University of Foreign Language Studies –UD

Department of English for Specific Purposes

TRANSLATION THEORY:
Illustrated Lectures

Le Tan Thi, Ph.D.

DANANG - 2020

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 I. CONCEPTS OF TRANSLATION AND TRANSLATION THEORY
(p.4)

(1) “Translation is the replacement of textual material in one language (source

language) by equivalent textual material in another language (target
language).”
( JC Catford)
PRACTICE
Give the target language equivalents to the following books/ films titles.

SOURCE LANGUAGES TARGET LANGUAGES

“The old man and the sea”
“Thorn birds”
“Cho tôi một vé đi tuổi thơ”
- ngư ông và biển cả
- Ông già và biển cả
- Tiếng chim hót trong bụi mận gai
- Những con chim ẩn mình chờ chết
ticket to childhood/ give me a ticket
to childhood

Penthouse Cuộc chiến thượng lưu

⇨ Source language is only 1, but target language might have many versions.

(2) “Translation is the process of conveying messages across linguistic

and cultural barriers.”
(Ian Tudor)
*LƯU Ý: Language: ngôn ngữ ≠ Linguistic: ngôn ngữ học

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PRACTICE

Give the target language equivalents to the source language ones.

FORMS SOURCE LANGUAGES TARGET LANGUAGES

- Ni cô Nun, Buddhist nun,
WORD
- Black Friday Thứ sáu đen, ngày hội mua
sắm

Corona ( covid 19), Delta,

omicron
- Mời bạn dùng beefsteak Can I help yourself to some
PHRASE beefsteak?

- Cho tớ gửi lời thăm bà xã Remember me to your wife!

nhé! (Remember me to sb: used to
ask sb to give your good
wishes)
SENTENCE/ - We win as one. Chúng ta cùng nhau chiến
CLAUSE thắng (The slogan and the
formal song of Sea game 30
on philipine)

- Biết mặt mà không biết tên Know sb by sight, not by

name

Give the English equivalents to the following Vietnamese kinship terms.`1

VIETNAMESE ENGLISH
Ông bà nội/ ngoại - Ông bà nội: paternal grandparents ( my
father’s parents )
- Ông bà ngoại: maternal grandparents ( My
mother’s parents)
Chú, bác (anh bố/ mẹ), dượng/ chú -Uncle, nếu phân chia nội ngoại thì dùng
(chồng cô/ chồng dì) paternal, maternal đi kèm
- -Uncle in law
Cô, thím, mợ ( nội), dì, bác aunt
gái( ngoại)--> (chị bố/ vợ bác trai),

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 Anh em cột chèo, chị em bạn dâu
Anh em cùng cha/ mẹ khác mẹ/ cha
Anh em chú bác ruột/ lại/họ, cô cậu
ruột/ lại/ họ
Vợ kế, vợ bé, vợ cũ
Others
Brothers- in- law, sister-in-law
- Half-brothers on father-hood/mother - hood
- Uterine brothers
cousin
Step-wife, concubine/secondary wife, ex-
wife

(3) “Translation is rendering the meaning of a text into another language in the
way that the author intended the text.” (Peter Newmark)
PRACTICE
SOURCE LANGUAGES TARGET LANGUAGE
The two captains Hai thuyền trưởng

Captain:
 Ship: thuyền trưởng
 Football: đội trưởng
 Aircraft: cơ trưởng
 Army: đại úy, chỉ huy
An toàn là trên hết Better safe than sorry (thành ngữ)/
safety first (khẩu hiệu)
Vô phận sự miễn vào - Authorized personnel only
- Staff only
Rooms are to be vacated by midday at các phòng phải được trả lại chậm nhất là
the least: trước 12h trưa.
Bỏ trống  trả lại

*CHÚ Ý: Phải chú ý “Context” nó ở đâu?

In the reception (in a hotel) Check in: 2
pm
Check out: 12pm

Give the target language equivalents to the source language ones.

In general, translation is the replacement of a text in a source language by

another one in a target language in terms of linguistics, culture or meaning.

As a result, translation theory is methods, procedures (thủ thuật) or principles

(nguyên tắc) for rendering source language texts into target language ones.

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II. TRANSLATION (biên dịch) vs INTERPRETATION (phiên dịch)
(pp.5-10)

TYPES OF TRANSLATION TYPES OF LANGUAGE

Translation Written (or Spoken)
Interpretation Spoken only

II.1. Three complex tasks of translation & interpretation (p.5)

a. General knowledge

Knowledge about some fields in life; i.e. knowledge of social sciences

(geography, history, literature, economics …) or natural sciences (chemistry,
physics, math, IT …) that are essential for translation.

SOCIAL SCIENCES NATURAL SCIENCES

History Chemistry
Geography Physics
Language Math
Economics IT
Culture Biology
(…) (…)

Ở Phổ thông: You study on few in life  kiến thức phổ thông,
Sau khi tốt nghiệp phổ thông: You acquire general knowledge.

English for specific: tiếng anh(thuộc) chuyên ngành ( tiếng anh vì mục đích
chuyên ngành, chuyên nghiệp)

b. Cultural knowledge (Refer to Course Book, pp.5-6)

PRACTICE

Give the English equivalents to the following expressions.

SOURCE LANGUAGES TARGET LANGUAGES

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Kính thưa quý vị đại biểu! - Ladies and Gentlemen, (quý vị)
Kính thưa quý vị khách quý! - Distinguished guests, (khách quý)

Dear teacher and friends ( thưa cô và chào

các bạn)
Kính thưa đại sứ Hoa Kỳ tại VN - His/her/your excellency
+ His: ông đại sứ
+ Her: bà đại sứ
+ Your: nhiều đại sứ

- His/her/your Majesty: speaking

about or to king or queen, tổng
thống.
cách gọi này là Đúng nhất khi
gọi kính thưa tổng thống, vua hay nữ
hoàng, ng Anh dùng)
Còn ở bên Mỹ, tổng thống hay
đại sứ, thủ tướng đều gọi
“excellency”

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 c. Specific translative/ interpretive skills

Language Proficencies TRANSLATION INTERPRETATION

Vocabulary (esp. ESP, + +
idioms, proverbs,
collocation, habit of
reading, …)
Structure (Verb + +
structure: V-ing/ to Inf.;
Phrasal verb, 11n
syntactic structures…)
Methods/ Procedures + +
(for translation)
Listening skill +
(memory, note-taking,
summarizing &
paraphrasing)
Speaking (fluency, +
pronunciation … )

REFERENCE: 2 books
- “Basic English Words” by C. K. Ogden
https://readable.com/blog/the-ogden-basic-english-word-list/
(A Hand Book for the English Language Translator (2014:10-13))

PRACTICE

Practice of Vietnamese-English Translation in terms of structures.

No VIETNAMESE ENGLISH
1 Một số người là bác sĩ, một số là Some are doctors, and the
kỹ sư. other/others are engineer.
2 Một người là bác sĩ, còn những One is a doctor, others are
người kia là kỹ sư. engineer.
3 Một số người là bác sĩ, còn chỉ Some are doctors, and another is
người kia là kỹ sư. an engineer.
4 Một số người là bác sĩ, một số là Some are doctor, some are
kỹ sư, còn những người kia là engineer, and the other/others are

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 công nhân. worker.
5 Đà Nẵng là thành phố lớn thứ ba Danang is the third largest city in
trong cả nước. the country
6 Dân số Nhật Bản gấp đôi (dân Population of Japan is twice as
số) Việt Nam. much as that of VN/the
Vietnamese one.
7 Vào mùa đông, thời tiết Hà Nội In winter, the weather in Hanoi is
lạnh hơn Đà nẵng. colder than that in da nang
8 Một trong hai người là bác sĩ. Either of them (1 trong 2 người)
is a doctor
9 Không ai trong hai họ là bác sĩ. Neither of them (không ai trong 2
người) is a doctor.
one of them (1 trong 3 người trở
lên...) is a doctor.

None of them is a doctor/are

Không ai trong họ là bác sĩ doctors. (khong ai trong họ là bác
sĩ)
10 Chẳng có ích gì khi nói chuyện There’s no point (in) talking to
với hắn ta. him.
It’s no use Ving
11 Không ai không ngưỡng mộ cô Nobody but admire her.
ấy. There is no one but admire her.
One can’t but admire her.
12 Lẽ ra hôm qua bạn không nên gọi You shouldn’t have called her
cho cô ấy. yesterday.
13 Tôi không chắc, ắt hẵn cô ấy đã I’m not sure, she must have gone.
đi rồi.
14 Có thể cô ấy đã hoàn thành dự She could/might have
án. finished/accomplished the project.
15 Tôi sẽ hoàn thành khóa học ngay I will have finished this course by
truoc tháng năm, năm sau. May, next year.
…. vao thang nam, nam sau. I will finish …
16 Mời bạn dùng món beef steak Can I help yourself to some
beefsteak?

17. Học sinh lớp này nhiều gấp 3 lần Students in this class are 3
học sinh của lớp kia. times/triple as much as the other’s
one.

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Thức giả định (Subj… mood) : might/must have V3 (giong cau dk loai 3, thuc kh
co that trong qua khu, trai vs qk)
Thức chỉ định (indicative mood): Have + V3 ( thuc co that trong ht, qk, tg lai)

REFERENCE
- A Hand Book for the English Language Translator (2014:14-53). 630
verbal utterances
Những từ vựng thg mại, về tất cả các lĩnh vực trong đời sống, tự down về tìm hiểu,
đọc

PRACTICE

Practice of English- Vietnamese translation in terms of the statement “Translation

and interpretation involves ideas, not words”.

No ENGLISH VIETNAMESE
1 An ambitious person is Người có hoài bão luôn nguyện
committed to improving his phấn đấu vì sự nghiệp.
status at work. Tham vọng (negative sense)
KHÁC với Hoài bão (positive
To committe to Ving sth: cam kết sense)
làm gì
Be commited to Ving Ex: famous KHÁC notorious for
= infamous (well known for being
KHÁC với promise: hứa hẹn, tần bad)
xuất nó khác
2 Airport tax is not included in the
price of fare and must be paid Thuế sân bay không nằm trong
locally on the arrival or giá vé mà phải được thanh toán
departure. tại ga lúc đến hoặc lúc đi

Locally = terminal: ga (máy bay)

domestic terminal (ga nội địa) và
international terminal (ga quốc
tế).

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3 It is estimated that there are 4 or Ước tính rằng cứ mỗi một ng
5 people affected by every nghiện rượu thì sẽ tác động/ảnh
alcoholic - many are children and hưởng đến 4-5 người - đa phần là
teenagers. trẻ em và thanh thiếu niên.

Gia đình nc ngoài: nuclear family

( 3-4 người).
Vậy còn ng thứ 5, ở đâu ra? Là trẻ
con hàng xóm sống gần nhà,
chúng cg bị ảnh hưởng.
4 There are necessary inequalities Nhất thiết phải có sự khác biệt về
in the roles but the people are vị trí trong xh Nhưng mn phải dc
supposed to be equally đảm bảo quyền bình đẳng trc
guaranteed under the law. pháp luật

In this case:
Necessary = inevitable =
unavoidable
5 The only way to eliminate world Cách duy nhất để loại bỏ chủ
terrorism is by united opposition nghĩa khủng bố thế giới là đoàn
kết/hợp lực để chống lại.
th
6 Pho originated in the early 20 Phở có nguồn gốc từ miến Bắc
century in northern VN. Because Việt Nam vào đầu thế kỷ 20. Vì
pho’s origins are poorly tài liệu về nguồn gốc của phở còn
documented, there is significant sờ sài/hạn hẹp nên ít nhiều có sự
disagreement over the cultural bất đồng về sự ảnh hưởng/bình
influences that led to its diện văn hóa, điều này đã dẫn đến
development in VN, as well as sự phổ biến và nguồn gốc của từ
the etymology of the world “Phở” ở VN.
7 Little minds are tamed and Những kẻ tầm thường/kẻ thiếu
subdued by misfortune; but great hiểu biết/kẻ yếu kém luôn dễ bị số
minds rise above it. phận chi phối và định đoạt nhưng
những người có hiểu biết rộng thì
sẽ có thể vượt qua.
*Embodiment

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8 It has been my experience that
anyone who went to a single sex
school has finished with a severe
lack of social interaction skills
with the other sex.
9 CEO Nadella from Microsoft
“We need to believe in the
impossible and remove the
improbable”
10 Money is not the end but means
11 During the oil refinery strike,
there was enormous petrol queue.
12 Collocation is the way words
combine in a language to
produce natural-sounding speech
and writing. For example, In
English you say strong wind but
heavy rain.
13 A saint was asked “What is an
anger”.
He gave a beautiful answer: “ It
is a punishment we give to
ourselves, for somebody else’s
mistake.”
14 The date on Tuesday, february
22th 2022 will be both
“palinedrome” and “an
ambigram”.
The date will read the same from
left to right and vice versa or
upside down or vice versa.
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Theo kinh nghiệm của tôi thì
những ai từng tốt nghiệp ở trường
đơn giới đều thiếu trầm trọng kỹ
năng tương tác xã hội với người
khác giới.
Theo tổng giám đốc điều hành của
doanh nghiệp Microsoft: chúng ta
cần tin vào những điều không thể
và loại bỏ những điều không thiết
thực.
Tiền không phải là cứu cánh của
cuộc đời mà là phương tiện.
Trong suốt quá trình đình công của
nhà máy lọc dầu, Đã có nhiều dòng
xe dài/hàng đàn xe chờ đổ xăng.
hợp ngữ/phối ngữ là phương thức
kết hợp những từ ngữ trong một
ngôn ngữ để tạo ra diễn ngôn (lối
hành văn và cách diễn đạt ngôn
ngữ) một cách tự nhiên.
Chẳng hạn như, trong tiếng anh,
người ta nói “strong wind (gió
lớn)”, nhưng lại nói “heavy rain (
mưa to)”
Khi được hỏi “cơn giận dữ là gì”,
ngài đã trả lời một cách triết lý như
thế này “ đó chính là hình phạt dành
cho cho bản thân/chính mình vì lỗi
lầm của người khác.”
Thứ ba, ngày 22 tháng 2 năm 2022
được coi là ngày đối xứng 2 chiều
lẫn chiều ngang và chiều dọc
Là ngày mà cách đọc giống nhau
dù đọc từ trái sang phải, từ trên
xuống dưới hoặc ngược lại.
 15 Love doesn’t require 2 people Cách 1: “Tình yêu không
look at each other but that they phải/không nhất thiết đòi hỏi/không
chỉ là 2 nguoi nhìn vào nhau mà là
look together in the same
nhìn cùng một hướng.”
direction (Antoine de saint
exupery) Cách 2: “Yêu không phải để chỉ
ngồi nhìn nhau mà còn là nhìn về 1
hướng.”
Translation is betrayal.
Literal (denotational): biểu thị
Figurative (connotational): biểu hiện

II.2. Four basic types of translation & interpretation (p.7)

TYPES TRANSLATION INTERPRETATION

- Prepared at home/ in class and then being
Prepared translation corrected (in class)
(Soạn dịch) - for contract, project, memorandum, certificate of
birth/ merit/ graduation, transcript record (học
bạ), invitation…

- Learn to read ahead while translation (prediction,

Sight translation speculation)
(dịch lướt) - for emails, familiar documents …
Consecutive Dịch đuổi-dịch nối tiếp - Specialskills: listening
interpretation & note-taking memory,
repeating, summarizing
Simultaneous Dịch song song, đồng thời - Training: synonyms,
interpretation paraphrasing, different
voices, accents & speed

Requirements:

+ Special & disciplined training

+ Taking courses over & over again for credit

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Prepared translation
GIẤY MỜI (INVITATION)

REFERENCE

https://www.google.com/search?
q=samples+of+invitations+to+a+party&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=yonzD
u-FStWd1M%253A%252C5kzP8pAa3NhkfM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-
kTu3_EsYGYEDhhUz38NqV6721JLTA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj6z5--
293oAhXVdd4KHSWlD3kQ9QEwB3oECAoQJw#imgrc=yonzDu-FStWd1M

Sight translation

Fill in the spaces with suitable words or expressions:

A doctor who worked in a village was very (annoyed/ angry)………………..

because many people used to stop him in the street and ask his advice. In this
way, he was never paid for his (1)..................and he never managed to earn much
money. He (2)……………….. his mind to put an end to this. One day, he was
stopped by a young man who said to him “Oh, doctor, I’m so glad to see you. I’ve
got a severe pain in my left side.” The doctor (3)……………….. to be interested
and said, “Shut your eyes and (4)……………….. your tongue out of your
mouth.” Then he went away, leaving the man standing in the street with his
tongue hanging out (5)……………….. and a large (6)……………….. of people
laughing at him.

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 I. LANGUAGE AND CULTURE (pp.11-13)

“No language can exist unless it is steeped in the context of culture; and no
culture of natural language. Language, then, is the heart within the body of
culture, and it is the interaction between the two that results in the continuation
of life – energy.”
VIETNAMESE CUISINE

REFERENCE

A Hand Book for the English Language Translator (2014:300-303)

1. Nước chấm (sauce, paste, jam)

+ Structure
Types Sauce (washy), Paste Spices
(thicker)/ Jam
fish/ shrimp/ soya sauce/ paste/ jam (spiced) with ginger/
chili
(Pre-)modifier Head (Post-)modifier

PRACTICE

Match the Vietnamese kinds of sauce or paste with the English equivalents.

No Vietnamese L English
1 nước mắm a shrimp paste
2 mắm tôm b soybean jam
3 mắm ruốc c soya sauce
4 mắm kho quẹt d fish sauce
5 xì dầu e soya cheese
6 Chao f stew pork & shrimp dip
7 Tương g oyster sauce
8 dầu hào h shrimp and fish paste

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REFERENCE

https://tienganhonline.com/tu-vung/tu-vung-theo-chu-de/35-tu-vung-tieng-anh-
chu-de-gia-vi/

Match the Vietnamese spices with their English equivalents.

A Vietnamese L English
N
1 gừng a Chilli
2 tỏi b Lime
3 ớt c curry powder
4 tiêu d cooking oil
5 muối tiêu e monosodium glutamate (MSG)
6 giấm f five-spice powder
7 Chanh g Shallot
8 hạt nêm h sesame oil
9 bột ngọt i peper salt
10 hành lá j Ketchup
11 hành tím k Mustard
12 sả l Garlic
13 tương cà m olive oil
14 tương ớt n Vietnamese caramel sauce
15 mù tạt o Vinegar
16 dầu ăn/ nấu p pasta sauce
17 dầu mè q spring/green onion
18 bột nghệ r Mayonnaise
19 ngũ vị hương s Pepper
20 bột cà ri t chili sauce
21 dầu ô liu u Lemongrass
22 sốt cà chua nấu mì Ý v turmeric powder

23 xốt mayonnaise x Ginger

24 nước màu w Seasoning

2. Cá (fish)
+ Structure

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 Cuisine Types Fish
+ braised/ caramel, flying, cat, goat, butter, Fish
grilled, fried, steamed, sail, blue
smoked African … Carp
Snakehead Mullet
(-) salmon, tuna, sardin,
shark, eel
(Pre-)modifier Classifier Head

PRACTICE

Match the Vietnamese fish dishes and sea food with the English equivalents.

AN Vietnamese LN English
1 cá da trơn / tra/ trê i sailfish
2 cá chình ii snakehead/ mullet
3 cá chuồn Iii black-banded kingfish/ trevally
4 cá phèn iv Anabas
5 cá quả/tràu/ lóc/ chuối v Scad
6 cá diêu hồng/ rô phi vi Tuna
7 cá rô vii Sole
8 cá bớp viii Sardin
9 cá chim ix Catfish
10 cá cờ x Shark
11 cá hồi xi cod(fish)/ mackerel

12 cá cu xii goby/ gudgeon

13 cá đuối xiii African carp/ red tilapia
14 cá thu xiv hemibagrus
15 cá bạc má xv Mullet
16 cá ngừ xvi crucian (carp)
17 cá mú xvii ray, skate
18 cá lưỡi trâu/ bơn xviii Anchovy
19 cá mòi xix (red) snapper
20 cá nhám xx salmon
21 cá bống xxi Eel
22 cá lăng xxii cyprinid/ Carp
23 cá gáy/ chép xxiii Goatfish

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 24 cá cơm xxv Grouper
25 cá nục/ cá sòng xxiv blue fish/ scad
26 cá đối xxvi Butterfish
27 cá giếc xxvii Cobia
28 cá hồng/ chỉ vàng/ cá hanh xxviii flying fish
Sắp xếp từ với nghĩa tương ứng
N Vietnamese L English
1 tôm bạc a Prawn
2 tôm bể b jumbo shrimp steam in beer
3 tôm sú c field/ fresh water crab
4 tôm lột d salted fried crab
5 tôm chiên bột e thin crab (little meat, no fat)
6 tôm hấp bia f soft shell crab
7 tôm rim mặn g white shrimp
8 tôm hùm h shell-fish/ oyster
9 cua rang muối i arca/ shell
10 cua bể/ ghẹ j fried (butterfly) shrimp/ prawn

11 cua đồng k mussel/ shell

12 cua gạch l salty-simmerd shrimp
13 cua chắc (thịt) m barnacle/oyster
14 cua lột/rẽ/ dẽ n sea/ salt-water crab
15 cua óp/ nước o sea shrimp
16 nghêu/ ngao p pearl oyster/ mussel
17 Sò q Lobster
18 ốc/ chip chip r fat crab (with liver pancreas)
19 hến s shell-fish
20 Hàu t molting shrimp
21 Don u Oyster
22 Trai v meaty crab

Match the Vietnamese cuisines with the English equivalents.

No Vietnamese L English
1 cá kho a caramel fish
2 kho tộ b fish finger
3 Chiên c braised fish
4 hấp d steamed fish
5 Viên e grilled/ fried fish

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Match the Vietnamese fish types with the English equivalents.

No Vietnamese L English
1 cá đóng hộp a dried fish
2 cá khô b ornamental fish

3 cá ướp c canned/ tinned fish

4 cá ươn d salt-water/sea fish
5 cá đông lạnh e spoiled fish
6 cá cảnh f freshwater/ river fish
7 cá sông/ nước ngọt g brackish fish
8 cá biển h preserved fish
9 cá nước lợ i frozen fish

3. Thịt (meat)
+ Structure

Cuisine Types Meat Shapes

stewed, roast(ed), minced/ chopped, beef, veal, pork,
barbecued, rare, shoulder cut, lean chicken, duck,
braised, caramel & fat, salted & turkey, sheep
dried
dog/ cat/ snake Meat
(-) fillet, bacon (-)
(Pre-)modifier Head (Post-)modifer
Meat balls, cubes
(modifier) (head)

Give English equivalents to the following Vietnamese cuisine.

No Vietnamese L English
1 Băm a salted & dried meat
2 thăn, nạt b stuffed
3 ba chỉ c rare beef
4 ba rọi d fillet

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 5 nạm e caramel
6 thái hạt lựu f veal/ beef stew
7 muối g rump steak
8 kho khô h minced/ chopped meat
9 rim mặn i Ham

10 ninh, hầm j Bacon

11 xiên nướng k meat balls
12 tái/ lòng đào l lean & fat meat
13 nhồi m shoulder cut
14 sống/ tươi n meat cubes
15 dăm bông o roast/ barbecued meat
16 thịt mông p half-lean & half-fat meat
17 thịt vai q frozen/ raw meat
18 thịt sườn r Chinese braised pork
19 thịt viên s flank meat
20 thịt cừu t meat on the bone
21 kho tàu u Lamb

Give English equivalents to the following Vietnamese flavors/ tastes.

No Vietnamese L English
1 Cay A Sour
2 đắng B flat/unsavory
3 Chua C Salty
4 chua cay D Fat
5 nhạt E Bitter
6 Béo F Sweet
7 mặn G hot/ peppery
8 ngọt H Acrid

4. Đậu (beans)

cô ve French

Ván Broad
đen/ đỏ black/red

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Hà Lan Green
Tây Kidney Bean
Đũa Chinese pea/cowpea
lạc pea/ground/ earth Nut
điều Cashew
hũ/ khuôn Soya Cake
(Pre-)modifier Head

5. Rau (Vegetables/ Greens)

rau sạch Fresh vegetable/ greens

rau sống raw
rau lang sweet potato Buds
bông bí pumpkin
súp lơ cauli- Flower
rau cần (-) Cress
cải xoong water-
Hung mint Leaves
cà pháo egg- Plant
(Pre-)modifier Head

PRACTICE
Give English equivalents to the following Vietnamese vegetables.

No Vietnamese L English
1 rau muống a cabbage
2 rau thơm b pennywort
3 cải bắp c basil
4 rau cần tây d dill
5 húng quế e bindweed/ water morning glory
6 rau má f persicaria
7 mồng tơi g fennel/ dill
8 rau răm h celery
9 rau mùi i malabar nightshade
10 thì là j perilla nankinensis
11 tía tô k green banana

12 tần ô/ cải cúc l coriandrum sativum

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13 Ngò m coriander/ chinese parsley
14 chuối chát n edible chrysanthemum

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 6. Rượu (Alcohol)

nếp fermented glutinous/

sticky rice
nếp cẩm red glutinous rice Wine
thuốc tonic/ medicinal
vang red
đế/ trắng/ gạo Vietnamese (rice) liquor/ whisky
Mùi Liqueur
(Pre-)modifier Head

NOTES

wine (an alcoholic drink made from grape/fruit); brandy (strong alcoholic; grape,
apple/fruit, flower/ plant), cognac (a kind of brandy, strong alcoholic from white
grape); whisky (strong alcoholic, malted grain,); chivas (strong alcoholic, malted
grain, mixture of whisky); gin (from grain mixed with tonic/ fruit juice); liquor
(strong alcoholic)/ alcohol); champagne (a French sparkling white wine (= one
with bubble) that is drunk on special occassions); sake/ saki (a Japanese alcoholic
drink made from rice); rum (a strong alcoholic drink made from juice of sugar
cane)

http://vforum.vn/diendan/showthread.php?83023-Chivas-Gin-Cognac-Whisky-
Brandy-la-ruou-gi-

Give English equivalents to the following Vietnamese alchol.

No Vietnamese L English
1 rượu nho a tonic wine
2 rượu nho trắng b vintage (wine)
3 rượu bổ c Appetizer
4 rượu hổ cốt d Cognac
5 rượu khai vị e tiger-bone wine
6 rượu mùi/ ngọt f Brandy
7 rượu mạnh/ nồng g absolute alcohol
8 rượu nguyên chất h liqueur =/= liquor

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 7. Giải khát (Refreshment)

white
black
roasted with(out) ice
robusta coffee
arabica
[take-away/ take-out, [to go] =/= here
shipping]
Milk tea
(Pre-)modifier (Pre-)modifier (Post-)modifier

apple/ lemon/ orange/ sugar cane Juice

lemonade, orangeade
(Pre-)modifier Head

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 PROBLEMS OF EQUIVALENCE (P. 12-13)
(P. 12)

IDIOMS, PROVEBS

Like father, like son (equivalence)

The more you go, the more you learn!
“Travelling means education”
Easy come, easy go!

FOUR TYPES OF EQUIVALENCE

(1) Linguistic equivalence

I love you, Ngo ai ni

(2) Paradigmatic equivalence

Bear (bore, born/ borne)

I <-> gave <-> Mary <-> the <-> book.

I
passed
I
handed
I
threw

=/= : syntagmatic

(3) Stylistic (Translational) equivalence

+ Metaphor (hot line/ boy/ girl; cold war)

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 + Simile (as white as snow )

(P. 13)

(4) Textual (Syntagmatic) equivalence

<Giovanni ...>: Italian (P.12)

“John is leading his dog around the threshing floor”
<=> “John is beating about the bush”
<=> “Đi lạc đề”
See you later. Ok? (nhé)
The utterance was correct, wasn’t it?
(nhỉ) You are going home? (ư)
You like it, right? (à)
You must take it, certainly?(chứ)

Semantic features of the mood disjuncts “à, ư, nhỉ, nhé, chứ” and their
English translational equivalents

1. “à” used to denote

+ Interrogation
a. Anh mệt rồi à?
b. You are tired, aren’t you?
+ Exclamatory nuance
a. Cậu muốn mua thịt à!
b. So you want to buy meat?

1. “ư” used to indicate

+ Interrogative statement
a. Bây giờ các hàng ăn đã đóng cửa, chúng ta đều nhịn đói ư?
b. Now the restaurants are all closed. Must we consent to endure
going hungry? (Inquiry)

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2. “nhỉ” used to imply
+ Intimateness interrogation
a. Có lẽ hôm nay đã là mồng hai, mồng ba tây rồi, mình nhỉ?
b. Today is the 2nd or 3rd day of the month, isn’t it, dear?

+ “Self-inquiry” interrogation
a. Trời ơi, mình đã nói gì nhỉ?
b. Oh, my God, I don’t know what I was talking about.

3. “nhé” used to express

+ Intimateness

a. Thôi mình về nhé!

b. That’s all, I’m leaving home, all right?
+ Suggestion
a. Anh đứng đấy chờ tôi nhé!
b. Stand here and wait for me, won’t you?
+ Commitment
a. Mẹ gật đầu là đồng ý rồi đấy nhé!
b. Great! You nodded your head, it means agreement, right?
+ Advice
a. Con phải cố gắng học cho tốt nhé.
b. You will do your best at school, right?

4. “chứ” used to express

+ Confirmation
a. Anh vẫn khoẻ chứ? Công việc tốt chứ? Gia đình vẫn ở đó chứ?
b. You are still fine, right? The work is good, right? Your house is
still there, right?
+ Emphasis
a. Anh có đi chơi không?- Có chứ!
b. Are you going for a walk?- Yes, certainly!
+ Requirement/ Reminder
a. Khẽ mồm chứ!
b. Not so loud, dear!

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 + Objection
a. Đồng hồ Seiko của Thụy Sỹ tốt lắm phải không? Đồng hồ Seiko là
của Nhật chứ!
b. The Seiko watch from Switzerland is very good, isn’t it? Seiko is a
Japanese watch!

English Equivalent Forms of Some Vietnamese Mood Disjuncts

English Translational Equivalents Vietnamese
Mood
Disjuncts
à ư nh Nh chứ
ỉ é
Right? + - - + +
All right! - - - + -
All right? - - - + -
Of Course - - - - +
Certainly! - - - - +
Ok! - - - + -
Ok? - - - + -
Yes-No Question + - + + +
Tag Question + - + + +
Exclamation Mark + - + + +
Statement - - + + -
Interrogative statement + + + + +

Once the principle is accepted that sameness cannot exist between two languages,
it becomes possible to approach the question of loss and gain in the translation
process

(…) what is lost in the transfer of a text from SL to TL whilst ignoring what can
also be gained, for the translator can at times enrich or clarify the SL text as a
direct result of the translation process.

Moreover, what is often seen as “lost” from the SL context may be replaced in the
TL context.

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Advertising Slogans
The World’s local bank (HSBC)
(Ngân hàng toàn cầu, am hiểu địa phương)
UNTRANSLATABILITY (P. 15)

Catford distinguishes two types of untranslatability, which he terms linguistic and

cultural. On the linguistic level, untranslatability occurs when there is no lexical
or syntactical substitute in the TL for an SL item.

Syntactic Barriers
- Con ông cháu cha (=/= born with silver spoon in the mouth)
- Mẹ tròn con vuông
- Sáng đón chiều đưa
- Chăn êm nệm ấm
- Không ít thì nhiều
- Nam thanh nữ tú:
- Tối lửa tắt đèn
- Ăn trên ngồi trước
- Cao chạy xa bay
- Mặt dạn mày dày

No Lexical equivalence

+ áo dài? (Vietnamese traditional dress/ costume)

+ Hoahaoism

+ dog meat

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 1. Art & Culture
Classical theatre/ opera in the North
Chèo popular/ in the North
traditional
Tuồng Classical theatre/ opera in the North
Hát bội (tuồng) Classical in Binh Dinh
Cải lương Reformed (in the South)
Hát quan họ (duo of) love In Bac Ninh
Hát đối repartee’s
Hát ả đào (Vietnamese)
geisha’s song
Ca huế Classical in Hue
Hát chèo đò ferry (in Hue)
Bài chòi Traditional in a hut (in
Central Part)
Hát ví dặm repartees’ in Nghe Tinh
Hát xoan folk song/ballad in Phu Tho
(Pre-)modifier Head (Post-) modifier

Ca trù: ceremonial/ festival song

Hát xẩm: (strolling) blind musician’s song
Ca dao: folk verse
Hát nhép: lip synch

Florence Mason & Robert Storey (Guide Book)

Pho (beef noodle soup, chicken soup with rice noodle),

Hat boi (classical theatre in the South of Central Vietnam)
Cheo (popular theatre)
Tuong (classical theatre in the North)

NH Viet Tien, Elizabeth Hodgkin, Huu Ngoc, Mary Cowan

(Translator’s Handbook)
Cai luong (renovated opera) / reformed opera
Cheo (popular opera)
Tuong (classical opera) =/= ballet

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 Pho (rice noodle soup with beef/chiken)
Dang Chan Lieu, Le Kha Ke, Pham Duy Trong

Pho (noodle soup)

Cai luong (reformed theatre)
Tuong (classical drama)
Cheo (traditional operetta)
Play?

Ly Quy Trung

Pho (Vietnamese Pho Noodle)

Canh (broth = soup)
Mien (vermicelli)
Bún: Hue noodle served with beef and pork
Hủ tiếu, cao lầu, bún, mì quảng, banh canh (noodle)
Wonton
(A kind of ) noodle served with roast pork
2. Ẩm thực sợi (noodle cuisines)
Cusine Types Serve/ Cooking
phở Northern/ noodle (soup) with (rare) beef/
(Vietnamese pho) chicken
miến Vermicelli with chicken
Bún Hue Noodle with (rare) beef/
pork
mì Quảng Quang Noodle with shrimp &
meat/ chicken/
freshwater fish
cao lầu Hoi An pasta/ spaghetti with roasted/
fried pork
hủ tiếu Southern Noodle with chopped
pork/ shrimp/
(sau’té) beef/
(Pre-)modifier Head (Post-)modifier
Hue noodle (soup) with (rare) beef/ pork, Northern Vermicelli with chicken, Quang
spaghetti/ pasta/ with roasted/ fired pork

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3. Bánh

Bánh Shape Cuisine Types Services

nậm Steamed rice pancake with shrimp
Xèo rice pancake with shrimp,
meat, (soya
bean) sprout
Canh rice with shrimp,
spaghetti/ crab and meat
pasta
Ít sweetened
Chưng square Glutinous/
Tét cy’lindrical sticky rice
Ú py’ramidal cake
Pastry
Custard
(Pre-)modifier Head (Post)modifier

+ Bánh bao (dumpling), bánh bao - bánh vạc (white rose), bánh bèo (bloating fern-
shaped cake), nậm (steamed rice pancake with shrimp), lọc (tapi’oca starch with
shrimp), ướt (steamed thin rice pancake), ram ít (glutinous rice cake), canh (rice
spaghetti cooked with shrimp, crab and meat), bánh xèo (rice pancake fold in half
(filled with shrimp, meat, soya bean sprout), Vietnamese crepe),
+ đậu lạc, đậu xanh, đậu đỏ, đậu đen …
+ Chè (sweetened porridge/ sweet soup), chè 3 màu (rainbow ice with cononut
milk) xôi,
+ cake, pie,
+ Bánh bông lan (sponge cake), bánh tro (glutinous rice cake flour dipped in lye),
bánh trôi (floating cake?), bánh trung thu (moon cake/ mid-Autumn festival pie),
bánh ú (pyramidal/4 cornered glutinous rice dumpling/ cake), do(ugh)nut,

bánh chưng (square glutinous/ sticky rice cake), bánh tét (cylindric glutinous/
sticky rice cake (filled with green bean paste and fat pork) bánh cốm (green/ fresh
rice flake cake), bánh cuốn (steamed rolled rice pancake), bánh đậu xanh (green
bean cake), bánh hỏi (fine rice vermicelli/steamed rolls made of rice-flour), bánh ít
(sweetened glutinous rice cake), bánh kẹp (pancake), bánh tôm (crisp shrimp
pastry), bò kho (stewed beef cubes (with bread), curry gà (chicken curry)
+ Cháo lòng (porridge with in’testine)

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 Paraphrase

Fruits & flowers

4. Fruit

na (sugar/ custard apple), dứa (pine apple), điều (cashew apple), roi (roseapple),
vú sửa (milk apple)khế (star fruit), bưởi (grape fruit), mít (jack fruit), (dragon
fruit) chanh dây (passion fruit),
Na sugar/ custard
dứa pine-
điều Cashew Apple
vú sửa Milk
Roi rose-
bưởi Grape fruit
chanh dây* Passion
Me Tamarind (fruit)
chôm chôm hairy Litchi
dưa hấu Water Melon
mướp đắng* Bitter Melon
(Pre-)modifier Head

+ na (sugar/ custard apple), dứa (pine apple), điều (cashew apple), roi (roseapple),
khế (star fruit =/= Adam’s apple), vú sửa (milk apple),
+ bưởi (grape fruit), (tamarind (fruit)
+ nho (grape), nho khô (raisin), nhãn (longan), hạnh (almond), bơ (avo’cado), phật
thủ (Buddha’s hand), lê (pear), plum (mận), đào (peach), anh đào(cherry), đu đủ
(pa’paya, pa’paw, ‘pawpaw), quýt (mandarin(e), chôm chôm (hairy litchi), xoài
(mango), dâu tây (strawberry), dâu ta (black berry), ổi (guava), sầu riêng (durian),
mâm xôi/ phúc bồn tử (raspberry), mơ/ mai (apricot),
+ mướp đắng (bitter melon/ gourd)

+ giầm (preserve)
+ chanh dây (passion fruit)

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5. Flowers
hướng dương sun- Flower
phượng Flame
Đào Peach
mận Plum Blossom
Mai Apricot

huệ tây Sword Lily

lay ơn (-)
hồng (-) Rose
huệ ta tube-
violet Violet
Tulip Tulip
pan-xê Pansy
ăng ti gôn Antigonon
(Pre-)modifier Head

hướng dương (sunflower), phượng (flame flower/ flamboyan), huệ tây/ loa kèn
(madonna) lily), lay ơn (sword lily/ gladiolus), đào (peach blossom), mận (plum
blossom), mai (apricot blossom), huệ ta (tuberose), tím (violet), tuy-líp (tulip),
pan-xê (pansy), ăng ti gôn (antigonon), sen (lotus) phong lan (orchid), nhài
(jasmine), hoa trà (camellia), quỳnh (phyllo cactus grandis), mẫu đơn (peony), mộc
lan (magnolia), cẩm chướng (carnation), cẩm quỳ (mallow), cúc (chrysanthemum),
cẩn/ dâm bụt (hibiscus), sứ (frangipani/frangipane), đồng tiền (gerbera), giấy
(bougainvillea), hải đường (thea amplexicaulis), mào gà (celosia cristata lin), súng
(nenuphar), sim (rhodomyrtus tomentosa), tầm xuân (eglantine), thủy tiên
(narsissus), thược dược (dahlia), vạn thọ (tagetes patula) ….

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 METHODS & PROCEDURES OF TRANSLATION
“Translation methods relate to whole text”, on the other hand, translation
procedures (or strategies) are used for sentences and the smaller units of language.” Peter
Newmark (1988). (p.17-18)
1. TRANSLATION METHODS

METHODS NOTES EXAMPLES

Word-for-word translation
Literal translation
Faithful translation
Semantic translation
Free translation
Idiomatic translation
Communicative translation
Adaption translation
Transferring SL word order “Give me a ticket to
as well as the primary childhood”
meanings of all words;
normally effective for brief
simple neutral sentences.
SL grammatical “Love story”
constructions are converted “Flat World”
to their nearest TL; normally “Remember to send me a
the same unit of language in letter.”
SL
uncompromising and “The old man and the sea”
dogmatic
aesthetic value, “Ticket to childhood”
(compromising on “Gone with the wind”
‘meaning’, flexible or - agent orange
creative)
Prolix/ paraphrastic “Thorn bird”
translation “In the golden sun”
focus on idiomatic meaning; - to tell a white lie
(lively, ‘natural’ translation) - Don’t forget to send me a
letter.
for communicative purposes, “The two captains”
(acceptable and
comprehensible to the
readership)
SL culture converted to TL “Wuthering heights”
culture “Người tình mùa đông”

2. TRANSLATION PROCEDURES
No PROCEDURES NOTES EXAMPLES
1 Transference/ Transliteration/ transcription Harvey + fair play, internet,
Calque (2000, p.5) Hollywood, MC
2 Naturalization adapts the SL word first to the normal + cà phê, mít tin, buýt
pronunciation, then to the normal
morphology of the TL.
3 Cultural replacing a cultural word in the SL with a + Don Juan (Sở khanh)
equivalent TL one + Taxi-motorbike

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4 Functional combination between SL’s & TL’s culture + The White House
equivalent & language
5 Descriptive the meaning of translated words is + Samurai (the
equivalent explained in several words Japanese aris’tocracy
(noble) from the
eleventh to
the nineteenth century”
6 Componential demonstrating first their common and + Brother, sister (anh,
analysis then their differing sense components chị, em); sibling
7 Synonymy It is a "near TL equivalent." when literal “Biết mặt mà không
translation is impossible. Here economy biết tên”, “Give youself
trumps accuracy. little rewards”
8 Translation label provisional (temporary) translation: Harvard is one of the 8
new institunonal term, in inverted universities of Ivy
commas (quotation) League (Harvard là 1
trong 8 đại học thuộc
“Liên đoàn Ivy”)
9 Modulation - the TL text in conformity with the + Tôi đi photocopy tài
current norms of the TL liệu.
- passive => active
10 Recognized normally uses the official or the + “Cục sở hữu trí tuệ
translation generally accepted translation of any Việt Nam” =>
institutional term." “National Office of
Intellectual Property”.
11 Compensation loss of meaning in one part of a sentence The mayor of Dannang
is compensated in another part City
12 Paraphrase much more detailed than that Cô, thím, mợ, dì, bác
of descriptive equivalent. gái (chị bố/ vợ bác trai)
13 Notes/ Additions/ additional information in a translation Hanoi – the capital of
Glosses Vietnam
14 Reduction omission of a word from an expression, An toàn là trên hết ; Vô
not essential for understanding phận sự miễn vào;
15 Expansion the use of a greater number of words in A cookery book
TL than in SL”; descriptive way of entitled “Taste of
translating an expression India”
16 Through- literal translation of common + Black market => chợ
translation collocations, names of organizations đen
+ Vietnam National
University-HCMC
17 Provisional + Black Friday
translation + Eye-catching
18 Shifts/ See below
Transpositions
19 Couplets two or more different procedures

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 COMMUNICATIVE & SEMANTIC TRANSLATION (P. 19 - 20)
(Pls refer to P. 48)

TRANSLATION OF METAPHOR (P. 21 - 22)

(P. 21)

1. Reproducing the same image in the TL

“ray of hope”
X ray
“His life hangs on a thread”:

“Hot line”

Frequency of language use

Playboy =/=

Lexicology (word formation/ word structure)

Ipod
Air Force One

Semantic & Communicative Translation:

+ Though it is becoming increasingly easy to move from place to place, our

inability to communicate with one another, gives rise to numerous
misunderstandings and makes real contact between people of different nationalities
impossible.

+ Electricity is such a part of our everyday lives and so much taken for granted
nowadays that we rarely think twice when we switch on the light or turn on the
radio.

+ It is odd that some Vietnamese students studying abroad do not realise that every
situation beyond formal education in the classroom, no matter how trivial or
negative, can be an educational experience, broadening one’s humanity and
understanding of the world.

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 THE TRANSLATION OF PROPER NAMES & INSTITUTIONAL &
CULTURAL TERMS (P. 23 - 26)

(P. 24)

The (Vice) President of SRV

Prime Minister/ Premier (ex-PM = former, late; acting = ‘interim)

Deputy PM
General Department of Statistics/ Meteo’rology & Hy’drology
Institute of Economics
General Secretary of CPV
HCM Communist Youth Union, HCM Pioneers’ Organization
Chairwoman of NAV

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

Central Vietnam

Western Highlands, (Plateau)

General Hospital

Perfume River

Vietnam Airlines

Beauty queen =/= beautiful queen

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University, college, faculty, department

Vietnam National University-Hanoi

College of Foreign Languages

Vietnam National University-HCMC

Vietnam National University-Hanoi

Le Quy Don School for Gifted Students

Le Quy Don Gifted School

Thanh Nien Newspaper Online

Lao Dong Daily/ Weekly/ Monthly …

THE ANALYSIS OF A TEXT (PP. 38 - 22)

Text Style (P. 38)

Stylistic Scale (PP. 38-
39)

Give my regards to your mum and dad.

Remember me to …

The Vietnamese are the Children of fairy and dragon in accordance with
legend

The Sun/ The Lucky God

The Two Captains

THE ANALYSIS OF A TEXT (PP. 38 - 22)

Text Style (P. 38)

Stylistic Scale (PP. 38-
39)

Give my regards to your mum and dad.

Remember me to …

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LEXICOLOGY (WORD FORMATION/ WORD STRUCTURE/ FIELD OF
SEMANTICS)

Ring/ belt/ orbital road

Day dreamer = high-flier/ down-to-earth man =/= practical/ pragmatic

ESP : English for Specific

Purposes “Don’t judge by

appearances” Corona (Latin) =

crown
F (Filia, Polish): next generation, sub-branch
(Latin): filius (= son), filia (daughter)
F1 (in biology) first filial generation

(THE END)

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