Intralingual translation in healthcare settings: Strategies and proposals for medical translator training

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that medical translators are increasingly called upon to write patient information materials by reformulating specialised texts, either inter- or intralingually (Muñoz-Miquel 2014, 2016a)-This activity requires applying a series of intralingual translation skills, which, however, are rarely addressed in medical translator training programmes. This paper aims to contribute to filling this gap by putting forward a proposal designed to help translators acquire these skills. For this purpose, we take as a starting point an empirical study carried out by the GENTT Research Group (Universitat Jaume I, Spain) in which a series of intralingual strategies were used to make real fact sheets for cancer patients more comprehensible and effective for these readers. After describing the strategies, which were validated by the patients, we offer a training proposal aimed at fostering medical translators' skills for dealing with this type of intralingual translation.