KHOA TIẾNG ANH --- BÁO CÁO TỔNG KẾT ĐỀ TÀI NGHIÊN CỨU KHOA HỌC SINH VIÊN RESEARCH ON TYPICAL TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING ERRORS MADE BY FINAL-YEAR STUDENTS OF THE FACULTY OF ENGLISH, HA
INTRODUCTION
Rationale and novelty of the research
The need for languages is rising as a result of the expanding economy, the movement toward integration, and the tendency toward globalization One crucial element of the globalization and integration process is translation
Integration and cooperation benefit increasingly from translation Translation is crucial for successful cooperation because, when working with foreign partners, language is the largest barrier that makes the work more challenging
The need for translation services is growing across all industries, including school, production, and medicine The usage of text songs is a need for equipment as part of the integration process, particularly for English Additionally, in addition to businesses, people now frequently employ service algorithms when they need to validate translated papers such diplomas and identity cards
Foreign trade benefits from translation since it shortens the gap between nations Helping translators can better understand one another through cultural activities and international exchanges, especially when it comes to art and culture
Translation is more than just trying to be understood; it also needs to be appropriate for the culture, done correctly, and use native context Therefore, translating requires a great deal of social and cultural knowledge in addition to linguistic proficiency
In addition, the translation of text between languages is usually formulaic and necessitates that the translator be familiar with the remote origin in order to interpret as properly as possible Translation is a profession that requires high levels of execution This is a supporting statement for your recent graduates and recent hires in the workforce
With that reality and meaning, our research group chose the topic
“Research on typical translation and interpreting errors made by final-year students of the Faculty of English and strategies for enhancing students‟ translation and interpreting abilities at the Faculty of English, Hanoi Open University” as a student scientific research topic for 2022 2023 –
Realizing that the English department has not had many research topics on translation errors, our group of authors decided to investigate and conduct research on errors in spoken and written translation in order to assist students in developing their translation abilities.
Overview of the study
Numerous researches have been conducted on the translation errors made by university students, but few have outlined the different types of errors and provided cutting-edge remedies for students This study and poll concentrate on typical errors that translators frequently commit, offering advice for those learning the craft The following are the two primary research queries:
1 A research on the typical translation errors made by Hanoi Open University students specializing in English translation and interpretation
2 Studying ways to assist learners in improving the quality of their translations
Aims and scope of the study
Surveying fourth-year students majoring in Translation and Interpretation at the Faculty of English of the Hanoi Open University regarding the quality of their translations
A study of typical translation errors made by Hanoi Open University's fourth-year English Department students majoring in Translation and Interpretation
Research on techniques to enhance translation quality for Hanoi Open University's fourth-year students majoring in Translation and Interpretation
Students majoring in Translation and Interpretation, Faculty of English, Hanoi Open University.
Research methods
All aspects of this study were obtained by:
Analytical techniques - synthesis of theories
Contributions of the study
Evidence suggests that translation plays a crucial role, requiring analytical abilities, thorough knowledge, and cultural awareness of both the source and target languages, as well as sensitivity and delicacy on the part of translators and creativity
The results of this research will help students improve the quality of Translating - Interpreting from English to Vietnamese and vice versa.
Main contents
The four sections of my study are as follows:
Chapter I: Introduction is the introduction of the study including rationale, aims of the study, research question, scope of the study, methods of study, and design of the study
Chapter II: Literature review supplies the readers with the theoretical background including the theory of translation, interpretation and error
Chapter III: The study's methodology is presented in this chapter Subjects, study tools, and data collection and analysis procedures are all described
Chapter IV: The chapter offers analysis of the data gathered, presents conclusions, and offers suggestions
Chapter V: The conclusion provides an overview of the results and analysis and makes some recommendations for additional research.
LITERATURE REVIEW/THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Theoretical background of translation
There are various experts who convey their own definition related to translation Generally, translation is a process of rendering meaning, ideas, or messages of a text from one language to other language The accuracy, clarity and naturalness of the meaning, ideas, or messages are some considerations within the translation process
The following quotes taken from different sources provide an overview of the range of diversity on the concept of translation:
1 Translation consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style (Nida & Taber 1974: 12)
2 Translation is the replacement of textual material in one language (source language) by equivalent textual material in another language (target language) (Catford 1965: 20)
3 Translation is the replacement of a representation of a text in one language by a representation of another equivalent text in a second language (Hartmann & Stock 1972: 713)
4 Translation is the expression in another language (or target language) of what has been expressed in another (source language), preserving semantic and stylistic equivalencies (Dubois 1973, cited in Bell 1991:5)
5 Translation is a procedure which leads from a written SL text to an optimally equivalent TL text, and which requires the syntactic, semantic, stylistic and text pragmatic comprehension by the translator of the original text (Wilss 1982a: 112)
6 Translation, as the process of conveying messages across linguistic and cultural barriers, is an eminently communicative activity, one whose use could well be wider range of teaching situations than may currently be the case (Tudor, cited in Duff 1989: 5)
7 Translating is a communicative process which takes place within a social context (Hatim & Mason 1990: 3)
8 Translating is the transformation of a text originally in one language into an equivalent text in a different language retaining, as far as possible, the content of the message, and the formal features and the roles of the original text (Bell 1991: XIII)
From the above definitions, we can see how complex the concept of translation is
Currently, there are many translation methods applied in the field of language translation Some of the methods mentioned by Newmark, in his 'A Textbook of Translation' are given below:
This is often demonstrated as interlinear translation, with the target language immediately the source language words The source language word order is preserved and the words translated singly by their most common meanings, out of context Cultural words are translated literally The main use of word-for-word translation is either to understand the mechanics of the source language or to construe a difficult text as a presentation process.
The mood also comes at a cohesive level The nouns and the adjectives used throughout the text make cohesion The cohesion of such foregrounded elements gives the mood positive or negative or neutral The choice between words like ―pass away” and ―dead”indicates the value of the person This subtle difference in choice will make a translation good or bad.
After passing through all these minute details in the cohesive level, the level of naturalness has to be ensured We must ensure whether the translation makes sense and if it reads naturally This can be made out by disengaging ourselves from the source text, by reading the translation as though no original text existed The naturalness has to be acquired by using most frequent syntactic structures, idioms and phrases and words that are likely to appear in that kind of stylistic context.
The heart of translation theory is translation problem and the translation theory broadly consists of a large number of generalities of translation problems
So, the translation problems shall be studied in the next chapter.
The source language grammatical constructions are converted to their nearest target language equivalents but the lexical words are again translated singly, out of context As a pre-translation process, this indicates the problems to be solved
A faithful translation attempts to reproduce the precise contextual meaning of the original within the constraints of the target language grammatical structures It 'transfers' cultural words and preserves the degree of grammatical and lexical 'abnormality' (deviation from the source language norms) in the translation It attempts to be completely faithful to the intentions and the text realization of the source language writer
Semantic translation differs from 'faithful translation' only in as far as it must take more account of the aesthetic value of the source language text, compromising on the 'meaning' where appropriate so that no assonance, word- play or repetition jars in the finished version
Further, it may translate less important cultural words by culturally neutral third or functional terms but not by cultural equivalents It may make other small concessions to the readership The distinction between *faithful' and 'semantic' translation is that the first is uncompromising and dogmatic, while the second is more flexible admits the creative exception to 100% fidelity and allows for the translator's intuitive empathy with the original
This is the 'freest' form of translation It is used mainly for plays (comedies) and poetry; the themes, characters and plots are usually preserved, the source language culture converted to the target language culture and the text is rewritten The deplorable practice of having a play or a poem literally translated and then rewritten by an established dramatist or poet has produced many poor adaptations, but other adaptations have 'rescued' period plays
Free translation produces the matter without the manner, or the content without the form of the original Usually it is a paraphrase much longer than the original A so called "intralingual translation', often prolix and pretentious, and not translation at all
Idiomatic translation reproduces the 'message' of the original but tends to distort nuances of meaning by preferring colloquialisms and idioms where these do not exist in the original
Communicative translation attempts to render the exact contextual meaning of the original in such a way that both content and language are readily acceptable and comprehensible to the reader.
Theoretical background of interpretation
Interpreting consists of presenting in the target language, the exact meaning of what is uttered in the source language either simultaneously or consecutively, preserving the tone of the speaker
The definition provided by the National Association for Interpretation is:
―Interpretation is a communication process that forges emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of the audience and the inherent meanings in the resource.‖ (NAI Board of Directors, 2000)
According to Webster, interpretation is: the act or the result of interpreting: explanation a particular adaptation or version of a work, method or style a teaching technique that combines factual with stimulating explanatory information “natural history interpretation program.”
According to Duff (1989), there are 6 types of interpretation
Also known as cabin translation, parallel interpretation is the most skilled form of interpretation The interpreter must memorize the information that the speaker of the source language is speaking, and translate it into the recipient's language immediately Parallel interpretation requires the interpreter to accurately convey the other person's statement in a very short time The parallel form of translation requires many skills
This form of interpretation requires interpreters to switch languages after the speaker has finished conveying the information (usually 1-5 minutes) You need to take notes carefully to remember all the main ideas, then convey the information in the receiving language correctly Serial translation is also known as chasing translation Serial interpretation is also known as chasing translation
This is the most common form, usually taking place at small negotiation meetings This form of interpretation is done by switching the language back and forth by a single interpreter
In a conference meeting where more than three languages (e.g English – Laos Cambodia Vietnam) are spoken, the organizers arrange cabins and – – equipment so that everyone hears the language they desire
Suppose, in a specific meeting, when a Vietnamese representative speaks, the interpreter in the Vietnamese cabin must translate into English Meanwhile, interpreters in Laos cabins in Cambodia will have to listen to English and then move on to Laos and Cambodia Relay interpretation involves quite a few stages
This interpretation is the same form of translation as in parallel What's different here is that the translator performs a translation of the source language for a small group and whispers in the listener's ear
This is an interpretive method that converts spoken language into sign language and vice versa.
Theoretical background of error
There are various definitions related to error:
Error can be defined as a deviation from accuracy, correctness; a, as in action, are of several types and can only be minimized, not removed
Errors are defined as a learner language form that deviates form, or violates, a target language rule "Errors are considered evidence of the learners' developing competence in the foreign language." For example, they may indicate that learners are applying rules from their own first language to the use of English, or that they are applying rules which they have internalized but which are in some way intermediate between their own first languages and the language they are learning", (Parrot, 1993)
According to Corder (1973) and Haryono (2011), there are four main types of errors based on the surface taxonomy They are omission, addition, mis- formation and mis-ordering
Omission errors refer to non-occurrence of necessary structures; that is, the absence of an item that should appear in a well-formed sentence
Examples: 1) She a student 2) It is orange
In the above sentences, the learner omitted the verb to be (is) in sentence 1 and the indefinite article (an) in sentence 2 The correct forms of these sentences are: 1) She is a student 2) It is an orange
Addition errors mean addition of some unnecessary or incorrect elements that should not appear That means the learner presents an item that should appear in a well-formed sentence
Examples: 1) There are two sheeps in the field 2) He did not played football yesterday
In the first sentence, the learner added the letter (s) to irregular plural nouns (sheep) and added the marker (ed) to the verb (play) that referred to the past in the negative sentence 2 The correct forms of these sentences are: 1) There are two sheep in the field 2) He did not play football yesterday
Mis-formation errors refer to the supplement of the wrong morpheme; that is, the use of the wrong form of grammatical element
Examples: 1) These pen is mine 2) Me play game everyday
In the first sentence, the learner uses the wrong form of plural demonstrative (these) before a singular noun (pen) and uses the object pronoun (me) as the subject in the second sentence The correct forms of these sentences are: 1) This pen is mine 2) I play games everyday
Mis-ordering errors refer to the wrong position of morphemes in a sentence That means that the words in the sentence are put in the wrong order Examples: 1) read they a story 2) I bought a car black
In the above sentences, the learner put the words in the wrong order, for example, in the first sentence, the learner put the verb (read) before the subject (they), and the second sentence, learner also put the adjective (black) after the noun (car) The correct order of these sentences is: 1) They read a story 2) I bought a black car
There are mainly two major sources of errors in second language learning The first source is interference from the native language while the second source can be attributed to intralingual and developmental factors
The native language of learners plays a significant role in learning a second language Errors due to the influence of the native language are called interlingual errors Interlingual errors are also called transfer or interference errors The view that the native language plays a mostly negative role was emphasized as early as the forties and tile fifties by Fries (1945) and Lado
(1957) Although recently researchers tend to minimize interlingual errors and emphasize intralingual and developmental errors (cf Dulay and Burt 1974), negative transfer or interference is still acknowledged as an important factor in second language learning (cf Jordens 1977; Kellerman 1979; Touchie 1983) Intralingual and developmental errors are due to the difficulty of the second/target language Intralingual and developmental factors include the following:
Simplification: Learners often choose simple forms and constructions instead of more complex ones An example of simplification might involve the use of simple present instead of the present perfect continuous
Overgeneralization: This is the use of one form or construction in one context and extending its application to other contexts where it should not apply Examples of overgeneralization include the use of comed and goed as the past tense forms of come and go and the omission of the third person singular under the heavy pressure of all other endless forms as in s he go
It should be noted that simplification and overgeneralization are used by learners in order to reduce their linguistic burden
Hypercorrection: Sometimes the zealous efforts of teachers in correcting their students' errors induce the students to make errors in otherwise correct forms Stenson (1978) calls this type of error "induced errors." For example, the teacher's insistence that ESL learners produce the phoneme /p/ correctly prompts them to always produce /p/ where the phoneme /b/ is required Thus ESL learners say pird and pattle instead of bird and battle Faulty teaching: Sometimes it happens that learners' errors are teacher- induced ones, i.e., caused by the teacher, teaching materials, or the order of presentation This factor is closely related to hypercorrection above Also, it is interesting to note that some teachers are even influenced by their pupils' errors in the course of long teaching
Fossilization: Some errors, especially errors in pronunciation, persist for long periods and become quite difficult to get rid of Examples of fossilized errors in ESL learners are the lack of distinction between /p/ and /b/ in English and the insertion of the resumptive pronoun in English relative clauses produced by these learners
Avoidance: Some syntactic structures are difficult to produce by some learners Consequently, these learners avoid these structures and instead use simpler structures ESL learners avoid the passive voice while Japanese learners avoid relativization in English
Inadequate learning: This is mainly caused by ignorance of rule restrictions or under differentiation and incomplete learning An example is omission of the third person singular as in: s He want
The concepts and kinds of translation equivalence
Pym (1992) placed a strong focus on the usage of equivalency in translation since it is seen to be the most important factor in translation Equivalence is essential to translation on the one hand, and translation itself can define equivalence on the other Experts, scholars, translation theorists, and translators all have diverse ideas on what constitutes equivalency There are two different types of methodologies for the translation process: quantitative and qualitative approaches
2.4.1 The quantitative approach and its translation equivalences
Kade (1968) asserted that there are four different types of equivalence in the quantitative approach "One-to-one equivalency" is the first kind The single word or phrase in the source language can be changed to its counterpart in the target language, according to this statement "One-to-many equivalency" is the second When more than one word or phrase from the target language is utilized for a single source language expression, this might occur Lastly, "one-to-part- of-one equivalence" refers to when a target language concept or expression refers to a portion of a concept in a single source language Lastly, nil- equivalence happens when there is no expression in the destination language for a phrase in the source language
2.4.2 The qualitative approach and its subdivisions of translation equivalences
Several translation theorists also make use of the ideas of equivalence while discussing the qualitative method It is separated into several methodologies
The functional-based approach has two types of equivalence, according to Nida and Taber (1982): (1) Formal equivalence: This phenomenon occurs when the message's form and content are as closely aligned in the source language and the target language as is possible (2) Dynamic/functional equivalence: This type of equivalence emphasizes the concept of "identical effect" more In reality, with dynamic equivalence, the translators must convey the content in a way that affects the target readers in the same way as it affects the original language
Mona Baker (1992, pp 11 12) introduces six different types of – equivalence using a form-based approach: (1) equivalence at the word level, (2) equivalence above the word level, (3) grammatical equivalence, (4) textual equivalence, which includes word order and themes, (5) contextual equivalence, which includes cohesion, and (6) pragmatic equivalence She learned that different languages may have different grammatical rules, and it may be challenging to locate a direct equivalent in the target language
Koller (1979), using a Meaning-based methodology, took into account five different equivalence types: (1) Denotative equivalence, (2) Connotative equivalence, (3) Text-normative equivalence, (4) Pragmatic equivalence (5) Formal equivalence
Newmark (2006, p 72) advised adding comments, amendments, or glosses in the translated texts during translation practice to cope with the cultural equivalent (cultural terms) The notes can be included at the end of the text, in a glossary, or between lines of the text (using brackets or parentheses) Newmark also highlighted the application of functional equivalence (or dynamic equivalence) According to Bayar's definition of "cultural equivalency" in 2007, it "aims at the replication of whatever cultural traits the source text has into the target text."
Common errors in translation and interpretation
Word for word translation (or sometimes direct/interlinear translation) focuses mainly on translating words from the source text into the target language while the word order of the original is preserved (Newmark, 1988) This method of translation can be seen in those cases where some value of humor is needed It is also very useful for the translator to understand and analyze the original text before translating it into the target language For instance, word for word translation “Bạn đang làm gì thế?‟‟ into English can be ―You are doing what?” whereas the correct version must be ― What are you doing?‖ Another example is that the sentence “She is deaf to all his advice‟‟ can be translated in Vietnamese according to word for word translation “Cô ta điếc với tất cả những lời khuyên của anh ta‟‟ The translation sounds unnatural The correct translation should be
“Cô ta bỏ ngoài tai mọi lời khuyên của anh ta”
Different languages have unique grammar and syntax rules While translating, translators must remember differences in spelling, subject-object- verb agreement, and sentence construction Here are some common grammatical errors when translating by Duff (1988: 22)
In English, each tense has its own formula and usage, but if you do not have a solid knowledge of tenses, it will lead to the use of grammatically incorrect sentences For example: When describing an action that happened before another action in the past, they often use the past simple when they should use the past perfect For example, the sentence ―Before he went out, he locked the door‖ should be rewritten as ―Before he went out, he had locked the door.”
2.5.2.2 Error about part of speech
English is a language with a vast vocabulary Learning and knowing all the meanings of words is not easy and understanding their usage is much more difficult As a result, translating an article from English to another language requires careful word selection
When translating this sentence “ Từ thành phố Hồ Chí Minh đi về phía đông chừng 20 km, chúng ta gặp một vùng sinh thái tuyệt diệu.” should not be translated as follows: “Traveling about 20 km eastwards from Ho Chi Minh city, tourists will catch sight of a marvelously ecological system.” Instead we should translate it as follows: “Traveling about 20 km eastwards from Ho Chi Minh city, tourists will catch sight of a marvelous ecological system‟‟
In the above example, the learners use the adverb "marvelously" instead of the adjective "marvelous" because they think that the adverb modifies the adjective "ecological" but actually modifies the whole noun phrase "ecological system"
Lack of articles and article misunderstanding are the two most common usage mistakes
First, Vietnamese people often have difficulty determining when to use the article "the", for example writing "number of students" instead of "the number of students"
Second, Vietnamese people frequently misunderstanding between the definite article "the" and the indefinite article "an/a" (for example, ―A capital of
Vietnam is Hanoi‘‘ instead of “The capital of Vietnam is Hanoi‘‘), as well as confused in using "a" and "an" (for example, ''a hour'' or ''an hour'' or ''an university'' instead of ''a university”
However, sometimes, regional differences can change the way that syntax and grammar operate
For example, both the US and UK speak the same language, but there are multiple differences in grammar, syntax, spelling, and vocabulary In American English, collective nouns are considered singular, like ‗‘the band is playing‘‘ But it‘s more common to use the plural form in British English: ‗‘the band are playing‘‘
Literal translation is featured by the fact that grammatical structures and the meaning of words are translated almost as closely as those in the target language without paying attention to the situation or context (In this sense, many theorists coincide literal translation with word-for-word translation) For example, the question “Could you open the door, please?” can be literally translated into Vietnamese “Bạn có thể mở hộ tớ cái cửa được không, làm ơn?‟‟, but in fact it is really a request which can be communicatively translated “ Mở hộ tớ cái cửa nhé”, “Cậu mở hộ tớ cái cửa nha”
The basic error when translating English into Vietnamese is using the wrong words Misuse of words is most often made when using words that do not match the contextual meaning Some English words do not have synonyms in other languages or cannot be translated Many Vietnamese words are used in English texts Therefore, if the translator is not knowledgeable about the language, it is difficult to guess the correct context of the article Another simple error is when a translator cannot recognize the distinction between the degree and usage of some terms that have similar meanings
For instance, the sentence “ Về chính sách tài chính, chính phủ đã cắt bỏ bao cấp đối với các doanh nghiệp nhà nước để giảm chi ngân sách và tiến hành cải cách thuế để tăng nguồn thu‟‟ cannot be translated in English „‟In fiscal policies, the government has cut off subsidy to state-owned enterprises in order to reduce government spending and reformed taxation to increase national income.‟‟ The correct version should be “In financial policies, the government has cut off subsidy to state-owned enterprises in order to reduce government spending and reformed taxation to increase revenue.‟‟
Both the words “financial” and “fiscal” can be understood as “tài chính”, but the word “fiscal” itself is associated with government or public money, especially tax money Therefore, using the word "fiscal" to convey the word "tài chính" in the above sentence is not contextually appropriate because the government's first action to cut subsidies for state-owned enterprises to reduce costs is to budget will not fall within the meaning of the word “fiscal” Similarly, the word "revenue" which means the money the government collects from taxes of the people would be a more reasonable choice than the word
"national income" because in the context it is "tiến hành cải cách thuế để tăng nguồn thu"
Morphological errors are errors involving a failure to comply with the norm in building word structure
2.5.6 Syntactic, semantic, and cultural errors
Syntactic errors are made when learners have to handle any structures larger than words Errors in this category occur when students have problems with the building of a phrase, a clause or a sentence
Semantic errors deal with any mistranslation of words, which can be a single word, collocations, or idioms
Cultural errors are any errors that are caused by cultural differences.
Collocational errors are the ones made in the idiomatic usage of the target language Inappropriate word form refers to cases when the word form is not correctly chosen, i.e., the learner uses a noun instead of an adjective The root of the word may be correct, but the wrong form is used.
The causes of errors in translation and interpretation
Culture is defined as ―the customs and beliefs, art, way of life and social organization of a particular country or group‖ (Oxford Advanced Learners‘ Dictionary of Current English, 6th ed.) Moreover, Newmark explains culture as
―the way of life and its manifestations that are peculiar to a community that uses a particular language as its means of expression‖ (1988: 94) Since culture is so deeply connected with language, each language reflects its own culturally specific features Wardhaugh suggests that the structure of a given language determines the way in which the speakers of that language view the world (1986:
212) In other words, different languages reflect different cultures and values, and if the culture of the source language (SL) differs from that of the target language (TL), word selections or ways of making statements will be different in the target text (TT) from those of the source text (ST)
Some words and expressions are unique and specific to a culture and cannot be simply translated word for word from one language to another Jakobson acknowledges that interlingual translation involves two different codes, therefore there is no full equivalence between them (2000: 114) According to Toury, translation is nearly always conducted within a certain cultural environment, and consequently, ―translators may be said to operate first and foremost in the interest of the culture into which they are translating‖ (1995:
12) Indeed, translators need to modify or compensate for the messages of the ST that are greatly influenced by the source culture and language to communicate familiar messages with a natural form of expression for the target audience to comprehend and accept Translating the ST into an acceptable and suitable linguistic and cultural form for the target audience is part of the translator‘s responsibility in transcultural communication
We need to grasp the context of the sayings since they are idioms, common expressions, or long-standing cultural traditions of a certain nation Take the expression "kick the bucket," which means to pass away The English/American phrase "The old man kicked the bucket" can be translated into
Vietnamese as "Ông cụ mất rồi," however if translated word by word, it is quite simple to translate incorrectly into ―Ông ấy đá cái xô‖
The translation texts might be anything from straightforward documents like birth certificates or driver's licenses to more intricate writings like articles from specialist professional publications, commercial contracts, and legal documents (Bui & Dao, 1999)
As a result, it is crucial for a translator to be knowledgeable in every discipline, including understanding of important, topical, and everyday topics A translator needs to learn as much as they can in order to succeed in their work Being an avid reader and "bookworm" is advantageous for translators
For example: "Khuôn khổ pháp lý nhằm thúc đẩy quá trình hình thành và phát triển các loại thị trường yếu tố trong sản xuất sẽ được hoàn thiện”
"Các loại thị trường yếu tố trong sản xuất" is the phrase that students may have trouble translating in the aforementioned statement Students still struggle with understanding the exact English translation of the term despite understanding what "thị trường" and "yếu tố trong sản xuất" mean In English,
"sản xuất" means "production" or "manufacturing," while "yếu tố" means
"element" or "factor." As a result, students may translate this as "factor markets of production" or "element markets of manufacture."
These two translations, however, are meaningless and unable to aid readers in comprehending the term's meaning Students will have no trouble translating the sample sentence to mean "The legal framework to encourage the development and maturity of factor markets will be completed" if they are aware that "factor markets" are markets for the factors used in the production process.
METHODOLOGY
Sample and sampling
The study's samples consisted of 120 fourth-year English major students They were sorted into 6 groups Based on the findings of the pre-test, there were both good and bad performers in each group The trial lasted a month Each week, each group of students would be assigned a translation work of both English-Vietnamese and Vietnamese-English texts Each text was around 500 words long The subjects changed across groups and weeks The lecturer acted as a facilitator or a coordinator and advised students to deal with the nonequivalence errors in translation.
Instruments
3.2.1 Pre-test, post- test and document observation
The researchers relied on document observation and pre-test data to determine the student's translation equivalency errors The post-test is used to check what students have achieved after the 4 weeks they have worked in groups The post-test is intended to assess what students have learned after working in groups for four weeks
The questionnaire was designed to ascertain students' perceptions of the most common translation errors they committed, the likely reasons, and their recommendations for avoiding these errors in future translation Participation comprised all 120 Faculty of English translation and interpretation students from
2019 to 2023 The questionnaire included both closed-ended and open-ended questions and was constructed in the form of numerical rating scales and multiple-choice items.
Data analysis
The researcher attempted to pinpoint the changes in the figures by comparing and contrasting the pre-test and post-test findings Data on the students' perspectives and comprehensions of translation-related issues were compiled The researcher had to determine the trend of the students' translation activity based on these.
The average repetitions and frequency of the translation equivalency errors were counted and calculated for the data analysis using surveys and document observation The transcription, meanwhile, was divided into a number of categories that were matched to the responses to the two research questions.
DATA ANALYSIS, FINDING, AND SUGGESTED
Major findings and discussion from questionnaire
With the use of the questionnaire, the researchers aimed at finding out the causes or reasons why the English major students made errors with translation equivalence The researchers put questions about the number of years students have studied English for background knowledge Among the 120 students, about
91 (75.2%) have learned English for more than 8 years 19 students (15.7%) have known English for 6 to 8 years, and the rest (9.1%) have been learning English for less than 5 years The ratio of students who have learned English for more than 8 years is high This shows that the survey participants are relatively equal in level, and makes the research process more objective
When people were asked about common problems with translating texts, vocabulary came up in 33.1% of the cases In the process of communication or translation, the reader or listener almost exclusively pays attention to the content that the speaker wants to express rather than grammar and vocabulary Because, even if you have a firm grasps of grammatical structures, but your vocabulary is limited, it is impossible to properly convey the content you want to convey to the opponent Ranked 2nd is Lack of time (accounting for 30.6 %) The next ones is Cultural factor (24.8 %) Culture gives languages different contexts The same words passed from culture to culture have slightly or completely different meanings Sometimes those differences in meaning represent small or large value differences that can be important in translation The last ones is Expression, accounting for 11.6 %.
To question 3, ―What are the common challenges of translation most perceived by translators and interpreters?‖ It is easy to see that the biggest difficulty for students when translating is translating from Vietnamese to English, accounting for 68.6% The reason for this obstacle is partly due to the deep understanding of one's mother tongue and cultural identity, partly due to the similarities of the two languages In second place is sentence structure, with 74 students (61.2%) This was followed by different cultural characteristics, which accounted for 59.5% of the students (72) Culture is a barrier that creates a big challenge when translating because each locality has very different cultures, and if the translation is not appropriate, it can be frustrating for native readers For example, the British are famous for their sarcastic, ironic words for laughter However, this type of satire may not be appreciated in many other countries. There are a total of eight practical translation methods Only 33.1 % of students focused on Adaptative, Idiomatic In English translation methods, the escaped English translation method is a method that only takes the meaning of the original sentence and conveys it in a completely different way In first place is communicative translation, accounting for 62% 45.5 % of the use language or an emphasis on the source language The rest used the mixture of the other methods That is why most students failed to use the pragmatic equivalents. The researchers saw that most of the students cared much about the semantic, free translation and communicative translation (52.1%, 61.2% and 62% respectively) Only some of them concentrated on the pragmatic (cultural/ stylistic) equivalence This is the big reason why students often get trapped with under translations.
Major findings and discussion from document observations
4.2.1 The estimated results of the pre-test and post- test
Table 1 The results of the pre-test
Pre-test Semantic errors Syntactic errors Cultural errors
The pre-test reveals that the pupils struggled greatly with word choice and collocations Fewer errors were made in the cultural and syntactic equivalency.
Table 2 The results of the post-test
Pre-test Semantic errors Syntactic errors Cultural errors
The researcher could notice the significant differences in the quantity of equivalency errors the students had made by looking at the post-test table The quantity of errors has decreased This demonstrated that the task-based technique used to teach translation was sufficient Students benefited from having translation duties to complete in group projects The syntactic errors drop to 70%, the cultural errors to 60%, and the semantic errors to 63%.
Research results mainly focus on semantic, syntactic, cultural errors as mentioned earlier.
Table 3 The typical semantic equivalence errors in student’s English -
Original text Students’ translation Suggested version
1 It costs an arm and a leg
1 Nó đắt cả tay và chân
1 Cái này rất đắt đỏ
2 It is raining cats and dogs
2 Trời mưa như chó và mèo.
2 Trời đang mưa như trút nước.
3 He bit the hands that fed him
3 Anh ta cắn lấy bàn tay cho anh ta ăn.
3 Hắn là kẻ ăn cháo đá bát.
4 When my best friend and my brother got in a fight I had to help my brother; blood is thicker than water
4 Khi bạn thân và anh trai đánh nhau, tôi phải giúp anh trai mình; máu mủ dày hơn nước mà
4 Khi bạn thân và anh trai đánh nhau, tôi phải giúp anh trai mình; một giọt máu đào hơn ao nước lã mà
5 Anh ấy là con bướm xã h i ộ
5 Anh y là mấ ột người hướng ngo i ạ
6 The ball is in your court.
6 Trái bóng là tòa án của b n ạ
7 It‘s the best thing 7 Đó là điều tốt nhất k ể 7 Th c s r t t t ự ự ấ ố since sliced bread từ khi bánh mì c t lát ắ
The researcher observes that the student's mother tongue has a considerable impact on their translations The aforementioned versions demonstrate how students translate using literal and word-for-word approaches Because of this, their translations fail to capture the authenticity of Vietnamese culture The semantics of the translations can occasionally be misinterpreted
Table 4 The typical semantic equivalence errors in student’s Vietnamese -
Original text Students’ translation Suggested version
1 Tôi không muốn đồng nghiệp biết được sự thật rằng tôi sắp bỏ việc
1 I don‘t want my colleagues to know that I will be leaving
1 I don‘t want my colleagues to get wind of the fact that I‘m leaving
2 Anh trai tôi chuẩn bị chạy chức chủ tịch tỉnh
2 My brother is running for the provincial president of Quang Ninh
2 My brother is running for the Chairman of Quang Ninh Provincial People‘s Committee.
3 Không phận sự miễn vào
4 Anh y là ấ người hảo ng t ọ
4 He is a person who likes sweets 4 He is a sweet tooth.
5 Không giẫm lên cỏ 5 Do not step on the grass 5 Please keep off grass.
6 Tôi đang giậm chân tại chỗ
6 I let the grass grow under my feet
7 Hắn khỏe như trâu vậy
7 He is strong as a buffalo.
7 He is as strong as a horse.
Between the aforementioned versions, there is a word and phrase comprehension issue The professor notices that the pupils finish their translations quickly They did not thoroughly consider the texts They solely took into account the literal and lexical meaning No appropriate pragmatic counterparts were chosen since they didn't correspond to the contextual or associative meanings.
Table 5 The typical syntactic equivalence errors in student’s English -
Vietnamese translationsOriginal text Students’ translation Suggested version
1 She can‘t afford to buy the car
1 Cô ấy không đủ tiền mua chiếc xe
1 Cô ấy không đủ khả năng để mua chiếc xe
2 The bookstore doesn‘t open until 7:00a.m
2 Cửa hàng sách không mở cho đến 7 giờ sáng.
2 Cửa hàng sách mở cửa lúc 7 giờ sáng.
3 Unless he came here, I will go home
3 Trừ khi anh ấy đến đây, tôi sẽ về nhà.
3 Nếu anh ấy không đến đây, tôi sẽ về nhà.
4 I think you are not right
4 Tôi nghĩ là bạn không đúng
4 Có l là b n sai rẽ ạ ồi
5 She was the one I was looking for
5 Cô ấy là người tôi đã đang kiếm tìm
5 Cô ấy chính là người mà tôi ki m tìm ế
6 If it hadn't been for his help, I probably wouldn't have been able to pass
6 N u nó không ph i nh ế ả ờ có s tr giúp c a anh y, ự ợ ủ ấ tôi có th ể đã không thể qua môn
6 N u không nh có ế ờ anh y giúp, có l tôi ấ ẽ đã không thể qua môn
In terms of grammatical structures, students must first determine the characteristics of common English phrases before adapting them to Vietnamese expression styles Sentences' meanings will be mistranslated if they do not change them.
Table 6 The typical syntactic equivalence errors in student’s Vietnamese-
Original text Students’ translation Suggested version
1 Cô ấy hát hay 1 She sings well 1 She sings beautifully
2 Hắn nói tiếng Anh rất tốt.
3 Tôi thích Chủ nhật hơn thứ hai
3 I like Sunday more than Monday.
4 Trong l p có rớ ất nhiều h c sinh ọ
4 In the class have a lot of students
4 There are many students in the class
5 Those apples are selling at 50 thousand dong
5 Those apples are sold at
6 Nhiều tr em ẻ không được đến trường
6 Many children are not allowed to go to school
6 Many children can not go to school
7 Các dự án triển khai vùng nông thôn ở đã có những bước đầu
7 The projects implementation in rural areas has shown first improvement
7 The projects which are implemented in rural areas have shown first improvement
Students often struggle to recognize the purposes of the essential sentence components Students must examine the logical aspects of both live and inanimate objects in addition to their meanings They can decide whether to compose a statement in the passive or active voice based on this.
Table 7 The typical cultural equivalence errors in student’s translations
Original text Students’ translation Suggested version
1 Luyện tập tạo nên sự hoàn hảo
1 Có công mài sắt có ngày nên kim
2 Gừng càng già càng cay
2 The older you get, the spicier you become.
3 Kim cương cắt kim cương
3 Vỏ quýt dày có móng tay nhọn.
4 He‘s been living beyond his mean
4 Anh ấy đã sống vượt ngoài ý nghĩa của mình.
4 Anh ấy đã tiêu tiền vung tay quá trán.
5 His eyes are bigger than his belly.
5 Mắt của anh ấy to hơn bụng.
5 Hắn no bụng đói con mắt.
6 One swallow can‘t make a summer
6 Một cánh én nhỏ chẳng làm nên mùa hè
6 Một cánh én nhỏ chẳng làm nên mùa xuân
7 He is your own flesh 7.Anh ấy là xác thịt của 7 Anh em như thể tay and blood bạn chân
Vietnamese speech is characterized by frequent misuse of words and phrases due to their culture (redundantly) Sometimes, their sentences are really long They always tend to speak in complex phrases Due to this, students' words might occasionally be unclear or even nonsensical These sentences will probably be explicit Their translations amply demonstrate this trend Also, students do not use English sentence patterns on a regular basis Words and sentences are simply placed in linear time Another issue is that pupils misread the writer's message because they failed to pay attention to the nature of the event or the actions
When Vietnamese is the source language, word-for-word translation is considered to be the most typical translation error for practically every destination language Apart from the fact that Vietnamese does not actually have a tense, English verbs will vary their form when in multiple tenses or with different pronouns, but Vietnamese vocabulary tends to be single-syllable language For example, he does homework / he did homework yesterday / he will do homework tomorrow When implying the past, present, or future, or using various pronouns, Vietnamese verbs don't change their form Instead, you can use đã / đang / sẽ + verb to imply the past / present / future Translators frequently translate each word into English before putting them together in the sequence of the source language while translating from one language to another Common word form errors example sentences “Có 2 con chó trong nhả tôi”, first the word ―có‖ is translated into English with a single word ―have‖ then similar to “2 con chó” “2 dogs” , “trong” “in", “nhà tôi” “my house” and finally the English words are combined together to become “Have 2 dogs in my house” There are 4% of the participants translated this example by this way
Passive sentences in Vietnamese may need to be active in English, and vice versa Vietnamese language culture frequently uses active phrases like "The burglar took my automobile," but English frequently uses the passive sentence structure like "My automobile was robbed." One more example, the sentence
“Sở thích của anh y là nghe nhạcấ ” in the survey only 20% of participants used the passive structure to translate from Vietnamese to English and most of the answers are in the active structure like “His hobby is listening to music” While it is considered to be a less significant translation error, using the active structure in the English version rather than the passive structure detracts from the translation's quality.
STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING STUDENTS’
Suggested solutions for students
Regardless of the type of language, to understand and use it fluently in any language, you need to have a firm grasp of the grammatical and lexical structure of that language
The author when writing an article, in addition to using words to express (verbs, adjectives hieroglyphics, onomatopoeia ) A word can have many types of words and have many different meanings in different contexts For example: word ―like‖
In addition, the author also uses different sentence structures to convey certain content or his attitude and tone (metaphor, metaphor, compound sentence ) So it's not too much to say that understanding how to use words and grammar plays 50% Learning any language must focus on grammar and vocabulary (learn to use it, not study to take the exam as some Vietnamese people think today) because it is the framework for all the rest
Therefore, when translating, you need to know for sure in the above sentence what kind of structure the author is using And what role those words play in the sentence Why does the author use one word and not the other even though they are synonymous…
5.1.2 Enhance communication, listening and writing skills
One thing that may seem strange to non-interpreters is that interpreters have to abstract to the maximum the words they hear in order to be able to fully concentrate on the information Thanks to listening at the upper-word level, interpreters not only understand what is expressed through words, but also relate to the encyclopedic knowledge they have accumulated necessary for understanding the language This is because the linguistic meaning of a statement is not necessarily identical with the specific meaning of that statement in a particular context with a particular individual
To hear a piece of information without hearing every word requires using a variety of methods: visualizing all conceivable situations, reacting to all the information, even just whispering to yourself that you don't know here or there The combination of ideas will help to form the meaning of the message and will be better remembered than repeating the word, whether it is for the purpose of translating with a linguistic equivalent word or to remember carefully what was said Trying to remember words will make the listener both bogged down in the shell of language that should have escaped and not thoroughly understand what is brought from visualization operations as well as conceptual and emotional reactions to information, etc the activation of hidden memories or the … identification of segments of speech Therefore, students need to be trained in hearing the meaning of speech; they can only embark on interpreting consecutives when they know how to use methods that allow them to accurately understand and reconstruct a piece of information
Secondly, to translate well, interpreters need to have a lot of knowledge and skills But the most important thing is to understand the text Therefore, the primary task of an interpreting training program is to train students to understand the meaning of speech Foreign language comprehension in general is already considered difficult, listening comprehension for interpreters, due to the requirements of the job, is even more of a challenge
Writing is one of the basic translation skills To succeed in the translation profession you must be a very good writer, with excellent grammar and knowledge of different writing styles in the translation language Sometimes the translator is specified by the client the number of words, or even the number of characters that the translation should not exceed To do that, it is required to be a person with a deep understanding of the native language and the language to be translated is required to be able to produce products that both meet the requirements of customers and ensure the content of the translation, showing what is in the original document To improve this skill, you must spend a lot of time updating your vocabulary, reading newspapers and magazines, watching television, listening to music in translation, and even practicing your native language Taking continuing education courses is also a way to improve your writing skills and writing style.
The success of translators is also highly influenced by the enrichment of background knowledge It is also necessary to continue to expand one's background knowledge on a daily basis Our view of the world is represented by our background knowledge Our perception and knowledge of the world must unquestionably be updated as it perpetually changes and develops by reading books on numerous topics and keeping up with current events by reading books, journals, magazines, and newspapers Also, it is "a necessary" for students to learn about the kind of texts they will be translating, just like a cook must fully evaluate the ingredients There are many different sorts of texts, such as narrative, descriptive, or argumentative texts, among others Each kind has distinctive characteristics that require for students to use the right vocabulary (formal or casual language), tone, and register
Effective translation requires not only a mastery of language, but also strong information retention skills To improve your ability to retain important information while translating, there are several strategies that you can employ The most important thing is to focus on the key points of the text rather than getting bogged down in details This will help you remember the most important information If you don't understand something, don't be afraid to ask for clarification It's crucial to understand the information correctly from the start to ensure that you're conveying it accurately to the target audience Visualizing the information can also help you retain it By creating mental images of what you're translating, you can make the information more memorable and easier to recall later.
Secondly, memory aids such as note-taking, highlighting, and summarizing can be very helpful in improving information retention By using these tools, you can better remember key information while translating Thirdly, repetition is a powerful tool for improving information retention Try repeating key points or concepts in your mind or out loud to help solidify them in your memory Last but not least, regular practice is essential for improving your information retention skills in translation Practice can help strengthen your memory and concentration abilities, and thus improve your overall translation skills.
Checking the translation ensures that the meaning of the source text has been accurately conveyed in the target language It ensures that the translation is not misleading or contains any errors that could impact the understanding of the text Additionally, checking the translation helps to detect any errors, including spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and inconsistencies in terminology Detecting and correcting these errors is crucial in ensuring that the translation is of high quality and accurately conveys the intended message It can't be denied that inaccurate translations can lead to misinterpretations and misunderstandings, which can cause confusion or even offense to the target audience This is especially true when translating idiomatic expressions or culturally specific references, where a literal translation may not convey the intended meaning For example, a direct translation of the phrase "break a leg" into another language may not make sense and could cause confusion.
Therefore, it is crucial to double-check translations for accuracy, ensuring that they are not only technically correct but also culturally appropriate and contextually relevant This can involve proofreading, editing, and quality assurance processes, as well as involving native speakers or subject matter experts to review the translations By taking these steps, the accuracy and effectiveness of translations can be ensured.
Suggested solutions for teachers
Together with developing strong professional skills, instructors of foreign languages in general and translators and interpreters in particular need to stay current with the science and technology of the fourth industrial revolution The lecturer's function in the training of translators and interpreters will be strengthened by his or her proficiency in a variety of modern instructional techniques It is essential for lecturers who teach translation-interpretation to complete further training at professional translation schools and have years of hands-on experience engaging in translation-interpretation sessions
It is crucial to match the course's objectives, needs, and output standards while choosing the curriculum, reference resources, or lecturing content The selecting method must put an emphasis on the curriculum/difficulty, lecture's duration, and most recent updates, as well as its correctness, science, modernism, and applicability
The quality of training is greatly influenced by innovation and variety in teaching strategies When changing methods, the teaching strategy must not only accomplish the objectives and content outlined in the training program and avoid the problem of "old wine in new bottles," but also demonstrate the variety and originality of the lecturers by applying them to the majors and subjects they are in charge of With the main spirit of "student-centered", the teaching method of translation-interpretation courses must be renewed and updated in that direction
Classrooms, laboratories, translation practice rooms (translating cabins), and other facilities used for learning foreign languages and practicing translation and interpretation must be fully furnished with contemporary technology and synchronous network connections to give students a top-notch learning environment The school library includes a wide selection of local and international literature for research and study.
A summary of major findings and discussion
The researcher has identified a number of factors that contribute to students' inability to resolve equivalence issues in translation Semantic, syntactic, and cultural errors are the three most frequent errors, and word-for- word translation and active-passive structure are the other two It has provided the answers to the two queries on the nature of common errors and their causes First, the proportion of semantic errors was the result that did not surpass the prediction Vietnamese learners continue to struggle greatly with semantic errors, as least as of the time this study was completed Second, syntactic errors are another common issue and a critical one that the translator must correct This error is frequently brought on by the disparity in vocabulary between the two languages as well as a lack of knowledge on word usage Last but not least, cultural errors brought on by a tendency of speaking Vietnamese and a lack of cultural expertise These issues could be caused by students' inadequate cultural background, weak English and Vietnamese language ability, inappropriate translation strategies, interference from Vietnamese speakers, miscommunication, and carelessness.
Suggestions for further studies
The study's findings should be able to provide some light on how to analyze translation and interpretation errors and other associated issues The researcher claims that there are still a ton of possible occurrences for this study
In order to further the understanding of the topic, the researcher anticipates that the findings of this study will inspire other academics to do their own research on translation and interpretation errors
[1] Bell, R T., & Candlin, C (1991) Translation and translating: Theory and practice London: Longman
[2] Catford, J C (1965) A linguistic theory of translation; an essay in applied linguistics London: Oxford University Press
[3] Corder, S.P.M (1973) Introducing Applied Linguistics London: Penguin Books
[4] Duff, A (1989) Translation London : Oxford University Press
[5] Dulay, H C., & Burt, M K (1974) Natural sequences in child language acquisition Language Learning
[6] Hartmann, R.R.K., and F.C Stork (1972) Dictionary of language and linguistics London: Applied Science
[7] Haryono, P (2011) Hand out Error Analysis Klaten: Widyadharma University
[8] Hatim, B & Mason (1990) I Discourse and the Translator London: Longman
[9] Kade, O (1968) Chance and regularity in translation Leipzig: Enzyklopọdie
[10] Larson M.L (1984) Meaning Based Translation : a guide to cross-– cultural equivalence London: University Press of America
[11] Longman (2002) Language Activator New Edition Pearson Education Limited Printed in China
[12] Mertler, C.A 2001 Designing Scoring Rubrics For Your Classroom Pratical Assessment, Research and Evaluation Retrieved September 15, 2012 from http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=7&n%
[13] Mettetal, G 1997 Improving Teaching Trough Classroom Action Research Indiana University South Bend
[14] Newmark, P 1988 Approaches to Translation New York: Pergamon Press
[15] Newmark, P (1988) A textbook of translation New York, NY: Prentice-Hall International
[16] Nida, E & C Taber (1974) The Theory and Practice of Translation California: Stanford University Press
[17] Pym (1992) Translation and Text Transfer An Essay on the Principles of Intercultural Communication Frankfurt/Main: Peter Lang.
[18] Wilss, W (1982a) The Science of Translation Germany: Gunter Narr Verlag Tubingen.
1 How long have you been learning English? * o Less than 5 years o 6 to 8 years o More than 8 years
2 Which following obstacles do you meet most when translating texts? * o Cultural factor o Vocabulary o Expression o Lack of time
3 The common challenges of translating as most perceived by translators and interpreters * o The translation of texts from and to Vietnam and English is difficult o The structure of sentences is quite long and difficult when translating documents. o The conversation is difficult to hear o Culture-specific terms are always challenging when translating documents o Punctuation and capitalization cause many difficulties when translating documents. o I find it difficult to find suitable equivalent to terms when translating documents between English and Vietnamese. o Tenses used in documents create difficulty for me during translation
4 Are you generally satisfied with your translation? * o Yes o No o Maybe
5 Which of the following characters are the most important in translation?
* o Cultural understanding o A system-bound discipline o Fidelity o Ambiguity
6 Which tools do you choose to overcome the challenges of translating? * o Online/offline dictionaries o (CAT) Tools o Computer-Assisted Translation o Google Translation o Paralleled texts o Friends
7 Which following methods do you think it is useful for translation? * o Word-by-word translation method o Literal translation method o Free translation method o Communicative translation o Faithful translation o Semantic translation o Adaption o Idiomatic translation
8 According to your perspective, what steps does the pre-translation process include? * o Documentary research — investigation of any valuable extra-linguistic data o Understanding the author's intention and main message o Analysis of text organization (logical connectives, cause and effect relationships) o Look for translation equivalents o Concentrate on the text's stylistic aspects (genre, register, stylistic devices)