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THANGLONG UNIVERSITYENGLISH DEPARTMENTAN ASSESSMENT OF TRANSLATION OF“LOVE STORY”By RickSupervisor: PHAM THAI SON, MAStudent’s name: NGO VIET ANHStudent’s code: AHanoi – 26/02/TABLE OF CONTENTS - 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................ - 2 THEORETICAL BACKROUN...

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THANGLONG UNIVERSITY ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

AN ASSESSMENT OF TRANSLATION OF “LOVE STORY” By Rick

Supervisor Student’s name: Student’s code:

PHAM THAI SON, MA NGO VIET ANH A31940

Hanoi – 26/02/2021 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………….4

2

THEORETICAL BACKROUND………………………………………....5

2.1

About Translation………………..……………………………....5

2.2

Translation method…………………………………..…………..6

2.2.1 The intention of text…………………………………………….6 2.2.2 The intention of translator……………………………………….6 2.2.3 Readership……………………………………………….…….6 2.2.4 Stylistic scales…………………………………………….……7 2.2.5

Setting of the text……………………………………….….…..7

2.2.6

Quality of the Source Text……………………………….……..7

2.3 Translation method…………………………………………. ………8 2.3.1 Adaptation ……………………………………….…………….8 2.4 Translation procedures……………………………………………….8 2.4.1 Literal translation……………………………………………….8 2.4.2 Modulation……………………………………………………..8 2.4.2.1 Abstract > Concrete ………………………………………9 2.4.2.2 Positive > Negative……………………………………….9 2.4.2.3 Change of symbols………………………………………..9 2.4.3

Addition …………………………………………………………

9 2.4.4 Paraphrase………………………………………………………9 3

TRANSLATION

ASSESSMENT………………………………………….10

3.1 The author’s attention………………………………………………..10 3.2

The

translator’s

attention……………………………………………..10 3.3 Text type…………………………………………………………….10 3.4

The readership………………………………………………………

10 2

3.5

Stylistic

scale

..

……………………………………………………...10 3.6

Quality of the Source text……………………………………………

10 3.7 Comparing the translation with the original.…………………………10 3.7.1 Literal translation………………………………………………10 3.7.2

Abstract > Concrete …………………………………………...11 3.7.3

Positive

>

Negative…………………………………………….12 3.7.4

Change of symbols…………………………………………….12 3.7.5

Addition……………………………………………………….12 4 CONCLUSION……………………………………………………….......14

References……………………………………………………………...15 Appendices……………………………………………………………..16

3

INTRODUCTION Languages have always dominated international trade and intercultural communication throughout history. In ancient times, Latin played a major role in European communication. Because of globalization, increasing immigration, free trade and open state borders, a common language is needed more than ever. In this age people are likely to encounter not only different languages, but also cultures, habits, religion and different beliefs every day. When this happens, we need to know how to manage these differences effectively and avoid misunderstandings. The main objective of this thesis is to present the strategies and methods of translation, the translation procedures as well as the concrete examples and their potential translations of the song "Love Story" by Rick. The first chapter is an introduction where the content of each chapter is indicated and the sources are defined. The chapter of the thesis consists of a theoretical background containing translation definitions and a brief history. Since translators approach their tasks in many ways, every method cannot be represented in this thesis. Therefore, only a few, subjectively the most important ones, are presented. The differences between English and Vietnamese are also revealed in the theoretical background. To fully understand the language during translation is necessary and it also means to know what language family it belongs to, what type of language it is, how the word classes are created, how does the sentence structure belongs. All of the units mentioned are described in this chapter. It will be compared to the Vietnamese language in order to emphasize the structure of the English

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language. The second chapter – Text Analysis – relates to the evaluation of lyrical translation. The text analysis, the translation method and the translation procedures used in this translation will be shown. The following chapter concludes that everything has been summarized and resolved. References, abstracts and appendices can be found in the final chapters.

CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

2.1 About translation Although, present-day international communication depends heavily on translation and “documentary evidence of translation can be traced back for at least two millennia” (Bell, 1991), translation is a relatively new field of academic discipline. Traditionally, translators were concerned mainly with the literary and aesthetic aspects of the text in the target language (TL). It was not before the 20th century when translation gained more of a linguistic approach. The first translation-oriented linguistic papers were published in the 1930s. Then in the 1960s, a large number of linguistic works about the translation theory were written. Dubois (1973) in Bell’s (1991) translation: “Translation is the expression in another language (or TL) of what has been expressed in another, source language, preserving semantic and stylistic equivalences.” Mary N. Layoun (1995) presents translation as “but not only, the putative transfer from one language and culture to another. It is, but not only, the interpretative representation of the strange and foreign as, if not familiar, at least plot table and arguably comprehensible in more or less familiar terms.” Layout also considers the relationship between translation and communication: “It has become clear that translational thinking is fundamental to all of human communication and that indeed all acts of communication are acts of translation.”

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Of course, more definitions, points of view and opinions could be presented; however, the used examples were hopefully sufficient to gain a notion about what a translation is and how diverse it can get. At the end of this summary it is suitable to quote Mounin’s complaint perhaps to help the future generation of translators: “The only pity about a translation is that it is not the original. A translator's basic job is to translate and then, if he finds his translation inadequate, to help the reader to move a little nearer to the meaning.” (Newmark, 1988)

2.2 Text analysis Text analysis plays an important role in translation process, thus, it is always paid attention by both the translator and the translation researcher. according to Newmark (1988), analysis of a text is a procedure in which the translator must read the text, find out the intention of the text, text styles, readership, as well as stylistic scales, attitude, setting. besides, the translator has to take into account the quality of the writing, and before translating, he/she has to read the text the last time

2.2.1 The intention of text Understanding text styles is an important step in analyzing text. The intention of text represents the source language (SL) writer’s attitude of the text or subject matter. It’s necessary to pay special attention to the type of language and even the grammatical structure, the title may be remote from the content as well as the intention.

2.2.2 The intention of translator In reading, the translator, as Newmark (1988) stated, searches for the intention of the text, he/she cannot isolate this from understanding it. the intention of the text is shown through the selecting means like grammatical structures, vocabulary of the writer, for example two texts describe the same subject as a battle, for instance, the positive text uses positive expressions, vocabulary such as hopefully, luckily…. However, the negative text, conversely, uses negative

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expressions, vocabulary like unfortunately, it is a pity that "The intention of the text represents the SL writer's attitude to the subject matter” (Newmark 1988) The first and most important task, therefore, is to search for the intention of the text. And, according to Newmark (1988), "usually the intention of the translator is the same as the intention of the source text author." But sometimes the translator adapts it to make it suitable for new readership.

2.2.3 Readership The readership is a group of readers to whom the text is directed, and this group is marked by the level of education, class, age and sex. In translation, as Newmark (1988) argued, the readership of the SL text should be characterized, and then the readership of the translation should decide how much attention should be paid to the readers of TL. And Newmark (1988) argues that there is a tendency to translate "educated, middle-class readership in an informal, colloquial style." There are three types of readership: an expert, an educated layman, and a uniformed one.

2.2.4 Stylistic scales To understand and form as suitable text, the translator has to identify the stylistic scales of the text. For example, basing on the formality, texts can be divided: officials, formal, neutral, informal, colloquial, slang and taboo, basing on the generality and difficulty, texts can be divided into simple, popular, neutral, educated, technical and opaquely technical and basing on emotional tone: intense, warm, factual and understatement

2.2.5

Setting of the text

To learn about the text settings suggested by Newmark (1988) is to find out where the text will be published in TL, the TL equivalent of the SL periodical, newspaper, textbook... Customers and their requirements also take into account the 'briefer title, lack of subtitles and sub-headings, shorter paragraphs and other features of the TL house-style' The translator has to make "a number of assumptions" about the readership, that is, who they are, their education.

2.2.6

Quality of the Source Text

Another important thing that the translator needs to pay attention to is the quality of the SL in order to choose a translation method. Quality writing, as Newmark (1988) claimed,

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depends on the author's writing skills, the author's intention and the requirement of the subject matter. A text is considered to be well-written when the correct words are used in the right places, it has a minimum of redundancy, it is logical, .... The authority of the text is subject to the status of the author in his field. Of course, if the text is written by an expert, the accuracy is better. If the text is written with "stereotyped phrased, not well written" at that time, the translator will have to deal with the badly written text.

2.3 Translation method For a good translator, which could be considered the utmost importance and the guideline in translation job is translation methodology. It has been a central problem whether to translate "literally or freely" at least since the first century BC. Many years have gone, some methods have been identified and Newmark (1988) has put the argument in the form of a flattened V diagram as the following: Word for word translation, Literal translation, Faithful translation, Semantic translation, Communicative translation, Idiomatic translation, Free translation, Adaptation but in this essay I just want to focus on Adaptation.

2.3.1 Adaptation Adaptation depends on the particular market or style. “This is the 'freest' form of translation.” (Newmark, 1988) It is mostly applied in plays where the poetry, comedy, themes, plot and characters are preserved, but the text rewritten. Adaptation can also work when the SL and TL are the same.

2.4 Translation procedures Translation procedures are methods used by translators when formulating equivalence for the purpose of transferring meaning elements from SL to TL. Translation procedures are used for sentences and smaller language units. More than one procedure may be used in one translation, and some translations may result from a cluster of procedures that is difficult to identify. In this essay, I'm going to focus on Literal Translation, Modulation, Addition and Omission.

2.4.1 Literal translation Literal translation ranges from one word to one word, through group to group, collocation to collocation, clause to clause, to sentence to sentence. For example, SL said “Nhiều khách du lịch nước ngoài đã giới thiệu cho chúng tôi về khách sạn Mường Thanh”. It is translated “Many foreign tourists have introduced us about Muong Thanh Hotel”

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2.4.2 Modulation Variation through change of viewpoint, of perspective, and very often of category of thought introducing a clarification with respect to the original formulation

2.4.2.1 Abstract > Concrete Sometime difficult to find a Vietnamese meaning with a similar meaning to an English or set expression, but which is expressed differently. A good example is the translation for (SL) “Sleep in open” it means “Thức hoặc ngủ một cách đề phòng cảnh giác” (TL)

2.4.2.2

Positive > Negative

The positive and negative connotation is often conveyed in English it can be difficult to know which verb to use in the Vietnamese. For example, (SL) Tom is given present by Mary > (TL) Tom được Mary tặng một món quà, or (SL) Anh ấy bị ngã > (TL) He falls

2.4.2.3 Change of symbols Most of the English words have many meanings; the exact meaning of one word can be expressed only in context, as in the following example, “Mr. Trump ran for cabinet so he was a fair game for the press” The word “ran” is the past and past participle of “run” which mean “chạy, vận hành, chạy trốn, tranh cử…” this sentence can be translated “Mr. Trump ra tranh cử vào chính phủ vì thế ông là mục tiêu đáng chú ý cho báo giới soi mói”

2.4.3 Addition In some cases, sentences in the SL sometimes is not enough clear when translated in to the SL. Addition procedure will be used to solve this problem.

2.4.4 Paraphrase This strategy can be used when translating an English word or concept that does not exist in Vietnamese, or when the Vietnamese term for it does not include all the meanings conveyed by the English term for the same concept. For example, (SL) “Pregnant women should avoid alcohol.” (TL) “phụ nữ mang thai nên tránh uống rượu”. In English the word “alcohol”

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includes all alcoholic beverages in its meaning. However, the Vietnamese word for alcohol, “rượu”

CHAPTER 2: EVALUATE THE TRANSLATION OF “LOVE STORY”

3.1 The author’s attention When I read SL for the first time, I'll probably know that the song compares the love story of two people to the famous story of Mario and Juliet. It is appropriate for young people.

3.2 The translator’s attention Translator has used the adaptation method to rewrite the text. In the process of translating, the translator had used specific word to match the Vietnamese style. Then, help us to feel closer to the text.

3.3 Text type In this text, the text is only a moment of life, the words are used as telling a girl’s story. For instance, “we were both young when I first saw you” > “in this sentence definitely is a recounting of a memory. Therefore, the text type is narrative

3.4 The readership 10

According to the text, words in the text that point to the object is the Educated layman. When use words that anyone can understand

3.5

Stylistic scale Scale of emotional tone is used in this text is intense. The words such as “let’s”, “don’t”

are used to make the text more intensive.

3.6

Quality of the Source text Depending on the author's writing skill, we can see that he/she is good writer one when

uses the right words in right places.

3.7

Comparing the translation with the original 3.7.1

Literal translation SL

TL

Love story

Câu chuyện tình yêu

You’ll be the prince and I’ll be the princess

Anh sẽ là hoàng tử, còn em là công chúa

Romeo save me I’ve been feeling so alone

Romeo cứu em, giờ em cảm thấy rất cô đơn

I keep waiting for you but you never come

Em đã đợi anh nhưng anh không bao giờ đến

And said

Và nói

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 target language. In this case, “love story” the word “love” means “tình yêu”, and the word “story” means “câu chuyện” when translated into TL, it does not change the word, bt only changes the order. More example, at the end of the song the word “and said” which “and” means “và”, “said” means “nói” is translated “và nói” in Vietnamese

3.7.2

Abstract > Concrete 11

SL See the lights You were throwing pebbles A little while Scarlet letter

TL Giữa ánh sáng rực rỡ ấy Là người mà em đang chờ đợi Chốc lát Em là người anh yêu

The characteristics of meaning components are referred as a phenomenon of the differences among languages. For example, "Scarlet letter" means "chữ cái đỏ thấm". This word denotes the stigma that a person experiences after committing wrongdoing. This idiom is often used to refer to a person subject to everyone's boycott and a shame in society. A beautiful young woman was forced to carry the letter "A" (which stands for Adultery), which is crimson and embroidered on her chest for life because she was committed to adultery. Going back to the song by Taylor Swift, this sentence “Because you were Mario, I was a scarlet letter/ And my daddy said stay away from Juliet” can be understood as “Vì anh là Mario, và em là người anh yêu (The girl take Mario away from Juliet)/ Hiện Juliet không có ở đây, cha em nói thế”. Another example, the word “A little white” means “little time”

3.7.3

Positive > Negative SL

Stay away

TL Không có ở đây

According to the theory the positive and negative connotation is often conveyed in English it can be difficult to know which verb to use in the Vietnamese. Obviously, the word “stay away” means “tránh xa” if keep the original meaning like this, the sentence in TL will become “bố em nói hãy tránh xa khỏi Juliet” it í a bit strange in Vietnamese, as a result, the translator uses a negative sentence to better match the TL

3.7.4

Change of symbols SL

We can be alone Run White dress

TL Chỉ có đôi ta tồn tại Bỏ chốn Đám cưới

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According to the theory mentioned above, in English, one word can have many meanings. In this essay, I will analyze some word like that. Firstly, the word “alone” means “cô độc, trơ trọi, một mình, chỉ riêng…” In this sentence the word “alone” can be translated “chỉ có đôi ta tồn tại”. Secondly, the word “run” which I mentioned in the example of the theory. It means “chạy, vận hành, chạy trốn, tranh cử …” in this case, the translator chose “bỏ chốn” because it is most suitable. Finally, “white dress” In many societies the color white has long been associated with purity and virtue, and that is one reason why some brides choose to wear white, especially in the West. This is reason why translator chooses “đám cưới”

3.7.5 Addition SL

TL

Close my eyes On a balcony of summer air I was crying on the staircase

Khép hờ đôi mắt Trên ban công giữa buổi tối mùa hè Đứng trên cầu thang kia em đã khóc thật

Try to tell me how it is Don’t be afraid I got time to waiting

nhiều Đang cố làm cho em hiểu rằng Xin anh đừng sợ Em mệt mỏi khi phải chờ đợi

In this case, some sentences in SL are not enough to clear meaning to the reader when translating into the TL. Therefore, the translator has used addition procedure to clarify the meaning and cultural suitability o...