Đề cương môn English studies- Trường Đại học bách khoa - Đại học đà nẵng.

# ENTRY 1: WHAT IS TRANSLATION? 1. What is translation?
*) Definition: (can be defined in 5 ways)
- Translation is the replacement of textual material in one language (source language)
by equivalent textual material in another language (target language). – Là sự thay thế
ngữ liệu trong 1 ngữ này (ngôn ngữ nguồn) bằng những ngữ liệu tương đương trong 1
ngôn ngữ khác (ngôn ngữ đích)
Ex: If we translate an English song to a Vietnamese version.
English - source language, Vietnamese – target language.
- Translation is the process of conveying messages across linguistic and cultural
barriers. (là quá trình truyền tải thông điệp vượt qua những rào cản về ngôn ngữ và văn hóa)
 Message is an underlying meaning. (thông điệp mang ý nghĩa hàm ẩn)
Ex: What time is it? -> form (gram & vocab): Mấy h rồi hả con?
But when you play video games at 10p.m -> message (underlying meaning): Có biết mấy h rồi không hả
Explicit (: It’s 10p.m
Implicit: It’s too late. Unless you go to bed now, you will regret.
- Translation is rendering the meaning of a text into another language in the way that
the author intended the text. (chuyển tải ý nghĩa qua ngôn ngữ khác theo văn phong (ý) của tác giả)
- Translation consists of reproducing in the receptor language the closet natural
equivalence of the source language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in
terms of style. (bao gồm tái hiện lại trong ngôn ngữ nhận (ngôn ngữ đích) sự tương
đương tự nhiên nhất của thông diệp truyền tải trong nn nguồn, về mặt ý nghĩa và văn phong)
 Receptor language = target language
 Style: ex: formal/ informal letter.
- Translation is a process of finding a target language equivalent to a source language utterance LTD PH_ANH THREE TYPES OF TRANSALATION
1. Intralingual (dịch nội ngữ): translation within the same language, which can
involve rewording or paraphrase.
2. Interlingual (dịch ngoại ngữ): translation from one language to another
3. Intersemiotic (dịch ký tự): translation of the verbal sign by a non-vẻbal sign (e.g:
music, image or brallie-chữ nổi)
- Verbal: Bằng lời nói (adj) _ verbal communication: gtiep = lời nói LOOKING BACK
1, In translation, the form of the source language (the language of the text is to be
translated) is replaced by the form of the target language (the language of the translated text).
2, The purpose of translation is to transfer the meaning of the SL into the TL.
3, This is done by going from (chuyển từ ) the form (dạng) of the 1st Language to the
form of 2nd Language by way of semantic structure (bằng cấu trúc ngữ nghĩa). It is
meaning which is being transferred and must remain unchanged. Only the form changes.
4, Translation not only involves understanding the general meaning of the
communication but calls upon (đòi hỏi) the ability to understand the culture of the communication.
FIVE BASIC GUIDELINES TO TRANSLATORS
1, Translators must have a perfect understanding of his author’s message and material (meaning)
2, The translator should have complete manner (mastery _ nắm vững) of both SL and TL LTD PH_ANH
3, The translator should not translate word for word
4, The translator should beware of (cẩn thận) Latinisms and use idiomatic language
5, The translator should strive after a smooth, and elegant, unpretentious and even style.
(theo đuổi một phong cách trôi chảy, tao nhã, khiêm tốn và đồng đều). LAWS OF TRANSLATION
1, The translation should give a complete transcript of the idea of the original work (bản
dịch nên cung cấp 1 phiên bản hoàn chỉnh biểu đạt ý nghĩa của tác phẩm)
2, The style and manner of writing should be of the same character with that of the
original (văn phong và lối diễn đạt của bản gốc như thế nào thì bản dịch như thế đó)
3, The translation should have all the ease of the original composition (bản dịch phải có
lối diễn đạt mượt mà giống như vb gốc) Exercise 4:
- L1: the first (and normally native) language of the writer, reader, speaker, etc.
- L2: the second language of the writer, reader, speaker, etc. (often their strongest foreign language)
- SL: source language (the language the text was originally written in)
- ST: source text (the original text)
- TL: target language (the language of the translation)
- TT: target text (the translated text).
# ENTRY 2: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTERPRETATION & TRANSLATION
The field of translation and interpretation is especially demanding because of the variety
of complex tasks that are involved in terms of:  General knowledge  Cultural knowledge
 Specific translative/ interpretive skills.
=> All these tasks are in addition to Proficiency (sự trôi chảy/ mức độ thành thạo) in the
language to be used, which is clearly a prerequisite (điều kiên tiên quyết) for study in
translation and interpretation. LTD PH_ANH
- Translation and interpretation involve ideas, not words (an enormous amount of
knowledge in variety of areas)
#ENTRY 3: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTERPRETATION & TRANSLATION
1. There are four basic types of translation and interpretation:
- Prepared translation: (biên dịch có chuẩn bị) involves the preparation of a translation
outside class and it is then constructively criticized by both students and teachers
+ have much time to get well-prepared before writing a translation.
Ex: You have a project of translating a children’s book within 3 months for a foreign
publisher, you have a lot of time to translate carefully.
- Sight translation: (dịch dựa trên vb viết)_includes an immediate, oral rendition based
on a written text with focus on speech of response
+ do not have time to read the complete text before you start, learn to read ahead while
translating, then do an oral rendition based on a written text.
⇨ The major difference between sight translation and prepared translation is speed of response
 Ex: When your grandpa asks you about the instruction for use of a foreign produce,
you will have a quick look, then translating when reading
- Consecutive interpretation: (dịch đuổi/ dịch ấn đoạn) _ is the process of listening to a
speech or lecture in one language and at a certain moment, transcribing and summarizing
it orally, in another language. The time lapse between the speech and your interpretation varies.
good memory+ summarize the content, then interpret after the speaker stops talking, the time lapse varies.
Ex: When you are a tutor/ an assistance for a foreign teacher in a foreign center, you
translate then oral feedback of the teacher for leaners after he/ she finish his/ her speed
- Simultaneous interpretation: (dịch //, dịch đồng thời, dịch cabin) _ involves the
immediate, simultaneous interpretation of what is being said into another language.
no time at all, immediately you have to simultaneously render what is being said
into another language. – calls upon the ability to paraphrase LTD PH_ANH
⇨ In summary, translation and interpretation are complex skills. As well as
specialized skills, both of them upon vast areas of general knowledge and the
ability to switch language codes. LOOKING BACK
Translation implies carefully analyzing the message given within the context of a
particular linguistic code and transferring this message into another written linguistic code.
Interpretation, on the other hand, means doing the same but orally and simultaneously.
#ENTRY 4: THE ANALYSIS OF TEXT
1, The intention of the text represents the SL writer’s attitude to the subject matter. (Ý
định của văn bản thể hiện thái độ của người viết trong ngôn ngữ nguồn đối với chủ đề)
2, Context is that which occurs before and/ or after a word, a phrase or even a long
utterance or text. (Ngữ cảnh là bối cảnh xảy ra trước và/hoặc sau một từ, một cụm từ
hoặc thậm chí một câu nói hoặc văn bản dài).
3, Text type: novel, article, reference book, report, weekly horoscope, play, tourist
brochure (tờ rơi du lịch), sermon (bài giảng), speech (bài phát biểu), advertisement,
poem, notes, recipe, guide, notice
4, Types of text style:
- Narrative (tường thuật): a dynamic sequence of events (một chuỗi các sụ kiện) with
emphasis on verbs, verb- nouns, phrasal verbs.
- Description: static, with emphasis on linking verbs (am/is/are, feel, look, become,
sound, taste), adjectives, adjectival nouns.
- Discussion: a treatment of ideas, with emphasis on abstract noun (concepts), verbs of
thought (believe, suppose, think), mental activity (consider, argue), logical argument and connectives.
Dialogue: with emphasis on colloquialisms and phaticisms.
*) Text function: includes 3 functions
 Informative: to inform readers about the real world or external situation, objects or
phenomena outside language (textbook, reports, articles) LTD PH_ANH
 Expressive: focused on the aesthetic component (tp thẩm mĩ) displayed by the
author’s stylistic choices of sound effects, world plays, metaphors or puns. (literature,
authoritative- do politics, statements, biography- story of a person)
 Vocative (kêu gọi): (persuade, make others do action) to introduce the receiver or
reader to act, react or respond in a particular way. (instruction, advertisement, tourism brochures)
A text has more 1 function.
 Ex: advertisement has 2 functions: mainly vocative + side function: informative.
Text type is based on text function:
 Advertisement: to pull in potential customers (nhằm thu hút khách hàng tiềm năng)
 Regulation (quy định): to regulate Do and Don’t
 Fable (truyện ngụ ngôn): to teach a moral lesson (bài học đạo đức)
 Article: to give critical report of a situation
 Textbook (sách gk): to introduce background knowledge (gt kthuc nền tảng)
 Short story: to tell an imaginary story (kể 1 câu chuyện tưởng tượng)
 Speech: to transfer provoking thoughts (truyền tải những suy nghĩ khuyến khích)
# ENTRY 5: LANGUAGE AND CULTURE:
Literal and Contextual Meaning: For every translated sentence, the translator must be
able to decide on the importance of its cultural context, what the phrase really means,
not necessarily what is literally means, and convey that meaning in a way which makes
sense not only in the target language but also in the context of the target culture.(Nghĩa
đen và ngữ cảnh: Đối với mỗi câu được dịch, người dịch phải có khả năng quyết định
tầm quan trọng của bối cảnh văn hóa của nó, cụm từ thực sự có nghĩa là gì, nghĩa đen là
gì và truyền đạt ý nghĩa đó theo cách không chỉ có ý nghĩa trong ngôn ngữ đích mà còn
trong bối cảnh văn hóa).
- Taboos and Value Differences: Translation must be sensitive to the moral, spiritual
values association of the words and symbols in the languages. (Bản dịch phải có sự liên
kết với các giá trị tinh thần, đạo đức của các từ và biểu tượng trong ngôn ngữ)
- Culture gives language different contexts
- Principles of translation: nguyên tắc của bản dịch
The golden rule is: “if the idiom does not work in L1, do not force it into the translation” LTD PH_ANH
- Before translating a message, we must understand the total meaning of the
message within its own cultural context
Primary schools: trường tiểu học
 Public schools: trường công lập
 Public works: cồng trình công cộng
 Public conveniences: nhà vệ sinh công cộng
 Public facilities: tiện ích công cộng
 Mixed business: kinh doanh tổng hợp (CH tạp hóa)
 Cat Association: hiệp hội những ng bảo vệ chó mèo
 Travelland: tổ chức/ cty du lịch lữ hành
 Bottle shop: cửa hàng bia rượu  Travelator: thang cuốn
 B-Y-O (Bring Your Own): nhớ tự mang theo đồ
 Lay- by: điểm đỗ/ dừng xe
 “The Thorn Bird”: tiếng chim hót trong bụi mận gai
 Bank Holidays: ngày lễ lớn và các cửa hàng sẽ đóng cửa hết (theo văn hóa ph Tây) = Public holidays vd: Ngày Quồc Khánh 1. 2 Kinds of meaning:
- Connotation (nghĩa biểu thái): can refer to positive meaning, or neutral meaning, or
negative meanings. Connotative meanings refer to the additional meanings that a word
or phrase has beyond its central meaning (= denotative meaning), these meanings show
people’s emotions and attitudes towards what the word or phrase refers to.( Ý nghĩa hàm
ý đề cập đến những ý nghĩa bổ sung mà một từ hoặc cụm từ vượt ra ngoài ý nghĩa trung
tâm của nó (= nghĩa biểu thị), những ý nghĩa này thể hiện cảm xúc và thái độ của mọi
người đối với những gì từ hoặc cụm từ đó đề cập đến) (For example, “run” may suggest
“haste”, “sofa” may suggest “comfort”, and “tropic” may suggest “heat”)
- Denotation: Denotative meaning is a central meaning. The denotative meaning of a
word is its main meaning, not including the feelings and ideas that people may connect with that word: LTD PH_ANH
Denotation is the literal meaning (nghĩa đen) of the word, connotation (nghĩa bóng –
mang hàm ý) is a feeling or indirect meaning. For example: Denotation: blue (color
blue), Connotation: blue (feeling sad)
=> The translator must be aware of the positive and negative connotation of words in the
source language so as to translate with an appropriate connotation in the target language.
Btap: Describe the connotative and denotative differences between the words “con rồng” and “dragon” Denotative Connotative Dragon in UK An imaginary animal Disaster, catastrophe Con rồng in Vietnam An imaginary animal Free, powerful, wealthy
4. Suggest the connotative meaning of each of the following words.
Positive: Green, gold, dove, Laurel, rose, father, daddy, slender.
Neutral: The old man, tribe, overweight.
Negative: Cat, fox, donkey, war, Negro (Black people), skinny, thin, fat, plump.
# ENTRY 6: PROBLEMS OF EQUIVALENCE.
1. Popovic distinguishes 4 types of equivalence:
- Linguistic equivalence: where there is homogeneity (sự đồng nhất) on the linguistic
level (cấp độ ngôn ngữ) of both SL and TL text, i.e. word for word translation. => lexical equivalence
- Paradigmatic equivalence (equivalence of elements of grammar): where there is
equivalence of “the elements of a paradigmatic expressive axis” (các yếu tố của trục biểu
đạt nghịch lý), i.e. elements of grammar, which Popovic sees as being a higher category than lexical equivalence.
- Stylistic (translational) equivalence (Sự tương đương về mặt phong cách (dịch thuật)),
where there is “functional equivalence (sự tương đương về chức năng) of elements in
both original and translation aiming at an expressive identity with an invariant of
identical meaning.” (tương đương các biểu đạt ý nghĩa với biểu hiện)
- Textual (syntagmatic) equivalence, where there is equivalence of form and shape.
(Tương đương về mặt văn bản (cú pháp), ở đó có sự tương đương về hình thức, hình dạng.) LTD PH_ANH LOOKING BACK
No pain no gain: Thất bại là mẹ thành công/ Có công mài sắt có ngày nên kim
More haste, less speed: Chậm mà chắc
Seeing is believing: Trăm nghe không bằng mắt thấy
Lucky at cards, unlucky in love: Đen tình đỏ bạc
Early to bed, early to rise: Ngủ sớm dậy sớm
Love is blind: Tình yêu mù quáng
Out of sight, out of mind: Xa mặt cách lòng
Half a loaf is better than none: Có còn hơn không
Make hay while the sun shines: Việc hôm nay chớ để ngày mai/ Tận dụng cơ hội
There is no smoke without fire: Không có lửa làm sao có khói
A friend in need is a friend indeed: Gian nan mới biết bạn hiền (Hoạn nạn mới biết chân tình) # ENTRY 6: UNTRANSLATABLILITY
- The translatability of a text describes the extent to which the translated version can be
“loyal” to the original, while untranslatability is to witness the limit of translatability.
- 2 types of untranslatability:
 Linguistic untranslatability: occurs when there is no lexical or syntactical substitute
(khi không có sự thay thế từ vựng hoặc cú pháp) in the TL for an SL item. It is due to
differences in the SL and the TL.
 Cultural untranslatability: is due to the absence in the TL culture of a relevant
situational feature (không có đặc điểm tình huống phù hợp) for the SL text. Ex: “Văn
hóa Cồng Chiêng”- “the culture of Cong Chieng”/ “dân ca Quan họ” _ “Quan ho folk” LOOKING BACK Chip: con chip - Internet: Mạng internet - Chemise: áo sơ mi
- Ramadan: Tháng nhịn ăn ban ngày/ Lễ Ramadan
- Valentine’s Day: Ngày lễ tình nhân/ Ngày Valentine LTD PH_ANH - Áo dài: Ao dai
- Cao chạy xa bay: (title of a book) Escape from the Brothel
- Da trắng vỗ bì bạch:
- Con rồng cháu Tiên: - Loskop: đãng trí - Samar: tiệc hoàng hồn
- Hygge: đoàn tụ gia đình
- Pana po’o: gãi đầu gãi tai (vò đầu bứt tai)
- Abbiocco: Căng da bụng chùng da măt
- Meriggiage: chợp mắt/ nghỉ trưa
- Kaizen: mưa dầm tấm lâu
- Koi No Yokan: yêu từ cái nhìn đầu tiên (premonitio of love: Điềm báo tình yêu)
- Tingo: mượn đồ của hàng xóm nhưng ko mag đi trả (Chôm chỉa/ quỵt/ bợ)
- Saudade: Hoài cảm (nhớ nhung) # ENTRY 7: LOSS AND GAIN 1. Loss and gain:
- The problems of loss (reduction) and gain (expansion) in translation, especially when
the translator encounters difficulties in rendering terms or concepts in the SL, that do not
exist in the TL, can be often seenin aspects of vocabulary, grammar, rhythm, and meaning.
- Ex: “đi nhậu” -> “go to the pub”/ “go for a drink”/ “go to the bar”: loss in meaning via translation.
“People who fear death” -> “Những kẻ ham sống sợ chết”: gain in lexis via translation.
“ Violence against children” -> “ Tình trạng bạo hành, xâm hại và lạm dụng trẻ em”
thay vì “bạo lực trẻ em” => Gain in lexis LOOKING BACK
- Road users: Những người tham gia giao thông => Gain lexis
- Tea? : Uống cốc trà nhé?/ Trà nhé? => gain in lexis via translation. LTD PH_ANH
- Videoland: Chuỗi cửa hàng cho thuê băng đĩa, video bán lẻ ở Hà Lan
- Cat Association: Hiệp hội (những người) bảo vệ mèo => Gain
- Bottle shop: Cửa hàng bán rượu bia => Gian
- No traffic zones: Khu vực cấm xe cộ (các ph tiện GT)
- SARS: Hội chứng suy giảm hô hấp
- Public house: nhà sinh hoạt cộng đồng
- Cancer Research store: Cửa hàng bán đồ cũ để quyên góp cho bệnh nhân ung thư
- Poundland: cửa hàng bán đồ đồng giá 1 pound ở xứ Poundland
- Tow zone: Khu vực cấm đỗ xe
- Lay-by: Chỗ dừng xe bên đường
# ENTRY 3: TRANSLATION METHODS (8 methods)
1. Word-for-word translation: This is often demonstrated as interlinear translation, with
the TL immediately below the SL words. The SL word order is preserved, and the words
are commonly translated singly out of context.
 This is often used as a pre-translation process to understand the mechanics of the SL
text. (a pre-translation mechanism to gain sense of a dificult text)
Ex: “Không có gì quý hơn độc lập và tự do.” -> “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom.”
2. Literal translation: (dịch sát nghĩa, không xem nghĩa tổng thể) The SL grammatical
constructions are converted to their nearest TL equivalents (Cấu trúc np được bhien bằng
ctruc np tương đương), but the lexical words are still translated singly out of context. As
a pre-translation process (các từ vựng được dịch đơn lẻ ra khỏi ngữ cảnh), this indicates
the problems to be solved.
Ex: “Give me a hand” -> “Đưa cho tôi một tay”.
 The rendering (các dịch) of Give into Đưa is out of context, which means a clumsy,
thus irrelevant translation of words in context.
3. Faithful translation: (từ được chuyển tải theo ngữ cảnh gần nhất) a faithful
translation attempts to reproduce the precise (exact) contextual meaning of the original
within constraints of the TL grammatical structures. It ‘transfers’ cultural words and
preserves the degree of grammatical and lexical abnormality (deviation from SL norms) LTD PH_ANH
in the translation. Translation of this type attempts to be completely faithful to the intention of the SL writer.
 Ex: A barking dog never bites. -> Chó sủa là chó khồng cắn
4. Semantic translation: this is the difference from Faithful translation as it takes more
account of the aesthetic value (that is, the beautiful and natural sound) of the SL text,
compromising on meaning (chấp nhận thỏa hiệp về nghĩa – loss and gain) where
appropriate so that no assonance, wordplay or repetition jars in the finished version.
It is different from Faithful translation as the former is more flexible while the latter is uncompromising and dogmatic.
Ex: ‘Give me a hand’ -> “Hãy giúp mình một tay”
Ex: ‘Who manages the pagoda?’ -> ‘Ai là trụ trì của ngôi chùa này?’
5. Adaption: (phỏng dịch – dùng cho thơ ca, văn chương) This is the “freest” form of
translation (Đây là hình thức dịch thuật “tự do nhất”) It is used mainly for plays
(comedies) and poetry: the themes, characters, and plots are usually preserved, the SL
culture converted to the TL culture and the text rewritten by an established dramatist or poet.
6. Free translation: Free translation 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 “intralingual translation”, not a real translation at all.
Ex: “Không có gì quý hơn độc lập và tự do.” -> “Free or dead”
7. Idiomatic translation: Idiomatic translation reproduces the ‘message’ of the original
but tends to distort nuances of meaning (bóp méo các sắc thái ý nghĩa) by preferring
colloquialisms and idiom where these do not exist in the original.
 “It rains cats and dogs” -> “Mưa tầm tã”
 “Love me, love my dog” -> “Yêu nhau yêu cả đường đi lồi về”
8. Communicative translation: Communicative translation 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. (dịch chính xác ý nghĩa và
ngữ cảnh của vb gốc)
 “Life is not a bed of roses.” -> “cuộc đời thật lắm chông gai (csong ko dễ dàng gì) LOOKING BACK LTD PH_ANH
1. Some people are always up in the clouds or down in the depths (Có kẻ lúc nào cũng lac
quan, có kẻ lúc nào cũng bi quan). They swing from an extreme to another. Others are
stolid (lãnh đạm) and indifferent (dửng dưng), never much thrilled by success and never
greatly put out by failure (khuất phục hoàn toàn trước thất bại).
2. Men are prepared to go to extra ordinary lengths (vượt lên ghan cá nhân) to get
political power. They will sacrifice health, comfort and domestic peace, up with almost
unlimited amounts of public criticism and abuse (đương đầu với vô số lời bình phẩm, sự
bêu rêu), and risk the humiliations (bị nhục mạ) and disappointment (nản lòng) of defeat.
3. Social behavior is a matter of output and input (vấn đề tương tác xã hội). We send out
signals (truyền đi thôg điệp) with our own actions, and we take in massage (tiếp nhận lại
thôg điệp) from the actions of others. When all is well we achieve a balance between
these two, but sometimes this equilibrium is upset.
4. “Why did you believe him when he said he wasn’t married?” asked Mary
“Because”, replied Pamela, “he was so good-looking and wewell-dressedand had such a nice voice.”
“All that glitters is not gold” (đừng (vội) đánh giá ng khác qua vẻ bề ngoài), Mary reminded her.
5. “Why are you writing science fiction”, asked the friend of an author, “instead of the
historical novels you used to write?”
“Because”, replied the author, science fiction has become very popular and I’m making
hay whilethe sun shines.” (tôi chỉ đang đón đầu xu thế mà thôi) – kiểu như chớp lấy thời cơ
6. “I applied for a fortnight’s holiday, but we’ve so short-handed that they’d only give me
a week. Still, half a loaf’s better than no bread.”
Tôi đã xin nghỉ 2 tuần để đi du lịch, nhưng mà vì công ty chúng tôi đang thiếu người nên
tôi chỉ đc nghỉ 1 tuần, Dù sao thì có vẫn còn hơn không. LTD PH_ANH
# ENTRY 7: SEMANTIC AND COMMUNICATIVE TRANSLATION LTD PH_ANH
- Communicative translation attempts to produce on its readers an effect as close as
possible to that obtained on the readers of the original. + thiên về nn đích
+ emphasize the force on readers
+ Produce a natural and smooth communication
- Semantic translation attempts to render, as closely as the semantic and syntactic
structures of the 2nd language allow the exact contextual meaning of the original. + thiên về nn gốc
+ focus on contextual meaning/ form and content.
+ Original culture and setting LOOKING BACK
# ENTRY 2: THE TRANSLATION OF METAPHORS AND SIMILES. Retaining similiar image Replacing the image Turning the image into LTD PH_ANH sense 1. LTD PH_ANH