Why on earth would a sports commentator describe a pair of graceful figure skaters as looking like camels? Well, he certainly wouldn't mean it as an insult - it's just that the pose known to Russians as the 'swallow' (lastochka) took its English name from none other than the noble desert creature. Whether you are someone who often works with sports terminology, or translates sports-related texts, or who is simply interested in the process of preparing and staging the Olympic Games, you'll find it useful to have a look at the new English - Russian glossary uploaded on the ANO "Organizing Committee "Sochi 2014" and freely available via the following link:
http://sochi2014.com/games/translation/glossary/
This is the first version of the terminology document, so its creators are keen to emphasize that it may contain duplications and inaccurate cross-references, and that they would welcome any comments and proposed changes.
The Olympic terms, expressions and abbreviations have been broken down into thirty sections, by subject, and put in alphabetical order. The guiding principles when the material was being put together were accuracy in translation and thorough editing, including consultations with members of sports federations, and as a result, the terminology presented here can be successfully used to prepare translators for work at sporting events.
The glossary is not only an unprecedented attempt to systematize the modern terminology used in winter sports, but also includes terms from various areas of activity that are part and parcel of organizing large-scale public events. These include intellectual property management, marketing, construction, finance, rights matters and commercial activity, and they significantly broaden the extent of the glossary's potential application. Alongside the translations of English terms into Russian, you will also find definitions of them in both languages, enabling you to familiarize yourself with specific details relating to the Olympic Games and the various sports disciplines. You will find out which figure skating moves were named after native American tribes, which sport involves bringing rocks indoors, and how the 'back scratcher' got its name (it's actually a freestyle skiing trick).
The glossary and its separate sections are available as PDF downloads on the official site of ANO "Organizing Committee "Sochi 2014". You can also leave any comments or suggestions you may have, using the feedback form.