INTRODUCTION
RATIONALE
With globalization and technological advancements, the demand for international understanding is on the rise However, language barriers often impede effective communication between native speakers As a result, translation plays a crucial role in bridging these gaps across diverse fields, including education, science, technology, literature, tourism, and business Essentially, translation involves transferring the content of a text from the source language (SL) to the target language (TL).
As the demand for translation services increases, many individuals turn to automated translation tools to overcome communication barriers Google Translate (GT) stands out as the most widely used machine translation application, capable of processing vast amounts of information quickly and affordably while ensuring user security Launched by Google in April 2006, Google Translate has become a vital resource for those seeking efficient translation solutions.
Google Translate is a powerful tool that translates various forms of text and media, including words, phrases, and webpages, supporting over 100 languages at different levels This advanced translation service facilitates effective global communication.
Despite the widespread use of Google Translate (GT), concerns about the quality of its output persist, particularly regarding idiomatic expressions Linguistic and cultural differences often hinder GT's ability to produce natural, fluent, and comprehensible translations Amir (2012) highlights that idioms cannot be understood solely by their individual words, leading to challenges in both comprehension and translation Consequently, it is crucial to focus on improving the quality of GT's translations of idioms.
Recent research has increasingly focused on the quality of Google Translate (GT) For instance, Jimmy Cromico (2015) assessed the translation quality of English-Indonesian and found that GT struggles to apply appropriate techniques for producing high-quality translations of sentences from scientific articles Additionally, Aiken and Balan (2013) analyzed GT's accuracy, revealing that translations among Western languages are generally more reliable than those involving Asian languages Furthermore, a study by Shao et al (2018) evaluated machine translation, contributing to the ongoing examination of GT's effectiveness.
Performance on Chinese Idioms with a Blacklist Method, the results proved that GT generates relatively poor quality in Chinese idioms translations and literal translation error is a common error type
While numerous studies have assessed the quality of machine translation (MT), most have concentrated on overall text quality between languages with similar linguistic features Few have specifically examined the performance of MT with idiomatic expressions in language pairs like English and Vietnamese Idioms, which are integral to figurative language, are commonly found in everyday conversation, educational materials, and media Despite advancements in translation theory and technology, translating idiomatic expressions remains a significant challenge for both human translators and machine translation systems.
This study aims to gather data that addresses existing research gaps related to idiomatic expressions My interest in this topic emerged from frequent encounters with idioms in academic readings and mass media, which highlighted their effectiveness in conveying emotions and contextual meanings This inspiration drives my exploration of the significance of idioms in communication.
This study aims to analyze the quality of idiom translation by Google Translate (GT), specifically focusing on errors made when translating English idioms that include time-related words By identifying these errors, the research seeks to provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of GT's translation capabilities.
GT is then explored This is the reason why I decided to do the research on:
“The quality of Google Translate’s Vietnamese translations of English idioms with words denoting time.”
AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study aims to examine the quality of Google Translate‟s Vietnamese translations of English idioms with words that denote time
To achieve this aim, the researcher collected and analyzed data to fulfill the following objectives:
- Identify the errors committed by Google Translate when it translates English idioms with words denoting time into Vietnamese,
- Classify the errors according to translation error types, and
- Examine the frequencies of the errors in terms of translation error types.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Based on the background of the research, the researcher attempted to answer to the following questions:
1 What errors can be found in Google Translate‟s Vietnamese translations of the English idioms with words that denote time?
2 What kinds of errors can be found in Google Translate‟s Vietnamese translations of these English idioms?
3 What is the frequency of each of the translation error types found in Google Translate‟s Vietnamese translations of these English idioms?
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study examines the translation errors of idiomatic expressions produced by Google Translate It analyzes 128 English sentences featuring idioms related to time, sourced from the reputable "Oxford Dictionary of Idioms" (Siefring, 2004) and four online dictionaries: TheIdioms.com, TheFreeDictionary.com, Cambridge Dictionary, and Oxford Learner's Dictionaries.
This study focuses exclusively on English idioms that include time-related expressions, along with their Vietnamese translations provided by Google Translate It intentionally excludes other types of idioms that do not convey a temporal meaning.
For this study, data was collected from reputable sources known for their extensive collection of idioms The focus was on idioms that include terms related to time, as the concept of time holds significant importance in Western culture This emphasis on time-related idioms provides a valuable corpus for analysis in this research.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study's findings will significantly enhance our understanding of the quality of Google Translate's translations of English-Vietnamese idiomatic expressions Additionally, this research will serve as a valuable reference for identifying errors made by Google Translate, paving the way for further investigations by other researchers.
The study's findings hold significant implications for teachers, students, and professionals in the translation field It aids teachers in identifying translation errors in idiom translations produced by Google Translate (GT), enabling them to avoid such issues and make informed choices when using GT Additionally, it equips educators to train students in effective idiom translation and the optimal use of GT For students, the research provides valuable insights into idioms and the nuances of human translation, enhancing their understanding and skills in this area.
Understanding idioms enhances linguistic flexibility, benefiting both academic performance and everyday interactions with foreigners Additionally, this knowledge serves as a valuable resource for linguists and computer scientists, aiding in the improvement of Google Translate's idiomatic translations through the development of parallel corpora for bilingual English-Vietnamese expressions in future statistical machine translation efforts.
ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
The six chapters in this dissertation are organized as follows:
Chapter 1: Introduction - presents the rationale for the study, aim, and objectives of the study, the research questions, and the scope of the study
Chapter 2: Literature review – focuses on introducing important concepts of translation, Machine Translation, Google Translate, Translation Errors theory, and idioms relevant to the topic of the study; presents the theoretical framework for later data analysis and reviews the previous studies related to the topic of this thesis
Chapter 3: Methodology - presents the chosen research method and research procedures for carrying out the study
Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion – examines, identifies, describes and analyzes the types of errors; reports and discusses the results of data analysis
Chapter 5: Conclusions and Implications – summarizes the main findings of the study and provides some implications for English translations, English learning and teaching This chapter also includes the limitations and suggestions for further researches.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Translation
This section covers the theory about translation consisting of the definition of translation, translation process, types of translation, machine translation, Google Translate, translation errors, and translation quality assessment
Translation is perceived variably by theorists, with Catford (1965) defining it as the substitution of text from a source language with an equivalent text in a target language His perspective highlights linguistic equivalence, focusing primarily on the surface structure of language rather than the intended meaning, the target audience, or the stylistic elements of the translation.
Nida (1974) defined translation as a process that aims to reproduce the closest natural equivalent of a source language message in the target language, prioritizing meaning and style This perspective is echoed by Bell (1991), who emphasized that translation involves expressing the content of one language in another while maintaining semantic and stylistic equivalences Consequently, translation is centered on the receptor's response, highlighting that preserving the original message or meaning is paramount when converting from the source language (SL) to the target language (TL).
Newmark (1988) highlighted the importance of meaning in translation, prioritizing it over mere linguistic equivalences He asserted that translation involves conveying the intended meaning of a text into another language, reflecting the author's original intent.
Bell (1991) offers a comprehensive view of translation as the expression of content from a source language into a target language, while maintaining both semantic and stylistic equivalences This perspective is reinforced by House (1977), who describes translation as substituting a source text with a semantically and pragmatically equivalent text in the target language Consequently, the translation process primarily focuses on both semantic and pragmatic dimensions.
Receptors interpret ideas similarly to the intended messages when translation adheres to three key principles: reproducing, transferring, and maintaining the original message Given the complexity of translation, evaluating the quality of target translations can be challenging To achieve a more accurate translation, translators must possess extensive knowledge across various dimensions, including society, culture, and linguistics.
According to Arnold et al (1994), a human translator requires five kinds of knowledge:
- Knowledge of the source language
- Knowledge of the target language
- Knowledge of various correspondences between the source language and target language
- Knowledge of the subject matter, including general knowledge and
Translators must possess a deep understanding of the culture, social conventions, customs, and expectations of both the source and target language speakers This cultural knowledge is essential for accurately conveying the original message To achieve this, translators should be well-versed in semantics and pragmatics, ensuring that the nuances of the source language are preserved in the translation.
This section reviews some definitions of translation viewed from different aspects of linguistics as well as required knowledge for a translator The next part describes the procedures in translation work
Translation is a communication process that transfers messages from the source language (SL) to the receptor language (RL) According to Larson (1984), translation is fundamentally a meaning-based process that relies on the appropriate use of grammar and lexical choices in the receptor language.
Larson outlines the translation process in three key steps: first, assess the lexicon, grammar, communication context, and cultural background of the source language; second, analyze the source text to grasp its meaning; and third, reconstruct that meaning using the appropriate lexicon and grammatical structure of the target language while considering its cultural context This procedure is visually summarized in Figure 2.1.
Discover the meaning Re-express the meaning
Translation Text to be translated
The translation process is complex and cannot be fully captured by a simple overview Larson (1984, pp 519-526) categorizes translation procedures into distinct methods, highlighting the intricacies involved in achieving accurate and effective translations.
1 Preparation: the translator should have trained in linguistics knowledge and translation principle before undertaking the project Then, preparation steps including reading the entire texts, studying the background material, studying linguistic matters are followed to get familiar with the text
2 Analysis: the translator should have to take note of any lexical item as the keywords and pay attention to the opening and closing of the text to identify the theme of the original language
3 Transfer: it is a process of analyzing the semantic structure of the initial draft in the translation In this process, the translator attempts to find out the lexical equivalence and culture in the receptor language
4 Initial Draft: the translator had left the draft for a certain time to get more reading background for the best equivalent and then back for reworking on them
5 Reworking the Initial Draft: translator checks for accuracy and naturalness with the focus on the meaning of language After the translators get a second draft and translator might work out again and again to modify the draft until they finish a final draft
6 Testing the Translation: this step involves testing the translation by translators themselves or with the help of other members who are trained as expert consultants
7 Polishing the Translation: From the results of, translators should have to check again and polish the translation in order to ensure the accuracy, naturalness, and acceptability in the receptor language
8 Preparing the Manuscript for the Publisher: this is the last step of the translation process After the final draft is completed, the manuscript is ready to be prepared for the publisher
There are different ways to determine the types of translation Larson (1984) grouped translation into two main types namely literal translation and idiomatic translation
Idioms
This section provides an overview of idioms, including their general definition and a specific focus on idioms related to time It also covers the classification of idioms and the translation of these expressions, offering valuable insights into their usage and significance in language.
Idioms are considered as parts of the figurative languages Idiomatic expressions can be widely found in newspapers, books, magazines, on the radio, on the television, and in daily conversation
According to Stern and Summers (1998) in the Longman Idioms Dictionary, idioms are phrases whose collective meaning differs from the meanings of the individual words when considered separately This definition is echoed by Seidl and McMordie, who describe an idiom as a combination of words that, when grouped together, convey a meaning distinct from that of the individual words (Seidl et al., 1988, pp.12-13).
Crystal defines idioms as sequences of words that are semantically and syntactically restricted, functioning as a single unit in grammar and lexicology He emphasizes that the meanings of the individual words within an idiom cannot be combined to derive the overall meaning, highlighting their unique semantic properties.
„idiomatic‟ expression as a whole From a syntactic viewpoint, the words often do not permit the usual variability they display in other context (Crystal, 1980, p.179 as cited in Awwad, 1990, p.57)
According to English Idioms in Use, Idioms refer to a fixed expression which
“has a meaning that is not obvious from the individual words” (McCarthy & Dell, 2017, p.6)
The idiom "call it a day" illustrates that certain phrases cannot be understood by analyzing their individual words; rather, it signifies the act of stopping work or an activity.
Nguyễn Thiện Giáp (1996) defines idioms as fixed phrases that possess both completeness and figurativeness in meaning, often reflecting attitudes such as appreciation, respect, disdain, or disgust Supporting this view, Hoàng Văn Hành (2004, p.25) describes idioms as stable expressions with consistent forms and structures, which are complete and figurative in meaning, commonly used in everyday communication.
Both English and Vietnamese idioms are characterized by their grammatical and lexical fixedness, and their meanings often differ significantly from the literal interpretations of their individual components.
Idioms reflect the social life, cultural identity, and historical context of each nation, showcasing unique linguistic features These fixed expressions are context-dependent and cannot be understood solely by analyzing their individual components To grasp their meaning, one must consider the historical and cultural nuances that shape them.
The classification of idioms varies among linguists based on different dimensions such as syntax, lexical categories, and pragmatic domains However, the core feature of an idiom is its meaning While some idioms can be inferred from their components, others are difficult to understand without context The grammatical correctness of idioms is not the primary concern; instead, they are categorized based on their semantic features and meaning, utilizing natural forms in the receptor language rather than focusing solely on surface structures.
According to Fernando (1996, pp.35-36), idioms are categorized into three sub-types: Pure idioms, semi-idioms, and literal idioms
A pure idiom is a conventional multi-word expression whose meaning cannot be derived from the individual meanings of its components These idioms are non-literal and must be understood as a whole, making them an essential aspect of language that enriches communication.
For example, the expression “Call it a day” is a pure idiom, because its real meaning has nothing to do with the day It means “decide to stop working on something”
- Semi-idioms: A semi-pure has at least one literal element and one with a non-literal meaning
An example of a semi-idiom is "Beat the clock," where "beat" carries a non-literal meaning while "clock" is used in its literal sense, indicating the action of completing something before time runs out.
- Literal idioms: Literal idioms are either invariable or allow little variation They are considered to be transparent because they can be interpreted based on their parts
For example, “day by day” is a literal idiom since the meaning of the whole is derived from the literal meaning of each component
McCarthy and O'Dell (2017) proposed a new classification of English idioms based on their structural combinations, identifying seven distinct sub-types A detailed overview, including examples and meanings, is provided in Table 2.3.
Table 2.3 Types of idioms (McCarthy and O’Dell, 2017, p.6)
Kill two birds with one stone
Produce two useful results by just doing one action
Prepositional phrase In the blink of an eye In an extremely short time
Compound A bone of contention Something which people argue and disagree over Simile (as + adjective + as or like + a noun) As dry as a bone Very dry indeed
(word + and + word ) Rough and ready Crude and lacking sophistication Trinomial
(word + word + and+ word) Cool, calm and collected Relaxed, in control, not nervous
Whole clause or sentence To cut a long story short To tell the main points, but not all the fine details
The classification of idioms is primarily based on their surface structure and grammatical rules, categorizing them into forms such as compound, binomial, and simile However, this method does not address the meanings of the idioms Since this study emphasizes idiom translation, Fernando's (1996) classification, which focuses on semantic features, is more appropriate for analysis.
Time is a fundamental dimension that allows events to be sequenced from the past to the present and into the future, serving as a measure of the duration of events and the intervals between them This concept has been extensively explored in various fields, including religion, philosophy, and science, and holds significant importance in Western culture.
Idioms can be categorized based on their keywords, including themes like animals, time, color, body parts, and size Notably, idioms related to time represent a significant portion of these expressions These idioms incorporate time-related terms that carry specific meanings, with keywords such as day, week, dawn, noon, and spring serving as their foundational elements.
Idioms across various languages exhibit unique characteristics influenced by superstitions, cultural elements, ideologies, social classes, and societal norms These differences highlight that idiomatic expressions cannot be interpreted based solely on the literal meanings of their individual words, leading to significant challenges in both comprehension and translation.
As a result, the quality of translating idiomatic expressions depends totally on the translators‟ knowledge, translation skills, and applied strategies
To avoid misunderstanding and maintain the original messages of source languages, some researchers have proposed the ways to overcome problems as follows
Grassilli (2013) suggested some strategies when dealing with idioms translations:
1 find an idiom in the target language which uses the same words, the same structure, and has the same exact meaning
2 find an idiom in your language which uses different words, but has the same structure and the same exact meaning
3 find an idiom in your language that has different words, different structure but the same exact meaning
Previous studies
Machine translation has garnered significant attention from researchers due to its rising demand and widespread application in today's fast-paced technological landscape In the last ten years, numerous studies have focused on evaluating the quality of translation services, particularly Google Translate.
Aiken and Balan (2011) conducted a study on the translation quality of Google Translate, analyzing 50 languages and 2,550 language pair combinations Their research revealed that Google Translate performs significantly better with Western language pairs compared to those involving Asian languages.
A study by Taleghani & Pazouki (2018) assessed the quality of four online translators—Bing, Google Translate, FreeTranslation, and Targoman—specifically focusing on their ability to translate English idioms and phrasal verbs into Persian Using ten texts from "Oxford Word Skills: Idioms and Phrasal Verbs," the researchers compared the translations subjectively against the Aryanpur English-Persian dictionary The results indicated that Targoman outperformed the other translators in idiomatic translations The study highlighted two key implications: first, bilingual tools like Targoman and those with idiomatic parallel corpora, such as Google Translate, exhibit superior performance in translating idioms; second, there is a need for experts to develop more corpora related to idioms and phrasal verbs to enhance online machine translation.
H Al-khresheh and Almaaytah (2018) carried out a study on “English
Proverbs into Arabic through Machine Translation” They randomly collected a group of English proverbs the translated them into Arabic by
A qualitative analysis of Google Translate's performance revealed significant linguistic challenges in translating English proverbs into Arabic, primarily due to the distinct grammatical rules of the two unrelated language families The findings indicate that machine translation struggles to convey the literal meanings of proverbs accurately To enhance the quality of online translation, further research focusing on the accuracy of translations is recommended.
Cromico (2015) investigated the quality of GT with the research
The study evaluates the translation quality of English-Indonesian using Google Translate, focusing on accuracy, acceptability, and readability of scientific article sentences A descriptive method was employed, analyzing 106 sentences from three articles and collecting feedback through questionnaires from raters The findings revealed that all three factors—accuracy, acceptability, and readability—exhibited relatively low percentages, indicating that the translation techniques used by Google Translate result in translations that are less accurate, less acceptable, and less readable Consequently, Google Translate struggles to apply appropriate techniques for producing high-quality translations of sentences in scientific articles.
Another study published by Shao, Sennrich, Webber and Fancellu
In 2018, a study assessed the performance of Machine Translation (MT) on Chinese idioms using a blacklist method, sourcing idioms from the Chinese Idioms Blacklists Bank The dataset comprised 1,194 Chinese-English translation pairs, focusing on 50 idioms The evaluation revealed that Google Translate (GT) produced relatively poor quality translations for these idioms, with literal translation errors being a prevalent issue Additionally, the study introduced the "blacklist method" as a new approach for evaluating idiomatic translations, suggesting that neural MT could potentially expand the vocabulary size of translation networks.
In Viet Nam, there are several studies on the use of machine translation in translation, in particular to Google Translate
Trần Lê Tâm Linh (2013) analyzed common errors in English to Vietnamese translations by Google in business contracts, identifying four main categories of machine translation errors: missing words, redundant words, incorrect word order, and incorrect word usage The study revealed that syntax errors were the most prevalent, followed by semantic errors, while pragmatic and lexical errors were less frequent Linh recommended that future research should provide a more detailed examination of all types of machine translation errors, along with explanations and evaluations, to enhance the effectiveness of English-Vietnamese machine translation.
While many studies have assessed the quality of machine translation, most have concentrated on comparing entire sentences or texts between language pairs with similar linguistic features, such as English-French and English-Russian Few studies have specifically evaluated Google Translate's performance with idioms in the English-Vietnamese language pair Consequently, researching "the quality of Google Translate’s Vietnamese translations of English idioms related to time" presents a unique and valuable opportunity for exploration.
METHODOLOGY
Research methods
This research aims to address three key questions regarding Google Translate's Vietnamese translations of English idioms related to time: first, it seeks to identify the specific errors present in these translations; second, it categorizes the types of errors encountered; and third, it examines the frequency of each type of translation error.
This research investigates the translation errors in Google Translate's English-Vietnamese idiom translations to assess its quality Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods alongside content analysis, the study systematically collects, classifies, and analyzes data to reach informed conclusions.
Content analysis is a widely utilized research method in social sciences for examining written, verbal, or visual communication (Cole, 1988) This analytical tool helps researchers identify the presence of specific words, themes, or concepts within qualitative data.
Content analysis, as highlighted by Bryman (2004), underscores the investigator's crucial role in interpreting the meaning within texts This method facilitates the categorization of data while emphasizing the importance of understanding the context surrounding the analyzed item.
Content analysis offers significant advantages by enabling researchers to prepare, code, and interpret data meticulously, thereby supporting the development of new theories, validating existing ones, and providing in-depth descriptions of specific settings or phenomena (Zhang & Wildemuth, 2009) This versatile research method can be effectively integrated with both qualitative and quantitative approaches, enhancing the credibility of quality analysis results Consequently, content analysis plays a crucial role in facilitating data collection and analysis processes.
In qualitative research, the researcher serves as the main instrument for data collection, allowing for immediate observation and analysis This direct engagement enables researchers to gather diverse data and refine their ideas swiftly, ensuring accurate interpretation (Lamb, 2011).
As the researchers collect and analyze data, they identify categories, themes, and patterns that help explain the phenomena under consideration and the contexts in which they occur
Qualitative research prioritizes a deep understanding of a specific problem rather than numerical representation In this approach, the researcher plays a dual role as both the subject and object of the study The main goal of qualitative methodology is to generate comprehensive and illustrative insights that explore the various dimensions of the issue being investigated (Almeida et al., 2017).
Noble and Smith (2015) evaluated the validity and reliability and generalizability in qualitative research and proved that they can be valid qualitative studies
This research utilized a qualitative approach to describe and analyze the quality of Google Translate by identifying translation errors, particularly in English-Vietnamese idioms The researcher collected, classified, and analyzed various types of translation errors made by Google Translate Additionally, a quantitative method was employed to quantify the frequency of these errors in Vietnamese translations, using counting as a tool to facilitate data analysis and discussion of the results.
Data collection
This study evaluates the effectiveness of Google Translate in translating English idioms into Vietnamese, focusing specifically on idioms related to time expressions A total of 128 English sentences featuring these idioms were sourced from the authoritative "Oxford Dictionary of Idioms" by Judith Siefring (2004) and various online resources, including The Idioms, Cambridge Dictionary, The Free Dictionary, and Oxford Learner's Dictionaries, for comprehensive data analysis.
The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms is the most comprehensive and current resource for idioms, encompassing both traditional and contemporary expressions It is an essential reference for English students and teachers, featuring over 5,000 idioms with detailed explanations of their meanings and origins Organized by themes such as color, love, and time, the dictionary also presents entries alphabetically by keywords, along with special notes on origins and backgrounds (Judith Siefring, 2004).
The Oxford dictionary of idioms provides the researcher with the available source of idioms where idioms with words denoting time were alphabetically chosen based on the keywords
The four online dictionary sources—The Idioms, The Free Dictionary, Cambridge Dictionary, and Oxford Learner's Dictionaries—offer a user-friendly interface for discovering contemporary idioms through keyword searches The first two specialize in English idioms, while the latter two provide idioms in a dedicated section at the end of each entry, ensuring quick and accurate access to needed idioms These online resources serve as valuable references for comparing example sentences that include idioms and provide access to more recent idioms not found in traditional paper dictionaries, such as the Oxford Dictionary of Idioms.
The researcher conducted a thorough examination of idioms related to time, utilizing both online and offline dictionaries to gather comprehensive data A total of 128 English sentences featuring these idioms were collected, adhering to specific criteria for inclusion.
- All the idioms in the sentences must contain words denoting time expressions which may be one of these keywords:
+ Words denoting units of time: second, minute, hour, day, week, month, year, century, millennium, era
+ Words denoting time period in a day: morning, afternoon, night, midnight, dawn, dusk
+ Words denoting days in a week: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
+ Words denoting dates in a month: 15 th , 3 rd , etc
+ Words denoting seasons in a year: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
- Idioms are of British or American variants with both formal and informal usage
- Idioms can be in the forms of noun phrases, prepositional phrases, compound, simile, binomial, trinomial, or sentence
Specifically, keywords related to time expressions were used for searching idioms in the paper dictionary “Oxford dictionary of idioms”
(Siefring, 2004), and the four online dictionaries https://www.theidioms.com, https://dictionary.cambridge.org, https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/, and https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com
- Then sentences enclosed with these idioms were picked up
After collecting raw data, it was organized into a table displaying 128 English idioms along with their corresponding Vietnamese translations Column (2) features the idioms sourced from dictionaries, while column (4) presents their English meanings Each idiom was used in a sentence, which was translated into Vietnamese using Google Translate (GT), with the results placed in column (5) For systematic storage, the data was alphabetically arranged and numbered, as shown in Table 3.1 This table consists of five columns: column (1) indicates the order of data, column (2) includes the idioms and their usage in sentences with sources, column (3) identifies the type of idiom (PI: pure idioms, SI: semi-idioms, LI: literal idioms), column (4) displays the original meanings, and column (5) contains the Vietnamese translations.
Table 3.1 Sample data storage (English idioms and Vietnamese translations from
No English idiom Idiom type
Newsthat David Bowie had died,we knew it was going to be a black day for all of his loyal fans https://idioms.thefreedi ctionary.com/a+Black+
A day that marks a sad or unfortunate event một ngày đen đủi
Khi nhận được tin David Bowie qua đời, chúng tôi hiểu rằng đây sẽ là một ngày buồn bã đối với tất cả những người hâm mộ trung thành của ông.
Elaine set me up on a blind date with a colleague from her office, which is a social meeting aimed at sparking romance between two individuals who have never met before.
Elaine sắp xếp cho tôi đi hẹn hò mù quáng với một chàng trai từ văn phòng của cô ấy.
Data analysis
This study evaluates the quality of Google Translate in translating English-Vietnamese idioms, emphasizing the importance of preserving the intended meanings of source idioms Various translation strategies exist, but maintaining the essence of idiomatic expressions is paramount The analysis classifies idioms based on semantic and pragmatic fields rather than syntactic categories.
This study categorizes idioms based on Fernando's (1996) theory, classifying them into three sub-types: pure idioms, semi-idioms, and literal idioms The findings related to these idiom types are detailed in column (3).
The researcher proposed Vietnamese translations for each English idiom, which were listed in column (6) These suggested translations were then compared with the Vietnamese translations generated by Google Translate to identify potential errors.
Then, using the conceptual framework on the classification of translation errors of Nord (1997) to identify and classify the translation errors
The five types of translation errors include (1) Pragmatic translation errors,
(2) Cultural translation errors, (3) Linguistics translation errors, (4) Text- specific translation errors and (5) No translation errors
These five types are marked by the following error codes for further analyzing:
4 TE (Text-specific translation errors)
The study utilized the characteristics of four translation errors outlined in Section 2.1.6.2 and Table 2.2 to identify error types for each idiom A more comprehensive analysis was conducted, resulting in Table 3.1, which includes seven columns for translation error analysis Notably, two additional columns were incorporated, with column (6) categorizing errors into five common types: PE, CE, LE, TE, and NE Each Vietnamese translation of English idioms sourced from GT was meticulously examined and compared to the researcher’s suggested translations in column (6) to pinpoint any errors.
The model for analyzing translation errors was presented as in Table 3.2
Table 3.2 Translation errors for analyzing with reference examples
No English idiom Idiom type
When we heard the news that David
Bowie had died,we knew it was going to be a black day for all of his loyal fans https://idioms.thefr eedictionary.com/a
SI A day that marks a sad or unfortunate event một ngày đen đủi
Khi nhận được tin David Bowie qua đời, chúng tôi hiểu rằng đó sẽ là một ngày buồn cho tất cả những người hâm mộ trung thành của ông.
David Bowie qua đời, chúng tôi biết đó sẽ là một ngày đau buồn đối với tất cả những người hâm mộ trung thành của anh ấy
Elaine arranged for me to go on a blind date with a guy from her office https://dictionary.c ambridge.org/dicti onary/english/blind
PI a social meeting, usually with the objective of starting a romance, between two people who have not met each other before hẹn hò mù quáng
Elaine sắp xếp cho tôi đi hẹn hò mù quáng với một chàng trai từ văn phòng của cô ấy
PE/CE Elaine sắp xếp cho tôi đi xem mắt một chàng trai làm cùng văn phòng với cô ấy
Next, counting the occurrences of translation errors according to each group of idioms was conducted Accordingly, the researcher counted the number of
The study identifies five types of translation errors: pragmatic, cultural, linguistic, text-specific, and instances where no error occurs By employing a counting technique, the researcher effectively quantifies the frequency of translation errors for each idiom type generated by Google Translate This approach allows for a detailed comparison of the total number of errors within each category for the translated idioms.
The results with numbers were described as the following table
Table 3.3 The numbers of errors translation in each idiom type committed by GT Idioms types Pure idioms Semi- idioms literal idioms
Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage pragmatic translation errors cultural translation errors linguistic translation errors text-specific translation errors
The data presented in this table highlights the types of idioms that exhibit the fewest and most translation errors The subsequent tables and charts further reinforce the findings of this study As a result, an evaluation and conclusions regarding the effectiveness of Google Translate in translating idioms from English to Vietnamese were drawn.