GIÁO TRÌNH lý THUYẾT DỊCH ANH văn (TRANSLATION THEORY)

There is also replacement of source language graphology by target language one, but the target language graphological form is by no means a translation equivalent of the source language

BỘ MÔN: ANH VĂN BIÊN PHIÊN DỊCH Biên soạn: NGUYỄN MẠNH QUANG

LESSON ONE:

ASPECTS OF TRANSLATION

I Introduction

1 Translation Theory Identification

Translation theory is involved in a certain type of relation between languages and is consequently a branch of comparative linguistics Translation may be set up and is performed between any pair of languages or dialects "related" or "unrelated" and with any kind of spatial, temporal, social and other relationship between them

Relations between languages can generally be regarded as two-directional, though not always symmetrical Translation, as a process, is always uni-directional: It is always performed in a given direction, "FROM" a source language (SL) "INTO" a target one (TL)

Translation theory's main concern is to determine suitable translation approaches for a widest possible range of texts or text-categories It also provides a framework of principles, limited rules, "tricks" for the sake of translation or interpretation, and a background for problem solution In some cases, it can demonstrate procedures and the various arguments for and against the use of one translation rather than another in a particular context It should be noted that translation Is concerned with choices and decisions, not with the mechanics of either the SL or the TL

Eg: If we translate the English text "What time is it?" into French as "Quelle heure est-il?", there is a replacement of source language (English) grammar and lexis There is also replacement of source language graphology by target language one, but the target language graphological form is by no means a translation equivalent of the source language graphological form

Moreover, at one or more levels, there may be no replacement at all, but simple transference

of source language material into a target language text

The central problem of translation practice is that of finding target language translation equivalents A central task of translation theory is that of finding the nature and conditions

of translation equivalence

II Types of Categories

Types of categories of translation may be defined in terms of extent, levels, and ranks of translation

I Full vs Partial Translation

This distinction relates to the extent (in a syntagmatic sense) of source language text which

is submitted to the translation process The text may be a book, a simple volume, a chapter,

a paragraph, a sentence, a clause, etc It may also be a figment, not co-existence with any formal literacy or linguistic unit

In a "full" translation, the entire text is submitted to the translation process; that is every part of the source language text is replaced with target language text material In a "partial" translation, some part or parts of the source language text are left non-translated: they are simply transferred to and incorporated in the target language text

Eg: * "Full" translation:

There has been a dramatic rise in house prices this year

Đã có một sự gia tăng về giá nhà ở trong năm nay

(Or: Năm nay giá nhà ở đã tăng mạnh)

* "Partial" translation:

Chẳng còn nghi ngờ gì nữa No doubt/ Undoubtedly/ Apparently

(Not: There is no doubt or: There is not doubt any longer)

Thế kỷ 21 sẽ chứng kiến một thực tế giảm đà sinh sản

Birth will decrease in the 21st century

In "partial" translation, the process of transferring source language lexical items into a target language text is more complex than appears at first sight, seeming to remain "non-translated"

2 Total vs restricted translation

This distinction relates to the levels of language involved in translation

In "total" translation, all levels of source language text are replaced with target language material Strictly speaking, "total" translation is a misleading term, since, though total replacement is involved, it is not replacement with equivalent at all levels

In "total" translation, source language grammar and lexis are replaced with equivalent target language grammar and lexis This replacement entails the replacement of source language

phonology/ graphology with target language phonology/ graphology, but this is not normally replacement with target language equivalents

Eg: a Poverty is no sin -> Đói nghèo không phải là tội lỗi

b Have you ever been to Nha Trang ? Anh đã bao giờ đến Nha Trang chưa?

In "restricted" translation, source language is replaced with equivalent one at only one level (phonologically/ graphologically) or at only one of the two levels of grammar and lexis Eg: New York- Niu - Ooc

3 Phonological Translation

In this translation, the main thing is source language phonology is replaced with equivalent target language one, but there are hardly other important replacements

Eg: hippie - híp pi karate ka-ra- tê

In phonological translation, sometimes grammatical or lexical changes may result accidentally For example, an English plural such as "cats" may become a "singular cat" when the target language has no final consonant clusters

4 Graphological Translation

Source language graphology is replaced with equivalent target one without other considerable replacements

Eg zero - dê rô

Both phonological and graphological translation must be included in a general theory of translation because they help throw light on the conditions of translation equivalence, and hence on the more complex process of "total" translation

5 Transliteration

This is a complex process involving phonological translation with the addition of phonology - graphology correlation at both ends of the process, i.e in source and target language First, source language graphological units are replaced with corresponding source language phonological units Then these source language phonological units are translated into equivalent target language phonological units Finally the target language phonological units are replaced with corresponding target language graphological units

Eg: Washington Oa-sinh-tơn

London Lon-don/ Luân đôn

Scandal Xi-cang-dan

6 Free, Literal, and Word-for-Word Translation

A "free" translation is always unbounded while "word-for-word" translation generally means what it says "Literal" translation lies between these extremes It may start from a

"word-for-word" translation, but changes in conformity with target language grammar (e.g

inserting additional words, changing structures, etc) This may make it a group-group or clause-clause translation

Eg

a It's raining cats and dogs

1 Nó đang mưa các con mèo và các con chó, (Word -for- word)

2 Trời đang mưa như chó và mèo cãi nhau (Literal)

3 Trời mưa tầm tã/ mưa như trút nước (Free)

5 She is second to none

1 Cô ấy là thứ hai đến không ai (Word -for- word)

2 Cô ấy không là thứ hai đối với bất kỳ ai (Literal)

3 Cô ấy không bao giờ chịu thua/ lép vế ai (Free)

By these, only (3) - the free translation - is interchangeable with the SL text in a situation where the addressee/ listener/ reader is looking forward to being able to understand from his language

TASK 1 QUESTIONS

1.What is translation? (At least 2 definitions)

2 What is the central problem of translation/translation theory? Give some examples for illustration

3 How many types of translation are there? Give one example for each type

4 According to you, what is generally the most popular way of translation? What is the most effective way? The most familiar way particularly by students?

5 Build up some more examples for type 6

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Eg: Honda told to put brakes on new car prices

(Honda da bao de phanh veto/ len moi xe cdc gia) (?)

Mẹ tròn con vuông (Mother round child square) (?)

2 Literal Translation

The SL grammatical constructions are converted to their nearest TL equivalents, but the lexical words are again translated singly out of context As a pre-translation process, this indicates the problem to be solved

Eg: Bao giờ cho đến tháng Mười- When will October come? (?)

I used to be crazy about her - Tôi đã từng điên khùng về cô ấy (?)

3 Faithful Translation

A faithful translation attempts to reproduce the precise contextual meaning of the original meaning within the constraints of the TL grammatical structures It "transfers" cultural words and preserves the degree of grammatical and lexical "abnormality" in the translation

It attempts to be completely faithful to the intentions and the text realization of the SL writer

Eg: Bao giờ cho đến tháng Mười- When will the tenth month come? (?)

Love me, love my dog - Yêu tôi yêu con chó của tôi (?)

4 Semantic Translation

This method must pay more attention to the aesthetic value (that is, the beautiful an natural sound) of the SL text, compromising on "meaning" where appropriate so that no assonance, word-play or repetition jars in the finished version Furthermore, it may translate less important cultural words by culturally neutral third or functional terms but not by cultural equivalents, and 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% of fidelity and allows for translator's intuitive empathy with the original

Eg: Then the lime returns as it once appeared - Rồi con tạo xoay vần

A serene feeling pervaded my soul - Một cảm giác thanh tịnh lẻn vào hồn tôi

5 Adaptation

This is the "freest" form of translation, used mainly for plays (comedies) and poetry The themes, characters, plots are usually preserved, the SL culture is converted to the TL one, and the text is rewritten

6 Free Translation

This method reproduces 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 "intra-lingual translation", often prolix, pretentious, and seemingly non-translated at all

Eg: Shall we go for a blow? Chúng ta đi dạo mát/ hóng gió nhé?

Have a good trip! Chúc thượng lộ bình an!

7 Idiomatic Translation

This produces the "message" of the original again but tends to distort the nuances of meaning by preferring colloquialisms and idioms where these do not exist in the original Eg:

As rich as Rockerfeller ? Giàu như Thạch Sùng

I'm afraid it's job news.- Tôi e rằng đây là tin buồn

The boy wants to go and see Mr John - Cậu bé muốn đi vệ sinh

8 Communicative Translation

This method 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 readership This translation is rather often news on radio or in newspapers Sometimes communicative and semantic translation may coincide with each other

Eg:

Lái xe khi bạn không tỉnh táo là rất nguy hiểm- You shouldn't drive without concentration /

No awareness is dangerous for driving,

He was denied the door - Anh ấy đến nhưng không được tiếp

II Principles of Translation

Although this is not a theoretical work, students may follow some guidelines on hoi to help themselves to evaluate their own work Below are some general principle, which arc relevant to all translation

1 Meaning

The translation should reflect accurately the meaning of original text Nothing should be arbitrarily added or moved, though occasionally part of the meaning can be "transpose" For example, "he was limp with fatigue" might become " An ta met men no thong dung Len no"

Ask yourself:

1 Is the meaning of original text clear? If not, where does the uncertainty lie?

2 Are there any underlying implications?

Eg: "Correct me if I'm wrong" suggests "I know I'm right"

3 Is the dictionary meaning of a particular word the most suitable one?

Eg: Might "khả năng" in Vietnamese be "ability" in English in an idea like this:

"Khả năng anh ta đến được"? (You can have a lot of English words in a dictionary for this meaning: capacity, ability, possible, possibility, can )

4 Does anything in the translation sound unnatural or forced?

Eg: She did it with the reluctance - Cô ấy làm việc với sự miễn cưỡng (?)

Diplomatic turn "khúc quẹo" ngoại giao (?)

2 Form

The order of words and ideas in the translation should match that in the original as closely

as possible This is particularly in the form and order of words When in doubt, underline in the original text the words on which the main stress falls In English, emphasis or main stress can be obtained through inversion of word order and using different structures such as

No sooner than , It is/was that (who) , Only by , etc

Eg: It is the ideal condition of the "equal start" which only our most progressive forms of modern education try to regain

Đó là điều kiện lý tưởng của sự khởi đầu bình đẳng mà chỉ có hình thức giáo dục hiện đại tiến bộ nhất của chúng ta cố gắng đạt lại (?)

- It hadn't been until the early century that geothermal energy was found

Nó đã là không cho đến đầu thế kỷ này mà năng lượng địa nhiệt được phát hiện (?)

3 Register

Languages often differ greatly in their levels of formality in a given context (say, in a business letter) To resolve these differences, the translator must distinguish between formal and fixed expressions, (Eg: Please find enclose/ Please do not fold / We would like to express our gratitude to )

Consider also:

a Would any expression in the original sound too formal/ informal, cold/warm, personal/ impersonal if translated literally?

b What is the intention of the writer or speaker? (to persuade/ dissuade, apologize, criticize?) Does it come through in the translation?

4 Source language influence

One of the most frequent criticisms of translation is that "It doesn't sound natural"

This is because the translator's thoughts and choice of words are too strongly moulded by the original text A good way of shaking off the SL influence is to set the text aside and translate a few sentences aloud from memory This will suggest natural patterns of thought

in the first language (target language), which may not come in mind when the eyes are fixed

on the SL text

5 Idiom

Idiomatic expressions are notoriously untranslatable These include similes, metaphors, proverbs, sayings, jargons, slangs, colloquialisms and phrasal verbs If the expressions cannot be directly translated, try any of the following:

- Retain the original word, in inverted commas:

Eg: nhac "pop”, Doi Moi" Process

- Retain the original expression, with a literal explanation in brackets:

Eg: Rồng đến nhà tôm (A superior comes to visit his inferior)

Rừng vàng biển bạc (prosperous wealth)

- Use a close equivalents:

Eg: Sông có khúc, người có lúc (Every dog has its/ his day)

Muộn còn hơn không (Better late than never)

- Use a non-itliomalic or plain prose translation:

Eg: A bit over the top (Hơi quá)

Honesty is the best policy (Trung thực là đáng quý)

Note: The golden rule is if the idiom does not work in the target language, do not force it into translation

6 Style and Clarity

The translator in general should not change the style of the original But if the text is sloppily written, or full of tedious repetitions, the translator may, for the reader's sake correct the defects

Eg:

1 He ate, and drank, and talked, and asked during the meal

(ông ấy vừa ăn uống luôn miệng nói, hỏi suốt cả bữa ăn)

2 Hãy biết thương, biết yêu lấy đồng loại của mình!

Let’s love our human fellows!

TASK 2 QUESTIONS:

1 How many methods can be either used in translation? What are they?

2 Which method of translation appears the most popular?

3 What is communicative translation? Give examples for illustration

Exercise 1: Suggest suitable Vietnamese translation for the underlined words in the passages below:

1 "Why did you believe him when he said he wasn't married?"

"Because", replied Pamela, "he was so good - looking and well - dressed, and had such a nice voice"

All that glitters is not gold", Mary reminded her

2 Why are you writing science fiction?", asked a friend of an author," instead of the historical novel you used to write?"

"Because", replied the author, "science fiction has become very popular and, obviously, I'm making hay while the sun shines"

3 Some people are always up in the clouds or down in the depth They swing from one extreme to another Others are stolid and indifferent, never much thrilled by success and never greatly put out by failure

4 He always plays up with his boss

5 To gather materials for lecture, 1 had to plough through several books and documents

6 The conditions giving rise to easy profits over the last 3 years no longer hold good

7 The rise and fall of share prices can be seen in the nature of a thermometer oil market confidence

8 The management decision sparked off a series of damaging strikes

9 Thank you for your hospitality In turn, we look for to having you as our guest when you visit our country

10 The chairman's recent visit to Brazil has paid unexpected dividends in the shape of a profitable new contract

Exercise 2: Below is a selection of titles of books, films, TV programs and advertising slogans Suggest how the titles or slogans could be rendered in Vietnamese and English (You feel free to use your imagination)

1 A Taste of India (Title of an illustrated book on Indian cooking)

2 Heineken - Refreshes the parts - Other beers cannot reach (Advertisement)

3 Johnie Walker - Born 1820, and still going strong (Advertisement for Johnie Walker Whisky)

4 CANADA - The Big country for big Value holidays (Tourism Division of the Canadian Commission)

5 The Bad, the Good and the Ugly (Title of a Western film - cowboy film - with Clint Eastwood as a man who got the entire sum of money stolen)

6 Tat Den (A novel composed by Ngo Tat To)

7 Ngay Mai Troi Lai Sang (A Vietnamese film)

The context may also be the broader social situation in which a linguistic item is used For example, in ordinary usage, "spinster" refers to an older unmarried woman but in legal context, if refers to any unmarried woman

In translation, context is understood as the "WIIAT", "WHERE" and "TO WHOM of our communication "What" we are writing or speaking about (subject matter), "Where" the language occurs (place and publication), and "To whom" it is addressed All three are relevant in translation How can we translate just one simple English sentence properly like this one" Be seated" into Vietnamese if we don't know where and to whom it is addressed,

or a passage like this "We had 200 rifles"? "Rifles" could be rendered unnaturally if we ignore in what it is about

In sum, besides style (register), context matters most in helping us know which words lo choose, when translating without any worry about misunderstanding from both sides of conveying and receiving information

TASK 3 Exercise 1: Below are some short passages or fragment of language Suggest a possible context or source for each Context can be: a TV weather report, a tourist, brochure, news reports, medical articles, a novel, a history or a text book, an advertisement, a book or film review, a letter, etc

1 Store is cool, dry place Keep well out of reach of children

2 Effective and preventive against dandruff

3 Articles such as the following shall not be carried in passenger's baggage without prior of and arrangement with carrier:

Compressed gases (flammable, non-flammable, and poisonous)

4 Mary! Gone to shop Key under mat

5 John! Susan phoned Train delayed Now arriving 10 p.m

6 Admit guests only

7 National Football League stars kick off tomorrow

8 Enclosed please find a cheque for $50

9 situated at the crossroads of Northern, Central, and Southern VN, Da Nang offers magnificent coastline beautiful beaches

10 All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced

11 Your major construction project with our top quality products:

Round bars (<p 12 ~ 32mm)/reformed bars (<f> 10 ~ 32mm); wide rods (<p 6, S, 10mm)

12 During the afternoon, the wind will strengthen from the west bringing scattered thundershowers to coastal part of Da Nang and Quang Nam

13 VN has established the National Committee for Drug Prevention with the task of suppressing drugs -

14 Disconnect the antenna cable from the back of your TV set Connect the antenna cable

to the ANTENNA in terminal of your VCR

15 The author and publisher would like to thank all the teachers in the UK and Italy| who discussed this book in the early stage of its development

16 We have pleasure in informing you that we are opening a new branch of our business

on March 1st at Ben Thanh market

This matter of register links with the concept of' style in language, that means there is more than one way to express the same thought, idea, belief, opinion, emotion feeling or attitude

of mind by means of different words through different modes

1 Different words or expressions:

To convey the same message "SIT DOWN", there are various ways with different words or expressions:

Take a seat!/ Do sit down!/ Be seated!/ Can't you find a chair?/

Some of you are still standing! Would you mind sitting down? , etc

2 Different modes: How is the message transmitted from source to audience? Is it spoken

or written? broadcast? printed?

Eg: "Thank you" is usually used in spoken English

But "Please convey our thanks " is mainly used in written English, and an advertisement for a certain consumer goods reaches the public by way of broadcasting on radio or TV

3 Different ways of expressing language styles:

How is the message expressed? Is it formal or informal? Is it officialese or official? Is it neutral or colloquial? In fact the choice of way expressing message is governed by a set of social conventions which are called "levels" (or "scales”) of formality That is to say the language used in the message should match the context given (after Alan Duff)

Eg: Message "NOT TO EAT HERE" can be expressed in the following scales of formality:

a Officialese: (characteristic of legal document, laws or governmental codes )

-> The consumption of any nutriments whatsoever is categorically prohibited

b Official: The consumption of nutriments is prohibited

c Formal: -> You are requested not to consume food in this establishment

d Neutral: Eating is not allowed here

e Informal: -> Please don't eat here

f Colloquial:-> You can't feed your face here

g Slang: Lay off the nosh

h Taboo: -> Lay off the fucking nosh

In sum, REGISTER gives colour to language To ignore it in translation is to translate the words rather than the meaning Though it would hardly be realistic to expect students to master all these levels of formality during translating, they should know the formal-neutral level is appropriate for translating news articles, editorials; social reports , and the formal style is suitable for translating business letters, report, projects, plans, etc , especially when target language is English, i.e when they are translating a text from Vietnamese into English

TASK 4

Exercise 1: Explain the use of the words "GOD MOTHER", "OLD LADY", "OR

WOMAN", and "OLD BIRD" in the following passage and translate it into Vietnamese After my father died, my sister went to live with her god mother who was an old lady at a big house in our parish - A nasty old woman she was But she took to Grace When the old bird died at the beginning of this year, Grace found she had been left twenty thousand

Exercise 2: Use various ways of conveying the same message in different words and say as

precisely as possible in what context you expect to see or hear the words or expressions (who is speaking? to whom? where are they? or where would the words be seen?)

a No smoking b I'm sorry

Exercise 3: Because all translation is selection: we choose from a range of possible

expressions the one most appropriate to the context Even the simplest expressions may be rendered in many different ways (as shown in the examples)

Translate the following in as many different ways as you can

“ Gia đình chúng tôi dự tính đi nghỉ hè một tuần ở Provence vào cuối tháng 3 xin vui lòng gởi cho chúng tôi cuốn sách hướng dẫn về khách sạn Sen-Isle và một bảng giá phòng”

Exercise 4: To convey a message, several expressions can be used Which of the following

is mainly spoken or written?

A "Thank you"

1 We should like lo acknowledge our thanks to/ for

2 It was most kind of you

3 How kind!

4 I can never repay you!

5 Thanks a lot!

6 Please convey our thanks to

7 We thank you for your consideration

8 Many thanks!

9 I'm extremely grateful

10 And in conclusion, n word of thanks to

11 I should like you to know how gratitude I am for

12 What a lovely surprise!

13 Finally, I should like to express my gratitude to

14 A billion thanks!

B "I do not agree"

1 Far be it from me to criticize, but

2 To such a proposal, in all conscience, I could never agree

3 Have it your own way

4 I think it would be unwise

5 With all due respect

6 You may have a point, but

7 You are wrong

8 The argument is

9 There are, however, certain points with which I take issue

10 This is simply not so

11 I beg to differ

12 I don’t agree!

What we mean is both what we say and how we say English is not only a language noted for the flexibility of its word order A word out of place can easily alter the meaning or lead

to ambiguity

Take these two simple examples:

a Niall Quinn, the 6 ft 4 Arsenal center - forward, almost scored within seconds of taking the field in the 79th minute But the chance fizzled away off Quinn's left boot

b Leisure parks, gardens and wildlife center were also popular with tourists in Britain last year, while their visits to museums, galleries and historic buildings slumped One of the worst places affected by fewer visitors was the Royal Academy

In the first, the words almost are correctly placed If they had been shifted, the meaning would have changed The word "almost" for instance, is in its correct position, if it had been shifted slight by forward, the meaning would have been quite different: "scored almost within seconds"

In the second, the word "worst” should have come after "places", not before But although its words order may not be flexible, English is peculiarly elastic in its inflections, that is, in the stressed and emphases in speech and writing which help point to the meaning

Eg: I like it/I do like it / It works

This is a feature of the language which can easily be overlooked, particularly in writing, where the emphasis is not often marked Yet in translation, it is vital to the meaning of the sentence

The question matters because it relates directly to one of the weakness most commonly encountered in translation, implied in the often heard criticism: "IT DOESN’T SOUND RIGHT" If the translation does not sound right, it is usually because the sequence of thought, and the choice of words - of the original has been too closely followed The meaning may get through, but the style, the spirit, and the ways of thinking remain those of the source language Take just one example: consider what the effect would be if a student doggedly translate all the "IT" in this fragment about the Australian desert

Example 1: "Only the aborigines living in their traditional manner can survive in it unaided Unlike the white man, they made no attempt to dominate it They do not try to tame its animals or to cultivate its land, but to them it yields enough to keep a man’s sound in his body In return, the aborigines worship it"

Example 2: "Mới đây đến các huyện Nga Sơn, Tỉnh Gia ( Thanh Hóa), tiếp chuyện với nông dân, ai cũng ca thán bực bội và lo lắng về chuột ” From “ Náo động chuột đồng” The People Daily)

It is not, of course, suggested that the translation could not follow the English word for - word and yet "sound right", but that the pattern of the English should be followed only after considering the alternatives, not before

This, then, is the common aim of all the activities, to encourage the students to think from English INTO and IN their own language."

TASK 5

Exercise 1: In each of the passages below, the opening words of certain sentences are

underlined Translate these sentences in whatever seems the most natural way in your own language You do not necessarily have to begin with the same word as it is used in English Where possible, offer 2 translations, using different word orders

1 That the Vikings discovered America is accepted by all but a few scholars who insist that Irish priests got there before them

2 So colossal is human egotism that people who have met an author are constantly on the look - out for portraits of themselves in his work

3 From the spring of 1665 the Great Plague had raged in London Never since the Black Death in 1340 had Pestilence spread such ravages

4 "To these islands", wrote the Arab geographer Idoisi in the twelfth century "com the ships of Oman to gather coconuts and cut wood and build their vessels "

5 Small as she was, she made quite a good horse - woman

6 Twice within his life time had world wars taken place

7 Awaiting ahead of us in one of the biggest challenges we have ever faced

8 Only when all attempts at negotiation had failed, did the men decide to go on strike

9 Robert Pierre I find difficult to admire

10 Only by united opposition could we eliminate world terrorism

11 So suspicious did he become that he didn't believe anyone

12 Of all the vices to which my colleagues in journalism are most opposed, none is more hateful to them than hypocrisy

13 Important though language is, both as a channel of communication and as equipment for thinking, the really special feature of the human brain is its use of language to question our place in nature Intensive intellectual curiosity is a hall - mark of mankind

14 Never before had I been asked to accept a bribe

15 On no accounts are visitors allowed to feed the animals

NOTE: The word order of the sentences above is strongly determined by the opening words Some of the commonest of these words are IT, THAT, HOW, WHEREVER WHY, WHERE, ALWAYS, NEVER, ONLY, NO, and adjectives, and personal names

Before translating them, in order to understand these passages thoroughly, you are asked to suggest how the same thoughts might be reworded in English first

Eg: That the Vikings discovered America is accepted by all but a few scholars

-> It is accepted by all but a few scholars that the Vikings

-> All but a few scholars accept the fact that the Vikings

-> The discovery of America by the Vikings is a fact accepted by

Then, you should suggest, if possible, 2 translations, only one closely matching the English word order, the other free, but be sure to maintain the key thought as well as the key details

of the text

LESSON SIX:

RULES OF TRANSLATION

I THE SEVEN BASIC SENTENCE PATTERNS

Every English sentence consists of 2 parts: S (Subject) and P (Predicate) Subject nominates

a personal name, a thing, an animal, an event Predicate presents something about its subject S must be something considered Noun (s) or Pronoun (s) or their equivalent P must contain a verb of finite form

According to the structural form of Predicate, English sentences can be arranged and classified into 7 patterns as follows

1 N + Vi (+ Adverbial) (Vi: intransitive verb)

Eg: The birds are flying to the south

Eg: His father used to be a footballer

5 N + Vt + N (Object) (Vt: transitive verb)

Eg: Science requires accuracy

6 N +Vt+ N (I.O) + N (D.O)

Eg: We told him the truth

7 N + Vt + N(0) + N (C) (C: complement)

Eg: They appointed him manager

II THE RULE OF PROXIMITY:

"Proximity" means "nearness" in English

Rule:

When modifying any item of language, the MODIFIER must be placed closely to that item even though the MODIFIER is a single word, a phrase (P - group/ V- ing (ed) group/ Inf - group) or a clause)

Eg: the morning paper/ a used car/ the statements above/ a large family to support/ a man of talent/ the man whom you saw/ he didn't come because he was busy

Consider the meaning of these when "ONLY" (modifier) is in various positions

Eg: Only Gary hit his cousin on the nose

Gary only hit his cousin on the nose

Gary hit only his cousin on the nose

Gary hit his only cousin on the nose

Gary hit his cousin only on the nose

Gary hit his cousin on the only nose

Also consider:

- We want a piano for a lady with mahogany legs (A lady with wooden legs?)

- I saw some high mountains sitting in the train (Mountains are sitting in the train?)

In English, mistakes caused by incorrectly placing the position of modifier are called misplaced modifiers

III THE RULE OF PARALLELISM

1 The rule and conjunctions of coordinating form:

The rule of parallelism is strictly used when we are expressing a series of similar in which

we have to use conjunctions AND and OR

Consider: He likes boating, hunting, and to fish

My uncle is young, tall, and having black hair

She likes to go to the movie, hearing chamber music, and play

To have a definite time table and following it are essential, in school

Please tell me where you want to go, why deciding to go, what to intend to do, and when come back

2 The rule and correlative conjunctions:

Correlative conjunctions are those such as BOTH AND, EITHER OR, NEITHER NOR, NOT ONLY BUT ALSO, etc

Structural forms after each element of the correlative conjunction must be the same

Eg: Both the moon and the planet Mars don't have an atmosphere

The air not only provides us with oxygen but also helps transmit sound

FINITE V-GROUP FINITE V-GROUP

The visit to Ha Long Bay is neither long nor short

ADJ ADJ

She neither did her homework nor helped with housework

FINITE V-GROUP FINITE V-GROUP

(or: Neither did she do her homework nor did she help with housework)

(2 clauses in parallelism)

IV Brief Method of Vietnamese-English Translation:

When translating a sentence from Vietnamese into English, we briefly follow these three steps:

Step 1: Take the suitable basic sentence pattern of English

Step 2: Choose the suitable modifier

Step 3: Use the rule of proximity or parallelism (if necessary)

Eg 1: Phong trào chống chiến tranh hạt nhân đang lan rộng khắp thế giới

-> Step 1: Pattern: S - V: The movement is spreading

-> Step 2: Modifiers: 2 P-Group: against nuclear war/ throughout the world

-> Step 3: Rule of proximity

The movement against nuclear war is spreading throughout the world

Eg 2: Chính phủ vừa phê duyệt đề án xây dựng một sân bay mới

-> Step 1: P altern: S - Vt -N(0): The Government has just approved the project

-> Step 2: Modifiers: Inf -Group: to build a new airport