Luận văn an analysis of english vietnamese translation of the terminologies in electronics and electrical engineering texts

Rationale Equivalence has always becu in the conler of argument since translalion sludy appeared, ‘There exists several points of view on the equivalence of source text and target text

AN ANALYSIS OF ENGLISIT-VIETNAMESE TRANSLATION

OF THE TERMINOLOGIES IN ELECTRONICS AND

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TEXTS

(Phân tích cách dịch Anh-Việt các thuật ngữ

chuyên ngành Diện Diện tử)

MA THES! PYPE 1

Field: English Linguistics

Code: §220201.01

HANOI - 2018

AN ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH-VIETNAMESE TRANSLATION

OF THE TERMLNOLOGIES IN ELECTRONICS AND

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TEXTS

(Phân tích cách dịch Anh-Việt các thuật ngữ

chuyên ngành Diện Diện tử)

CERTIEICATE OF ORIGINALITY

I, Nguyễn Hà My, herby claim the originality of my study Unless

otherwise indicated, this is my own piece of academic

accomplishment

Signature

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

On the completion of this thesis, T would like to express my deepest gratitude

to my supervisor, Assoc.Prof Lé Himg Tién for his critical comments, helpful

suggestions as well as her supportive encouragement from the beginning stage of

working out the research proposal to the final stage of writing up the thesis Without

dis valuable guidance, this thesis would be far from completed

T take this opportunity to extent my special thanks to all leechers of Faculty

of Posl-Graduale Studies at University of Languages and Tnernalional Studies, for

their useful lectures during my course

Finally, T would also like to thank to my family and my classmates for their

great support and cnoouragement during the time I was conducting this thesis

Hanoi, November, 2018

ABSTRACT

Translation Studies always draws allention from students of English as a second

language and from translators who are major in Linguistics And terminology

translation has been also aroused more concern from translators in recent time In

this research, the analysis of Fnuglish Vietmamese translation of Electronics arid

Electrical engineering is studied Ihe purpose of this research is to classify

Electronics and Flectrical Engineering terminology, then figure out the strategies

used Lo Wransfer them rom English to Vietnamese

‘Terminologies are taken from a dictionary in Klectronics and Hlectrical Engineering

These words were calegories into lwo groups: single (simple) and nominal

(complex) After that, the analysis on these groups is made in terms of applied strategies lor further studies, the related topics are open to many other researchers

in the application of the ather majors’ terminology and the expansion of the scope

of this study

4.1 The common stratcgics and proccdures uscd ín the translation of EEE,

4.1.1 Translation of the single terms by literal translation 17

iii

4.1.2 Translation af the single terms by transference (the use of loan words)

4.1.3 Transference and naturalization

4.1.4 The translation of compound terms by transposition procedure

4.1.5, Other stratogics and procedures -

4.1.6 The translation of EEE terms by the use of Sino elements

4.2 Possible causes and solutions

CIIAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents the research topic and the reasons for choosing it Besides,

the aim, objectives and the scope of the study are also provided in this chapter

1.1 Rationale

Equivalence has always becu in the conler of argument since translalion sludy appeared, ‘There exists several points of view on the equivalence of source text and target text in terms of form, meaning, function, but in general, equivalence needs

to be considered seriously and requires to be studied carefully with knowledge and experience from researchers

In translation field, terminology is seen as a challenge for translator to convey the

meaning from source language mio largel language depending on the purpose and

the context each terminology is used And that is not exception for translation of

Electronics and Electrical Engineering (EEE) terms As a branch of English for

Specific Purpases (ESP), vocabulary related to cach major is very crucial aud paid a

lot of attention from translators also teachers to get the equivalent meaning in target

language with researching or leaching largels And as a very useful tool for this challenge, dictionary for cach ficld has been developed to assist in transterring

meaning and helping language users save time and have a closer look on the

terminology

However, the equivalence of these translation versions has not been studied to build

up an equivalence system or categorize the equivalent levels for terminology Users

gan read the word in both source language and target language wondering, the

conveyed meaning in many circumstances

Therefore, the researcher would like to carry out this thesis research in the hope for

standardizing the equivalence system applied for terminology and classifying the

translated words into each type of equivalence

1.2 Scope of the study

Due to limitedness of time, experience also knowledge, this paper only covers REE.

tenninologies in the dictonary book: “4n English — Vietnamese Usage Electricity

Dictionary” by Pngineer Truong Quang Thien, Quang Hung published in 2004 by

Statistics Publisher

As stated above, the researcher only chooses one book ta explore and analyze appeared terminologies

1.3 Aims of the study

« ‘To draw out the strategies that may apply to the translation of Li! terminologies

* To suggest some implications for translating EEE terminology

1.4, Research questions

‘To reach the aims above, researcher is going to answer this research question:

What stratcgics are used lo translalc FRE terminologies in REF Loxts?

1.5 Organization of the study

The paper is divided into 5 chapters as below:

Chapter 1: Introduction

‘This chapter provides readers am overview of the study including the reason for

choosing the topic, scope, aims, and its organization

Chapter 2: Literature Review

‘Theoretical background in the light of which the research matters is discussed in

this chapter

Chapter 3: Methodology

The chapter describes the strategies applied to investigate the research matters

Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion

This chapter presents analyses and discusses the results that the researcher found

oul from the collected data Tt also gives answer to the lwa research questions

Chapter 5: Conclusion

The chapter summarizes the overall study and suggests some forms of further

studies on the field

CHIAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

This second chapter presents the literaiure review of the study or the hackgroundl

knowledge of translation, translation of terminology, translation equivalence To hegin with, defimition of wanslation and terminology will be shawn The second

focus of this chapter is on translation methods and strategies applied in transferring

technical terminology

2.1.1crminolopgy

211 Definition

Several linguists, for a long time, raised a question about the definition of

terminology regarding to establish its structure and meaning According to Dubuc

(1997), “Tonninology originally referred to the echnical lerms and expressions

used in art, a science or a specialized subject.” In another sense, “Terminology took

a broader meaning to refer to the investigation of such special or technical terms, it

involves the systemulic research and identilication of the Lerms specilic to a subject

and the concepts they present” It has to be differentiated with normal words in

daily life or the ordinary conversation when coming to Lerminology, a word can has

@ meaning in normal sense but it can be totally different referring to a concept or a

phenomenon in scientific field

Moreover, he also defined terminology as a “discipline aimed al systematically

identifying specialized terms in the context in which they are used, analyzing the concepts the they present in that context, and creating and standardizing terms if

need be, lo meet the user’s need for means of expression.”

‘The terminologist mentions three types of terminology: simple terms, complex terms and phrase This is one of the ways researchers can apply to record the

terminologies and categorive them

Simple terms

Simple terms are one-word units which can be different parts of speech Each

represents a single concept in a subject field Arvhifecture (ui), to query (v),

dedicated (adj) arc cxamples of simple terms in office automation

Complex terms

Complex terms are made up of lwo or more words Like simple lorms, they represent a single concept in a given field and can be different parts of speech Desktop publishing (A), computer-aided design (n), integrated services digital network tn), user-friendly (adj)

are examples of complex: lerms in allice aulomalion, Elintination of any word int a complex unit would change the concept: desktop publishing and publishing have quite different meanings, as do user-friendly and friendly,

The main purpose of terns is to name concepts When a concept appears, it is made

in a culture, or is transferred to a new culture, it also involves the creation of a new

term to name it

Primary an secondary term formation is pulled by different factors

+ Primary term formation occurs when a newly created concept has to be named

while secondary term formation occurs by either the monolingual revision of a

given terminology for the purpose of producing a standard document, or a transfer

of knowledge to another linguistic community — a process in which the creation of

new form in (he Largel language is required

+ Another fundamental difference between the two formation methods lies in the

fact that in primary term formation, there is no linguistic precedent although there are rules Cor forming appropriate terms Tn contrasi, in secondary term formation, there is always the precedent of an already existing term in another language with

its own motivation

| Secondary term formation focuses more on guidelines than primary term

formation which are on the basis of patterns of terms and word formation already prevalent in the subject field and natural language in question

213 Classification of LIZE term

Newmark (1981b) states “Neologisms which can be defined as newly coined lexical

‘units or existing lexical units that acquire new sense are perhaps the non-literary and professional translator’ biggest problems.” The main reason that, leads to the arrival

of neologisms is that new objects and processes are continually created in technology, new ideas and variations on feelings come to the media and new terms from the sacial sciences, slang, dialcet and transferred words come into the main strean of language Newmark (1981b) also proposes twelve types of neologisms according to their structural patterns: single terms and compound terms

213.1 Single terms

Single terms are made up of one word (usually a noun or a verb), and neologisms can be new coinages, eponyms, acronyms

a Single terms which appear in the form of a verb

œ synclronize (lam cho đồng bộ)

« conduct (dan điện)

« transmit (phát truyền)

One important [estare of these terns is thai they are noi “Íixeđ? 1e they can øpJrcar either in the form of a verb or a noun at different time in the same text or in the same sentence to avoid repetition Almost all the verbs have their nouns to be used

as allermialives

Noun-

«synchronization (sur Hn cho déng bd)

* conduction (sit din din)

* transmission (su phat, truyén)

Another important feature of these verbs is thal cach verb usually goes wilh (in collocations) one or two certain nouns Examples of verbs and nouns that go

together are:

«rectify a current (chinh hu déng dign)

«transmit signal/ wave (truyén tin hiéu / song)

« accelerate a beam (gia téc chum tia)

Single terms which appear in the form of a noun

The lerms which are nouns can be divided into subgroups ax the followings:

Terminologies referring to newly created concepts

These rises a need for neologisms to name newly invented objects or processes in

technology These neologisms are milially used in the cullure where the concepls

are invented, Later, the concepts are transferred to other cultures, and consequently

the original name may be transferred together with the concepts

is applied when the translator carmot fine the true equivalence ofa technical term

Eponyms derived from the names of inventors or discoveries

These are terms that designate objects, processes, laws, theorem, which are labeled

afler the inventors or discoveries

Vor example, Morse code (Ma morse) is named after Samuel Morse (1791-1872),

the U.S inventor of the first electric telegraph and the Marse code

Other cxamples:

« Zener diode (didt Zeno)

* Zener effect (Hiéu img Zeno)

« Kevin degree (196 Kevin)

« Edison cell (Pin Edisen)

Eponyms derived from objects

Some terms are proper names, brand names, trade names and proprictaries of

devices, instruments, substance 'or example, the term Greenfield is the trademark

of a gas-filled tube that has three electrodes and can be switched between an “olf”

state and an “on” state

Tixample

« Geiger counter tube: Ong dém Geiger

¢ Single terms which appear in the form of an adjective

Besides noun and verb, terminology is created as a [orm of adjeclive which can

show the characteristics of an object or a phenomenon, it can precede the noun also

Fixample

Asymmetrical (khéng đối xứng)

Apariodie (không có tỉnh chu kỳ)

Athermie (không thấm nhiệt)

2.1.3.2 Compound nouns

a Terms consisting of Classifier (noun) -+ thing

A term of this group consists of two nouns, the first noun acts as Classifier

differentiating the ‘hing (the second noun) from other concepts of the same group

For example, there are many types of capacitors (Thing) that can be distinguished from one another by differen Classifiers that precede them, ¢.g air capacitor (tu

khéng khi}>~< ceramic capacitor (tu str} >< filter capacitor (tu loc)

« Barrier region: vung chan

«© Banana plug: phich cắm điện

«Absorption machine: may hap thu

b Terms consisting of Classificr (Adjective) + Thing

A tenn of this group consists of an adjective that functions as Classifier and the head noun (Thing)

Example

« Elcebrcal cnergy (năng lượng điện)

© Chemical energy: ning hrong héa hoc

« Black box hộp đen

« Binauraltape: băng tử kép

The Classifier can be further modified by another Subclassifier which takes on the form of a noun, or an adjective:

* Surface leakage current (dong điện rò bẻ mặt)

« Tnsulation resistance value (gid tri dién tr cách điện)

« Dror frequency limit (gidi han tin sé sai sét)

c Terms consisting of Classifier(pas parliciple) | Thing

In this group, some V-ing funetion as Classifier, e.g transmitting antenna = antenna which transmits signal In this example, the scanning beam means the beam which

is scanning the clectrode SUill, others can be Classifier when inlerpreted in different situation:

* Modulating wave (song diéu bién)

«© Decoupling capacitor (Lu tach rai)

* Conducting band (dai dan dién)

* Bucking coil (cuén bién dién)

4 Term consisting of Classifier (Past participle) + Thing

Like V-ing participle, some V-en function as Classifier:

Printed circuit (mach in)

© Inverted speech (âm Lan nghịch)

© Distilled water (nurdc c&t}

« Balanced circuit (mach đối xứng)

2.2 Translation theory

2.2.1 Definition

Newmark (1995) defined translation as “rendering the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author intended the text” Another definition given by Thomas G Mansella (2005) is that “translation is the rendering of written

communication across barriers created by different languages and cultures.”

Obviously, these two concepts mention “rendering” which can be understood as interpret from original language (source language) into another language (target language) TL cant be soon (hal in Newmark’s delinition, he focuses on the meaning

or the nature of language when it is translated Thomas, in the second explanation, states “culture” together with “language” as barriers of translation In a nutshell, it gan be sisted that translalion is transferring both language and the “soul” of text from one language into another language

Gentzler (1993) says that “a translation should have the same or similar impact and

effect on TL readers as the onginal ou ST readers” Therefore, the role of transtators

is very crucial ‘They have to create the link between countries and countries, cultures and cultures Translators not only transfer the language but also transfer the

writer’s perspective and emotion, and make il natural in largel, language

In conclusion, in the scope of this paper, translation can be understood as the

process of conveying the accurate meaning and the imended effects of writers from

source language to largeled language

2.2.2 Translation strategies and pracedures

Newmark distinguishes between translation and translation strategies in the way

that “[While] translalion methods relals to the whole lexi, translation procedures are

used for sentences and smaller units of language.” Newmark (1981)

Newmark (1988) also points oul translation strategies as follow

1 Transference: it is the process of transferring a SL word to a TL text It is also called “emprunt”, “loan word” or “transcription” It is the same as Catford’s

transference which imchules transliteration, relating: to the conversion of dilferent

alphabets like Arabic or Chinese into English Harvey (2000, p 5) also calls this strategy as “transcription”

2 Cultural equivalent: 1 means replacing a cultural word in the ST with a TL one

‘The translation uses of these approximate equivalents are limited because they are not accurate, but they can be used in general texts, publicity and propaganda

3 Synomymy: iL is a “near TT equivalent” This is the translation procedure used for

a SL word where there is lack of clear one-to-one equivalent and the word is not

important in the text

4 Naturalisation: aceovdmg 10 Newmark (1988), this procedure succeeds

transference and adapts the SL word first to the normal pronunciation, then to the normal morphology (word forms) of the TL

5 Recognized TT Translation: Newmark (1988, p 89) suggests that the translators

“should normally use the official or the generally accepted translation of any institutional term” Ile believes that in translating it is not good to give translators’

own illes or a brief explanation and just the accepted term should be used m the

translation because changing the term may cause confusions especially in official or

serious informative texts

6 Functional equivalent: i ia a common procedure which is usually applicd to

cultural words It requires the use of a cultural free word, sometimes with a new

specific term, therefore, it “neutralizes or generalizes the SL word: and sometimes adds a particular thus” ¢p 83) ‘his procedure is a cultural componential analysis and based on Newmark (1988) is “the most accurate way of translating ie.,

deculturalising a cultural word” (p 83) According to Hegedus (2005), neologisms

can also be considered in this category since they do not exist even in the SL culture but just belong to the culture of the imaginative world created by the SL author

1 Descriptive equivalent in this procedure the description has ta be weighed agaist function Both description and function are essential elements in the

explanation and therefore translation

& Literal Translation: to Newmark (1988) this procedure is approximately a word- for-word representation of the original word which transfers the primary (isolated,

oul-of contexL) mcaning of the ST word, however the syntactic structures of the target language are respected

9 Translation Procedure Combinations (couplets etc): Newmark (1988) refers to

couplet as “the combination of two translation procedures for one unit” (p 83) Moreover, triplets and quadruplets combine three or four of the procedures for

dealing with a single problem

10 Through — Translation: Newmark (1988, p 84) uses this term for the literal

translation of common collocations, names of organizations, the components of

compounds and phrases which is known as “calque” or “loan translation” Also,

Vinay and Darbelned (1995, as cited in Venuti, 2000, p 85) define ‘calque’ as a

special kind of borrowing whereby a language borrows an expression from another,

bul thon translates cach of ils chamenis Hicrally This translalion is supposed to fill

in the gaps in contiguous cultures The most typical examples of through-

translations are the names of international organizations which consist of universal

words which may be transparenl for some languages and sernantically motivated for

some other languages

11 Shifts or transpositions: it involves a “change in the grammar from SL to TL,

for instance, (i) change (rom singular to plural, Gi) the change required when a

specific SL structure does not exist in the TL, (iii) change of an SL verb to a TL

word, change of an SL noun group to a TL noun and so forth” (Newmark, 1988, p 86) 12 Modulation: this stralogy appears when “Lanshator reproduces the message

of the original text in the TL text in conformity with the curent norms of the IL,

siuce the ST and the TT may appear dissimilar i terms of perspective” (Newmark,

1988, p.88)

13 Compensation: this strategy is applied when “low of meaning in one part of a

sentence is compensated in another parL” (Newmark, 1988,p.90)

14, Paraphrase: In this strategy, the “meaning of the corpus based translation is explained Iere the explanation is much more detailed than that of descriptive

equivalent” (Newmark, 1988, p 91)

2.2.3 Technical translation

Sofer (1991) reaches technical translation by distinguishing it from literary

translalion, “The main chvision m the translation fiekl is belween lierary and

technical translation” He claims that technical translation is done by a much greater

number of practitioners and is an ever erowing and expanding field with excellent

opporiuniliss Th contrast, literal translation covers such areas as fictions, poelry,

11

drama and humanities in gencral and is done by writers of the same kind in the

target language

Newmark (1981) considers this kind of (ranslalion as “one of specialized

translation, institutional translation, the area of polities, commerce, finance,

goverment ect,, is the other”

2.3 Translation of terminology

Newmark (1988, p 150) proposed 12 types of neologisms and goes into the

translation of particular instances as follows:

1 New Words: according lo Newmark (1988) “old words with new senses lend to

be non cultral and non teclmical” Since these words do not normally refer to

new objects or processes they are rarely technological They are usually translated

“cither by a word that already exists in the TL or by a brief functional or descriptive

term” (p 142)

2 Old words with new sense: existing collocations with new senses can be technical

or non technical Newmark (198%) believes that existing collocations with new

senses are a translator’s trap They are usually “normal descriptive terms which

suddenly became technical terms” and therefore “their meaning sometimes hides

innoconily behind a more general of figurative moaning” (p 142) Further, for their

translation, based on Newmark (1988) if the concept exists in the TL, a recognized

transtalion or through translation can be used If the concept dogs not exist like “lug

— of — love” of the TL speakers are not yet awarc of it, a journalistic descriptive equivalent can be given

3 New Coinages: they can be brand of trade names hke “Oxo” or “Bisto” which are

‘usually transferred unless the product is marketed in the TL culture under another

name According to Newmark (1988) if the trade name has no cultural or

identifying signifieance “the proper name may be replaced hy a functional or

generic term” For example, “Revlon” may be translated by different components as

“Revlon”, “Lipstick”, or “Fashionable American” (p.142) Therefore, if they are

original, they should be tanscribed, and recreated, if they are reoently coined and

12

are brand names they should be transcribed, or given their TL brand names

4 Derived Words (including blends): based on Newmark (1988) most neologisms

are words derived by analogy from ancien Greck and Lalin morphomos with

suffixes such as ismo ete which were naturalized in the appropriate language For example, “ionomics” has given way to “ecology” and “ergonomics” to

“biolechnology” (p.143)

5, Abbreviations: like “Video” and “Uni” Unless they coincide (“prof”) they are

‘written out in the TL (p 145)

6 New Collocations: based on Newmark (1988), in linguislics a collocation is “the Aabitual co-occurrence of individual lexical items” while for a translator it “consists

of lexical items that enter mainly into high frequency grammatical structures” (p

212) Collocation has three common types: A) adjective plus noun (eg heavy

labor), B) noun plus noun (eyeball), and C) verb plus object (score a victory)

7 Eponyms: to Newmark (1988), it is any word derived from a proper name like

“Halidayan” and “Joycoan” Whenever they diroelly refer to the person, they are

translated without difficulty But, when they refer to the referent’s ideas or qualities

the (ranslalor may need Lo add some comments

8 Phrasal Words “new phrasal words are restricted to English’s facility in

converting verbs to nouns” like “work-out” and “Imock-on effect”, They are

translated hy their somantic cquivateuts They are olen more coonormical than their

translation and “occupy the peculiarly English register between “informal” and

“colloquial”, whilst their translation are more formal” (p 147)

9 Transferred (new and old referents): newly transferred words keep only one

sense of their foreign nationality [hey are the words thei meanings are least dependent on their contexts If they are frequently used, they change or develop

additional sens and can sometimes no longer be translated back straight into their

languages of origin Some examples are “Adidas” and “Levi” (p 147)

10 Acronyms (new and old referents): to Newmark (1988), acronyms refers to “the

initial Tolfers of words that form a group of wards used for denoting an abject,

institution (like UNESCO”) or procedure” (p 200) With regards to the translation, there is either a standard equivaient term or, if it does not exist, a descriptive term

Also, acronyms for institutions and compares’ names are usually trans[ered

11 Pseudo-neologisms: when “a generic word stands in for a specific word e.g

“rapports (d’ engrenage) — “gear rations” (Newmark, 1988, p 148)

CIIAPTER 3: METIIODOLOGY

This chapter represents the methodology of the research in which research design

will be defined It also provides the description of the subject, sampling steps, data collection procedure and data analysis procedure

3.1 Design of the study

In this study, qualitative approach is chosen to decide the way of collecting and analyzing data First of all, “qualitative approach is a type of research that focuses

on qualitics such as words or observations that are difficult” (Glesne’s, 2011), its

aim is to “emphasize understanding the subjects point of view” (Bogdan and Biklen, 2007), On this approach, Stake (2010) is more specific when she writes that “all

yosearch Tequires intorprotations Qualitative rescarch relies heavily om interpretive

perceptions throughout the planning, data gathering, analysis, and write-up of the

study to quantify and lend themselves to imerpretation or deconstruction” Therefore, it can be scon thal qualitalive research involves visible materials ike

texts, sound and images which can be collected and analyzed and interpreted

through several sleps at the same lime (Nelson et al.'s, 1992) That is the reasorr why it requires certam competences from rescarcher to conduct a good qualitative

research

The role of quatilative approach is undeniable (or helping researcher to understand

the issues accurately and comprehensively More important, “it encourages us as

investigators to be mindful of who we are and how our perspectives can influence

how we inleracl with others and make sense of the world around us” (Chenal,

2010) In conclusion, the choice of qualitative research is appropriate which determines the choice of subject, sample selection method and data analysis

procedure im the study

3.2 Research method

Due to the aim of the study to investigate of strategies applied in translating BED

terminologies in the dictionary from English to Vielnamese, the researcher chose

15