Articles

This article examines the influence of Yu.K. Shchutsky’s identity as a scholar-translator on his Russian translation of the Book of Changes. Shchutsky’s education, professional experience, and cultural background shaped his unique identity as a scholar-translator. These factors enabled him not only to accurately render the original language but also to deeply interpret the philosophical and cultural dimensions of the text. The analysis is conducted from two perspectives: the preparatory stage of the translation and the translation process itself. Shchutsky’s personal spiritual motivation, the influence of anthroposophy, and his aspiration for dialogue between Chinese and Western cultures formed the foundation of his translation work. His application of a deep translation strategy and integration of his own academic research significantly enhanced the scholarly value of the translation. Shchutsky’s work not only provided Russian-speaking readers with access to the Chinese philosophy of the Book of Changes but also made a substantial contribution to cultural exchange between East and West. In this process, the translator’s subjectivity is particularly evident: it is manifested in the way Shchutsky interprets the source text, makes deliberate linguistic choices, and reconfigures cultural meanings in translation. This case highlights the importance of a translator’s identity in the translation process and its profound impact on the quality of the translated text.

Object: Th is study investigates the errors produced by neural network translation systems and explores how these errors can be leveraged to enhance translator training. It addresses the increasing role of machine translation in the translation landscape and the importance of equipping future translators with the skills to critically evaluate and effectively utilize these technologies. 

Methods: The research combines an overview of existing literature on machine translation errors and translator training methodologies with a practical analysis of machine translation outputs. A specific article (“Compressor training courses: a positive for over 10 years of continuing improvement”) is used as a case study. The study compares the pre-translation analysis and the translation of this article generated by different neural network translation platforms (ChatGPT, DeepL, Google Translate, Yandex Translate) with human analysis. The identified discrepancies and errors are then examined for their potential use in developing targeted training exercises. 

Findings: The analysis reveals that neural network translation systems still struggle with contextual understanding, nuanced language, and accurate rendering of specialized terminology, particularly in texts blending scientific, technical, and promotional elements. Th e systems oft en produce inaccurate pre-translation analyses, stylistic inconsistencies, word choice errors, and fail to capture the intended meaning and tone of the source text. However, the study demonstrates that these errors, when carefully analyzed, can serve as valuable learning material for translator trainees. By identifying and correcting these errors, students can develop critical thinking skills, improve their understanding of source and target language nuances, and hone their ability to make informed translation decisions. For example, neural networks oft en miss the appropriate register and fail to recognize industry specific terms, or even suggest the wrong language registers. 

Conclusion: The study concludes that while machine translation tools are becoming increasingly sophisticated, they are not yet capable of replacing human translators. Instead, the future of the translation profession lies in the collaboration between human expertise and technological tools. By incorporating the analysis of machine translation errors into translator training programs, educators can equip students with the skills necessary to effectively utilize these tools, critically evaluate their output, and deliver high-quality translations that meet the demands of an increasingly globalized world. A balanced approach is advocated, emphasizing both the use of digital tools and the development of critical text comprehension skills, particularly in specialized domains.

Since the creation of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative in China, there have been clearer requirements for the competences of language service professionals, and the demand for high-quality non-general translators has increased significantly. Russian, one of the official languages of non-native communication, is represented in China by more than 200 colleges and universities offering professional courses. With the introduction of the Master’s and Doctor’s degrees in translation to the national Catalogue of Disciplines and Specialties of Postgraduate Education, the cultivation of high-end applied translation talents in China has entered a new stage of development. High-end translation talents are supposed to have national sense and international vision, master language, translation, culture, technology, management and other professional knowledge, possess translation abilities, cross-cultural abilities, technical abilities, innovation abilities, communication abilities, management abilities and relevant business qualities, understand the development trend of the language service industry, business content, workflow, overseas market and be capable of working in language service positions in various Chinese and overseas institutions or enterprises and agencies. Thus, through collaborative cultivation, platform cultivation, thematic cultivation and technological cultivation, translation talents can consolidate their basic language competence and that in cultural literacy, improve their ability to combine theoretical research with translation and interpreting practice, strengthen their ability to apply translation technologies, and develop the ability to organize translation projects and professionally manage them.

In this article, from the perspective of linguodidactics, the phenomenon of antonymy, which is a problem in translation, is considered as a search for semantic dominants. Russian language teaching means that mastering the peculiarities of the emergence and functioning of antonymic pairs becomes one of the leading tasks if we assume that the ultimate goal of teaching is to teach students how to understand and translate texts from Russian into Chinese and vice versa. 

Against the background of the classification of antonyms accepted in Russian linguistics, the article analyzes their problem areas, which require sufficiently deep linguistic knowledge in two languages, and the need for a thorough, thoughtful attitude on the part of students to the ways of their translation transformation. Our many years’ experience of working with the Chinese audience allows us to give some recommendations that take into account the difficulties in the formation of language competence in the training of future translators in Chinese universities.