Are there specific fields where false friends are more prevalent in Ukrainian

False friends—words that appear similar in two languages but have different meanings—are particularly prevalent in specific fields of language use due to their specialized vocabulary and frequent cross-linguistic borrowing. In the context of Ukrainian, several fields stand out where false friends are more common:

Fields Where False Friends Are Prevalent

1. Scientific and Technical Terminology

   • False friends are especially significant in scientific and technical texts. For instance, translating scientific terms from English into Ukrainian requires careful attention to context, as many English words are polysemous (have multiple meanings). Misinterpretation can lead to errors, particularly in fields like architecture, engineering, and technology ².
   • Specialized dictionaries and reference materials are often necessary to navigate these challenges effectively ².

2. Translation and Linguistics

   • In translation studies, false friends frequently emerge due to semantic interference between languages. This is particularly relevant when translating between languages with shared international vocabulary, such as English and Ukrainian. Translators must account for differences in meaning, usage, and connotation ⁴.
   • Issues with false friends also arise at the lexical level during editing of translated texts. Translators must address problems like transliteration, adaptation of lexical gaps, and unification of terms (e.g., units of measurement or proper nouns) ³.

3. Education and Language Learning

   • In teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language, false friends pose challenges for learners from different linguistic backgrounds. For example, Turkish-speaking students learning Ukrainian often encounter difficulties with interlinguistic homonyms caused by phonetic or lexical similarities ⁶.
   • These issues highlight the need for targeted teaching strategies to prevent errors stemming from false cognates.

4. Globalization and Multilingual Contexts

   • False friends are also common in multilingual contexts due to increased language contact and borrowing driven by globalization. This phenomenon is observed in interactions between Ukrainian and other major languages like English and French ⁴.

Conclusion

False friends in Ukrainian are most prevalent in specialized fields such as science, technology, translation studies, education, and multilingual communication contexts. These areas require heightened awareness and careful handling of lexical nuances to avoid misinterpretation or communication errors.

References

• THE PROBLEM OF RENDERING “FALSE FRIENDS OF THE TRANSLATOR” (BASED ON THE SWEDISH LANGUAGE AND THE UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE)

• THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF “THE FALSE FRIENDS OF THE INTERPRETER” ON THE ENGLISH CONTEXT (BASED ON THE MATERIAL OF ARCHITECTURAL VOCABULARY)

• Practical Issues of Translated Texts Editing

• Interférences sémantiques des langues et « faux amis » de traducteur

• COMPILATION OF THE TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS DICTIONARY FOR THE PAIR OF THE ENGLISH AND UKRAINIAN LANGUAGES

• THE PROBLEM OF GRAPHIC, PHONETIC AND LEXICAL CROSS-LANGUAGE INTERFERENCE IN PRACTICE OF TEACHING THE UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE IN A TURKISH-SPEAKING AUDIENCE