AD (b)

The author of the Slovak translation is the man of science, astrophysicist of Astronomical Institute, the Slovak Academy of Sciences, RNDr. Igor Kapišinský. Along with his scientific work he belongs to one of the most important Slovak propagator of the modern scientific theories in the field of astronomy and astrophysics. In his translational activity he engages in translation of the texts from astronomy (Stars and Planets, All about Science and Astronomy, Space). Typical feature of his translations is the perfect mastery of the translation of the English scientific terminology in the field of space research. This resulted in the translation itself.
It obeys the original text, it aims to represent the characteristic lines of author`s own style, the text supposed to invoke the feeling as being the primary text. The typical feature of this translation is the shift from the author`s style to the needs of the potential recipient, a Slovak reader. The less importance is kept for the adherence to the original text, but the idea is translated instead of words. Althought, from the translatological point of view it has a very few weak parts . Here are some reasons why. In brackets behind, there are the concrete demonstrations from the original and Slovak translation:

-Scientific-popular literature is usually assigned to the wide variety of readers, which means that their trim for theme differs:
[“past light cone” (p.36) is translated as “minulý svetelný kužel” (p. 36), which could invoke the feeling of a cone from past and confuse the less experienced reader]

-In the country, what language is the original of, there could be in use different measures, abunits, signs or different literature about same theme or the language itself name the measures and explain their functions or some words can be in use in the different combinations and phrases in target language than in original language:
[the word “uncertainity” (p.208) is translated as “neistota” (p.208). This word has many significances in English, each one is clear from the context, this time as “neistota v určení polohy” and “neistota v meraní hybnosti”. In physics, the Slovak language use in this context the word “neurčitosť”, so the correct versions should be “neurčitosť v určení polohy” and “neurčitosť v meraní hybnosti”.
or
the English word “lieutenant” used in connection with Star Trek`s regular Data is translated as “veliteľ”, but in the already broadcasted Slovak version of this TV serial, Data is “poručík”.]

AD (c)

Translator was often influenced by English original text, and many times he preferred so-called English resolution. For example, instead of common word “časopriestor” he uses the term “priestoročas”, which is supposed be the translation of English “space-time.” The word “information” which doesn`t have a plural form in English, is often translated into Slovak language as “informácia”, thought it was clear from the context, that there should be used the Slovak plural form “informácie”. The word “M-theory” is translated into Slovak as “M-teória”, but according to the structure of Slovak language, the form “teória M” is correct . The term “wormhole” we can find translated as “červia diera”, but according to the The Short Dictionary of Slovak Language it should be “červičia diera”.
The next thing which breaks the fluency of the translation is too frequent repetition of the relative pronoun “ktorý” or its variants:
“risk the fate of Prometheus, who in classical mythology stole fire” (p. 69)
„o osud Prometea, ktorý podľa klasickej mytológie ukradol oheň“ (p. 69)
or
“the size of the brain what will pass through the birth canal.” (p. 167)
„veľkosťou mozgu, ktorý sa musí dostať cez pôrodné cesty.“ (p. 167)
or
“Star Trek shows a society that is far in advance of ours” (p. 157)
„Star Trek predstavuje spoločnosť, ktorá je ďaleko pred nami“ (p. 157)
and
“histories described in Chapter 3.” (p. 147)
„históriu, ktorú sme opísali v 3. kapitole.“ (p. 147)