AN ANALYSIS OF THE SUGGESTED TRANSLATION OF CHAPTER 4 FROM THE BOOK “EATING VIET NAMDISPATCHES FROM a BLUE PLASTIC TABLE PAPERBACK” BY GRAHAM HOLLIDAY, 2016

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING DUY TAN UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ENGLISH GRADUATION THESIS NGUYEN THI THAO VI AN ANALYSIS OF THE SUGGESTED TRANSLATION OF CHAPTER FROM THE BOOK: “EATING VIET NAM:DISPATCHES FROM A BLUE PLASTIC TABLE PAPERBACK” BY GRAHAM HOLLIDAY, 2016 GRADUATION THESIS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES DA NANG – DECEMBER 2021 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING DUY TAN UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ENGLISH GRADUATION THESIS NGUYEN THI THAO VI AN ANALYSIS OF THE SUGGESTED TRANSLATION OF CHAPTER FROM THE BOOK: “EATING VIET NAM:DISPATCHES FROM A BLUE PLASTIC TABLE PAPERBACK” BY GRAHAM HOLLIDAY, 2016 MAJOR : TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION CODE : K23 701 SUPERVISOR: DUONG HUU PHUOC, M.A DA NANG – DECEMBER 2021 Faculty of English Graduation Paper ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First of all, I would like to send the most respectful greetings to the teachers of Duy Tan University in general and the teachers of the English department in particular I'd want to take this occasion to express my gratitude to the professors who have dedicatedly taught me and provided me with valuable knowledge throughout my four years at university Secondly, I would want to convey my heartfelt gratitude to Mr Duong Huu Phuoc, my supervisor, who has been patiently training me and providing me with invaluable advice and comments Despite his hectic schedule, he takes the time to double-check and assist me in correcting my errors as I finish this thesis Thirdly, I would like to express my gratitude to my family and friends who have always encouraged, cheered and beside me in the learning process as well as the process of implementing graduation projects I hope I will achieve good results in my studies as well as graduation projects so that I can return their kindness Finally, I hope the teachers always have health, peace and happiness so that they can pass their knowledge on to the next generations of students Yours sincerely, Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English Graduation Paper STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP This is the result of my own research, except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis contains no material published elsewhere or extracted in the whole or in part from a thesis by which have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the thesis The thesis contains no material previously published or written by other people This thesis has not been submitted for award of any degree or diploma in any other tertiary institution Da Nang, December 2021 Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English Graduation Paper TABLE OF CONTENTS Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English Graduation Paper ABSTRACT This paper is a suggested translation of Chapter from the book “Eating Viet Nam: Dispatches from a Blue Plastic Table Paperback” by Graham Holliday, 2016” Firstly, I am going to introduce the general reason why I chose this topic Secondly, I will present theoretical background for translation Next, I will translate the English version into the Vietnamese version Then, I analyse complex vocabulary and structures in the translation and come to the suggested translation version The difficulties in the translation process and some essential solutions are proposed at the end of the graduation thesis Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English Graduation Paper ABBREVIATIONS - SL: Source Language - TL: Target Language Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English Graduation Paper CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 RATIONALE The world is growing and an ever-increasing number of sightseers pick Vietnam as a spot to travel or live Individuals coming to Vietnam are bringing an alternate mindset and distinctive love to this country They have something they love and need to find out about this country Other than the delightful landscape, the food is also what draws in travelers here Vietnamese road food is different and rich Aside from traditional cuisines, there are other dishes that are the result of long-term cultural interchange and acculturation with ethnic groups Visitors to Vietnam can easily find traditional and pure Vietnamese foods without having to spend a lot of time seeking or stepping foot in luxury restaurants Many traditional street dishes have been handed down from generation to generation So there are two reasons for me to choose "Eating Viet Nam": Firstly, as a raised person who has had the opportunity to taste and experience the country's culinary and customs, I want to learn about foreigners' view of Vietnam through the author's point of view Secondly, I would like to know about the author, why he chose Vietnam as a destination to explore and stick with this country for a long time In short, I hope this will be the right choice and I will achieve good results with this topic Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English Graduation Paper 1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.2.1 Aims - Improving skills and gaining more experience in translation Improving knowledge about foreign countries Improving reading and understanding skills Learning more vocabulary and improving skills in analyzing structures 1.2.2 Objectives After completing my graduation thesis, I have gained the following goals: - To better understand social life - To be more proficient in translation - Learn more about other cultures 1.3 THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY 1.3.1 The Text Features The book is a journalist and blogger take us on a colorful and spicy gastronomic tour through Viet Nam in this entertaining, offbeat travel memoir An ordinary guy who liked trying interesting food, he moved to the capital city and embarked on a quest to find real Vietnamese food In “Eating Viet Nam”, he chronicles his odyssey in this strange, enticing land infused with sublime smells and tastes 1.3.2 The Text Length In this graduation paper, I would like to offer a suggested version in Vietnamese for the English version of chapter from the Book: “Eating Viet Nam: Dispatches from a Blue Plastic Table Paperback” by Graham Holliday with 3,854 words In addition, I also analyzed some difficult vocabularies and grammar structures that I encountered during the process of translating this text Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 10 Graduation Paper 1.3.3 The Text Source The text is a part of chapter chapter from the Book: “Eating Viet Nam: Dispatches from a Blue Plastic Table Paperback” by Graham Holliday, first published in March 15, 2016 I have got this book in https://sites.google.com/a/ht.books-now.com/en406/978006229305321rioinGEdioar68 CHAPTER THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 Definition of Translation Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 57 Graduation Paper Independent clauses : and Coordinating he’d already decided upon my destiny S2 V2 O2 conjunction This is a compound sentence, and two clauses are linked together by a coordinating conjunction “and” Suggested version : “Tơi chưa nói điều với Pete, anh định số phận tôi.” 4.2.3 Complex sentences A complex sentence is a sentence that contains an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence, but a dependent clause cannot stand alone Dependent clauses begin with subordinating conjunctions Below are some of the most common subordinating conjunctions:         Although/ Even though/ Though After/ Since/ Until/ While/ As/ Before/ When If/ Because/ Unless Whenever/ Whereas/ Wherever/ Etc Complex Sentences with Adverbial Clause Complex Sentences with Relative Clause Complex Sentences with Noun Clause 4.2.3.1 Complex Sentences with Adverbial Clause An adverbial clause is a dependent clause that functions as an adverb and gives information about a verb, adjective, or adverb Adverbial clause Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 58 Graduation Paper gives additional information about independent clauses to answer the questions, for example: how, when, where, why, or to what degree An adverbial clause is related to subordinating conjunctions; for example, when, after, because, though, etc These words are used to combine dependent with an independent clause There are many kinds of adverbial clause: adverbial clause of time, place, cause & effect, purpose & result, condition, contrast/concession, manner and reason Example : “ As I looked around the office on my last day, I saw the gray faces of those waiting on their pension with a gargantuan ten years left to grind it out, each brow counting every minute of the day in seconds and furrows.” [P34] Subordinating conjunction: As Independent clause: “I saw the gray faces of those waiting on their pension with a gargantuan ten years left to grind it out, each brow counting every minute of the day in seconds and furrows ” Adverbial clause: “As I looked around the office on my last day” Suggested version : “Vào ngày cuối làm tơi nhìn quanh văn phịng, tơi nhận thấy nét mặt xám xịt người chờ nhận lương hưu với mười năm dài đằng đẵng cịn lại để nghiền nát nó, sọi lơng mày nhíu lại đếm phút ngày tính giây ” Example 10 : “The photographer had taken the picture while standing on Tràng Tiền Street, looking at the Hà Nội Opera House.” [P13] Subordinating conjunction: while Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 59 Graduation Paper Independent clause: “The photographer had taken the picture” Adverbial clause: “while standing on Tràng Tiền Street, looking at the Hà Nội Opera House” Suggested version : “Nhiếp ảnh gia chụp ảnh đứng phố Tràng Tiền nhìn Nhà hát lớn Hà Nội “ 4.2.3.2 Complex Sentences with Relative Clauses A relative clause is a clause that follows a noun, and has the function of modifying nouns Relative clause begins with relative pronouns: who, whom, which, that, whose or relative adverbs: why, where, when Example 11 : “Shopfronts were plastered in garish signs whose language was utterly impenetrable to me.” [P3] This sentence has a relative clause : “whose language was utterly impenetrable to me” The pronoun “whose” is replaced for “shopfronts” Suggested version : “Trước cửa hàng bao phủ bảng hiệu đầy màu sắc, ngơn ngữ chúng hồn tồn khơng thể hiểu tơi.” Example 12 : “This picture, from this city, sparked a curiosity that remained burned in my memory.” [P15] This sentence has a relative clause : “that remained burned in my memory” The pronoun “that” is replaced for “This picture, from this city” Suggested version : “Bức tranh này, từ thành phố này, khơi dậy trí tị mị cịn khắc ghi tâm trí tơi.” Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 60 Graduation Paper Example 13 : “Like millions of office workers who punch the clock from nine to five the world over, Feltham felt snared by the expectations of twentieth-century society.” [P28] This sentence has a relative clause : “who punch the clock from nine to five the world over, Feltham felt snared by the expectations of twentiethcentury society” The pronoun “who” is replaced for “millions of office workers” Suggested version : “Giống hàng triệu nhân viên văn phòng khác giới làm việc từ sáng đến chiều, Feltham cảm thấy bị mắc kẹt kỳ vọng xã hội kỷ 20.” 4.2.3.3 Complex Sentences with Noun Clauses A noun clause refers to a clause that serves the same purpose as a noun and is usually dependent Just like nouns do, a noun clause names people, things, places, and ideas Noun clauses typically have a verb and a subject, but they cannot express a complete thought in a sentence; hence they are known as dependent clauses Since noun clauses cannot form complete sentences, they are usually used together with an independent clause Noun clauses can begin with ‘whatever, whichever, whoever, whomever, how, why, what, when, which, whether, whose, if, that’ Translating sentences containing noun clause is a challenge because noun clause is a difficult part in English grammar It often makes us difficult to understand the meaning of the sentence clearly if we misinterpret its function Therefore, when I translate complex sentences with noun clauses, I must be very focused when analyzing Example 14 : “For example, my friends didn’t believe me when I said I’d never heard of the Spice Girls.” [P18] Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 61 Graduation Paper In this sentence, the noun clause “when I said I’d never heard of the Spice Girls” works as an object modifying the verb “didn’t believe” Suggested version : “ Ví dụ, bạn bè tơi khơng tin tơi nói tơi chưa nghe Spice Girls.” Example 15: “I’m not sure why Việt Nam lodged itself within my brain.” [P20] In this sentence, the noun clause “why Việt Nam lodged itself within my brain ” work as an object Suggested version : “Tôi không rõ Việt Nam hằn sâu vào tâm trí tơi.” Example 16 : “I had to join Job Club, a government initiative to monitor how serious the dole queue was about getting back into the workplace.” [P35] In this sentence, the noun clause “how serious the dole queue was about getting back into the workplace” works as an object modifying the verb “monitor” 4.2.4 Compound - Complex sentences A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses, and at least one dependent clause Example 17 : “I decided to write a reply, expressing my thanks to the university for the kind offer and telling them that while I would unfortunately be unable to take the position, I would be in touch again the following year.” [P49] There are two independent clauses in this sentence “I decided to write a reply, expressing my thanks to the university for the kind offer” and “ I would unfortunately be unable to take the position, I would be in touch again Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 62 Graduation Paper the following year” Two independent clauses are joined by the conjunction “and” Suggested version : “ Tôi định viết thư phản hồi, bày tỏ biết ơn đến trường đại học lời đề nghị tốt bụng thông báo với họ rằng, thời gian tơi khơng thể đảm nhận vị trí này, liên lạc lại với họ vào năm sau.” Example 18 : “A taxi with one customer already ensconced in the front passenger seat pulled up on the eight-lane main boulevard, and a group of shoppers hopped in the back.” [P6] There are two independent clauses in this sentence “A taxi with one customer already ensconced in the front passenger seat pulled up on the eightlane main boulevard” and “a group of shoppers hopped in the back” Two independent clauses are joined by the conjunction “and” After analyzing this sentence, I decided to translate it as follows Suggested version : “Một taxi với hành khách ngồi sẵn ghế phía trước tấp vào đại lộ có tám đường nhóm người mua sắm nhảy vào phía sau.” 4.2.5 Passive Voice Passive voice is defined that to be one of two voices of verbs A verb is in the passive voice when the subject of the sentence is acted on by the verb Passive voice is a common structure in English However, in Vietnamese, people rarely use passive voice to communicate or to express an idea So, when translating passive voice sentences, I often transferred them into active voice Example 19 : “Of course, I never for one minute thought I would end up living in Hà Nội, but in retrospect a seed had been sown, one that began to Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 63 Graduation Paper blossom a little farther north, in a phone box, on a street corner in Iksan, in the western province of South Korea, in northeast Asia, in 1996.” [P22] In this sentence, the verb “sow” is in the passive voice In this context, I use passive structure when translating because I want to remain the emphasis of the subject Suggested version : “Tất nhiên, tơi chưa nghĩ kết thúc sống Hà Nội, nhìn lại hạt giống gieo, hạt hạt đậu nở xa chút phía Bắc, hộp điện thoại, góc phố Iksan, tỉnh phía Tây Hàn Quốc, Đơng Bắc Châu Á, vào năm 1996.” CHAPTER DIFFICULTIES AND SOLUTIONS 5.1 Difficulties Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 64 Graduation Paper During the four years of majoring in translation and interpreting at Duy Tân University, I have studied many translation-related subjects, which is very helpful to me However, what I have learned is not enough to deal with all the difficult words, phrases, and structures In terms of vocabulary, many meanings or meanings have been found in English dictionaries So I must improve my vocabulary more In addition, the structure is the most important part of my graduate thesis In the analysis process, I had to choose some very difficult structures, and then translate and analyze them as accurately as possible In different structures, sentences containing different types of clauses, the corresponding terms such as the number of clauses, the number of lexical items, and the number of lexical items are very complicated Their analysis requires definite, careful, and focused knowledge All in all, the time is limited while the text is quite long, I have to finish as best I can The difference between English and Vietnamese use makes sentences not fluent and natural This requires the translator to have experience in dealing with especially complex or complex – compound sentences But in my opinion, all of the problems can be solved if we really make our effort 5.2 Solutions During the translation process, although I faced difficulties and challenges, I have learned from my experience from that difficulty I have taken advantage of what I have been taught for the past four years, searching on the Internet, looking up the dictionaries or asking for help from my supervisor Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 65 Graduation Paper Firstly, I reread that part of the original and incorporate it with the analysis, then I listed some specific phrases as well as difficult words Once I understood the content clearly, I started translating it in its entirety In order to accurately translate the untranslatable words and idioms, I have to refer to some reliable dictionaries, such as Oxford Dictionary, TFlat, The Free Dictionary, etc., and then choose the most appropriate and accurate meaning For polysemous words, I carefully considered in a certain context and decided which meaning is the best choice Like vocabulary, analyzing structure requires a high degree of attention To be able to translate correctly, I must focus on analyzing the structure of sentences by reviewing the structures I have learned and correctly identifying the types of sentences and clauses In my opinion, this kind of analysis is very important when we translate Last but not least, I think the enthusiastic support of my supervisor is the most reliable He gave me many useful explanations for the content that I couldn't translate and analyze Moreover, this is the first time I have done a big task, so I am not sure how to present and format my graduation thesis scientifically So, his help is my most wonderful solution After translating and analyzing the text, I thought that if I want to realize my dream of becoming an excellent translator, I need to study hard and improve all the basic skills Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 66 Graduation Paper CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 6.1 Summary of Findings In the process of making this book, I not only gained a lot of valuable experience but also had many shortcomings After finishing my graduation thesis, I realized that what I had learned in school was not enough, so I needed to have an inquiring heart to study deeper and broader Many of my skills have improved and enhanced such as translating and analyzing skills I now know that it is not easy to be a translator To be a perfect translator, I not only need to enrich skills related to my major such as translating ability, vocabulary, and structure analysis, but also improve my soft skills like presenting, formatting, and problem-solving Moreover, I realized that I not accumulate a wide enough vocabulary in both SL and TL There were many expressions that I did not know their meanings, and even sometimes I could not know how to express the idea of the author in Vietnamese although I understood it That makes me confused and embarrassed to choose the correct meaning for the suggested version Therefore, having a diverse stock of vocabulary is the best to translate easily Finally, I hope that I could get good grades and good assessments from Duy Tan University, the Faculty of English, my supervisor, and all the teachers who have taught me during the past years 6.2 Suggestions After completing my graduation paper, I have some suggestions for students and teachers in the Faculty of English at Duy Tan University Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 67 Graduation Paper First of all, I think translation is an important subject Therefore, the department should increase the time of students' translation courses, let them practice more, improve their knowledge and improve their translation skills Then, I think teachers should give students more opportunities to practice analyzing many difficult structures When students clearly understand the structure, they can avoid errors in the translation process This will also be of great help to their translation in the future Finally, I think students need to develop their English and Vietnamese vocabulary so that when translating, they will come up with more fluent and logical sentences In conclusion, I hope all my recommendations will partly play a helpful role in the improvement of the Faculty of English, and even of Duy Tan University Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 68 Graduation Paper REFERENCES I DICTIONARIES Oxford Dictionary Cambridge Dictionary Longman Dictionary Free Dictionary Tflat Dictionary II BOOKS Catford, J.C, (1965), A Linguistic Theory of Translation, Oxford Peter Newmark, (1988), A textbook of translation, Prentice-Hall International Tudor Ian, Dr, (1965), About translation theory, Cambridge Nguyen Manh Quang, (2013), Translation theory, Department of Foreign Languages of Duy Tan University III WEBSITES http://www.langmaster.edu.vn https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki 10 https://acet.edu.vn/idioms-thong-dung-cho-ielts-speaking/ 11 https://7esl.com/compound-sentence/ Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 69 Graduation Paper SUPERVISOR’S COMMENT  - Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 70 Graduation Paper EXAMINER'S COMMENTS  - Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 Faculty of English 71 Graduation Paper Student: Nguyen Thi Thao Vi Code:2320319776 ...MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING DUY TAN UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ENGLISH GRADUATION THESIS NGUYEN THI THAO VI AN ANALYSIS OF THE SUGGESTED TRANSLATION OF CHAPTER FROM THE BOOK: “EATING VIET NAM:DISPATCHES... Book: “Eating Viet Nam: Dispatches from a Blue Plastic Table Paperback” by Graham Holliday with 3,8 54 words In addition, I also analyzed some difficult vocabularies and grammar structures that... the translation process: that is, the TL material replaces every parts of the SL In a partial translation, some part or parts of the SL are left untranslated: they are simply transferred to and