of machine translation and large language models in specialised discourse. Ethics and confidentiality in their use.
Application: Post-editing of a machine-translated text and error annotation.
Technology: Machine translation systems and language models, with critical evaluation of their output.
Deliverable: Post-editing report with error categorisation.

Week 11: Quality control and quality assurance
Theory: Revision as a stage of the translation process, quality criteria, the ISO 17100 standard.
Application: Peer review of translations between teams on the basis of defined criteria.
Technology: Automated quality assurance and consistency checking tools.
Deliverable: Revision report with substantiated correction suggestions.

Week 12: Terminological consistency and final revision
Theory: Terminological consistency across the whole project, managing synonymy in specialised language (Parianou & Kelandrias).
Application: Merging of the teams’ glossaries and final revision of the translations.
Technology: Terminology base and consistency checks across the whole text.
Deliverable: Final consolidated glossary for the semester.

Week 13: Professional context
Theory: The professional context of specialised translation: roles, collaboration, ethics and responsibility.

Foreign-language bibliography

Baker, M. (2018). In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation (3rd ed.). London / New York: Routledge.
Bell, R. T. (1991). Translation and Translating: Theory and Practice. London / New York: Longman.
Byrne, J. (2006). Technical Translation: Usability Strategies for Translating Technical Documentation. Dordrecht: Springer.
Byrne, J. (2012). Scientific and Technical Translation Explained: A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Beginners. London / New York: Routledge.
Fischbach, H. (ed.) (1998). Translation and Medicine (ATA Scholarly Monograph Series X). Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Gotti, M., & Šarčević, S. (eds.) (2006). Insights into Specialized Translation. Bern: Peter Lang.
ISO 17100:2015. Translation Services: Requirements for Translation Services. Geneva: ISO.
Jakobson, R. (1959). «On linguistic aspects of translation». In L. Venuti (ed.), The Translation Studies Reader (pp. 113-118). London: Routledge.
Montalt, V., & González-Davies, M. (2007). Medical Translation Step by Step: Learning by Drafting. Manchester: St Jerome.
Munday, J. (2001/2008). Introducing Translation Studies: Theories and Applications (2nd ed.). London / New York: Routledge.
Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. New York: Prentice Hall.
Nord, C. (1997/2001). Translating as a Purposeful Activity: Functionalist Approaches Explained. Manchester: St Jerome.
Olohan, M. (2016). Scientific and Technical Translation. London / New York: Routledge.
Parianou, A. (2009). Translating from Major into Minor Languages. Athens: Diavlos.
Reiss, K. (1971/2000). Translation Criticism: The Potentials and Limitations (trans. E. Rhodes). Manchester: St Jerome.
Reiss, K., & Vermeer, H. J. (2013). Towards a General Theory of Translational Action: Skopos Theory Explained (trans. C. Nord). London / New York: Routledge.
Robinson, D. (1997/2003). Becoming a Translator: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Translation (2nd ed.). London / New York: Routledge.
Sager, J. C. (1990). A Practical Course in Terminology Processing. Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Temmerman, R. (2000). Towards New Ways of Terminology Description: The Sociocognitive Approach. Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Wright, S. E., & Wright, L. D. (eds.) (1993). Scientific and Technical Translation. Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

Greek-language bibliography

Βαλεοντής, Κ. (2004). «Ο “Αναλογικός κανόνας”, χρήσιμο ορολογικό εργαλείο στη διαγλωσσική μεταφορά γνώσης». 2η Σύνοδος Κορυφής για την Ορολογία, Βαρκελώνη, 26-27 Νοεμβρίου 2004. ΕΛΕΤΟ.
Βαλεοντής, Κ. Ε., & Κριμπάς, Π. Γ. (2014). Νομική γλώσσα, νομική ορολογία: θεωρία και πράξη. Αθήνα: Νομική Βιβλιοθήκη / ΕΛΕΤΟ.
Βηδενμάιερ, Α. (2009). «Ερευνητική ικανότητα: το μεγάλο μυστικό των μεταφραστών». Στο Ε. Κουρδής & Ε. Λουπάκη (επιμ.), Η μεταφρασεολογική έρευνα και η μεταφραστική πρακτική στον ελληνόφωνο χώρο. Πρακτικά 2ης Συνάντησης Ελληνόφωνων Μεταφρασεολόγων, Θεσσαλονίκη, 7-9 Μαΐου 2009.
Cronin, M. (2007). Μετάφραση και Παγκοσμιοποίηση (μτφρ. Π. Κελάνδριας). Αθήνα: Δίαυλος.
Δουδουλακάκη, Χ. (2001). «Ο μεταφραστής ως δημιουργός νεολογισμών». Ελληνική Γλώσσα και Ορολογία, Ανακοινώσεις 3ου Συνεδρίου ΕΛΕΤΟ (σσ. 251-261), Αθήνα, 1-3 Νοεμβρίου 2001.
Καρδούλη, Μ. (2011). «Η ορολογική νοοτροπία». Ελληνική Γλώσσα και Ορολογία, Ανακοινώσεις 8ου Συνεδρίου ΕΛΕΤΟ, Αθήνα.
Κελάνδριας, Π. Ι. (2007). «Ο ρόλος των μεταφραστικών οδηγιών στη διαμόρφωση της ειδικής ορολογίας». Ελληνική Γλώσσα και Ορολογία, Ανακοινώσεις 6ου Συνεδρίου ΕΛΕΤΟ (σσ. 344-352), Αθήνα, 1-3 Νοεμβρίου 2007.
Κελάνδριας, Π. Ι. (2013). «Η ορολογική “σύγκλιση” ως μεταφραστικό εργαλείο της ειδικής μετάφρασης». Ελληνική Γλώσσα και Ορολογία, Ανακοινώσεις 9ου Συνεδρίου ΕΛΕΤΟ, Αθήνα.
Κελάνδριας, Π. Ι. (2016). Λειτουργική Διδακτική της Μετάφρασης. Αθήνα: Δίαυλος.
Κεντρωτής, Γ. (1996). Θεωρία και πράξη της μετάφρασης. Αθήνα: Δίαυλος.
Κουτσιβίτης, Β. (1990-1991). «Διεθνείς τάσεις στη θεωρία της μετάφρασης». Γλωσσολογία, 9-10.
Munday, J. (2004). Μεταφραστικές σπουδές: θεωρίες και εφαρμογές (μτφρ. Ά. Φιλιππάτος). Αθήνα: Μεταίχμιο.
Nord, C. (2014). Η μετάφραση ως στοχευμένη δραστηριότητα: εισαγωγή στις λειτουργικές προσεγγίσεις (μτφρ. Σ. Γραμμενίδης & Δ. Λάμπρου). Αθήνα: Δίαυλος.
Παριανού, Α. (2004). «Διαπολιτισμική ειδική επικοινωνία». Επιστημονική Επετηρίδα 1999-2003 (σσ. 299-424). Κέρκυρα: Ιόνιο Πανεπιστήμιο, ΤΞΓΜΔ.
Παριανού, Α. (2007). «Η ανάγκη της λειτουργικής προσέγγισης στη μετάφραση ειδικών κειμένων». Ελληνική Γλώσσα και Ορολογία, Ανακοινώσεις 6ου Συνεδρίου ΕΛΕΤΟ (σσ. 353-361), Αθήνα, 1-3 Νοεμβρίου 2007.
Παριανού, Α., & Κελάνδριας, Π. Ι. (1999). «Τεχνικές και διδακτική της μετάφρασης ειδικών κειμένων». Ελληνική Γλώσσα και Ορολογία, Ανακοινώσεις 2ου Συνεδρίου ΕΛΕΤΟ (σσ. 263-271), Αθήνα, 21-23 Οκτωβρίου 1999.
Παριανού, Α., & Κελάνδριας, Π. Ι. (2001). «Η συνωνυμία στην ειδική γλώσσα και η μετάφρασή της». Ελληνική Γλώσσα και Ορολογία, Ανακοινώσεις 3ου Συνεδρίου ΕΛΕΤΟ (σσ. 262-271), Αθήνα, 1-3 Νοεμβρίου 2001.
Τσίγκου, Μ. (2011). Γλωσσολογία και μετάφραση: προσεγγίζοντας τη μεταφραστική μονάδα. Αθήνα: Δίαυλος.
Τσίγκου, Μ. (2015). «Η τύχη της γλωσσικής ποικιλίας ως φορέα πολιτισμού στη μετάφραση». Στο Ε. Κουρδής & Ε. Λουπάκη (επιμ.), Πρακτικά 4ης Συνάντησης Ελληνόφωνων Μεταφρασεολόγων, Θεσσαλονίκη, 23-25 Μαΐου 2015.

Electronic sources and terminology databases

IATE, EUR-Lex, MeSH, PubMed, ECHA, ChemSpider, TERMIUM Plus, ELETO (eleto.gr).

Face to face. The course consists of two-hour sessions and is workshop-based: translation is carried out under guidance in class, in teams, on scientific and technical texts of increasing difficulty and length, preceded by preparation at home. The teams’ glossaries and translations are presented and assessed in class. Study material and course announcements are provided through the Open eClass platform.

Terminology databases and documentation sources (IATE, EUR-Lex, MeSH, PubMed, ECHA, TERMIUM Plus).
Computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools, translation memories and terminology management systems.
Machine translation systems and large language models, with critical evaluation of their output and post-editing.
Quality assurance tools and terminological consistency checks.
Posting of material, team collaboration, submission of assignments and feedback via the Open eClass platform.

The course is assessed by a written examination, which comprises:
– Translation of a specialised text from English into Greek.
– A glossary of the terms in the text, produced through term extraction, with documented sources.
– A short commentary on the translation choices.
Assessment criteria: accuracy of the translation and correctness of the scientific concepts, consistency and documentation of terminology, quality and clarity of expression in the target language, reliability of sources, justification of choices.
The deliverables of the weekly units and the team assignments are formative in nature; they are presented and discussed in class and are not graded separately.