A study on the translatino of businer andministrative management texts bestween English and VietNamese

A study on the translatino of businer
andministrative management texts bestween
English and VietNamese

Nguyễn Thị Hồng Nhung


Trường Đại học Ngoại Ngữ
Luận văn ThS. Chuyên ngành:English Linguistics; Mã số: 602215
Người hướng dẫn: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lê Hùng Tiến (PhD)
Năm bảo vệ: 2010


Abstract: With the globalization in economy, the expansion of international business, the
performance of Administrative management texts of each nation for management and
controlling of foreign business activities is necessary. These texts would make foreign
companies run their business legally and contribute to our country’s development.
Consequently, the need for research into the translation of Administrative management texts
from Vietnamese to English has increased. In this study, the author attempts to find out
typical lexical and structural features in translation and preferred methods for better
translation quality of such texts. The findings from the study are based on comparative
analysis of original Vietnamese administrative management texts, especially Guiding Official
Letters and available translated texts. Data base for the study is collected from official
government websites to ensure the accuracy and clarity of the content.
Keywords: Tiếng Anh; Dịch; Văn bản quản lý hành chính.
Content:




iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale 1
2. Aim of the study 2
3. Scope of the study 2
4. Method of the study 2
5. Design of the study 3
PART B: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
1. Translation theories 4
2. Equivalence in Translation 5
3. Translation methods 7
4. What is a good translation 9
5. Administrative management texts review 11
CHAPTER II: GENERAL FEATURES AND REQUIREMENTS IN
VIETNAMESE ADMINISTRATIVE TEXTS
1. Reason for Guiding Official Letters 13
2. Features of formal-legal text style 14
3. General features of language and structure 15
CHAPTER III: A STUDY ON TRANSLATION OF GENERAL LEXICAL AND
STRUCTURAL FEATURES IN GUIDING OFFICIAL LETTERS BETWEEN
VIETNAMESE AND ENGLISH
1. General content layout and lexical features 17
1.1 Translation of lexical features in Beginning part 17
1.2 Translation of lexical features in Developing part 20
1.3 Translation of lexical features in Ending part 23
2. Translation of typical structural features 24

v
2.1 Nominalization and extended nominal groups 24
2.2 The use of Passive voice 27
2.3 Parallel structures 28
2.4 Run-together sentences and Stringy Sentences 30
PART C: CONCLUSION
1. Conclusion 33
2. Recommendation 34
REFERENCES 36
APPENDICES

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PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
The development of translation study goes hand in hand with the rapid growth of
globalization, international business, cross cultural communication, science and
technology. The need of translation for multi-purposes such as business, tourist, official
documents (contracts, treaties, correspondence, textbooks…), the exponential increase in
technology - patents, specifications, documentation -, the attempt to bring and transfer new
technology to developing countries… require written translation rather than oral
translation, in other words, interpretation. Obviously, translation has made great
contributions in International communication and played a vital role in human society.
In current economic background when Vietnam enters WTO with chances and challenges,
with opening mechanism and preferential policies, our country is a potential and healthy
investment environment attracting more and more foreign groups, multinational companies
and organizations. In coordination with foreign investors, we would make full use of their
advance in technology and strong finance, our young generations would have chance to
gain experience and work in high challenging environment. Their business activities would
create more jobs to our Labor resource with high earnings for better life. The most
importance, their investment is a great contribution to our development, our national
economic growth. However, foreign investors must understand thoroughly and obey our
laws and regulations, mechanism and policies to operate business effectively and legally.
In this case, Administrative management text is an indispensable tool in guiding foreign
investors doing business legally. In order to meet the demand of the globalization trend,
there require skilled, professional translators. Translators are intermediates between
foreign companies and our Governmental agencies and authorities.
If there is available translation of administrative management texts, the promulgation of
laws and regulations is much easier; however, if there is no available translation, the
translator role would be of great importance. In many cases, when foreign companies need
express their opinions, proposals and suggestions to high levels but they do not have their
separate administrative department, the translator has to do two tasks at the same time -

composing and translating administrative texts. In order to have an effective and
persuasive administrative text to address administrative procedures conveniently and
quickly, the translator must use their administrative text composing skill and professional
- 2 -
translation skill. However, most translators face with serious problem that they have no
comparison between Vietnamese Administrative management texts and English original
administrative management texts. They manage to translate Administrative management
texts by themselves according to previous translated ones. This means more thorough
studies on this matter are necessary. Such studies would find out similarities, differences
and typical features in translation of those kinds of texts and would improve translation
quality.

2. Aim of the study
The study aims at presenting some typical features of Administrative management texts in
terms of lexical, structures and requirements of composing content. These findings would
be helpful in translation of those kinds of texts from Vietnamese to English and vice versa.
Hopefully, this study then would be used as a ground for further suggestions, if any, to
improve translation quality.

3. Scope of the Study
Administrative management texts involve in all activities in human lives from politics,
education, economy, culture… These texts, therefore, vary in forms, functions and
purposes. One common feature of these texts is to help our Government manage and
control human activities to work and live in freedom but under the legal-frame, current
standard and Vietnamese Laws and regulations.
The study would focus on Guiding Official Letters which normally used in Business
activity as part of administrative management texts. The data are collected randomly to
increase the objectivity and accuracy of those findings.

4. Method of the study

The main research method of this study is Comparative Analysis with the following
activities:
- Collecting Vietnamese Administrative Management texts in which Guiding Official
Letters account for a large proportion, supporting data and its available translations
issued and translated by reliable sources such as Governmental Ministries,
- 3 -
agencies, local authorities… which have similar features to form the database for
analysis with high accuracy and clarity in content and structure.
- Analyzing Vietnamese Administrative Management texts to find out difficulties
and typical features in translation process between English and Vietnamese and
vice verse.
- Analyzing available translated texts to find out relevant features.
- Consulting linguistic theories, professional opinions and applying relevant theories
for analysis and comparison
- Basing on analysis and comparison of such data to point out similarities,
differences and typical findings between the two languages
- Basing on appropriate findings to conclude and make suggestions for further
research on translation quality

5. Design of the Study
The study takes the following arrangement as its framework.
Part A: Introduction
Part B: Development
Chapter 1: Theoretical Background
Chapter 2: General features and requirements in Vietnamese Administrative
management texts
Chapter 3: A Study on Translation of general lexical and structural features in
Guiding Official Letters between Vietnamese and English
Part C: Conclusion
References

Appendices







- 36 -
REFERENCES
TIẾNG VIỆT
1. Lưu Kiếm Thanh (2003), Hướng dẫn soạn thảo văn bản quản lý hành chính Nhà
nước, NXB Thống kê, Hà Nội.
2. Nguyễn Văn Thâm (1995), Soạn thảo và xử lý văn bản trong công tác của cán bộ
lãnh đạo và quản lý, NXB Chính Trị Quốc Gia, Hà Nội.
3. Lê Hùng Tiến (1999), Một số đặc điểm của ngôn ngữ Luật pháp tiếng Việt – có so
sánh đối chiếu với tiêng anh và ứng dụng trong dịch Việt Anh, Luận Án Tiến sĩ
Ngữ Văn, Trường Đại học Khoa Học Xã Hội và Nhân Văn, Đại học Quốc Gia Hà
Nội.

TIẾNG ANH
1. Bassnett S. (2002), Translation studies, Routledge, London and New York.
2. Bell R. T. (1989), Translation and Translating, Lancaster and London.
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Finland.
4. Hatim B., Mason I. (1990), Discourse and the Translator, Longman, London and
New York.
5. Hickey L. (1998), The Pragmatics of Translation, Multilingual Matters Ltd,
Clevedon.
6. Munday J. (2001), Introducing Translation Studies, Routledge, London and New

York.
7. Newmark P. (1988), Approaches to Translation, Prentice Hall, CUP
8. Newmark P. (1995), A Textbook of Translation, Phoenix ELT, Prentice Hall
International.
9. Oshima A., Hogue A. (1998), Writing Academic English, Addison-Wesley
Publishing Company.
10. Quirk R., Greenbaum S. (1973), A University Grammar of English, Longman
Group UK Limited, England.
11. Trang, Nguyễn Thế (2003), A comparative study of some discourse features of the
US and Vietnamese Executive Decisions as part of Public Administrative Register,
- 37 -
unpublished MA Thesis, University of Language and International Studies, Post-
Graduate Department, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
12. Van, Hoang Van (2005), Translation: Theory and Practice - Dịch thuật: Lý luận và
thực tiễn, Hanoi Open University, Educational Publisher.

Internet source:
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