VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE

COURSE SYLLABUS
I. General information

1. Course title TRANSLATION PRACTICE

2. Course code NVA200.1

3. Type of course (compulsory, optional) compulsory

4. Level of course Bachelor

5. Year of study (if applicable) 3

6. Semester when the course is delivered 6

7. Number of course credits allocated 3

8. Name of lecturer(s)

9. Mode of delivery (face-to-face, distance Face-to-face

learning)

10. Prerequisites Learners are expected to have completed the

course Basic Translation.
11. Language of instruction English

12. Work placement(s) N/A

II. Course overview

This is the follow-up course after the first course Basic Translation.
The course is designed to provide learners with:
1. Some common translation methods, ways to analyze and methods of structure and lexical
transformation so as to build their basic background of translation profession.
2. Linguistic knowledge to deal with popular structures in English and Vietnamese.
3. Translation practice related to topics: (a) Law and order, (b) Environment and tourism, (c) Sports
and music, and (d) Language and culture.
III. Course learning outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Apply some translation methods such as literal translation, free translation, semantic translation, etc.
In practice,
2. Apply techniques of structural and lexical transformation and in their translation products,
3. Develop creativity, problem solving and critical thinking skills,
4. Develop the ability to translate some excerpts from readings with contemporary contents, or
interesting stories from English into Vietnamese and vice versa,
5. Build communication and teamwork skills,
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 6. Appreciate professional ethics in translation.

IV. Recommended or required readings

1. Required readings
− Reading 1: TRƯƠNG QUANG PHÚ, Giáo Khoa Căn Bản Môn Dịch Anh – Việt & Việt – Anh,
VNU_HCMC Publisher, 2001.
− Reading 2: Practice texts provided by the lecturer(s). They are extracted from books, the internet,
newspapers with structure and vocabulary difficulty appropriate with the students’ level (Suggested level:
Intermediate).
2. Optional readings
− LÊ HUY LÂM, TRƯƠNG HOÀNG DUY; PHẠM VĂN THUẬN, Luyện dịch Anh – Việt & Việt
– Anh, Publisher of Tong Hop HCMC, 2006.
− LÊ VĂN SỰ, Cẩm Nang Luyện Dịch và Ngữ Pháp Tiếng Anh, Publisher of Culture and
Information, 2003.
− CHAMBERLAIN, D. & WHITE, G. Advanced English for Translation. CUP - 1987

V. Course contents and schedules

Sections Required readings Planned learning activities and

Course contents
1 Introduction to Translation
practice
Translation & Paraphrase
Cultural factors
- Idioms and expressions
- Figurative meaning
teaching methods
Reading 1: Ch. 9, - Lecture
pp. 135-146 - Practice: Exercise pp. 143,
supplementary exercises
Reading 2 - Questions and answers
- Discussion

2 Translation & Adjustment Reading 1: Ch. 9, - Lecture

- Vocabulary pp. 135-146 - Practice: Exercise p. 144,
- Structure supplementary exercises
Reading 2 - Questions and answers
- Discussion
3 Relations between the Reading 1: Ch.10,
positions and language pp. 147-160 - Lecture
functions of some - Practice: Exercises 1, 2, 3 & 4
structures in English Reading 2 (pp. 157-159), supplementary
- With + noun + participle exercises
phrase
- Questions and answers
- Participle phrase - Discussion
- To-infinitive phrase - Practice
4 Verbs in Vietnamese Reading 2: - Lecture
- Adverbial modifiers in Ch.2, pp. 47-58 - Practice 1: Exercises 1, 2 pp. 56-
verb phrases Ch.4, pp. 59-68 58
- Passive - Practice 2: Exercises 1,2,3, 4 pp.
Nouns in English 65-68, supplementary exercises
Reading 2
- Noun classification - Questions and answers
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 Sections Required readings Planned learning activities and
Course contents
teaching methods
- Compound noun - Discussion
5 Absolute phrases Reading 1: - Lecture
- Types of Absolute Ch. 11, pp. 161-164 - Practice 1: Exercise p.164
phrases Reading 1: Ch.12, - Practice 2: Exercise pp. 171-172
- “Being” in absolute pp. 165-172 - Questions and answers
phrases Reading 2 - Discussion
Expressions of comparison
- Comparative degrees
- Comparison in statistics
6 Topic translation: Law & Reading 1: - Lecture
Order Ch.15, pp. 227-242 - Practice: Exercises pp.233, 235,
- Words and expressions 238, 239
- Translation practice Reading 2 - Questions and answers
Group presentation (A1) 1: - Discussion: Comment, discuss
Law & Order translated sentences and
excerpts; Analyze and correct
mistakes
7 Topic translation: Reading 1: - Lecture
Environment and Tourism Ch.19, pp. 301-322 - Practice: Exercises pp. 303-322
- Word and expression - Questions and answers
- Translation practice Reading 2 - Discussion: Comment, discuss
Group presentation (A1) 2: translated sentences and
Environment and Tourism excerpts; Analyze and correct
mistakes
8 Progress test Reading 2 - Correction
Practice - Practice: Supplementary
exercises
- Questions and answers
- Discussion
9 Modals in English Reading 1: - Lecture
- Will Ch. 7, pp. 95-116 - Practice 1: Exercises pp.97, 99,
- Would Reading 2 100, 102, 104, 107, 109, 111,
112, 114, 115
- Could
- Questions and answers
- Modal + perfective
- Discussion
10 Adverbs in English Reading 1: - Lecture
- Modifying an adjective Ch.5, pp. 69-78 - Practice 1: Exercises pp.70, 72,
- Modifying a verb 73, 75
- Modifying a sentence Reading 1: - Practice 2: Exercise pp. 93-94
- Prepositional phrases Ch. 6, pp. 79-94 - Questions and answers
used as adverb - Discussion
- Some specific adverbs Reading 2

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 Sections
Course contents
- Notes in translating an
adverbial phrase
Prepositional phrase
- Definition and
description
- Grammatical function
- Language function
11 Topic translation: Sports
and music
- Word and expression
- Translation practice
Group presentation (A1) 3:
Sports and music
12 Topic translation: Language
& Culture
- Word and expression
- Translation practice
Group presentation (A1) 4:
Language & Culture
Required readings Planned learning activities and
teaching methods
Reading 1: - Lecture
Ch.21, pp. 331-356 - Practice: Exercises pp. 335-356
- Questions and answers
- Discussion: Comment, discuss
translated sentences and
excerpts; Analyze and correct
mistakes
Reading 2: Chapter - Lecture
22, pp. 357-374 - Practice: Exercises pp. 359-374
- Questions and answers
Reading 2 - Discussion: Comment, discuss
translated sentences and
excerpts; Analyze and correct
mistakes

13 Final examination

* Note: The Schedule is subject to revision.

VI. Assessment scheme

Assessment tasks Scores Weighting

task
A1. Oral group presentation 30 pts Midterm 30 %
A2. Translation assignments 20 pts
A3. Progress test 50 pts
100 pts
A4. Final test 100 pts Final 70 %
100pts
100% (Passing Grade: 5/10)

(See detailed rubrics attached. A1 – Rubric DTI 01; A2, A3, A4 – Rubric DTI 03)
Guidelines for Group presentation (A1)s, assignments, progress and final tests
− Group presentation (A1):
a. Each group will summarize and synthesize the key points from the assigned translation texts,
and present their output in not more than 15 minutes (in MS Power-point format). The group
will be in charge of answering questions related to the readings.
b. Oral Group presentation (A1) handouts should be submitted to the Instructor on the day of their
presentation. Other members of the class should have a copy of these, too (but after the Group
presentation (A1)).

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− Translation assignment (A2):
a. Submission: Every week as required by the Instructor of the course.
b. Aim of the assignments: Presenting common translation difficulties and solutions
Learners are supposed to find out what are some difficulties in translating a certain structure or
topic from English into Vietnamese or vice versa/ and how such difficulties can be dealt with.
c. Scoring scheme for the assignments:

Translation competence 30%

Language use 30%
Punctuation, spelling, & mechanics 20%
Style & quality of expression 20%

100%

− Progress (A3) and final tests (A4):

a. Duration: 90 minutes
b. Material use: Paper dictionaries of all types
c. Level: Intermediate
d. Contents:
English – Vietnamese translation: 1 passage of 200 – 250 words
Vietnamese – English translation: 1 passage of 200 – 250 words
e. Translation topic: General issues related to (a) Law and order, (b) Environment and tourism,
(c) Sports and music, and (d) Language and culture.

VII. Course alignment matrix

Course learning outcomes Programme learning Teaching and Assessment tasks

(CLOs) outcomes (PLOs) learning activities
CLO1 - Apply some translation PLO2 – Level 2 L, D, P, GP A1 + A2 + A3 +
methods such as literal translation, A4
free translation, semantic
translation, etc. in practice
CLO2 - Apply techniques of PLO2 – Level 2 L, D, P, GP A1 + A2 + A3 +
structural and lexical A4
transformation and in their
translation products.
CLO3 - Develop the ability to PLO3 – Level 3 L, D, P, GP A1 + A2 + A3 +
translate some excerpts from A4
readings with contemporary
contents, or interesting stories
from English into Vietnamese and
vice versa.
CLO4 - develop creativity, PLO7 – Level 3 D, P, GP A1 + A2 + A3 +
problem solving and critical A4
thinking skills
CLO5 - build communication and PLO6 – Level 3 D, P, GP A1
teamwork skills
CLO6 - appreciate professional PLO10 – Level 2 L, P A3 + A4
ethics in translation
(Note: L = Lecture, D = Discussion, GP = Group presentation, and P = Practice)
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VIII. Course policies
1. The course will be conducted in different modes including lecturing, discussion, practice, and
Group presentation.
2. Attendance in all sessions is strongly recommended. Participants are required to give advance
notice of their absence in case of illness or any other situations. However, they must attend at least
80% of the sessions in order to pass the course.
3. Participants are expected to be well prepared and take an active role in class discussions and work
collaboratively with their peers.
4. Failure of the assignment will be imposed as a penalty for cheating and plagiarism.
5. For late submitted work, 5% of the component grades will be deducted per day.

Date of approval: December 25, 2020

Approved by Approved by Prepared by

Nguyen Thi Nhu Ngoc, PhD. Department of DTI
Head, Department of DTI

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