INTRODUCTION
Rationale
As majors in English translation and interpretation at Duy Tan University, we understand that English is the most crucial and essential language in our lives This is evident in a variety of our lives, including magazines, tourism, and daily conversation In my opinion, the most effective way to convey messages, information, and knowledge is through translation.
A translator should also have a strong understanding of the fields they will be transferring to readers besides solid translation skills There were many options, books of various genres, authors, and sources, but the reason why I selected “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” by Sue Lynn Tan was that I was attracted by Chinese mythology factors and legendary creatures that were described vividly Furthermore, this novel depicts a young girl, Xingyin who is very dutiful and energetic but unfortunately, her mother is seized and exiled for stealing the Celestial Emperor's elixir of immortality, and she must assist her mother to get away while also undergoing a journey of self-discovery, romantic love, and familial loyalty.
Hopefully, through my suggested translation, I will be able to create images of a more colorful world of the characters in the novel and feel the optimistic spirit of the character Xingyin on the path of self-development as well as her filial piety for her mother.
Furthermore, I will analyze difficult and ambiguous structures and vocabulary that appear in my suggested version to make it easier for everyone to understand.
Aims and Objectives
Applying my translation skills as well as translation theories, and strategies that I learned over the last four years to translate the text.
Analyzing complex and tricky terms, vocabulary, and structures.
Understand the author's intention to convey and express to readers the author's ideas flexibly.
Providing some effective solutions to the issues encountered by translators while completing their translations.
Improving my skills in translation theory, and cutting-edge methods of translation.
Developing expertise in linguistics and culture to analyze text, many complex vocabulary and structures.
Enhancing my ability to translate text fluently and naturally.
Gaining the use of many vocabularies have multiple meanings in the right context.
Scope of the Study
The focus of this graduation essay is the book "Daughter of the Moon Goddess" which describes Xingyin's turbulent life in the world of the immortals However, due to time constraints, I made the decision to translate and analyze Chapter 7, which has 4240 words Furthermore, this article will also point out and analyze the challenges that I encountered during the translation process, such as complicated structures, and the use of the right semantics of words.
“Daughter of the Moon Goddess” was published in 2022 and was written by Malaysian writer Sue Lynn Tan This is her first published book which was inspired by Chinese mythology and the legend of the moon goddessChang'e The author has skillfully built the character of Xingyin who is the daughter of the Moon Goddess and depicts the process of saving her mother through many events “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” begins an enchanting, romantic that weaves elements of traditional Chinese mythology into a grand adventure involving immortals and magic, one in which love contends with honor, dreams are complicated by betrayal, and hope ultimately great triumphs.
The chapter that I chose to translate and analyze in my graduation thesis is Chapter 7 This section describes the process of the main character - Xingyin cultivating as well as initially discovering her potential strength in the Celestial Kingdom
This book has 503 pages total and 40 chapters with various contents, but due to time constraints, I have only chosen to translate the seventh chapter It is approximately 4240 words from page 89 to page 103 to translate and analyze.
This text is quoted from the book “Daughter of the Moon Goddess” which was written by Sue Lynn Tan and published in 2022.
Method of the Study
Reading the document and each page carefully to totally understand the primary content of this book.
Finding and marking difficult vocabulary as well as complex terms to choose the best meaning suitable for the context of each paragraph.
Making sure the text is coherent and avoiding word-by-word translations.
Consulting with my supervisor to get advice for my paper.
Grasping and analyzing grammar and multiple vocabularies in each paragraph.
Completing the suggested translation version.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Translation Theory
There are various definitions of translation used that are based on personal opinion and over time Here are some well-known translation definitions put into use and research:
According to the definition in “A Linguistic Theory of Translation” was written by J.C Catford (1965), “Translation is the replacement of textual material in one language (SL) by equivalent textual material in another language (TL).”
In the book “A Textbook of Translation” by Peter Newmark (1988) said that: “Translation rendering the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author intended the text.”
Nida and Taber (1982) define translation as “translating consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source language message”.
According to the definitions given above, translation can be defined as the process of converting the meaning, concepts, or messages contained in a text from one language (SL) into another language (TL) and maintaining the equivalence of semantics and stylistic.
There are numerous different categories of translation Identifying translation styles can help us choose the best methods for our translated version as well as understand and use methods more effectively As a result, we will be able to easily translate texts from SL to TL and avoid mistakes in the translation process.
There are two categories of translation that were classified by J.C. Catford (1965): full translation and partial translation.
Full translation: in the process of translation, the entire text in the Source Language is replaced by the equivalent in the Target Language text material
Example: Their biggest beneficiaries will not be celebrities in Los
Angeles or Miami but billions of ordinary people around the world whose weight has made them unhealthy
Những người được hưởng lợi ích lớn nhất sẽ không phải là những ngôi sao nổi tiếng ở Los Angeles hay Miami, mà là hàng tỷ người thường trên khắp thế giới có cân nặng khiến họ không khỏe mạnh
Partial translation: In a partial translation, some part or parts of the source language text are only partially translated or non-translated; but only merely put and combined into the target language.
Example: Cao Bằng là một trong những tỉnh được coi là nơi du lịch mới đầy thú vị và bí ẩn của nước ta.
Cao Bang is one of the provinces that is considered an interesting and mysterious new tourist place in our country.
The total translation is usually meant by ‘translation’ most of the time; that is, translation in which all levels of the SL text are replaced by TL material Strictly speaking, “total” translation is a misleading term, since, though total replacement is involved, it is not the replacement by equivalents at all levels.
Example : In a sense, I’m not a great football player but football is like my religion.
Ở một khía cạnh nào đó, tôi không phải là một cầu thủ bóng đá giỏi nhưng tôi coi bóng đá như là tín ngưỡng của mình.
For J.C Catford (1965), restricted translation means the replacement of source language textual material by equivalent target language textual material at only one level that is performed only at the phonological or at the graphological level or only one of the two levels of grammar and lexis.
Example : Tía ơi, tí nữa con xong việc rồi ra ăn sau!
Dad, I'll be done with my work, and I'll eat later.
Catford stated the following regarding phonological translation, he said: "The Source Language (SL) phonology is replaced by equivalent Target Language (TL) phonology The replacements are done only in grammatical or lexical changes as the result of phonological translation".
Example : Internet In – tơ – nét
Principles and Methods of Translation
According to Alan Duff, the translation should faithfully reflect the original meaning of the text's context Nothing should be added or moved arbitrarily, even though occasionally a portion of the meaning can be
Example : I run out of money, so I cannot go out with my friends.
Tôi hết tiền nên không thể đi chơi cùng bạn bè.
Moreover, in the opinion of Alan Duff (1989), the translation should attempt to follow the original's words and idea order as closely as possible to guarantee that the translation will be the closest and most appropriate equivalent in the target language.
Example: No sooner did she leave than the party ended.
Không bao lâu sau khi cô ấy rời đi thì bữa tiệc kết thúc.
In a particular context, language's levels of formality frequently vary greatly To deal with this difficulty, a translator should pay attention to tone, and distinguish formal or fixed expressions.
Example : Please remember to close the windows before you leave.
Hãy nhớ đóng các cửa sổ trước khi bạn rời đi.
There are many idiomatic expressions that are difficult to translate, including similes, metaphors, proverbs, sayings, jargon, slang, colloquialisms, and phrasal verbs.
Example : Just hold your horses, Bill! Let's think about this for a moment.
Bình tĩnh đi Bill! Hãy suy nghĩ về nó một lúc đi đã.
A translator should keep the original style of the context; however, if it is sloppily written and filled with tedious repetitions, they may change it for the reader's benefit.
Example : When I was a little kid, I saw a movie about a man whose whole life is secretly being filmed for a TV show.
Khi tôi còn là một đứa trẻ, tôi đã xem bộ phim nói về một người đàn ông mà cả cuộc đời của anh ta đang bị quay lén cho một chương trình truyền hình.
One of the most frequent criticisms of translation is that it does not sound “natural” This is because the translator’s thoughts and choice of words are too strongly influenced by the original text Two good tips are used to improve and avoid this problem The first one is the influence of the SL to set the text aside and translate a few sentences aloud from memory And another one that is natural patterns of thought in the SL may not come to mind when the eyes are not fixed on the SL text.
Example : Upon my touching him, he immediately arose, purred loudly, rubbed against my hand, and appeared delighted with my notice.
Khi tôi chạm vào nó, nó ngay lập tức đứng dậy và gào to lên, cọ vào tay tôi và tỏ ra vui thích với tôi khi tôi chú ý đến nó.
This is frequently shown to be an interlinear translation, with the TL appearing directly under the SL words The SL word order is maintained, and the words are translated individually by their most prevalent meanings, out of context The translation of cultural terms is literal The main use of this method is either to understand the mechanics of the SL or to construe difficult text as a pre-translation process.
Example : My little cat has lovely eyes.
Con mèo nhỏ của tôi có đôi mắt rất đáng yêu.
According to Newmark (1988), the literal translation is a translation procedure in which “the SL grammatical constructions are converted to their nearest TL equivalents, but the lexical words are again translated singly, out of context”.
Example : Your conclusion is good, but the final sentence is too long and complicated.
Kết luận của bạn tốt, nhưng câu cuối cùng là quá dài và phức tạp.
It attempts to reproduce the precise contextual meaning of the original within the constraints of the TL grammatical structures Its "transfers" cultural terms while maintaining the translation's degree of grammatical and lexical
"abnormality" (deviation from SL norms) It makes an effort to be entirely trustworthy to the writer's goals and text realization in SL.
Example: You should complete your task as soon as possible.
Bạn nên hoàn thành nhiệm vụ của mình càng sớm càng tốt.
Semantic translation simply varies from "faithful translation" in that it must give more consideration to the aesthetic value (that is, the lovely and natural sound) of the SL text, making suitable compromises in "meaning" so that assonance, wordplay, and repetition harmonize in the final version. Semantic translation is also more adaptable, permits creative exceptions, and takes into account the translator's intuitive connection to the original text.
Example : Rachel is the black sheep in her family because she likes snakes whereas everyone else likes dogs.
Rachel là người kỳ dị trong gia đình cô ấy bởi vì cô ấy thích những con rắn trong khi những người còn lại thích chó.
It is the kind of method of translation that is "freest." In most cases such as plays (comedies) and poetry; the themes, characters, and plots are maintained, the SL culture is transformed into the TL culture, and the text is rewritten.
Example: They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance
Dẫu suối hoa trải mình dài vô tận
Dọc quanh hồ, bên gợn sóng lăn tăn:
Nhưng Thuỷ Tiên vẫn ngàn hoa phấp phới,Múa lắc lư theo nhịp điệu với đời.
In the book “A Textbook of Translation”, Peter Newmark wrote “Free translation reproduces the massage 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 ‘intralingual translation’, often prolix and pretentious, and not translation at all.”
Example: “Lost I was born, lonesome I came.”
Sinh thời tôi bơ vơ, vào đời tôi trơ trọi.
Moreover, according to P Newmark (1988), idiomatic translation, that is the method reproduces the ‘message’ of the original but tends to distort nuances of meaning by preferring colloquialisms and idioms where these do not exist in the original.
Example: Mr Kim is the only man that helped you when nobody believed you Don’t “bite the hand that feeds you”.
Ông Kim là người duy nhất giúp đỡ cậu khi không ai tin cậu. Đừng có mà “ăn cháo đã bát”.
The communicative translation aims to accurately capture and express the context of the source material in a way that the readership will find both the language and the content acceptable and understandable.
Nghe có vẻ hay đấy!
SUGGESTED TRANSLATION
P1 I slipped into my new life, the days morphing into weeks Each morning, we had our lessons in the
Chamber of Reflection, while in the afternoons we trained with the
Celestial Army My mind was opened to new worlds and knowledge, but it was the training on the field which stirred me most I learned to wield a sword proficiently
—to slash and thrust, block and parry—although my abilities still trailed behind Liwei’s Eager to catch up, I studied the fighting techniques late into the night, repeating the moves in the quiet of my room until they came as easily to me as grasping my chopsticks or forming a note on my flute.
P1 Tôi dần dần bắt đầu cuộc sống mới của mình, từng ngày rồi từng tuần cứ thế trôi qua Vào mỗi buổi sáng, chúng tôi đều được học trong phòng Hồi Tưởng, còn vào buổi chiều thì chúng tôi sẽ được luyện tập với đội quân Thiên Giới Tâm trí của tôi được mở ra với thế giới và những kiến thức mới mẻ, nhưng việc được huấn luyện trên mảnh đất này mới là điều khiến tôi xúc động nhất Tôi đã học được cách sử dụng kiếm một cách thành thạo – để chém và đâm, chặn và đỡ - mặc dù khả năng của tôi vẫn còn thua kém so với Lý Vĩ. Háo hức theo kịp tiến độ, tôi nghiên cứu các kỹ thuật chiến đấu cho đến tận đêm khuya, lặp đi lặp lại các động tác trong sự yên tĩnh của căn phòng mình cho đến khi chúng đến với tôi dễ dàng như việc nắm chặt chiếc đũa hay như việc tạo ra một nốt nhạc trên cây sáo của mình.
I feel such exhilaration when an arrow struck true? Or when an opponent was brought down by a
P2 Đôi khi tôi tự hỏi rằng, tại sao mình lại cảm thấy phấn khích đến như vậy khi một mũi tên trúng đích?Hay là khi một đối thủ bị hạ gục bởi well-placed blow? Was it because I had been so weak before, that I now rejoiced in my newfound strength?
Or had this urge—this desire to win
—always run in my veins? một cú đánh đúng chỗ? Có phải đó là do trước đây tôi đã quá yếu đuối nên bây giờ tôi mới vui mừng vì sức mạnh mới có được này hay không? Hay là do sự thôi thúc này–sự khao khát chiến thắng luôn chảy trong từng huyết mạch của mình?
P3 The prospect of training my powers filled me with both excitement and dread As a child I had fantasized about summoning firebolts and flying through the skies But after the disastrous consequences of my first brush with magic, I would have been glad to never touch it again Liwei would have excused me, yet an immortal without magic was like a tiger without claws We might be physically strong, but we might as well be mortal If I ever wanted to help my mother, I had to embrace my power And though it frightened me, a part of me hungered for this, too.
P3 Viễn cảnh rèn luyện sức mạnh khiến tôi vừa phấn khích vừa sợ hãi. Khi còn là một đứa trẻ, tôi đã tưởng tượng về việc triệu hồi những tia lửa và việc bay qua lại bầu trời cao. Nhưng sau những hậu quả tai hại của lần chạm trán đầu tiên với ma thuật, tôi sẽ rất vui nếu không bao giờ chạm vào nó nữa Lý Vĩ sẽ tha thứ cho tôi thôi, tuy nhiên một vị thần không có bất kỳ phép thuật nào giống như việc một con hổ không có móng vuốt Chúng tôi có thể mạnh mẽ về thể chất, nhưng chúng tôi cũng có thể là phàm nhân Nếu tôi muốn giúp mẹ, thì tôi phải nắm lấy sức mạnh của mình Và mặc dù điều đó làm tôi sợ hãi, nhưng một phần trong tôi cũng vô cùng khao khát.
Daoming, was the guardian of the
Imperial Treasury and its hoard of
P4 Người thầy của chúng tôi, Sư phụ Đạo Minh, và là người bảo vệKho bạc Hoàng gia và kho tàng enchanted artifacts She only ever seemed to wear robes of dull gray; and her black hair coiled into a tight bun from which silver pins protruded like a fantail Her wide eyes were the hue of almonds, and her pale skin was unmarred by lines from either frown or smile. những cổ vật đầy mê hoặc Cô ấy dường như chỉ mặc những chiếc áo choàng màu xám xỉn, mái tóc đen của cô thì được búi thành một búi chặt từ những chiếc trâm cài bằng bạc nhô ra như một cái đuôi quạt. Đôi mắt to tròn của cô ấy có màu hạnh nhân, và làn da nhợt nhạt của cô ấy không một nếp nhăn nào do việc nhăn mặt hay cười.
P5 I had no magical training, whereas Liwei had already progressed to advanced enchantments For the first few weeks, all Teacher Daoming allowed me to do was meditate—with sparse instructions to keep my eyes closed, my mind empty, and my spirit “as calm as a windless dawn.” I approached these exercises with enthusiasm at first, anticipating the discovery of some hidden power or enlightenment—but soon became bored with sitting cross-legged on the floor for hours on end Whenever
Teacher Daoming saw so much as a wrinkle appears in my brow or a quiver in my leg, she smacked my arm with her fan, snapping such
P5 Tôi đã không được chỉ dạy chút gì về phép thuật cả, trong khi đó thì
Lý Vĩ đã tiến tới các loại bùa chú cấp cao Trong vài tuần đầu, tất cả những gì mà Sư phụ Đạo Minh cho phép tôi làm đó là ngồi thiền—với những sự hướng dẫn thưa thớt để giữ cho tôi nhắm mắt lại, đầu óc trống rỗng và tinh thần của tôi “như bình lặng như bình minh lặng gió” Lúc đầu, tôi tiếp cận những bài tập này với sự hào hứng, mong đợi khám phá ra một sức mạnh tiềm ẩn hoặc sự giác ngộ nào đó—nhưng chẳng bao lâu sau tôi cảm thấy nhàm chán với việc ngồi xếp bằng trên sàn hàng giờ liền không nghỉ Bất cứ khi nào sư phụ Đạo Minh thấy tôi xuất hiện một nếp nhăn trên trán hay là một vague things as:
“Clear your mind of distraction!”
“Focus on the awareness of your energy!”
“Seek the light through the dark!” cái run ở chân, cô ấy lại lấy quạt đập vào tay tôi, mắng những câu mang máng như:
“Dọn sạch tâm trí của em ra khỏi sự xao nhãng!”
“Tập trung vào nhận thức năng lượng của em đi!”
“Hãy tìm kiếm ánh sáng trong bóng tối!”
P6 I would grit my teeth in mounting frustration, swallowing my ire as I imagined Liwei summoning bolts of flame while I was sitting here getting hit with a fan.
P6 Tôi nghiến chặt răng của mình trong sự thất vọng ngày càng lớn, nuốt cơn giận của mình khi tưởng tượng cảnh Lý Vĩ triệu tập những tia lửa trong khi tôi đang ngồi đây bị một cái quạt đập vào người.
P7 Meditating, for me, was particularly exasperating In archery the goal was clear, the results, instantaneous I knew what to do to improve and how I might get there.
Whereas meditation was a nebulous, mysterious thing A path with endless winding destinations, where you might spend hours wandering and end up just where you started.
P7 Đối với tôi, thiền định là thứ đặc biệt bực tức Trong bộ môn bắn cung, mục tiêu rõ ràng, kết quả tức thời Tôi biết phải làm gì để cải thiện và làm cách nào để đạt được điều đó. Trong khi đó thiền là một điều mơ hồ và bí ẩn Một con đường với những điểm quanh co bất tận, nơi bạn có thể giành hàng tiếng đồng hồ lang thang và kết thúc lại tại nơi bạn bắt đầu.
P8 One day, while I was sitting as still as I could and trying not to doze off, a shadow fell over me I lifted
P8 Một ngày nọ, trong khi tôi đang ngồi yên hết mức có thể và cố gắng không ngủ gật, một bóng đen bao my eyelids a crack, to find Teacher
“If you’re worrying about whether you’re doing it right, then you’re not,” she sighed.
My eyes flew open “I’m not very good at this,” I admitted “Besides, how will meditating help? All it does is make me fall asleep.” phủ lấy tôi Tôi nhấc mi mắt của mình lên một kẻ nhỏ, thấy Sư phụ Đạo Minh đang đứng ở đó.
“Nếu em đang lo lắng về việc liệu em có đang làm đúng hay không, thì em sẽ không làm được đâu,” cô ấy thở dài.
Mắt tôi mở nhanh ra “Em không hề giỏi trong việc này,” tôi thừa nhận.
“Bên cạnh đó, việc thiền định sẽ giúp ích như thế nào? Tất cả những gì thiền định làm là khiến em ngủ thiếp đi.”
P9 Teacher Daoming shook her head as she sank down beside me.
“Ah, Xingyin Calming your mind is a crucial skill that extends even beyond magic You are impatient, rash, passionate in your endeavors.
You, more than anyone, need to learn how to untether your mind from your feelings Steady your thoughts and observe, before you plunge ahead When emotions cloud us, disaster soon follows.”
P9 Sư phụ Đạo Minh lắc đầu ngồi xuống bên cạnh tôi “Ah, Ngân Tinh. Việc tâm trí em điềm tĩnh là môt kỹ năng quan trọng vượt xa cả phép thuật Em nóng vội, liều lĩnh, đam mê trong nỗ lực của chính mình.
Em, hơn ai hết, cần phải học cách tự cởi trói cho tâm trí mình ra khỏi những loại cảm xúc Bình ổn suy nghĩ của em và quan sát, trước khi lao đầu về phía trước Khi những cảm xúc che mờ chúng ta, tai họa sẽ ngay theo sau.”
P10 She smoothed her robe over her knees “There is no target in meditation No judgment It is the
P10 Cô ấy vuốt phẳng chiếc áo choàng của mình qua đầu gối.
ANALYSIS
Vocabulary
Vocabulary is one of the essential elements in language learning, especially in the translation process Nowadays, we can effortlessly and rapidly look up the meaning of words on the Internet or modern applications such as the Cambridge Dictionary, Oxford Dictionary, and TFlat, However, depending on the context of different situations and texts, the meaning of words or phrases will sometimes be inconsistent and equivalent when translating from SL to TL, so we have to carefully select the word's meaning to suit the purpose and message of situations and texts.
Words with many meanings are called multi-meaning words A multi- meaning word is used in many different ways, depending on the subject and context Thus, we need to carefully choose the right meaning to make the content easy to understand.
Example 1 : “I learned to wield a sword proficiently—to slash and thrust, block and parry—although my abilities still trailed behind Liwei’s.” (Page 11, Paragraph 1)
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word “ trail ” in the sentence above has many meanings:
[1] to pull something behind somebody/something, usually along the ground; to be pulled along in this way
[2] to walk slowly because you are tired or bored, especially behind somebody else; to go from one place to another without enthusiasm
[3] to be losing a game or other contest
[4] to follow somebody/something by looking for signs that show you where they have been
[5] to grow or hang downwards over something or along the ground; to move downwards over something
[6] to advertise a film, TV programme, etc in advance
In the dictionary, the word " trail " has various meanings, but depending on the context of the paragraph, the third meaning is considered the most appropriate because the main character learned very hard, but her abilities stills are behind her friend So, I translate the third meaning of the word into the equivalent Vietnamese meaning " thua kém ".
Suggested version : “Tôi đã học được cách sử dụng kiếm một cách thành thạo–để chém và đâm, chặn và đỡ - mặc dù khả năng của tôi vẫn còn thua kém so với Lý Vĩ.”
Example 2: “The prospect of training my powers filled me with both excitement and dread.” (Page 12, paragraph 3)
In the Oxford Dictionary, the word “ prospect ” in the sentence above has many meanings:
[1] the possibility that something will happen
[2] an idea of what might or will happen in the future
[3] the chances of being successful
[4] a person who is likely to be successful in a competition or in a particular career
[5] a wide view of an area of land, etc.
The word “ prospect ” is often used with the third meaning and the fifth meaning in the dictionary However, in the sentence above, the main character is imagining the success of her training power in the future Therefore, the second meaning is suitable for the context I translate this word into Vietnamese meaning " viễn cảnh ".
Suggested version: “ Viễn cảnh rèn luyện sức mạnh khiến tôi vừa phấn khích vừa sợ hãi.”
Example 3: “Whenever Teacher Daoming saw so much as a wrinkle appears in my brow or a quiver in my leg, she smacked my arm with her fan, snapping such vague things as:” (Page 13, paragraph 5)
In the Oxford Dictionary, the word “ snap ” in the sentence above has many meanings:
[1] to break something suddenly with a sharp noise; to be broken in this way
[3] to move, or to move something, into a particular position quickly, especially with a sudden sharp noise
[4] to speak or say something in an impatient, usually angry, voice
[5] to try to bite somebody/something
[6] to suddenly be unable to control your feelings any longer because the situation has become too difficult
[7] to fasten a piece of clothing with a snap
[8] to start play by passing the ball back between your legs
The word " snap " has diverse meanings, but depending on the context of paragraph 5, the fourth meaning is considered the most relevant because the main character does not focus on meditating, so she was scolded by her teacher So, I translate the fourth meaning of the word into the equivalentVietnamese meaning as " mắng ".
Suggested version: “Bất cứ khi nào sư phụ Đạo Minh thấy tôi xuất hiện một nếp nhăn trên trán hay là một cái run ở chân, cô ấy lại lấy quạt đập vào tay tôi, mắng những câu mang máng như:”
Example 4 : “However, it’s been suppressed since your childhood, which is why you have trouble grasping your magic.” (Page 16, paragraph 10)
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word “ suppress ” in the sentence above has many meanings:
[1] to put an end, often by force, to a group or an activity that is believed to threaten authority
[2] to prevent something from being published or made known
[3] to prevent yourself from having or expressing a feeling or an emotion
[4] to prevent something from growing, developing or continuing
The word “ suppress ” is often mentioned with the first meaning in the translation process However, depending on the context of the sentence above,
I decided on choosing the fourth meaning to use translating because the instructor of the main character explains the reason for her's power delay. Thus, the fourth meaning is appropriate for the context I translate this word into equivalent Vietnamese meaning “ phong ấn ”.
Suggested version: “Tuy nhiên, nó đã bị phong ấn từ khi em còn thơ ấu, đó là lý do tại sao em gặp vấn đề trong việc nắm bắt phép thuật của mình.”
Example 5: “Because some things came easily to me, I grew impatient at those which did not.” (Page 17, paragraph 13)
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word “ grow ” in the sentence above has many meanings:
[1] to increase in size, number, strength or quality
[2] to become bigger or taller and develop into an adult
[3] to exist and develop in a particular place; to make plants grow
[4] to become longer; to allow something to become longer by not cutting it
[5] to begin to have a particular quality or feeling over a period of time
[6] to gradually begin to do something
[7] to develop and improve particular qualities or skills
[8] to increase the size, quality or number of something
The word " grow " has many different meanings, but following the context of paragraph 13, the fifth meaning is the most suitable because the sentence above depicts the main character's feelings becoming bad So, I translate the fourth meaning of the word into the equivalent Vietnamese meaning as " trở nên ".
Suggested version: “Bởi vì một số thứ đến với tôi một cách dễ dàng, tôi lại trở nên mất kiên nhẫn với những thứ không được như thế.”
In English, phrasal verbs are very common, especially in more informal contexts A phrase that combines a verb with a preposition or adverb or both and that functions as a verb whose meaning is different from the combined meanings of the individual words.
Example 6 : “Eager to catch up , I studied the fighting techniques late into the night, repeating the moves in the quiet of my room until they came as easily to me as grasping my chopsticks or forming a note on my flute.” (Page
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the phrasal verb “ catch up ” in the sentence above means:
[1] to reach the same quality or standard as someone or something else
[2] to do something you did not have time to do earlier
[3] to learn or discuss the latest news
[4] to reach someone or something by moving faster than the other person or thing
[5] to talk with someone you know in order to exchange news or information
The phrasal verb “ catch up ” has five meanings with many different definitions However, depending on the context of the sentence above, I decided on choosing the first meaning to use translating because this sentence describes the enthusiasm of the training process Thus, the first meaning is appropriate for the context I translate this word into equivalent Vietnamese meaning “ theo kịp tiến độ ”.
Suggested version: “Háo hức theo kịp tiến độ , tôi nghiên cứu các kỹ thuật chiến đấu cho đến tận đêm khuya, lặp đi lặp lại các động tác trong sự yên tĩnh của căn phòng mình cho đến khi chúng đến với tôi dễ dàng như việc nắm chặt chiếc đũa hay như việc tạo ra một nốt nhạc trên cây sáo của mình.”
Example 7 : “Or when an opponent was brought down by a well- placed blow?” (Page 11, paragraph 2)
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the phrasal verb “ bring down ” in the sentence above means:
[1] to make somebody lose power or be defeated
[2] to make somebody fall over
Structures
In the translation process, besides vocabulary, structure plays a crucial role However, in a text, we will encounter a lot of difficult and complicated grammatical structures that require translators to be very cautious in analyzing the grammar of the sentence to translate meaning into the target language completeness and without losing the identity of the source language.
A simple sentence in English is an independent clause that is made up of a subject and a verb, it also has an object and modifiers, so when standing alone it can create a single sentence.
Example 1: “You are impatient, rash, passionate in your endeavors.”
In this sentence, there is a single Subject and a single Verb.
My suggested version : “Em nóng vội, liều lĩnh, đam mê trong nỗ lực của chính mình.”
Example 2: “I released a drawn-out breath.” (Page 18, paragraph 19)
In this sentence, there is a single Subject and a single Verb.
My suggested version : “Tôi thở ra một hơi dài.”
Example 3: “Shuxiao clapped me on my shoulder.” (Page 41, paragraph
In this sentence, there is a single Subject and a single Verb.
My suggested version : “Thư Tiêu vỗ vào vai tôi.”
A compound sentence is a sentence that has at least two independent clauses that are related in terms of meaning These clauses can be joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so) and a comma or by a semicolon alone.
Example 4: “Liwei would have excused me, yet an immortal without magic was like a tiger without claws.” (Page 12, paragraph 03)
There are two independent clauses in this compound sentence that have been linked together by a coordinating conjunction “yet”.
The first independent clause is “Liwei would have excused me”
The second independent clause is “an immortal without magic was like a tiger without claws”
Subject: an immortal without magic
Complement: like a tiger without claws
Suggested version: “Lý Vĩ sẽ tha thứ cho tôi thôi, tuy nhiên một vị thần mà không có bất kỳ phép thuật nào giống như việc một con hổ không có móng vuốt.”
Example 5: “Her wide eyes were the hue of almonds, and her pale skin was unmarred by lines from either frown or smile.” (Page 13, paragraph 04)
The coordinating conjunction "and" connects the two independent clauses that make up this compound sentence.
The first independent clause is “Her wide eyes were the hue of almonds”
Complement: the hue of almonds
The second independent clause is “her pale skin was unmarred by lines from either frown or smile”
Adverbial: by lines from either frown or smile
Suggested version: “Đôi mắt to tròn của cô ấy có màu hạnh nhân, và làn da nhợt nhạt của cô ấy không một nếp nhăn nào do việc nhăn mặt hay cười.”
Example 6: “He beat you today, but you’ve only been training for a few months.” (Page 41, paragraph 43)
There are two independent clauses in this compound sentence that have been linked together by a coordinating conjunction word “but”.
The first independent clause is “He beat you today”
The second independent clause is “you’ve only been training for a few months”
Verb: have only been training
Suggested version: “Cậu ấy đã đánh bại được con ngày hôm nay, nhưng con mới có chỉ được đào tạo trong vài tháng mà thôi.”
A complex sentence is a sentence that contains an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses In it, the independent clause and the dependent clause(s) are connected with each other by subordinating conjunctions or relative clauses.
4.2.3.1 Complex Sentences with Noun Clauses
A noun clause is a clause that functions as a noun, located in the position of the noun in the sentence Therefore, this clause can act as the subject, direct object, indirect object, object of a preposition, subject complement, or appositive.
Example 7: “She and Ping’er must have done what they could to shroud my powers and conceal my existence.” (Page 16, passage 11)
The dependent clause in this sentence “what they could to shroud my powers and conceal my existence” is a noun clause that acts as an object of the verb “must have done” and makes the sentence more evident Considering the analysis, this is my translation:
Suggested translation: “Bà ấy và Bình Nhi chắc hẳn đã làm gì đó để che giấu sức mạnh và sự tồn tại của tôi.”
Example 8: “However, my father swore that no Cloud Immortal would ever be allowed into the Celestial Kingdom again.” (Page 34, paragraph 33)
The dependent clause in this sentence “that no Cloud Immortal would ever be allowed into the Celestial Kingdom again” is a noun clause that acts as an object of the verb “swore” Based on the analysis, this sentence may be translated as:
Suggested translation : “Tuy nhiên, cha mình đã thề rằng sẽ không có vị Thần Mây nào được phép vào Vương quốc Thiên giới nữa.”
4.2.3.2 Complex Sentences with Adjective Clauses
An adjective clause, also known as a relative clause, is a subordinate clause that functions as an adjective in a sentence, used to modify or describe in detail the noun or pronoun that precedes it An adjective clause comes immediately after the noun or pronoun it modifies, usually beginning with relative pronouns or other pronouns’ relative adverbs.
Example 9: “Once, I unthinkingly summoned a hairpin, which plunged into Liwei’s topknot with more force than intended.” (Page 23, paragraph 22)
In this sentence, the dependent clause “which plunged into Liwei’s topknot with more force than intended” is an adjective clause that describes more detail about the noun phrase before “a hairpin” Hence, this is my suggested translation:
Suggested translation: “Một lần nọ, tôi đã vô tình triệu hồi một chiếc kẹp tóc, nó cắm mạnh vào búi tóc của Lý Vĩ hơn những gì tôi dự tính.”
Example 10: “The first person who shoots it down will be the winner.”
The clause in this sentence “who shoots it down” is an adjective clause that has the function of modifying the noun phrase before “the first person” to make the subject and the sentence clearer Thus, this sentence may be translated as:
Suggested translation: “Người đầu tiên bắn hạ được nó sẽ là người chiến thắng.”
4.2.3.3 Complex Sentences with Adverbial Clauses
An adverb clause is a group of words that function like an adverb In other words, this clause describes or modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb. Unlike common types of clauses, adverbial clauses are always dependent – that is, they cannot stand alone as a separate sentence Its role is to show the reader place, time, condition, degree, and so on, by answering questions like
‘where?', 'when?', 'how?', and 'why?'.
Example 11: “If I ever wanted to help my mother, I had to embrace my power.” (Page 12, paragraph 3)
In this sentence, the independent clause is “I had to embrace my power” and the dependent clause is “if I ever wanted to help my mother” which is considered as an adverb clause of condition and begins with a conjunction
Suggested translation: “Nếu tôi muốn giúp mẹ, thì tôi phải nắm lấy sức mạnh của mình.”
All enchantments can be broken if you know how
Example 12: “I had no magical training, whereas Liwei had already progressed to advanced enchantments.” (Page 13, paragraph 5)
In this sentence, the dependent clause is “whereas Liwei had already progressed to advanced enchantments” which is the adverbial clause of contrast and begins with a subordinating conjunction “whereas”
Suggested translation: “Tôi đã không được chỉ dạy chút gì về phép thuật cả, trong khi đó thì Lý Vĩ đã tiến tới các loại bùa chú cấp cao.”
Example 13: “Perhaps my control over my emotions had improved with
Teacher Daoming’s instruction, although it was still far from perfect.” (Page
DIFFICULTIES AND SOLUTIONS
Difficulties
During the past four years, as a student at Duy Tan University in general and as a student majoring in English Translation and Interpretation in the Faculty of English in particular, I have gained an enormous amount of specialized knowledge and life experience from many teachers and lectures. Besides, I have guided many tips, methods, and solutions to translate and analyze exactly the text However, it is very challenging to reflect correctly on content texts' translation if translators do not have enough language knowledge because each tongue has its different points and unique characteristics Thus, to effectively translate texts, translators need to be fully prepared for grammar, vocabulary, cultural knowledge, etc In this chapter, I would discuss many difficulties that I encountered in the process of completing my graduation paper as well as my translating
First, I would like to start by mentioning vocabulary, which is my largest challenge in the translating process In some languages such as English, there are many homophones, or polysemous words, which are words that have exactly the same pronunciation and spelling but have different meanings in each situation Occasionally, I also have cases where word combinations and these words create a whole new meaning that confuses me greatly So, during my translation process, I spent a lot of time looking up and studying different meanings of words to select the most suitable meaning for the text Therefore, this is really a huge issue for me.
In addition, the structure is another challenge that I encountered InEnglish, there are many complex phrases and sentences with different structures, so it requires the translator to focus on it a lot to avoid mistranslation Besides, in the process of analyzing the material, I realized that I had forgotten and confused several sentence structures, so I asked my advisor for advice on those sentences to better understand and have a more accurate translation.
Finally, the last difficulty that I want to refer is the lack of in-depth cultural knowledge related to the work The book that I chose to translate was inspired by Chinese legends, it sounds like their culture is very similar toVietnamese culture, but there are actually some unique cultural features with magical elements created by the author very different from our culture This is quite hard for me because what I have learned is only a small part and it requires more than that So, I did a lot of research on the Internet for abstract terms to get the best possible translation.
Solutions
In the process of finishing my graduation paper, I faced many obstacles. However, fortunately, I was able to find some effective methods to overcome those difficulties.
First, it is reading the text again and again to grasp the major idea of the author and the book Then, I will highlight the main ideas in the lesson and take notes of difficult words and structures in the sentences to distinguish and study more easily Since then, my translation has also become more fluent and more closely followed the original text content.
Secondly, to overcome grammatical faults in complex structures or specialized vocabulary, translators should have a thorough grasp of the knowledge of that language Besides, when translating, I don't forget to use vocabulary and grammar-checking tools on the Internet for instanceGrammarly, Cambridge Dictionary, and Oxford Dictionary to ensure that the sentence structure and word meaning are accurate without changing the meaning or interpretation of the original material.
Finally, the last resort is to ask advisors and friends in the same field. Sometimes while in the process of writing my graduation report, there are some structures and phrasal verbs I don't know how to analyze and translate into Vietnamese, I will always ask for advice from my instructors and friends. They are professionals with extremely deep specialized knowledge of both Vietnamese and English, they will advise me on mistakes when using words in Vietnamese translation or analyzing sentences This helped me to complete my graduation report as successfully as possible.
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS
Conclusion
For me, four years studying at Duy Tan is really a wonderful time, I have learned and experienced a lot of different knowledge, and it is especially honored to be able to write my graduation thesis In the process of completing my thesis, I discovered that I am still weak in vocabulary and grammar, but at the same time, by translating and analyzing my report, I have learned more and more about my major - English translation and interpretation
Additionally, this thesis greatly aids in the development of my approaches and translating abilities, making my translations smoother, more accurately reflect the content of the original text, and less likely to be misinterpreted the original idea of the author.
Besides, vocabulary is one of the very important factors as well as the difficult field in the translation process and my graduation paper, not only the vocabulary of the source language but also the vocabulary of the target language Such as my book which I used to translate is a fantastic and romantic book related to lives of immortals as well as the Chinese influence things so that it requires me to always learn new words, and various fields such as history, science, etc to be able to understand and correctly translate the text content.
Finally, through my graduation paper, I figured out that I am still poor in grammar When analyzing difficult grammatical structures, I often struggle to find a solution But fortunately, I knew this earlier and learned more grammar knowledge to supplement and overcome my grammar deficit.
Suggestions
As a student of Duy Tan University in general and the faculty of English in particular, I am very honored to study in a professional and enthusiastic environment Teachers and supervisors always support and aid me in many situations as well as help me to complete my graduation paper Besides, I would like to propose some recommendations for our Faculty as well as the students' Faculty.
Firstly, students should read a range of English language materials, including magazines, books, news, TV shows, and reports pertaining to many different subjects, in order to expand their vocabulary and get more familiar with how words are used by native speakers in various contexts.
Second, students have to learn more knowledge about structure, grammar, syntax, and phonetics to avoid errors while translating, interpreting, and analyzing That knowledge also helps them quickly understand, and accurately translate the documents from SL to TL, and greatly aids in writing their graduation thesis
Finally, the Faculty of English should create more opportunities for students related to their major such as translating books and participating in the translation process of many companies in the city that helps them to practice in real situations and gain more information, and experiences for their future jobs.
1 Nguyen Manh Quang (2013) Translation Theory The Faculty of English of Duy Tan University
2 Catford, J.C (1965) A Linguistic Theory of Translation Oxford University Press.
3 Newmark, Peter (1988) A Textbook of Translation Prentice-Hall International.
4 Alan Duff (1989) Translation Oxford University Press.
5 Sue Lynn Tan (2022) Daughter of the Moon Goddess. HarperCollins B and Blackstone Press.
6 Eugene A Nida and Charles R Taber (1982) The Theory and
Website: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/
9 Lac Viet Dictionary (1994) Lac Viet Informatics Joint Stock Company
10 http://nevenjovanovic.github.io/newmark-on-translation/
11 https://www.merriam-webster.com/