Case Report as a Genre of Medical Discourse: Translation Challenges for Non-Native Speakers of English

Abstract

У статті проаналізовано лексико-граматичні особливості жанру “medical case report” у сучасному дискурсі англійської мови. Пропонована розвідка є першою науковою спробою проаналізувати потенційні труднощі, які можуть виникнути у процесі складання опису клінічного випадку англійською мовою українськими науковцями. Розроблено методичні рекомендації щодо мінімізації й уникнення помилок у писемному мовленні українських науковців при роботі з жанром “medical case report” англомовного медичного дискурсу;The present paper focuses on potential grammar and lexical challenges which Ukrainian scientists may face when writing medical case reports (MCRs) in English. MCRs as a genre of medical discourse has its own unique features, traditional lexical structures and grammar rules, which must be taken into account. The main differences in the scientific style of the Ukrainian and English languages have been outlined. The ways to minimize and avoid errors in the written speech of medical professionals have been suggested. The authors emphasize the necessity to pay special attention to stylistic features of MCRs when developing academic ESP syllabi at medical universities. The study of potential difficulties, which Ukrainian medical professionals may encounter in the process of writing English MCRs, is important for developing relevant guidelines to eliminate possible mistakes and avoid misunderstanding in medical communication. The authors assert that presenting the research results without consideration of academiс norms, grammar and lexical features of the English language can lead to mistakes and misunderstanding, and result in a written work of poor quality. It is crucial for medical professionals to be aware of peculiarities of academic writing in English in order to be understood and acknowledged in the modern English-speaking world. The analysis of potential challenges in writing MCRs in English as a means of international scientific communication is an important element for integration of Ukrainian researchers into the world community. The research will be useful for translation studies, teaching ESL, and developing multilingual competence of future doctors.