THEORY OF TRANSLATION

AND INTERPRETING
Presented By : GROUP 8

Equivalence above
word level Lecturer
Th.S Nguyễn Thị Thu Trang
 LAN ANH THU THƯƠNG
o Leader o Canva Maker
o Presenter o Presenter

NHẬT NAM BÍCH NGỌC

BẢO o Canva Maker
o Canva Maker o Content Editor
o Content Editor TUYẾT
o Presenter
o Content Editor
COLLOC
colloc a t i o
n
ATION
 PROCESS
1 2 3 4
Collocational Collocation-related
Collocation Collocational
range pitfalls
& meaning
& & problems in
Register
Collocational markedness translation
 Collocation
• Refers to the tendency of certain words => naturally occur together in a
language (irrespective of dictionary definitions)

• Some collocations are more common than others, virtually none are
impossible.
 Collocation
• Refers to the tendency of certain words => naturally occur together in a language (irrespective of
dictionary definitions)
• Some collocations are more common than others, virtually none are impossible.

Influenced by physical co-occurrences &

COLLOCATIONS propositional meanings
Not solely determined by them.
 Collocation
Collocational relationships can vary even
among synonyms, suggesting that they are
largely arbitrary and independent of
meaning, both within and across languages.
arbitrary
tính võ đoán
 Collocation
make a visit
Pay a visit
perform a visit

not common collocations

in English
rancid butter addled eggs

B R E A K
L AT ION
RE GU
 1
Collocational range &
collocational
 1. Collocational range & collocational
Collocational
markedness
range
• Refers to the set of words typically associated with a particular word in a
language.
• vary in their collocational range, with some having broader
Words ranges than others.
• Factors such as specificity and the number of senses influence
a word's collocational range.

specifictity: tính đặc chỉ

=> giúp khu biệt những thực thể / danh từ có tính đơn nhất
 1. Collocational range & collocational
Collocational
markedness
range
• Every word in a language has a range of compatible items.
• the word "shrug" typically pairs with
"shoulders", as in
"She shrugged her shoulders."
 1. Collocational range & collocational
Collocational
markedness
range
• Every word in a language has a range of compatible items.
• the word "shrug" typically pairs with "shoulders", as in
"She shrugged her shoulders."
• the word "run" has a broad collocational range
“She runs a successful business"
"He ran along the river."
 1. Collocational range & collocational
Collocational
markedness
markedness
• Involves the deliberate manipulation of collocational patterns to create new meanings or
images.

• "Compulsive gambler" is a common collocation, but

"heavy gambler" extends the range slightly
=> “ He was known as a heavy gambler.”
 1. Collocational range & collocational
Collocational
markedness
markedness
• Involves the deliberate manipulation of collocational patterns to create new meanings or
images.

"Fanned the flames of optimism"

• "fanned the flames" typically denotes tension, unpleasantness, but here

it's used positively to create an unexpected image.
Collocational patterns in a language can
evolve over time through natural
extension or deliberate creation of new
collocations.
 2
Collocation and register
 2. Collocation and Register
COLLOCATIONAL
PATTERNS

- Collocations vary across different registers or domains of language use.

- Examples commonly used in specialized fields may seem odd in everyday

language but are normal within those contexts.
 2. Collocation and Register
COLLOCATIONAL
PATTERNS
- Collocations vary across different registers or domains of language use.
- Examples commonly used in specialized fields may seem odd in everyday language but are normal
within those contexts.

“dull highlights” photograp

(vùng sáng mờ)
commo hy
"vigorous
meteorolo
depressions"
(vùng áp thấp mạnh) n in
gy
 2. Collocation and Register
REGISTER-SPECIFIC
COLLOCATION

- Register-specific collocations extend beyond simple

terminology to include phrases and expressions unique to a
particular domain.

- Translating specialized texts requires awareness of these

register-specific collocations.
 2. Collocation and Register
REGISTER-SPECIFIC
COLLOCATION
- Register-specific collocations extend beyond simple terminology to include phrases and
expressions unique to a particular domain.
- Translating specialized texts requires awareness of these register-specific collocations.

In computer literature

"handled, extracted, processed, manipulated, retrieved"

"DATA"
"shifted, treated, arranged, or tackled".
 2. Collocation and Register
TRANSLATOR’S
ROLE
Being a native speaker doesn't guarantee familiarity with register-specific
collocations.
Translator training often includes courses in specialized language to equip translators
with the necessary skills for accurately translating register-specific texts.

=> Highlighting these points will help your audience

understand the importance of considering register-specific
collocations in translation and language usage.
 3
Collocational meaning
 3. Collocational meaning
The meaning of a word depends largely on its collocational patterns rather
than its isolated form.

Help define the meaning of

dry
"dry" as "free from water"
cdlroythreivs
er Paraphrasing "dry" in various
combinations reveals unique
dry weather
meanings associated with each
collocation.
 3. Collocational meaning
TRANSLATING
CHALLENGES
Translators must recognize collocational patterns with unique meanings that go
beyond the sum of individual word meanings.
Criticism of translations may arise from a failure to understand these nuanced
collocational meanings.

implies emotional coldness rather than lack of moisture

dry => highlighting the importance of recognizing
collocational meaning in translation
voice
 3. Collocational meaning
CROSS-LINGUISTIC
DIFFERENCES
Collocational patterns may not carry the same meaning across languages

to own, use, and maintain a car

to run a English

driving fast.
car modern Greek
 3. Collocational meaning
CROSS-LINGUISTIC
DIFFERENCES
Collocational patterns may not carry the same meaning across languages

=> Understanding collocational meaning is crucial for accurate

translation and interpretation, especially when dealing with nuances
that go beyond individual word definitions.
 4
Collocation-related
pitfalls
& problems in
 4. Collocation-related pitfalls & problems
The engrossing effect of source
text patterning
in translation
It is easy to assume that as long as a collocation which conveys the
same or a similar meaning to that of the source collocation can be
found in the target language, the translator will not be confused by
differences in the surface patterning between the two.
 4. Collocation-related pitfalls & problems
The engrossing effect of source
text patterning
in translation
English Japanese

take medicine drink / swallow

medicine

English Danish

keep a cat hold a cat

 4. Collocation-related pitfalls & problems
The engrossing effect of source
text patterning
in translation
• However, sometimes translators will waste much time to produce the odd
collocations in the target language for no justifiable reason.
• The translator should avoid carrying over source language collocational patterns
which are untypical of the target language, unless there is a good reason for doing
so.

“He is writing on the ground in excruciating pain’

“Anh ấy đang viết trên nền đất với vẻ rất chi khổ sở’
 4. Collocation-related pitfalls & problems
Misinterpreting the meaning of a
in
source-language collocation
translation
• A translator can easily misinterpret a collocation in the source text because of
interference from his or her native language.
• This happens when a source language collocation appears to be familiar because it
corresponds in form to a common collocation in the target language.

“Cô ấy trông hở hang”

“She looks sexy’
“Cô ấy trông quyến rũ"
 4. Collocation-related pitfalls & problems
The tension between accuracy and
naturalness
in translation
- In rendering unmarked source-language collocations into one‘s target language, a translator
normally aims to produce a collocation which is typical in the target language while
preserving the meaning associated with the source collocation.
=> THE TRANSLATOR HAS A DIFFICULT CHOICE BETWEEN WHAT IS TYPICAL
AND WHAT IS ACCURATE.
- The nearest acceptable collocation in the target language will often involve some changes in
meaning. This change in meaning may be minimal, or not particularly significant in a given
context.
 4. Collocation-related pitfalls & problems
The tension between accuracy and
naturalness
in translation

A good/bad law in English is typically a ‘just/unjust law’ in Arabic

 4. Collocation-related pitfalls & problems
in translation
Culture-specific collocations

If the culture setting of the source and target language are significantly different, the
source text will contain collocations which convey what to the target reader would
be unfamiliar associations of ideas

=> The translation of culture-specific collocations involves a partial increase in

information. This is unavoidable as much as unfamiliar associations of ideas cannot
simply be introduced in a target text without giving the reader some hint as to how
to interpret them.
 4. Collocation-related pitfalls & problems
in translation
Culture-specific collocations

“Rượu Cần là đặc sản của vùng đất Tây Nguyên ở

Việt Nam"

“Cần Drink is very famous in Highlands in

VietNam"
“Rượu Cần is a kind of alcoholic drink which is
very famous in Highlands in VietNam”
 4. Collocation-related pitfalls & problems
insource
Marked collocations in the translation
text

Unusual combinations of words are sometimes used in the source text in order to
create new images.
Ideally, the translation of a marked collocation will be similarly marked in the target
language. This is, however, always subject to the constraints of the target language
and to the purpose of the translation in question.
 in translation
SOURCE TEXT
Canada has chosen to ‘entrench’ its dual
cultural heritage in its institutions and, as a
result, official translation has taken firm
root.
(Language and Society – a bilingual journal
published in Canada (1985)
TARGET TEXT
Canada a choisi ‘d’enchâsser’ – le mot est
hélas! à la mode – son double héritage culturel
dans ses institutions et la traduction officielle y
est, par conséquent, solidement enraciné

MEANING
Canada has chosen to ‘insert’ – the word is alas in fashion! – its double cultural heritage in its
institutions and official translation is, as a consequence, solidly rooted there.
 in translation
SOURCE TEXT TARGET TEXT
Canada has chosen to ‘entrench’ its dual cultural Canada a choisi ‘d’enchâsser’ – le mot est hélas! à la
heritage in its institutions and, as a result, official mode – son double héritage culturel dans ses institutions
translation has taken firm root. et la traduction officielle y est, par conséquent,
solidement enraciné
MEANING
Canada has chosen to ‘insert’ – the word is alas in fashion! – its double cultural heritage in its institutions and
official translation is, as a consequence, solidly rooted there.

→ The reader of the source text is alerted to the writer’s wish to communicate an unusual
image by the inverted commas around entrench. In the target text, the marked collocation
is further highlighted by means of an interjection from the translator (‘the word is alas in
fashion’).
 THANK YOU
FOR LISTENING
By : Group 8