Translation unit 1

Faced by a text in a language, we should try to work out not only the meaning of each word and sentence but also its communicative value, its place in time and space and information abo

TRANSLATION 1

Unit 1

TRANSLATION 1

COURSE INTRODUCTION

• Instructor: Nguyễn Mai Hương

Faculty of English for Specific Purposes, FTU

Handphone: 091 272 6217

• Duration: 10 weeks (09 Aug – 15 Oct 2010)

• Workload: 2 hours/week

TRANSLATION 1

COURSE INTRODUCTION

Objective

This 10-week course is designed to help

students develop their basic skills of

translation and build their technical

vocabulary around several topics relating to economic and business fields

2 Sources from English books, journals,

magazines, or newspapers and the Internet

TRANSLATION 1

COURSE INTRODUCTION

Class rules:

• Dictionaries are required in class

• Students are expected to participate actively

in pair work and group work

• Attendance and homework are checked

regularly

• Mobile phones and private chatting are not allowed during class time

TRANSLATION 1

INTRODUCTION

What is translation?

Translation is the expression in another

language (target language – TL) of what have been expressed in one language (source

language – SL), preserving semantic and

stylistic equivalencies (By Roger T Bell)

Faced by a text in a language, we should try to work out not only the meaning of each word and sentence but also its

communicative value, its place in time and space and

information about the participants involved in its

production.

You should answer yourself the following questions about the text:

What? is the message contained in the text: the content.

Why? orients us toward the intention/ purpose of the sender.

When? is concerned with the time communication realized in the

text and setting it in its historical context.

Where? is concerned with the place of communication.

How? refers to whether the text is written in a formal or informal

way.

Who? refers to the participants involved in the communication.

What makes a good translation?

• A good translation successfully conveys not only the author’s message but also his tone, attitude, intention, and nuances (moods)

• Evaluation criteria: accurate, consistent and natural

Would you like to visit my house?

Mời bạn về nhà tôi chơi (formal)

Về nhà tao chơi nhé (informal)

To do effective translation, one must discover the meaning and style of the SL and use the TL forms which express them in a natural way

TRANSLATION STRATEGIES

Translation must take into account a number

of constraints, including context, the rules of grammar of the two languages, their writing conventions, their idioms and the like

Translation Strategies

I Transferring meaning at word level

Is there a one-to-one relationship between word and meaning?

E.g

• rebuild, (to build again)

• disbelieve (not to believe)

• green

I Transferring meaning at word level

• The Speaker of the House of Commons

• Yours sincerely/ Yours faithfully

• hotdog

• barbecue

• come/ go

• take/ bring

I Transferring meaning at word level

a) Translation by a more general word, e.g

• The rich and creamy Kolestral-Super is easy

to apply and has a pleasant fragrance.

Dầu gội Kolestral-Super giàu dưỡng chất và siêu mượt rất dễ sử dụng và có mùi thơm dịu.

I Transferring meaning at word level

a) Translation by a more general word, e.g.

• Shampoo the hair with a mild

Wella-Shampoo and lightly towel dry

Gội đầu bằng dầu Wella mềm mượt và dùng khăn lau khô nhẹ nhàng.

I Transferring meaning at word level

b) Translation by a more specific word, e.g.

• Have you done any Shakespears?

Bạn có học tác phẩm nào của Shakespears

không?

• I’m sorry I couldn’t make your party last night.

Tôi rất tiếc hôm qua tôi không thể đến dự bữa tiệc của bạn được.

I Transferring meaning at word level

c) Translation by a more neutral/ less expressive

word, e.g.

• Many of the species growing wild here are familiar

to us as plants cultivated in European gardens –

species like this exotic lily.

Nhiều giống cây mọc dại ở đây rất quen thuộc với

chúng tôi vì đó là những giống cây được trồng ở những vườn nhà bên Châu Âu – chẳng hạn như loài hoa lily lạ lùng này.

Exotic: refers to unusual, interesting things which come

from a distant country (esp in the East)

I Transferring meaning at word level

d) Translation by cultural substitution, e.g.

• He’s a breadwinner.

Ông ta là người kiếm miếng cơm manh áo trong gia đình (người cưu mang gia đình)

• He’s the biggest liar.

Anh ta là tổ sư nói dóc.

I Transferring meaning at word level

e) Translation by paraphrase, e.g.

• The rich and creamy Kolestral-Super is easy to apply

and has a pleasant fragrance.

Dầu gội Kolestral-Super giàu dưỡng chất và siêu mượt rất dễ sử dụng và có mùi thơm dịu.

• There was a run on the bank yesterday.

Hôm qua có một cuộc đổ xô đi rút tiền ký gửi tại

ngân hàng.

• Pregnant women should avoid alcohol.

Phụ nữ có thai không nên uống rượu và bia.

I Transferring meaning at word level

Exercises

Translate the following sentences into Vietnamese.

1 Only by further integrating into the global economy

can the country serve its people’s increasing needs of

products, services, technologies, investment and so

on.

Chỉ bằng cách tăng cường hội nhập (hội nhập sâu

hơn nữa) vào nền kinh tế toàn cầu, đất nước này

mới có thể đáp ứng được những nhu cầu ngày

càng tăng của người dân về hàng hoá, dịch vụ,

công nghệ, đầu tư, v.v.

I Transferring meaning at word level

Exercises

2 The huge financial assistance of the international

community has set the country on the road to

recovery from the terrible earthquake last month.

Các khoản hỗ trợ tài chính to lớn của cộng đồng

quốc tế đã giúp nước này dần phục hồi sau cuộc

động đất kinh hoàng hồi tháng trước

I Transferring meaning at word level

Exercises

3 In some cases, to help countries overcome crises, the

IMF takes a tough line on their economic structural

reforms.

Nhiều khi để giúp các nước vượt qua khủng hoảng,

IMF (Quĩ Tiền tệ quốc tế) phải áp dụng một đường

lối cứng rắn buộc các nước phải cải cách cơ cấu

kinh tế của mình.

I Transferring meaning at word level

Exercises

4 The leaders of the company have successfully driven

it out of the downturn period.

Ban lãnh đạo công ty đã thành công trong việc dẫn

dắt/ chèo lái công ty vượt qua giai đoạn suy thoái.

I Transferring meaning at word level

Exercises

5 The inflation rate is increasing dramatically, many

low-income people are forced into difficulties, yet the

government holds a calm view on this.

Lạm phát đang tăng chóng mặt, nhiều người có thu nhập thấp đang bị đẩy vào hoàn cảnh khó khăn, thế

nhưng chính phủ vẫn chưa có động thái gì về vấn

đề này