Hue University

Hue University of Foreign Languages and International Studies

Faculty of English
______***______

FINAL ASSIGNMENT
CROSS-CULTURAL ISSUES IN TRANSLATION & INTERPRETATION

Topic: Cultural factors in translating personal pronouns

Instructor: Trương Bạch Lê

Student: Nguyễn Ngọc Thư Trang
Student’s Code: 20F7511221
Class: 1

Hue, 12/2023
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction...........................................................................................................................2

II. Concepts of Culture-Specific Items (CSIS)........................................................................2

III. Sociocultural context of translating personal pronoun in both English and Vietnamese. .3
1. Different in personal pronouns system.....................................................................................................3
2. Different in cultural etiquette....................................................................................................................4
IV. Translation strategies.........................................................................................................4
1. Translation by using a more neutral word................................................................................................4
2. Translation by omission............................................................................................................................5
3. Translation by cultural substitution..........................................................................................................5
4. Translation by paraphrasing.....................................................................................................................6
V. Conclusion...........................................................................................................................6

REFERENCE...........................................................................................................................8
I. Introduction

Personal pronouns are pronouns used to refer to, represent or replace a noun to refer
to people and things when we do not want to directly mention or unnecessarily repeat those
nouns. Personal pronouns not only play an important role in scientific, legal and commercial
documents, but also perform pragmatic functions. Almost any Vietnamese person learning
English will encounter some difficulties when speaking and writing. Especially when
translating the system of personal pronouns from English to Vietnamese and vice versa.
This essay discusses the morphology of personal pronouns in both English and Vietnamese.
At the same time, analyze sociocultural factors to come up with appropriate strategies for
translating personal pronouns.

II. Concepts of Culture-Specific Items (CSIS)

Seeing the close relationship between culture and translation, it is important to clarify
what cultural factors may pose challenges or present themselves in the process of translating
literary works. According to Aixela (1996, p. 172), cultural-specific items are "elements of
the text that are connected to certain concepts in the foreign culture (history, art, literature)
which might be unknown to the readers of the target text."

While Newmark (1998) is on the belief that a large number of words can be
reproduced to designate a special language or terminology of a speech community when that
community concentrates on a particular topic. In line with this theory of cultural word, five
different classes of "cultural categories" are designated from each other. Those categories
are as following:

- Ecology: flora, fauna, winds, plains, hills

- Material culture: food, clothes, houses and towns, transport

- Social culture: work and leisure

- Organizations, customs, activities, procedures, concepts

- Gesture and habits

 However, this classification was later revised by Newmark (2010) and culture-
specific items are divided into six categories: “Ecology; public life; social life; personal life;
customs and pursuits; and private passions”.

Therefore, based on the Newark’s categories of concepts of culture-specific items

(CSIS) (2010), it is clear that personal pronouns belong to the 3rd category “Social culture”.

III. Sociocultural context of translating personal pronoun in both English and

Vietnamese

Culture and language are closely related and inseparable. Language is a means of
transporting culture and culture is contained in language. Language change and
development always go hand in hand with cultural change and development. Personal
pronouns play a crucial role in language, serving as substitutes for nouns and facilitating
communication between speaker and listener. However, translating personal pronouns
between English and Vietnamese present unique challenges due to significant differences in
their sociocultural contexts.

1. Different in personal pronouns system

The Vietnamese personal pronoun system is much more diverse and complex. There
are degrees of formality, deference, and social distance, and pronoun choice depends on the
speaker's age, social status, relationship with the listener, and the situation. In English, the
pronoun system is relatively simple with three main personal pronouns (I, you and we).
These pronouns have singular and plural forms and a gender-neutral singular pronoun
(they). This can lead to ambiguity when translating, as the appropriate choice depends on
the age of the speaker, relationship with the listener, and desired level of formality.

Secondly, personal pronouns in each language carry different semantic nuances.

Vietnamese pronouns carry richer semantic nuances than English. For example, the pronoun
"tao" is used by younger individuals to address peers, while "tôi" is used by adults and
denotes respect. Similarly, "anh/chị" is used to address someone older or of higher social
status, regardless of their actual relationship to the speaker. Contrasting with Vietnamese,
the pronoun "you" in English can be formal or informal. This flexibility can lead to
ambiguity when translating to Vietnamese, as there are separate pronouns for formal and
informal contexts. For example, in a business setting, "you" would be translated to "ông/bà,"
while in a conversation between friends, it would be translated to "bạn."

Besides. Personal pronoun usage also reflects the social hierarchies. In Vietnamese,
young individuals use different pronouns to address older individuals or those of higher
social status. Conversely, English utilizes a single pronoun ("you") across all social roles.
This means that additional context clues are needed to determine the speaker's intent and
level of respect. One example is the phrase "Can you help me?" can be addressed to a
friend, colleague, or even a stranger.

2. Different in cultural etiquette

Due to the influence of Buddhist and Confucian views, Vietnamese culture places
great emphasis on respect for elders, especially the elderly. This extends to the use of
personal pronouns with pronouns such as: ông, bà, cụ cố. These shows deference and
acknowledges the elder's higher social status and wisdom. English, however, lacks a similar
convention. While respecting elders is still valued, it is not as explicitly reflected in
language. This can lead to misunderstandings when English speakers interact with
Vietnamese elders, as the lack of formal address might be perceived as disrespectful.

Furthermore, the difference in cultural etiquette is also shown in the communication

style of the two languages. Vietnamese communication often leans towards indirectness,
emphasizing harmony and avoiding confrontation. This is reflected in the use of pronouns
as well. For example, instead of directly addressing someone unfamiliar, "anh/chị"
(brother/sister) might be used as a placeholder. This indirect approach helps to maintain
social cohesion and avoid potential conflict. On the other hands, English communication
tends to be more direct and explicit. People typically address each other directly by their
name or title, leaving little room for ambiguity. This can clash with Vietnamese norms,
where directness might be perceived as rude or aggressive.

IV. Translation strategies

1. Translation by using a more neutral word

In some situations, directly translating personal pronouns between English and

Vietnamese can be misleading or inaccurate due to differing cultural contexts and pronoun
nuances. In such cases, using a more neutral word or phrase instead of a direct pronoun
translation can be a more effective approach.

For example:

"Can you help me with this task?" (English)

→ "Bạn có thể giúp tôi với nhiệm vụ này?" (Vietnamese)

→ "Có thể nhờ anh/chị giúp mình với nhiệm vụ này không?" (Vietnamese)

The first translation, while grammatically correct, might come across as too informal
depending on the relationship between the speaker and listener. While the second translation
uses the neutral word "anh/chị" (brother/sister) to address the listener. This word can be
used for people who are slightly older or of higher social status, and avoids the ambiguity of
directly using "bạn" (you).

2. Translation by omission

Vietnamese syntax often relies on context to identify the subject and object of a
sentence, making the use of personal pronouns less necessary than in English. Including
them can lead to redundancy and unnatural sounding Vietnamese. Omission creates a more
concise and direct style, which aligns better with the tendency of Vietnamese
communication to be less verbose than English.

Example: "We should go now. We're about to miss the train."

→ "Bây giờ chúng ta nên đi. Chúng ta sắp lỡ chuyến tàu rồi." (direct)

→ “Bây giờ nên đi thôi. Chúng ta sắp lỡ chuyến tàu rồi.” (omission)

Although "chúng ta" accurately translates to "we," it can be omitted in this context.
Moreover, removing the word "chúng ta" helps the target language translation avoid
duplication.

3. Translation by cultural substitution

Cultural substitution involves replacing personal pronouns with culturally

appropriate expressions that reflect the social hierarchy and respect dynamics within
Vietnamese society. This strategy can be particularly useful in translating sentences where a
direct translation of pronouns might be inaccurate or misleading.

Example: "I'm sorry for your loss."

→ "Tôi xin lỗi vì mất mát của bạn." (direct)

→ "Xin chia buồn cùng anh/chị/cô/bác." (cultural substitution)

In the direct version, "Tôi xin lỗi" (I'm sorry) normally expresses personal regret, but
it may not convey the full depth of sympathy in this context. So in this case, "Xin chia buồn
cùng" is a culturally appropriate expression used to express the speaker's condolences.
Using personal pronouns such as “anh/chị/cô/bác” instead of “bạn” also shows the closeness
between the speaker and the listener.

4. Translation by paraphrasing

Paraphrasing can be a valuable strategy for translating personal pronouns from

English to Vietnamese, especially when the direct translation would be unnatural or
ambiguous. It allows the translator to convey the intended meaning while maintaining the
flow and naturalness of the Vietnamese sentence.

Example: "I told you to wait for me!"

→ "Tôi đã bảo bạn đợi tôi!" (direct)

→ "Đã bảo đợi mà!" (paraphrasing)

The direct translation is grammatically correct. However, it lacks naturalness and

sounds somewhat redundant. The paraphrase uses the verb "bảo" ("told") to imply the
speaker and the imperative form of "đợi" ("wait") to imply the listener, eliminating
redundancy and achieving a more natural flow.

V. Conclusion

In conclusion, with the complex system and the difference in sociocultural context,
translating personal pronouns has posed a big challenge for many translators. The
translation of personal pronouns requires translators to have a deep insight of culture, a good
understanding and appropriate analysis of the source idiom before getting its translation
equivalent in the target language.
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Terms Of Address In Nguyen Huy Thiep’s Short Stories