An investigation of stylistic devices in “the great gatsby” of francis scott key fitzgerald a

THE UNIVERSITY OF DANANG
UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES

LÊ THỊ THÚY KIỀU

AN INVESTIGATION OF STYLISTIC DEVICES IN
“THE GREAT GATSBY” OF FRANCIS SCOTT KEY
FITZGERALD AND ITS VIETNAMESE
TRANSLATION
Major : ENGLISH LINGUISTICS
Code : 822.02.01

MASTER THESIS IN
LINGUISTICS AND CULTURAL STUDIES
OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES

SUPERVISORS: NGUYỄN THỊ THU HƯỚNG, Ph.D.

Da Nang, 2020


THE UNIVERSITY OF DANANG
UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES

LÊ THỊ THÚY KIỀU

AN INVESTIGATION OF STYLISTIC DEVICES IN
“THE GREAT GATSBY” OF FRANCIS SCOTT KEY
FITZGERALD AND ITS VIETNAMESE
TRANSLATION

Major : ENGLISH LINGUISTICS
Code : 822.02.01

MASTER THESIS IN
LINGUISTICS AND CULTURAL STUDIES
OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES

SUPERVISORS: NGUYỄN THỊ THU HƯỚNG, Ph.D.

Da Nang, 2020


i

ABSTRACT
Stylistic devices are one of popular tools in literature works. English literature,
a useful source for English learners not only helps learners to understand the beauty
of English language and stylistic devices but also improves their written language
with regard to stylistic features. The thesis aims to make an objective analysis of
stylistic devices in the famous novel – The Great Gatsby by Francis Scott Key
Fitzgerald. The study results show not only the use of stylistic devices in 200 samples
but also similarities and differences in the original and translational versions of The
Great Gatsby. In terms of the plot of the novel, the translator conveyed the plot to
the reader despite language barrier, cultural differences and writing styles. Moreover,
the study provides implications regarding teaching and learning strategies involving
stylistic devices.


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Throughout the writing of this thesis, I have received a great deal of support
and assistance. First and foremost, I would like to express my endless thanks and
gratefulness to my supervisor Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, Ph.D. for encouraging and
guiding me throughout the research journey. Their constant encouragement and
insightful comments had enriched and improved my work. Without their motivation
and instructions, my thesis would have been incompleted.
Next, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the English
Language Faculty, the University of Foreign Language Studies, and all teachers who
taught me during the master course. They created a friendly and professional
environment and provided me a huge source of knowledge for my study.
Finally, I would like to express a very special thank and deep gratitude to my
family for their encouragement and support so that I could work harder and try my
best to finish this thesis


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STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

Apart from where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis does
not include materials published elsewhere, or in part from a thesis by which I have
qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma.
No other person’s work has been used without any acknowledgement in the
thesis.
The thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in
any other tertiary institution.

Danang, May, 2020

Le Thi Thuy Kieu


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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract ...................................................................................................................... i
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... ii
Statement Of Authorship ....................................................................................... iii
Table Of Contents ................................................................................................... iv
List Of Tables ......................................................................................................... vii
List Of Figures ........................................................................................................ vii
Chapter One. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................1
1.1. RATIONALE ...................................................................................................1
1.2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES .............................................................................2
1.2.1. Aims ..........................................................................................................2
1.2.2. Objectives ..................................................................................................2
1.3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS ..............................................................................2
1.4. SCOPE OF THE STUDY ................................................................................3
1.5. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY .................................................................3
1.6. ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY ..............................................................3
Chapter

Two.

LITERATURE

REVIEW

AND

THEORETICAL

BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................5
2.1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND .................................................................5
2.1.1. Language and culture ................................................................................5
2.1.2. Stylistics and Stylistic devices ..................................................................7
2.1.3. Functions of Stylistic devices ..................................................................8
2.1.4. Simile ........................................................................................................9
2.1.5. Personification ........................................................................................10
2.1.6. Repetition ................................................................................................10
2.1.7. Metaphor .................................................................................................11
2.1.8. Hyperbole (exaggeration) .......................................................................11
2.1.9. Parallelism ...............................................................................................12
2.1.10. Translation and translation methods .....................................................13


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2.1.11 Novel ......................................................................................................18
2.2. LITERATURE REVIEW ..............................................................................18
Chapter Three. RESEARCH METHODS............................................................22
3.1. RESEARCH DESIGN ...................................................................................22
3.2. DATA COLLECTION ..................................................................................22
3.3. PROCEDURE ................................................................................................24
3.4. DATA ANALYSIS ........................................................................................25
3.5. RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY .................................................................25
3.6. SUMMARY ...................................................................................................26
Chapter Four. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ................................................27

4.1. KINDS OF STYLISTIC DEVICES USED AND THEIR FREQUENCES IN
ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE VERSIONS OF THE NOVEL “THE GREAT
GATSBY” .............................................................................................................27
4.1.1. Simile ......................................................................................................28
4.1.2. Personification ........................................................................................31
4.1.3. Metaphor .................................................................................................34
4.1.4. Repetition ................................................................................................39
4.1.5. Hyperbole ................................................................................................40
4.1.6. Parallelism ...............................................................................................41
4.2. SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF STYLISTIC DEVICES USED
IN VIETNAMESE AND ENGLISH VERSIONS OF THE GREAT GATSBY .44
Chapter Five. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS ....................................49
5.1. CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................49
5.2. IMPLICATIONS............................................................................................50
5.2.1. For learning of English ...........................................................................50
5.2.2. For Teaching of English ..........................................................................51
5.3. LIMITATIONS ..............................................................................................51
5.4. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH ..........................................51
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................53


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QUYẾT ĐỊNH GIAO ĐỀ TÀI (Bản sao)
APPENDICES


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LIST OF TABLES

Number
4.1

Name of Table
The frequencies of using stylistic devices between English

Page
46

and Vietnamese versions.

LIST OF FIGURES

Number

Name of Figure

Page

4.1.

Frequencies of stylistic devices used in english version of the

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great gatsby


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Chapter One
INTRODUCTION

This first chapter states the rationale of the study, together with the aims,
objectives, scope, methods and the significance of the whole study. Above all, it is in
this chapter that the research questions are set out to work as the guidelines for the
whole research.

1.1. RATIONALE
In both daily and professional contexts, people use utterances and sentences to
express their thoughts achieve successful communication. In fact, people usually use
objects or figures which have the similarities with figures in their speech to compare
or contrast their expressions to create reliability and validity in communication.
Stylistic devices are commonly used in communication.
Stylistics is a branch of applied linguistics related to the study of style in texts,
especially in literary works. Stylistics focuses on the figures, tropes, and other
rhetorical devices used to provide variety and distinctness to writing. According to
Katie Wales (2001) in Dictionary of Stylistics, second edition, the goal of "most
stylistics is not simply to describe the formal features of texts for their own sake, but
in order to show their functional significance for the interpretation of the text; or in
order to relate literary effects to linguistic 'causes' where these are felt to be
relevant."(p. 373) Therefore, stylistic devices make a great contribution to literature
work’s success. Based on the context of the literature work, the author creates his
own work with the suitable plot.
With aim of stripping world of wealth, lies, alcoholism and the difference
between reality and dreams, running after those illusions and the negative habits in
the society, Fitzgerald published the novel “The Great Gatsby” in 1925. The story
reflects the lifestyle in the 1920s, which, was a pretty tumultuous time due to
increased immigration, changing women's roles, and extraordinary income

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inequality.
According to Hoover (2013), “what sank the novel in 1925 is the source of its
success today. The Great Gatsby challenges the myth of the American Dream,
glowing like the green light on Daisy's dock in the Roaring '20s” (p. 64). The success
of the story lies in not only the plot which illustrates the reality and irony about the
contemporary society but also the stylistic devices used to describe and sketch the
bare facts of society. The Great Gatsby has been translated into many languages,
including Vietnamese, and it attracts many readers all over the world.
After reading the novel in both English and Vietnamese, I wish to explore how
stylistic devices are used in the novel and their features. The findings of the paper are
expected to be helpful in cross- cultural language learning and teaching.

1.2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
1.2.1. Aims
The study aims at exploring stylistic devices used in the literature work “The
Great Gatsby “and their Vietnamese translation.

1.2.2. Objectives
More specifically, the objectives of the study are:
To identify and describe stylistic devices used in the novels.
To explore how stylistic devices are realized in the Vietnamese version.

1.3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
To fulfill the objectives mentioned above, the study is implemented to answer
the following questions.
1.3.1. What are features and the functions of the stylistic devices used in “The

Great Gatsby”?
1.3.2. How are the stylistic devices used in “The Great Gatsby” translated in
the Vietnamese version – Gatsby Vĩ Đại?


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1.4. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This research is restricted to Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald ‘s work - The Great
Gatsby and its Vietnamese version published in 2014 by the translator Hoang Cuong.
It focuses on the features of stylistic devices including alliteration, metaphor,
metonymy, repetition and personification. The study investigates thethe differences
and similarities in the use of the stylistic devices in the Vietnamese and English
versions.

1.5. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
To the extent, the author hopes that this research will contribute to teaching
and learning language of Vietnamese learners. It can help them understand the beauty
of language used in the literature works and the translation methods of stylistic
devices. In addition, it enables learners to improve their written language with regard
to stylistic features.

1.6. ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
The study is presented in the following parts:
Chapter 1: Introduction
The introduction chapter introduces background and rationale of this study,
and summarizes research questions and outline of this paper.
Chapter 2: Literature Review and Theoretical Background
Chapter 2 is theoretical background which clarifies some important concepts
in the study. In this chapter, some of the previous researches on stylistic devices were

presented.
Chapter 3: Research Methods
Methodology of this study is introduced in chapter 3, which describes data
collection and data analysis in detail.
Chapter 4: Findings and Discussions
Chapter 4 focuses on the results and discussion. In this chapter, answers to
research questions raised in the Introduction section are provided though quantitative


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analysis.
Chapter 5: Conclusions and Implications
Conclusions are drawn to general findings of this study, limitations of this
study stated and suggestions put forward for the future research.


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Chapter Two
LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

In this chapter I review some of the previous research on stylistic devices in
English and Vietnamese, in order to gain an overall view of the state of affairs in this
research area, and to pinpoint what further research needs to be conducted. This
chapter is arranged as follows: Literature Review, Theoretical Background and
Summary.

2.1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
2.1.1. Language and culture

PeeterTorop (2009) focuses on the relationship between culture and translation
as culture operates largely through translational activity, since only by the inclusion
of new texts into culture can the culture undergo innovation as well as perceive its
specificity. Wittgenstein said, “the limits of my language are the limits of my world"
(1958, p. 53). Language, as a part of the cultural core, is at the heart of culture.
Languages are systems of verbal symbols – vocal or written, organized by particular
rules (grammar) and used by particular rules (grammar) and used by particular
communities in order to develop and communicate their thoughts and affections.
Culture between Vietnam and Britain also are mentioned to show the differences
between the Vietnamese translational and English original versions. Culture could be
understood as the total set of beliefs, attitude, customs, behavior, social habits, etc. of
the member of a particular society. In the broad sense, it includes mode of production,
production activities, community organization, spiritual life, knowledge of nature and
society, emotions, and moral conceptions. Language is regarded as both a component
of a culture and network through which other elements of culture operate. Language
therefore uses almost all other cultural elements so as to perfect its universal and selfsufficient nature. It could be said that we will not translate from this to that language
perfectly unless we know its relation to its culture. Translation is a kind of activity


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which inevitably involves at least two languages and two cultural traditions. As this
statement implies, translators are permanently faced with the problem of how to treat
the cultural aspects implicit in a source text and of finding the most appropriate
technique of successfully conveying these aspects in the target language. These
problems may vary in scope depending on the cultural and linguistic gap between the
two (or more) languages concerned. The different general procedures of treating the
cultural implications for translation will be examined as well as analyzing the source
text and the aims of the author.
For example:

As gentle as a lamb = hiền như cục đất / hiền như củ khoai.
A lamb is typical in nomadic culture of Britain but land (đất) and potatoes (củ
khoai) are popular in agricultural culture of Vietnam. These idioms have the same
meaning but depending on the culture, the compared thing is used differently.
Authors find the way to express the same idea and meaning in the understandable
way. Lexical means of Fitzgeral describe intonation which is shown by alliteration of
first consonants.
For instances:
bond business [p.5] - nghề giao dịch chứng khoán [p.4]
we walk [p.10] – chúng tôi đi qua [p.8]
high hallway [ p.10] – dãy hành lang cao [p.8]
people played polo [p.8] – có những kẻ chơi polo [p.8]
wild wag [ p.26] – Một ông lang mắt thích đùa [p.18]
Fitzgerald's techniques and writing style were traditional because his vision of
the world was at least in part drawn from pre-World War I assumption. Lionel Trilling
correctly observed that “Fitzgerald was perhaps the last notable writer to affirm the
Romantic fantasy, descended from the Renaissance, of personal ambition and
heroism, of life committed to, or thrown away for, some ideal of self.” (Trilling, 1950,
p. 249) Whereas Hemingway's and Dos Passos's male protagonists often express their
disillusionment with “all faiths”, Fitzgerald's best male figures adhere to these faiths,


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though they may question them and may be defeated in their quests. He asserted his
allegiance to the older, 19th-century tradition: “I am the last of the novelists for a long
time now.” (Tate, 2007, p. 140). Fitzgerald was above all, a story teller who achieved
a close relationship with the reader through the voice of his fiction, which was
intimate, warm, and witty. Trilling defined this quality as his power of love: “... There
is a tone and pitch to the sentences which suggest his warmth and tenderness, and,

what is rare nowadays and not likely to be admired, his gentleness without softness
... He was gifted with the satiric eye; yet we feel that in his morality he was more
drawn to celebrate the good than to denounce the bad ... we perceive that he loved the
good not only with his mind but also with his quick senses and his youthful pride and
desire.” (Trilling, 1950, pp. 244-245). Fitzgerald was clearly a master of stylistic and
technical devices that are often identified with great writing. Arthur James Thurber
recognized an effect of this mastery when he wrote in 1942, “Fitzgerald's perfection
of style and form, as in The Great Gatsby, has a way of making something that lies
between your stomach and your heart quiver a little.” (Thurber, 1942, pp. 380-382).
Gertrude Stein declared in 1933 that Fitzgerald was “the only one of the younger
writers who wrote naturally in sentences,” (Stein, 1933, p. 268).

2.1.2. Stylistics and Stylistic devices
According to Leech and Short (2007), style is the costume of thinking. Leech
(1969) claimed that: “It is said by various critics that the term style normally used
without understanding its meanings. Style is a mode in which something is written,
spoken and performed” (p.163). Stylistic devices are regarded as the way of using
words in a certain way to convey meaning or to persuade. It can also be a technique
used to evoke emotion on the part of the reader or audience. To create the
sprightliness and highlight in any piece of literature, writer uses different techniques
to make it stylish and attractive. It is called ‘Stylistics’. Widdowson (1975) defines it
as “the study of literary discussion from a linguistic orientation”. “Stylistics is an
access to the study of literary texts using linguistic explanation and considers it as a
linking method” (Short & Candlin, 1989, 138). “Stylistics is a span within Linguistics


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and Literature” (Carter, 1988). There are a number of controversial approaches and
orientations which adopted by the analysts. These different approaches, according to

Wales (1989), are “appropriate to the main influence of linguistics and literary
appreciation”. Widdowson (1975) “observes the view that stylistics is a connection
between the literary criticism and linguistic; whereas, David Crystal (1980) says
“stylistics is a part of linguistics which studies different aspects of language
deviation”. Stylistic devices were also explained by Leech and Short (2007) as “the
way to transmit the message of the writer, to the reader”. In short, Stylistic devices
are “a stylistic use of a language unit acquires what we call a stylistic meaning, and a
stylistic device is the realization of an already well-known abstract scheme designed
to achieve a particular artistic effect” (p.287).

2.1.3. Functions of Stylistic devices
According to Gaperin in 1977, stylistic devices are used in speech with the
same aim of intensifying the emotional or logical emphasis that the information
transferred should convey. Stylistic devices play the greatest role in creating
figurative meaning of the language elements and a vivid image. Figurative language
is used to express a particular feeling or encourage imagination by a well-developed
means of creating images with aim to improve the effectiveness, clarity, and
enjoyment of both written and oral communication. In language, Stylistics focuses
on the expressive properties of linguistic units, their functioning and interaction in
conveying ideas and emotions in a certain text or communicative context. Stylistics
interprets the opposition between the contextual meaning of a word and its denotative
meaning. According to Wales in 2001, he claimed in A dictionary of Stylistics that
“the goal of most stylistics is not only to describe the formal features of texts for their
own sake, but in order to show their functional significance for the interpretation of
the text; or to relate literary effects to linguistic ‘causes’ where these are felt to be
relevant” (p. 437)


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2.1.4. Simile
Simile is one of the stylistic devices that is used to make comparison between
two things. It came under the category of semantic stylistic devices as it affects the
meaning of verse and somehow enhances it. It is a direct comparison between two or
more than two entities. According to Cuddon in 1965“A figure of speech in which
one thing is likened to another, in such a way as to clarify and enhance an image. It
is an explicit comparison recognizable by the use of the words “like” or “as”. It is
equally common in prose and verse and is a figurative device of great antiquity”.
Simile is a comparison between two different things that resemble each other in at
least one way. In formal prose the simile is a device both of art and explanation,
comparing an unfamiliar thing to some familiar things (an object, event, process, etc.)
known to the reader [42]
A simile consists of three components:
1) What is compared (the subject of a simile);
2) With what the comparison is made (the object of the simile);
3) The basis of the comparison.
She's happy as a lark.
Subj. basis

obj.

For example:
She walks like an angel.
I wandered lonely as a cloud. (Wordsworth)
Trẻ em như búp trên cành,
Biết ăn ngủ, biết học hành là ngoan.
(Trẻ con – Hồ Chí Minh)
The stylistic functions of simile are to imaginative characterization of a phenomenon
and to produce a humorous effect by its unexpectedness.
Example.: A nice old man, hairless as a boiled onion.

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2.1.5. Personification
Personification is a device that means impersonation or embodiment of some
quality or abstraction. According to Cuddon in 1965: “The impersonation or
embodiment of some quality or abstraction; the attribution of human qualities to
inanimate objects” (p. 529). In other words, giving attributes of humans or human
qualities to some inanimate being or objects is called personification.
For example:
Justice is blind
Necessity is the mother of invention
It is a kind of metaphor in which animals, plants, inanimate objects or abstract
ideas are represented as if they were human beings and possessed human qualities.

2.1.6. Repetition
Repetition is a literary device that repeats the same words or phrases a few
times to make an idea clearer and more memorable. There are several types of
repetition commonly used in both prose and poetry. As a stylistic device, it could be
a word, a phrase, or a full sentence, or a poetical line repeated to emphasize its
significance in the entire text.

For example:
“It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know …
I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea,
But we loved with a love that was more than love —

I and my Annabel Lee …”
Annabel Lee (By Edgar Allan Poe)
Edgar Allan Poe is using the refraining line “In a kingdom by the sea.” This


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appears in the second line of each stanza, and is repeated in the final line of the third
stanza, drawing readers’ attention, and contributing to its meter and rhythm.

2.1.7. Metaphor
According to G. Lakoff and Johnson in 1980, the metaphor was not just a
matter of literature, style or rhetoric but of all language use. Metaphor is a comparison
between two things which are basically quite different without using like or as. While
a simile only says that one thing is like another, a metaphor says that one thing is
another.
For example:
All the world’s a stage
And all the men and women merely players ... (Shakespeare)
The linguistic nature of these two stylistic devises is different. The metaphor is based
on the interaction between the logical and the contextual logical meanings of a word,
whereas the simile employs a word in its direct meaning.

2.1.8. Hyperbole (exaggeration)
Hyperbole is a kind of figurative language where the speaker says something
while meaning another thing (Stern, 2000). Leech (1983) states that hyperbole is a
feature of everyday conversations which people use to exaggerate and evaluate.
Hyperbole may also be used for instances such as, exaggerations for emphasis or
effect. It makes something greater, better or worse than it really. The use of
hyperboles generally relays feelings or emotions from the speaker, or from those who

the speaker may talk about. Hyperbole can be used in a form of humor, excitement,
distress, and many other emotions, all depending on the context in which the speaker
uses it.
Hyperbole is a stylistic device based on the interaction between the logical and
emotive meanings of the word. Its aim is to intensify one of the features of the object
to such a degree that from the practical point of view the fulfilment of which is
impossible. Both the writer and the reader (or the speaker and the listener) are fully


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aware of the delibe-rateness of the exaggeration. The use of hyperbole shows the
overflow of emotions in the speaker and the listener.
For example
"What I suffer in that way no tongue can tell" (J. K. Jerome)
"No tongue can tell" means "it is very difficult to express by means of the language".
In this case hyperbole is based on metonymy (tongue). Very often hyperbole is used
to create humorous or satirical effect and so to express the author's attitude towards
the described. Like many stylistic devices, in the result of continuous usage hyperbole
may lose its originality and becomes a unit of the language-as-a-system. We
constantly use expressions containing hyperbole in our everyday speech. Such
exaggerations are distinguished from a hyperbole as a stylistic device.
For example, in Vietnamese:
"Đội trời đạp đất ở đời" - Truyện Kiều

2.1.9. Parallelism
According to the Encyclopedia [61] “Parallelism in Rhetoric is a device in
which a formula or structural pattern is repeated”. Cu Đinh Tu [51, p.168-170], stated
that “Parallelism is a semantic procedure in which people consciously put two or
more similar or same words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs together. parallel

structure is a stylistic device, and a grammatical construction having two or more
clauses, phrases or words, with similar grammatical form and length. It is similar to
parallelism. In parallel structure, sentences have a series of phrases or clauses, which
start and end in almost a similar fashion, by keeping the rhythm of the lines. These
structures are repetitions that offer an enjoyable time for the readers to absorb and
understand ideas, facts, and concepts. Parallel structure creates fluency in writing
and enhances readability because it uses patterns of words in a way that readers can
easily follow, and relate them to each other. It makes language appear refined,
especially in writing and advertising. It also lends consistency to professional writing
since it provides rhythm and balance that lead the readers to the exact idea, without


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any misguidance.
For example:
Looking towards the Southern sky and dreaming of old friends. –
After Prison a Walk in the Mountains – Prison Diary (Aileen Palmer)
“Súng bên súng, đầu sát bên đầu” - Đồng Chí (Chính Hữu)

2.1.10. Translation and translation methods
According to Wilssi (1982), translation is a transfer process, which aims at the
transformation of written source language text into an optimally equivalent target
language text, and which requires the syntactic, semantic and pragmatic
understanding and analytical processing of the source language. Besides, Bell (1991)
claimed that translation is the expression in another language (target language) of
what has been expressed in one language (source language), preserving semantic and
stylistic equivalencies.
For example, the Vietnamese sentence “Người bắt đầu học ngoại ngữ ln
ln gặp khó khăn ngay từ bước đầu.” can be translated into the English sentence

“Beginners of foreign language always meet difficulties from the outset.” (Tran Van
Diem, Dong A Language School, 1998)
“Translators are concerned with the written texts. They render written texts
from one language into another language. Translators are required to undertake
assignments, which range from simple items, such as birth certificates and driving
licenses, to more complex written materials, such as articles in specialized
professional journals, business contracts and legal documents”. (Bui Tien Bao and
Dang Xuan Thu, 1997)
Translation, by dictionary definition, consists of changing from one state or
form to another, to turn into one’s own or another’s language. (The Merriam Webster
Dictionary, 1974) Translation is basically a change of form. When we speak of the
form of a language, we are referring to the actual words, phrases, sentences,
paragraphs, etc. The forms are referred to as the surface structure of a language. It is
the structural part of language which is actually seen in print or heard in speech.


14

Because a text has both form and meaning, there are two main kinds of
translation. One is form-based and the other is meaning-based. Form-based
translation attempts to follow the form of the source language and is known as literal
translation. Meaning-based translation makes every effort to communicate the
meaning of the source language text in the natural forms of the receptor language.
Such translation is called idiomatic translation. An interlinear translation is a
completely literal translation. For some purposes, it is desirable to reproduce the
linguistic features of the source text; as for example, in a linguistic study of that
language. Literal translation can be considered as a very low level of translation. A
literal translation sounds like nonsense and has little communication value.
For example:
In one translation, the source text said, “Nhiều du khách nước ngoài đã giới

thiệu cho chúng tôi về khách sạn May Hong”. It was translated, “Many foreign
tourists have introduced us about May Hong Hotel.” (literal translation) It would
have been translated idiomatically, “May Hong Hotel has been recommended to us
by a number of foreign tourists.”
The translator’s goal should be to reproduce in a receptor language a text
which communicates the same message as the source language but using the natural
grammatical and lexical choices of the receptor language. The basic principle is that
an idiomatic translation reproduces the meaning of the source language in the natural
form of the receptor language.
Each language has its own division of the lexicon into classes such as nouns,
verbs, adjectives and so on. Different languages will have different classes and
subclasses. It will not always be possible to translate a source language noun with a
noun in the receptor language.
Grammatical constructions vary between the source language and the receptor
language. The order of the words in the sentence may be completely reserved. The
following Vietnamese simple sentence is given with a literal English translation:
For example,


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Vietnamese people tend to use active constructions to express their ideas
whereas English people prefer to use passive constructions.
Vietnamese: Người ta xem Ho Chi Minh là một nhà thơ vĩ đại. (Active)
English: Ho Chi Minh is considered to be a great poet. (Passive)
The above translated sentences are only examples to show some types of
grammatical adjustments which will result if a translator translates idiomatically in
the source language. Certainly, there will be times by coincidence they match, but a
translator should translate the meaning not concerning himself with whether the
forms turn out the same or not.

Newmark (1988) mentioned two translation types as source language
emphasis and Target language emphasis:
Word for
word
Source
language
Semantic

translation
Literal
translation

Translation

Free Translation
Target
language

Adaptation

Communicative
Translation

Faithful
Translation

Idiomatic Translation
Pragmatic Translation

Word for word translation is interlinear translation. The source language

word order is preserved and the words translated singly by their most common
meanings, out of context. The aim of using word for word translation is to understand
the mechanics of the source language and to construe a difficult text as presentation
process.
For example:
English: I do not understand what you said
Word- for word translation: Tôi không hiểu những gì bạn nói
Literal translation: it is converted to the nearest target language equivalents


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but the lexical words are translated singly, out of context.
For example:
Vietnamese: Nhớ gởi thư cho mình nhé
Literal translation: Remember to send me a letter
Faithful translation: it attempts to reproduce the precise contextual meaning
of the original within the constraints of the target language grammatical structures. It
transfers cultural words and preserves the degree of grammatical accuracy and is
faithful to the intentions of the source language writer.
For example:
English: Let sleeping dogs lie
Faithfull translation: Đừng đụng tới những cịn chó đang ngủ để chúng nằm
Semantic translation: it differs from faithful translation when it takes more account
of the aesthetic value of the source language text. Semantic translation is more
flexible than faithful translation and naturalizes while faithful translation is
uncompromising. It also translates cultural words with neutral or functional items and
it has great focus on aesthetic features of source text and closely renders metaphors,
collocations, technical terms, slang, colloquialisms, unusual syntactic structures and
collocations. This kind of translation is used for texts that have high status such as

religion texts, legal texts, politician’s speeches and expressive texts.
For example:
English: David was overworked and half – starved
Semantic translation: David phải làm việc vất vả mà vẫn chưa đủ ăn
Adaptation: It is the freest form of translation, which is used for plays, poetry.
The plot, the themes, the characters are preserved but the source language culture
converted to the target language culture and the text is rewritten.
For example:
English: A taste of India (Title of an illustrated book on Indian cooking)
Adaptation translation: Nghệ thuật ẩm thực Ấn Độ
Free translation: it produces the matter without the manner, the content