Finnish-Russian Thematic Dictionary for Healthcare Interpreters: The Principles and Challenges of Compilation

Increasing internationalisation has resulted in a growing need for community interpreting worldwide. Healthcare is one of the most challenging domains for community interpreters, as misunderstandings, especially those caused by the use of incorrect terminology, may at worst cost lives. In this paper, we describe the process of compiling the Finnish–Russian Thematic Dictionary for Healthcare Interpreters. We start by describing the theoretical background of dictionary planning and analysing the information needs of the target groups. We then justify the selection of dictionary sources, describe the mega-, macro-, and microstructure of the dictionary, and briefly report the details of the technical implementation of the project. Finally, we reflect on some challenges encountered in this project as well as its future prospects.