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Chapter 16 Translators in medical and health settings

  • Vicent Montalt and Ana Muñoz-Miquel
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Handbook of the Language Industry
This chapter is in the book Handbook of the Language Industry

Abstract

While health and illness are often perceived primarily in biomedical terms, they are situated in the realm of personal experience and embedded in specific languages, cultures and societies, making medical and health translation a complex and rich field, where ethnic, professional and disciplinary cultures converge and present myriad challenges. In this chapter we discuss a number of specific features that characterize medical and health translation, and make it a well-defined professional activity and academic speciality. We consider current trends in biomedical research, clinical practice, society and technology, such as personalized medicine, translational medicine, patient-centred care, global health, e-health, or the growth of machine translation and artificial intelligence. We argue that these drivers of change have the potential to transform radically the landscape of the professions and social practices involved and, consequently, of education and research. We look at some of the professional challenges, educational gaps and opportunities for research and innovation. Finally, we conclude that translation can contribute a great deal to the improvement of multilingual and multicultural communication in biomedical, healthcare and global health contexts. In the current era of increasing automation, humanizing such communication is undoubtedly more important than ever.

Abstract

While health and illness are often perceived primarily in biomedical terms, they are situated in the realm of personal experience and embedded in specific languages, cultures and societies, making medical and health translation a complex and rich field, where ethnic, professional and disciplinary cultures converge and present myriad challenges. In this chapter we discuss a number of specific features that characterize medical and health translation, and make it a well-defined professional activity and academic speciality. We consider current trends in biomedical research, clinical practice, society and technology, such as personalized medicine, translational medicine, patient-centred care, global health, e-health, or the growth of machine translation and artificial intelligence. We argue that these drivers of change have the potential to transform radically the landscape of the professions and social practices involved and, consequently, of education and research. We look at some of the professional challenges, educational gaps and opportunities for research and innovation. Finally, we conclude that translation can contribute a great deal to the improvement of multilingual and multicultural communication in biomedical, healthcare and global health contexts. In the current era of increasing automation, humanizing such communication is undoubtedly more important than ever.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface to the Handbooks of Applied Linguistics Series V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Introduction: Contextualizing language industry studies 1
  5. Part 1: Contexts and technological resources
  6. Chapter 1 Charting the language industry: Interview with an industry observer 17
  7. Chapter 2 Evolution of the language industry 33
  8. Chapter 3 The institutional language industry: Intercultural mediation at the European Parliament 49
  9. Chapter 4 Artificial intelligence, automation and the language industry 71
  10. Part 2: The human factor: Professional profiles
  11. Chapter 5 MT developers 101
  12. Chapter 6 Language technology developers 121
  13. Chapter 7 Translation and localization project and process managers 143
  14. Chapter 8 Terminology managers 179
  15. Chapter 9 Revisers and post-editors: The guardians of quality 203
  16. Chapter 10 Video game localizers 225
  17. Chapter 11 Transcreation: Beyond translation and advertising 251
  18. Chapter 12 Audiovisual translators 271
  19. Chapter 13 Media accessibility specialists 295
  20. Chapter 14 Legal translator profiles 321
  21. Chapter 15 Technical translators 349
  22. Chapter 16 Translators in medical and health settings 375
  23. Chapter 17 Heritage tourism translators 403
  24. Chapter 18 Language awareness in humanitarian responses 431
  25. Chapter 19 Distance interpreting as a professional profile 449
  26. Chapter 20 Conference interpreting in AI settings: New skills and ethical challenges 473
  27. Afterword 489
  28. Contributors to this volume 495
  29. Index 501
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110716047-017

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface to the Handbooks of Applied Linguistics Series V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Introduction: Contextualizing language industry studies 1
  5. Part 1: Contexts and technological resources
  6. Chapter 1 Charting the language industry: Interview with an industry observer 17
  7. Chapter 2 Evolution of the language industry 33
  8. Chapter 3 The institutional language industry: Intercultural mediation at the European Parliament 49
  9. Chapter 4 Artificial intelligence, automation and the language industry 71
  10. Part 2: The human factor: Professional profiles
  11. Chapter 5 MT developers 101
  12. Chapter 6 Language technology developers 121
  13. Chapter 7 Translation and localization project and process managers 143
  14. Chapter 8 Terminology managers 179
  15. Chapter 9 Revisers and post-editors: The guardians of quality 203
  16. Chapter 10 Video game localizers 225
  17. Chapter 11 Transcreation: Beyond translation and advertising 251
  18. Chapter 12 Audiovisual translators 271
  19. Chapter 13 Media accessibility specialists 295
  20. Chapter 14 Legal translator profiles 321
  21. Chapter 15 Technical translators 349
  22. Chapter 16 Translators in medical and health settings 375
  23. Chapter 17 Heritage tourism translators 403
  24. Chapter 18 Language awareness in humanitarian responses 431
  25. Chapter 19 Distance interpreting as a professional profile 449
  26. Chapter 20 Conference interpreting in AI settings: New skills and ethical challenges 473
  27. Afterword 489
  28. Contributors to this volume 495
  29. Index 501
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