Terminological Problems in Georgian Translation

Abstract

The paper focuses on a number of terminological problems, which the standard Georgian language faces today as it undergoes the rapid process of lexical borrowings. These problems are especially well reflected in the translation of fiction.

The paper discusses the following cases:

1. Borrowed terms enter the language through the colloquial speech.

Although there is an appropriate terminological base in the language, it has not been possible to integrate standard terms into it and they remain found only in the dictionaries. Hence, colloquial language is preferring foreign loanwords (mostly barbarisms) as substitutes for the standard terms. The use of Russian names for car parts, such as peredoki, stseplenie, etc., serves as a significant example of the frequent usage of borrowed technical terms in the Georgian colloquial language.

1. Loanwords enter the language through the official written documentation.

Since words expressing certain concepts already exist in the language, there is no need for foreign borrowings in Georgian. However, foreign loanwords gradually occupy a position in the official written documents and are then incorporated as foreign terms into the colloquial speech (i.e., apiliatsia (affiliation), pasilitatsia (facilitation), etc. though they do not contain any specialized meaning. The terminizing process has supposedly been encouraged by the Latin origin of the majority of these words.

1. Emerging new concepts create a need for new terms, but again, the existing terminological base is being ignored.

a) There are cases of re-adoption of terms, as in the case of the English loanword ranger. Georgian adopted the word first as a military term, but later the same word was adopted again to substitute the original forms (me-tqe-(v)-e / tqis-mtsvel-i, forest specialist / forest guard).

b) The terms applied to new concepts intrude into the established terminological system and break the standards achieved in term formation. For example, the invasion of foreign loanwords in sports terminology (baseball, softball, etc.) destroys the system of ball games’ nomenclature in Georgian.