How to improve listening skill in TOEIC test the case of short conversations and questions and responses

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BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC DÂN LẬP HẢI PHỊNG
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ISO 9001 : 2008

KHĨA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP
NGÀNH NGOẠI NGỮ

HẢI PHÒNG - 2010


HAIPHONG PRIVATE UNIVESITY
FOREIGN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT
-----------------------------------

GRADUATION PAPER

A STUDY ON TRANSLATION OF EXPRESSION USED
IN SOME VIETNAMESE DISHES INTO ENGLISH

By:
NGUYỄN THỊ TRANG
Class:
NA1004
Supervisor:
NGUYỄN THỊ QUỲNH HOA, M.A

HAI PHONG - 2010

BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC DÂN LẬP HẢI PHÒNG
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Nhiệm vụ đề tài tốt nghiệp

Sinh viên: ............................................................Mã số: ............................
Lớp: .............................Ngành:....................................................................
Tên đề tài: .................................................................................................
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Nhiệm vụ đề tài
1. Nội dung và các yêu cầu cần giải quyết trong nhiệm vụ đề tài tốt nghiệp
( về lý luận, thực tiễn, các số liệu cần tính toán và các bản vẽ).
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2. Các số liệu cần thiết để thiết kế, tính tốn.
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3. Địa điểm thực tập tốt nghiệp.
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CÁN BỘ HƯỚNG DẪN ĐỀ TÀI
Người hướng dẫn thứ nhất:
Họ và tên: .............................................................................................
Học hàm, học vị: ...................................................................................
Cơ quan công tác:.................................................................................
Nội dung hướng dẫn:............................................................................

Người hướng dẫn thứ hai:
Họ và tên:.............................................................................................
Học hàm, học vị:...................................................................................
Cơ quan công tác:.................................................................................
Nội dung hướng dẫn:............................................................................
Đề tài tốt nghiệp được giao ngày 12 tháng 04 năm 2010
Yêu cầu phải hoàn thành xong trước ngày 10 tháng 07 năm 2010
Đã nhận nhiệm vụ ĐTTN
Sinh viên

Đã giao nhiệm vụ ĐTTN
Người hướng dẫn

Hải Phòng, ngày tháng năm 2010
HIỆU TRƯỞNG

GS.TS.NGƯT Trần Hữu Nghị


PHẦN NHẬN XÉT TÓM TẮT CỦA CÁN BỘ HƯỚNG DẪN
1. Tinh thần thái độ của sinh viên trong quá trình làm đề tài tốt nghiệp:
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2. Đánh giá chất lượng của khóa luận (so với nội dung yêu cầu đã đề ra trong
nhiệm vụ Đ.T. T.N trên các mặt lý luận, thực tiễn, tính tốn số liệu…):
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3. Cho điểm của cán bộ hướng dẫn (ghi bằng cả số và chữ):
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Hải Phòng, ngày ….. tháng ..… năm 2010
Cán bộ hướng dẫn
(họ tên và chữ ký)


NHẬN XÉT ĐÁNH GIÁ
CỦA NGƯỜI CHẤM PHẢN BIỆN ĐỀ TÀI TỐT NGHIỆP
1. Đánh giá chất lượng đề tài tốt nghiệp về các mặt thu thập và phân tích tài liệu,
số liệu ban đầu, giá trị lí luận và thực tiễn của đề tài.

2. Cho điểm của người chấm phản biện :
(Điểm ghi bằng số và chữ)

Ngày.......... tháng......... năm 2010
Người chấm phản biện


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In the process of completing this Graduation Paper, I have received a
great deal of help, guidance and encouragement from my teachers and
friends.
I would first and foremost like to express my thanks to my supervisor
Miss. Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa, M.A for helping me through this
challenging process.
I would also like to express my special thanks to other teachers of
Foreign Language Department for their supportive lectures during four

years that have provided me with a good background to do effectively
my Graduation Paper.
Finally, I would like to thank my family, my friend who have offered
continuous support, encouraged and helped me to complete this paper.
Hai phong, June 2010
Student
Nguyen Thi Trang


TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale.
2. Scope of the study.
3. Aims of the study.
4. Research methods applied in the study.
5. Design of the study.
PART II: DEVELOPMENT
Chapter one: Theoretical background of translation.
1. Concepts of translation
2. Types of translation
2.1.

Literal translation

2.2.

Word-for-word translation

2.3.

Literal translation

2.4.

Faithful translation

2.5.

Semantic translation

2.6.

Adaptation translation

2.7.

Idiomatic translation

2.8.

Communicative translation

2.9.

Other translations

3. Equivalence in translation
3.1.

Definition of equivalence

3.2.

Types of equivalence

3.2.1. According to Koller (1979).
Denotative equivalence
Connotative equivalence
Pragmatic equivalence
Formal equivalence
3.2.2. According to Baker.


Equivalence
Equivalence
Grammatical equivalence
Textual equivalence
Pragmatic equivalence
4. ESP in translation
4.1.

Concepts of ESP

4.2.

Types of ESP

English for Science and Technology (EST)
English for Business and Economics (EBE)
English for Social Studies (ESS)

5. Procedure of translation
5.1.

Borrowing

5.2.

Calque

5.3.

Literal translation

5.4.

Transposition

5.5.

Modulation

5.6.

Total syntagmatic changeAdaptation

Chapter two: Translation of some popular Vietnamese dishes into
English
1. General introduction of popular Vietnamese dishes
2. How to translate them into English.
2.1.

Bánh bèo

2.2.

Bánh chay

2.3.

Bánh chưng

2.4.

Bánh cốm

2.5.

Bánh cuốn

2.6.

Bánh đa

2.7.

Bánh đúc


2.8.

Bánh giầy

2.9.

Bánh giị

2.10. Bánh khối
2.11. Bánh rán
2.12. Bánh phu thê
2.13. Bánh trơi
2.14. Bì cuốn
2.15. Bún bị
2.16. Bún chả
2.17. Cà pháo muối
2.18. Cá kho
2.19. Canh cua
2.20. Chả cá
2.21. Chả giò
2.22. Cháo lịng
2.23. Chạo tơm
2.24. Gỏi
2.25. Giả cầy
2.26. Muối vừng
2.27. Nem chua
2.28. Nước mắm
2.29. Phở
2.30. Thịt chó
2.31. Thịt đơng
2.32. Tiết canh
2.33. Tương

2.34. Ruốc bông
2.35. Xôi
Chapter three: Implication
1. Implications


2. Suggestions for the further study.
PART THREE: CONCLUSION
REFERRENCE
APPENDIX: SOME KINDS OF HERB USED TO FLAVOR
THE DISHES.


PART I: INTRODUCTION.
1. Rationale of the study.
Vietnamese cuisine is a style of cooking associated with fish sauce,
soy sauce, rice, fresh herbs and vegetables. Traditional recipes of
Vietnamese people use various herbs such as lemongrass, mint, basil,
coriander, and popular meats are pork, chicken, and fish. Thus, food
Vietnam is increasingly preferred by the fresh ingredients and
delicious recipes for health benefits.
A foreign expert on cuisine said Vietnam should become a kitchen of
the world. This shows that Vietnamese food is highly appreciated in
the eyes of international friends. Unlike other Chinese dishes with
recipes with the oil, that of British with butter and sugar, Vietnamese
food is admired by the more frugal, less fat and rich nutrition food,
especially the popular food.
The popular dishes of Vietnamese are formed from very ancient times,
even in their difficult life. Therefore the dishes are made simple, easy
but very delicate and Vietnamese national nature. Vietnam is a tropical

country, year-round hot and humid rainy weather changing over the
four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. So, the dishes are
different along with per season. This difference creates diversity of
Vietnamese cuisine.
Therefore, the translated name of the dishes is very necessary and
important. It not only promotes the brand of Vietnamese dishes but
that also helps friends in the world to understand more about
Vietnamese culture, people and country.
However, the translation of the name of popular Vietnamese dishes
into English is not simple. It requires people to really study hard and
have certain knowledge in this field.
2. Aims of the study.


The study is constructed basing on the following aims:
Collecting, classifying and analyzing the found documents in order to
find out the way in translating name of popular Vietnamese dishes into
English.
Providing knowledge with dear arrangement and attractive illustration.
3. Scope of the study.
The translation of popular Vietnamese dishes into English is an
interesting issue in. Surprisingly, no many documents refer to it, so it
is not easy for the writer to collect relevant materials for the thesis.
Moreover, due to the limitation of time and knowledge, the study
could not cover all the dishes but some most familiar ones in several
textbooks, magazines and on internet.
4. Research methods applied in the study.
Normally, there are many methods used for the thesis studying such as
quantitative, qualitative, data and comparative analysis and interpreter
method. However, the most effective and suitable method for the

thesis is qualitative analysis.
Firstly, data are collected from various sources, such as textbooks,
magazines, internet… even from the writer‟s teachers and friends.
Then, from the collected data the writer analyze their features to find
the suitable procedures used to translate them.
The writer also asks the supervisor to collect and supplement the
lacunas in the graduation paper.
5. Design of the study.
The thesis is divided into three parts, in which the second one is the
most important.
Part one is the introduction in which rationale, aims, scope, methods
and design are presented.


Part two is the development that includes three parts:
Chapter one is the theoretical background which focuses on the
definitions, methods, procedures and equivalence of translation in
general and ESP translation.
Chapter two is the presentation of some popular Vietnamese dishes into
English after collecting and analyzing.
Chapter three is the implication that the writer gained through the
process of studying on translation strategies to seek for English
equivalence for the Vietnamese dishes, and some suggestions for the
further study.
Part three is conclusion which includes the summary of the study,
experiences acquired


PART II: DEVELOPMENT
Chapter I: Theoretical background

1. Concepts of translation
There are so many concepts of translation, which are developed by many
famous linguistics of translation.
Firstly, the writer would like to refer to definition of translation in
Advanced Oxford Dictionary which presented that Translation is the
process of changing something that is written or spoken into another
language.
More specifically, Wikipedia defined that translation is the interpreting
of the meaning of a text and the subsequent production of an equivalent
text, likewise called a "translation," that communicates the same
message in another language. The text to be translated is called the
"source text," and the language that it is to be translated into is called
the "target language"; the final product is sometimes called the "target
text."
In a similar but more succinct way, David Frank (Wordpress.com)
showed that translation is a text with qualities of equivalence to a prior
text in another language, such that the new text is taken as a substitute
for the original.
However, according to Catford (1965), translation is the replacement of
textual material in one language (source language) by equivalent textual
material in another language (target language).
Relating to equivalence of translation, Pinhhuck (1977) proved that
translation is the process of finding a target language (TL) equivalent
from a source language (SL) utterance.


Translation is a craft consisting in the attempt to replace a written
message and/or statements in one language by the same message and/or
statement in another language in Newmark‟s opinion (1981).
Specifically, Willss (1982) reckoned translation is a transfer process,

which aims at the transformation of a written SL text into an optimally
equivalent TL text, and which requires the syntactic, the semantic and
the pragmatic understanding and analytical processing of the SL.
Finally, translation is an act of communication which attempts to relay,
across cultural and linguistic boundaries, another act of communication
basing on Hatim and Masson‟s research written in 1997.
These concepts support the idea that translation is a complex process.
The write require theoretical knowledge as well as practical experiences.
2. Types of translation
2.1. 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 word translated singly by their most common meanings, out of
context. Culture words are translated literally. The main use of word-forword translation is either to understand the meaning of the SL or to
construct a difficult text as a pre-translation process. For example:
Source text: When my young sister was a child, she learned very well.
Target text: Khi em gái tơi cịn nhỏ, nó học rất giỏi.
2.2.

Literal translation

Literal translation is the translation of text from one language to another
"word-for-word", rather than giving the sense of the original. For this
reason, literal translations usually mis-translate idioms.


The SL grammatical construction is converted to the nearest TL
equivalences but the lexical words are again translated singly, out of
context. For example:
Source text: The project was implemented thank to the assistance of the

United States.
Target text: Dự án này được thực hiện nhờ sự giúp đỡ của Mỹ.
2.3. Faithful translation
A faithful translation is used when translators want to reproduce the
precise contextual meaning of the SL within the restriction of the TL
grammatical structures. It converts cultural words but reserves the
degree of grammatical and lexical “abnormality” in the translation. It
attempts to be completely faithful to the intentions and text-realization
of the SL writer. For example:
Source text: Today the Vietnamese are, almost no exception, extremely
friendly to Western visitors.
Target text: Ngày nay, người Việt Nam, gần như khơng có ngoại lệ,
đều rất thân thiện với khách du lịch người phương Tây.

2.4. Semantic translation
Semantic translation differs from faithful translation only in as far as it
must take more account of the aesthetic value of the SL text,
compromising on “meaning” where appropriate so that no assonance,
word-play or repetition jars in finished version. For example:
Source text: We hope you will enjoy your staying with us.
Target text: Chúng tôi hy vọng ngài sẽ có một kỳ nghỉ tuyệt vời tại
khách sạn này.
2.5. Adaptation translation


This seems to be the freest form of translation. It is used mainly for
plays and poetry in which the themes, characters and plots are usually
preserved, the SL culture converted to the TL culture and text rewritten
by an established dramatist or poet has produced many poor adaptations
but other adaptation has “rescued” period plays. For example:

Source text:

Thà một phút huy hoàng rồi chợt tắt
Cịn hơn buồn le lói suốt trăm năm
(Xn Diệu)

Target text:

It would rather the victorious brightness
In an only moment the centenary twinkle

2.6. Free translation
This 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 “intralingua translation”, often prolix and
pretentious and not translation at all. For example:
Source text: To reduce fertility rate the present 3.7 children per woman
to replacement level of 2.
Target text: Tỉ lệ sinh hiện tại của phụ nữ giảm từ 3,7 xuống còn 2 trẻ.
2.7. Idiomatic translation
Idiomatic translation reproduces the “message” of the original but tends
to distort nuances of meaning by preferring colloquialisms and the idiom
where these do not exists in the original. For example:
Source text: Follow love and it will flee thee, flee love and it will
follow thee.
Target text: Theo tình thì tình chạy, trốn tình thì tình theo.
2.8. Communicative translation


Communicative translation attempts to reader the exact contextual

meaning of the original in such a way that both content and language are
readily acceptable and comprehensible to the readership. For example:
Source text: Good morning!
Target text: bác đi đâu đấy ạ!
2.9. Other translations
Besides the above common the types of translation, some of the
following types are sometime used during translation process. They
include: service translation, plum prose translation, information
translation, cognitive translation, academic translation.
3. Equivalence in translation
3.1.

Definition of equivalence

The dictionary defines equivalence as being the same, similar or
interchangeable with something else. In translation terms, equivalence is
a term used to refer to the nature and extent of the relationship between
SL and TL texts or smaller linguistic units.
The problem of equivalence is one of the most important issues in the
field of translating. It is a question of finding suitable counterparts in
target language for expressions in the source language.
The comparison of texts in different languages inevitably involves a
theory of equivalence. According to Vanessa Leonardo “equivalence can
be said to be the central issue in translation although its definition,
relevance, and applicability within the field of translation theory have
caused heated controversy, and many different theories of the concept of
equivalence have been elaborated within this field in the past fifty
years”. Here are some elaborate approaches to translation equivalence:

• Translation equivalence is the similarity between a word (or
expression) in one language and its translation in another. This similarity
results from overlapping ranges of reference.
• Translation equivalence is a corresponding word or expression in
another language.
Nida argued that there are two different types of equivalence, namely
formal equivalence – which in the second edition by Nida and Taber
(1982) is referred to as formal correspondence and dynamic
equivalence. Formal correspondence “focuses attention on the message
itself, in both form and content”, unlike dynamic equivalence which is
based upon “the principle of equivalent effect” (1964:159), in the second
edition (1982) or their work, the two theorists provide a more detailed
explanation of each type of equivalence.
Formal correspondence consists of a TL item which represents the
closest equivalent of a SL word or phrase. Nida and Taber make it clear
that there are not always formal equivalents between language pairs.
They therefore suggest that these formal equivalents should be used
wherever possible if the translation aims at achieving formal rather than
dynamic equivalence. The use of formal equivalents might at times have
serious implications in the TT since the translation will not be easily
understood by the target audience (Fawcett, 1997). Nida and Taber
themselves assert that “Typically, formal correspondence distorts the
grammatical and stylistic patterns of the receptor language, and hence
distorts the message, so as to cause the receptor to misunderstand or to
labor unduly hard” (ibid:201).
Dynamic equivalence is defined as a translation principle according to
which a translator seeks to translate the meaning of the origin in such a
way that the TL wording will trigger the same impact on the TC
audience as the original wording did upon the ST audience. They argue

that “Frequently, the form of the original text is changed; but as long as
the change follows the rules of back transformation in the SL, of
contextual consistency in the transfer, and of transformation in the
receptor language, the message is preserved and the translation is
faithful” (Nida and Taber, 1982:200)
Newmark (1988) defined that: “The overriding purpose of any
translation should be achieved „equivalence effect‟ i.e. to produce the
same effect on the readership of translation as was obtained on the
readership of the original”. He also sees equivalence effect as the
desirable result rather than the aim of any translation except for two
cases: (a) If the purpose of the SL text is to affect and the TL translation
is to inform or vice versa; (b) If there is a pronounced cultueral gap
between the SL and the TL text.
3.2.

Types of equivalence

Koller (1979) considers five types of equivalence:
• Denotative equivalence: The SL and the TL words refer to the same
thing in the real world. It is an equivalence of the extra linguistic content
of a text.
• Connotative equivalence: This type of equivalence provides
additional value and is achieved by the translator‟s choice of
synonymous words or expressions.
• Text-normative equivalence: The SL and the TL words are used in
the same or similar context in their respective languages.
• Pragmatic equivalence: With readership orientation, the SL and TL
words have the same effect on their respective readers.
• Formal equivalence: This type of equivalence produces an analogy

of form in the translation by either exploiting formal possibilities of TL,
or creating new forms in TL.


Although equivalence translation is defined with different point of view
of theorists, it is the same effective equivalence between SL and TL.
Baker explores the notion of equivalence at difference levels in the
relation to the translation process, including all different aspects of
translation, hence putting together the linguistic and the communicative
approach. She distinguishes:
•Equivalence that can appear at word level and above word level when
translating from one language into another. Baker acknowledges that, in
bottom – up approaching to translation, equivalence at word level is the
first element to be taken into consideration by the translator starts
analyzing the ST. She looks at the word singular units to find a direct
“equivalent” term in the TL. Baker gives a definition of the term word
since it should be remembered that a single word can sometimes be
assigned different meanings in different languages and might be regard
as being a more complex units or morpheme. This means that the
translator should pay attention to a number of factors when considering
a single word, such as number, gender and tense.
•Grammatical equivalence, when referring to the diversity of
grammatical categories across languages. She note that grammatical
rules may vary across languages and this may pose some problems in
term of finding a direct correspondence in the TL. In fact, she claim that
different grammatical structures in the SL and TL may cause remarkable
change in the way of information or message is carried across. This
changes may induce the translator either add or omit information in the
TL because of the lack of particular grammatical devices in the TL
itself. Among these grammatical devices which cause problems in

translation, baker focus on number, tense , aspects, voice , person ad
gender.


•Textual equivalence, when referring the equivalence between SL text
and TL text in term of information and cohesion. Texture is a very
important feature in translation since it provides useful guidelines for the
comprehension and analysis of the SL which can help the translator in
his or her attempt to product a cohesive and coherent text for the target
culture audience in the special context. It is up to the translator to decide
whether or not to maintain the cohesive ties as well as the coherence of
SL text. His or her decision will be guided by tree main factors, that is,
the target audience, the purpose of translation and the text type.
•Pragmatic equivalence, when referring to the implications and
strategies of avoidance during the translation process. Implication is not
about the explicitly said but what is implied. Therefore, the translator
needs to work out implied meaning in translation in order to get SL
message across. The role of the translator is to create the author„s
intention in another culture in such a way that enable the TC reader to
understand it clearly.
4. ESP in translation
4.1.

Concepts of ESP

English for Specific Purpose (ESP) is a worldwide subject. However,
since the last decade of the twentieth century, English for Specific
Purpose (ESP) has become a young and developing branch of EFT in
Viet Nam. And for such many years, ESP instruction was limited to
training special lexicon and translating texts ineffectively as a result, of

course, such methods motivation and poor participation. Entering the
new millennium, with the spread of the student-centered approach and
the continued increase of international contacts in various fields, much
attention has been paid to the design of ESP courses that prepare student
for professional communication.


As for broader definition of ESP, Hutchinson and Waters (1987)
theorize, “ESP is an approach to language teaching in which all
decisions as to content and method are based on the learners‟ reason for
learning” (p.19). Anthony (1997) noted that, it is not clear where ESP
course end and general English courses begin; numerous non-specialist
EPC instructors use an ESP approach in that their syllabi are based on
analysis of learners‟ needs and their own personal specialist knowledge
of using English for real communication.
4.2.

Types of ESP

David Cater (1983) identifies three types of ESP:
• English as a restricted language
• English for Academic and Occupational Purpose
• English with specific topic
The language used by air traffic controllers or by waiters are examples
of English a restricted language. Mackay and Mountford (1978) clearly
illustrate the difference between restricted language and language with
this statement:
“… The language of international air-traffic control could be regarded as
„special‟, in the sense that the repertoire required by the controller is
strictly limited and can be accurately determined in situation, as might

be the linguistic needs of a dining-room waiter or air-hostess. However,
such restricted repertoires are not languages, just as a tourist phrase book
is not grammar. Knowing a restricted „language‟ would not allow the
speaker to communicate effectively in novel situation or in contexts
outside the vocational environment” (p.4-5)
The second type of ESP identified by Carter (1983) is English for
Academic and Occupational purposes. In the “Tree of ESP” (Hutchinson
and Waters, 1987), ESP is broken down into three branches: