INTRODUCTION
Rationale
English has emerged as a global language, connecting people worldwide with over 400 million native speakers and more than 1 billion second-language users Its significance is undeniable in today's era of globalization, impacting various sectors such as education, business, and tourism As the default language for international events and organizations, English facilitates communication through news, emails, and contracts Consequently, proficiency in English is essential for effective communication, particularly in developing countries like Vietnam, where it is taught from an early age.
Many young people recognize the importance of English for various reasons, including securing good jobs, communicating with foreigners, and accessing modern technology Consequently, numerous universities and colleges are now offering courses in English and implementing foreign language learning outcomes, primarily focusing on English, for their graduates.
Many Vietnamese individuals face challenges in English proficiency, highlighting the growing demand for translation services in our globalized world To keep pace with advancements in science and technology, it is essential for Vietnamese people to effectively communicate their ideas and perspectives internationally This necessitates both English-Vietnamese and Vietnamese-English translation services to facilitate clearer communication Consequently, there is a significant need for skilled translators to convey thoughts, emotions, and various documents from Vietnamese to English.
When learning English, students typically focus on four essential skills: reading, listening, speaking, and writing However, mastering English requires more than just these skills; translation, particularly Vietnamese–English translation, is crucial yet challenging Many learners, including English-majored juniors at Tay Do University, encounter significant difficulties in this area As these students are new to translation, they often find it unfamiliar and complex Recognizing their struggles, I chose to conduct research to better understand these challenges.
“The difficulties in Vietnamese-English translation of English majored juniors at Tay
Significance of the research
This research highlights the common challenges faced by English majors at Tay Do University in Vietnamese-English translation The findings are beneficial for both teachers and students; teachers can better understand their students' difficulties, enabling them to implement effective training methods for translation skills Meanwhile, students will gain insight into the significance of Vietnamese-English translation, allowing them to identify their own challenges and seek appropriate solutions to enhance their translation abilities.
Organization of the research proposal
The research proposal consists of five parts: part 1: Introduction, part 2: Literature Review, part 3: Research Aims, Research Questions, and Hypothesis, part 4: Research Methodology and part 5: Expected Outcomes
Part one introduces the rationale, significance of the research and the organization of the research proposal
Part two presents the definitions of translation and Vietnamese-English translation and the difficulties in Vietnamese-English translation It also includes ways to translate better
Part three shows the research aims, research questions and hypothesis
Part four describes the research design, participants, research instruments and procedure
Part five presents expected outcomes
LITERATURE REVIEW
Translation and Vietnamese-English translation
Languages vary significantly, necessitating translation as a means to convert one language into another According to Bui Tien Bao and Dang Xuan Thu in their "Interpreting and Translation Course Book" (1997), translation involves rendering a written text in a way that reflects the author's original intent Wikipedia defines translation as the communication of a source-language text's meaning through an equivalent target-language text While interpreting has existed since before written language, translation emerged with the advent of written literature Ian Tudo (1989) emphasizes that translation conveys messages across linguistic and cultural barriers, while Toury (1978) highlights that translation inherently involves at least two languages and cultural traditions.
Vietnamese-English translation involves accurately converting a Vietnamese written text into English while preserving the author's intended meaning.
Translators specialize in converting written texts from Vietnamese to English Their assignments vary widely, encompassing both straightforward documents like birth certificates and driving licenses, as well as more complex materials.
6 complex written materials, such as articles in specialized professional journals, economical article and legal documents.
The difficulties in Vietnamese-English translation
Vietnamese-English translation poses significant challenges for learners in Vietnam, particularly for junior English majors at Tay Do University Research indicates that these students frequently encounter common difficulties in their translation efforts.
A significant challenge in translation is the lack of vocabulary, which directly affects the translation process This deficiency often causes students to rely on incorrect or inappropriate words, resulting in meanings that deviate from the original text.
A collocation is a common combination of words that frequently appear together, creating meaning through their association The term "collocational range" describes the variety of words that typically accompany a specific word There are no strict rules governing these combinations; they are based on the intuition of native speakers The extent of a collocational range is influenced by a word's specificity and the number of meanings it possesses.
For instance, in Vietnamese the word “fast” and “quick” have the same meaning
The term "thức ăn nhanh" translates to "fast food" rather than "quick food." Additionally, the Vietnamese word "đàn" can be combined with various nouns, including "chim" (bird), "cá" (fish), "gia súc" (cattle), and "sư tử" (lion).
On the contrary, in English there are many words meaning “đàn” as follows:
A flock of birds: một đàn chim
A herd of buffaloes: một đàn trâu
A pack of dogs: một đàn chó
A school of fish: một đàn cá
A pride of lions: một đàn sư tử
If the word “flock”, “herd”, “pack”, “school”, “pride” are used interchangeably, the meaning will be wrong
Many students struggle with word combinations in English, often feeling awkward in their choices This challenge is compounded by the tendency to translate directly from Vietnamese to English, leading to confusion and miscommunication.
To effectively learn collocations, students should engage with authentic materials rather than relying on rote memorization Translators can minimize errors by immersing themselves in a wide range of English books and journals, which helps them internalize collocations as distinct phrases.
A preposition is a word that connects nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other elements in a sentence Typically short, prepositions are positioned directly before nouns and may also appear in front of gerund verbs.
Using prepositions correctly in English can be challenging, leading to frequent and unavoidable errors Translators often select English prepositions based on their Vietnamese meanings, neglecting the nuances and variations in usage.
The sentence “Cô ấy có nhiều kinh nghiệm về giảng dạy” translates to “She is experienced about teaching” in English However, the preposition “about” is incorrect in this context The accurate translation should be “She is experienced in teaching,” highlighting the importance of selecting the appropriate preposition based on the nuances of both languages.
The English language contains over 100 prepositions, offering countless opportunities for forming prepositional phrases Consequently, if translators lack a precise understanding of preposition usage, they may mistakenly translate Vietnamese directly into English.
To overcome common challenges in sentence construction, students should adhere to two essential rules regarding prepositions Firstly, it's important to recognize that specific prepositions clarify the relationships between words, and while many prepositions can be swapped, this interchangeability has its limits Secondly, prepositions must always be followed by nouns to maintain grammatical accuracy.
Synonyms are words that share similar or related meanings, making them invaluable for avoiding repetitive language A single word can possess multiple meanings, while one meaning can be conveyed through various synonyms.
Many students often rely on dictionaries to find meanings and synonyms without considering the context, leading to the inevitable misuse of these synonyms.
For example: “Pretty”, “handsome” and “beautiful” are synonyms
It was a beautiful day (Đó là một ngày đẹp trời)
She is a pretty girl (Cô ta là một cô gái đẹp)
He is a handsome boy (Anh ta là người đẹp trai)
The adjective “handsome” is used for a boy or man, not a girl So, it is unacceptable to use the word “handsome” for a girl or woman Instead, the word “beautiful” or
“pretty” is suggested to be used So, if the students do not pay to context, the translation will be wrong
Synonyms often share similar meanings, but their appropriateness can vary depending on context Translators must consider the context to avoid incorrect usage of synonyms To prevent misuse, careful evaluation of synonyms is essential before incorporating them into translations Additionally, translators should enhance their understanding of context to improve accuracy.
9 consider the differences of the pair of synonyms This not only helps students understand the context but also helps them avoid misunderstandings when translating
Vietnamese pronouns do not change based on number, subject or predicate position, nor do they reflect first, second, or third person distinctions To express plurality in Vietnamese, a quantifier is placed before the pronoun.
For example: “các” (some) is added before “chú” (uncle) to indicate more than one male who approximately the age of one’s uncle (các chú)
RESEARCH AIMS, RESEARCH QUESTIONS, AND HYPOTHESIS
Research aims
This study aims to identify the challenges faced by English majors at Tay Do University in translating Vietnamese to English The findings will highlight common translation difficulties and propose strategies to enhance students' translation skills.
Research questions
This research is required to answer the following research questions:
1 Do English majored juniors at Tay Do University have difficulties in Vietnamese-English translation?
Hypothesis
A literature review and research questions suggest that English majors in their junior year face challenges in Vietnamese-English translation These difficulties may stem from issues related to vocabulary, grammar, cultural background, and translation style.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The research “The difficulties in Vietnamese-English translation of English majored juniors at Tay Do University” is conducted to answer the two questions in
Part 3: finding out the difficulties that juniors have faced in translating Vietnamese into English and some ways to solve their problems The reliability and the validity of the research are based on the instruments To achieve the above mentioned purposes, the researcher will investigate English majored juniors about the difficulties of Vietnamese-English translation by a questionnaire The collected information will be analyzed to show the difficulties in Vietnamese-English translation and the ways to solve their problem.
Participants
The participants of this study are 58 English majored juniors course 9 (2014-
In a study conducted at Tay Do University in 2018, 19 male and 39 female students, aged 21 to 24, were surveyed These participants, hailing from both rural and urban areas, are learning English as a foreign language alongside their native Vietnamese To gather insights into the challenges they encounter in Vietnamese-English translation, the students were administered a questionnaire and interviewed about potential solutions to their difficulties.
Research instruments
This study employs questionnaires and interviews to gather insights on the challenges faced in Vietnamese-English translation The questionnaire aims to identify participants' perceptions of these difficulties, as well as the underlying causes and potential solutions related to vocabulary, grammar, cultural background, and translation style.
The questionnaire comprises a total of 27 questions, including 8 multiple-choice questions aimed at gathering data on students' backgrounds, attitudes, and study habits Following these initial questions, there is a table featuring 18 statements assessed on a 5-point scale ranging from (1) strongly agree to (5) strongly disagree In summary, the questionnaire consists of 8 questions and 26 statements categorized into specific groups.
1 Question 1 and question 2 Students’ background
2 Question 3 to question 9 Students’ attitude
4 Question 10 to question 24 The problems that the students have faced in translation
5 Question 25 and question 27 Ways to solve difficulties in translation
This paper interview aims to gather insights from junior students regarding the challenges they encounter when translating Vietnamese into English It includes five questions that target two key areas: the first two questions assess students' attitudes and motivation towards Vietnamese-English translation, while the third and fourth questions explore the specific difficulties they face in this process Finally, the fifth question seeks to understand the strategies students employ to overcome these challenges and enhance their translation skills.
Procedure
The implementation of the research is detailed in this section, which spans several weeks and is organized into three distinct steps A comprehensive list of all activities involved in conducting the research is provided in the table below.
Steps Activities in study process
Step 1: The first four weeks
Making the outline of the research
Step 2: The next two weeks
Asking the teacher and students for the permission to deliver the questionnaire
Delivering the questionnaire to the students
Collecting data from the questionnaire and interview
Step 3: The last four weeks
Collecting and analyzing the collected data
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
By this research, researcher could find out some common difficulties in
Vietnamese-English translation presents challenges for English majors at Tay Do University, including difficulties with vocabulary, grammar, cultural nuances, and translation styles Identifying the root causes of these challenges can help students understand how to address their issues and enhance their translation skills.
In addition, this study can also help teachers to know their students’ difficulties
From that, they can offer their students suitable materials for learning and teaching methods to help students improving Vietnamese-English translation
1 Bui Tien Bao & Dang Xuan Thu (1997) Interpreting and translation course book Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Nhà Xuất Bản Giáo Dục
2 Bell, R (1991) Translation and Training Theory and Practice New York: Longman
3 Catford, J (1965) A Linguistic Theory of Translation London: Oxford
4 Bauer, L (1983) English word-formation Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press
5 Cao Xuan Hao (1998) Tiếng Việt: Mấy vấn đề ngữ âm, ngữ pháp, ngữ nghĩa
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Nhà Xuất Bản Giáo Dục
6 Baker, M (1992) In order words: a coursebook on translation London: Routledge
7 Nguyen Dang Liem (1970) A contrastive phonological analysis of English and Vietnamese In D L Nguyen (Ed.), A contrastive analysis of English and
8 Kreidler, C W (1998) Introducing English semantics London: Routledge
9 Thompson, L (1965) A Vietnamese Grammar Seattle WA: University of
10 Duff, A (1989) Translation Oxford: Oxford University Press
11 Luu Trong Tuan (2009) Tạp chí khoa học xã hội Phân tích phong cách trong dịch thuật văn bản khoa học, số 1(125)
1 Translation Journal http://translationjournal.net Retrieved March, 2017
2 Translation skills https://www.slideshare.net/studentsandteachers/translation-skills Retrieved
Tang Giang (2007) conducted a cross-linguistic analysis of Vietnamese and English, highlighting the implications for Vietnamese language acquisition and maintenance in the United States The study emphasizes the challenges and strategies involved in preserving the Vietnamese language among communities in the U.S This research is accessible through Purdue University's digital library.
My name is Pham Huu Le Huy, a senior in the English 8B class at Tay Do University I am conducting research on the challenges faced by English majors in Vietnamese-English translation I kindly request a moment of your time to answer the questions below, as your responses are crucial to my study Thank you for your valuable contribution.
Please read the following questions and circle the appropriate answer for each question Give specific answer if needed
1 How long have you studied English? … years
3 In your opinion, which is the most difficult subject?
(If you did not learn Translation subject, then skip Question 4)
4 What do you think about translation?
5 How many periods a week did you practice Vietnamese-English translation?
6 How much time a week do you spend on practicing Vietnamese-English translation?
7 When self-studying, you usually practice translating
A Only English into Vietnamese texts
B Only Vietnamese into English texts
C First English -Vietnamese text then Vietnamese-English texts
D First Vietnamese - English then English – Vietnamese
8 What do you think about your translation skill?
9 What is the biggest challenge you have to face when translating from Vietnamese to English?
A Choosing appropriate vocabulary in the English language
B Finding suitable grammar structures in the target language to transfer the ideas
C Analyzing word others in Vietnamese texts
D Understanding special phrases in the source text
……… This below table is your difficulties in Vietnamese-English translation
Please read the following statements carefully and mark (X) in suitable column to express your opinion
10 Vietnamese-English is more difficult than English-
11 You feel more nervous when translating Vietnamese-English often than English-Vietnamese
12 Your do not know enough collocations in English
13 You have faced difficulties with prepositions
14 You choose the English preposition basing on
Vietnamese meaning without paying attention to their variations
15 You do not know how to use synonyms in different contexts
16 It is very difficult for you to translate Vietnamese pronouns into English pronouns
17 You have faced difficulties when translating idioms
18 You usually make grammatical errors in your translation because of the differences between Vietnamese and
19 You usually translate word by word
20 You have difficulties in remembering all of the grammatical rules
21 You do not understand English versions of many Vietnamese words
22 With poor background knowledge, you cannot make a good translation
23 You are confused about translating unfamiliar contexts
24 There are many words with similar meanings and you feel difficult to choose suitable words
25 You rarely check your translation after the initial draft
26 You do not have suitable strategies when practicing
27 You usually read books or magazines to improve your background knowledge for better translation
My name is Pham Huu Le Huy, a senior in the English 8B class at Tay Do University I am conducting research on "The Difficulties in Vietnamese-English Translation Among English Majored Juniors." Your feedback on the following questions is crucial for my study Thank you for your valuable time and support.
Please read and answer the questions below carefully
1 Do you like Vietnamese-English translation? Why?
2 Do you think Vietnamese-English translation the most difficult subject? Why or why not?