The equivalent and non equivalent translation of weather idioms from english into vietnamese graduation paper, major translation interpretation

THE EQUIVALENT AND NON-EQUIVALENT TRANSLATION OF WEATHER IDIOMS FROM ENGLISH INTO VIETNAMESE Acknowledgements On the completion of this paper, I am grateful to many people First, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my instructor for her advice and encouragements during my process of completing this paper Without her help, this paper could barely become into being Next, I would like to express my gratefulness to all teachers in Department of Foreign Languages for their valuable lectures for four years Without these constructive lectures that have provided me a good background, I could hardly complete this paper with such effectiveness Last, I would like to thank my family and friends for their continuous support and assistance during the course of my writing this paper Ho Chi Minh, June 2019 Pham Hoang Bao Khanh Abstract Language is not only a basic method of communication but also a reflection of a nation’s cultures and customs Its unique beauty was formed, developed throughout English history and influenced by different characteristics such as histories, traditions, climates, weather, manufacturing processes, and other aspects For this reason, each language has some special expressions, especially idioms, making it hard, or even impossible, to explain and translate to another language Idiomatic expressions play a significant role in the language system of all nations The diverse range of idioms spreads every field in life Idioms are used in both formal and informal situations, in both writing and speaking, in literature and daily life Therefore, every language learner should, or even must, learn idioms when studying a foreign language It is even more important for translators to learn and comprehend idioms of foreign languages because it improves our information and knowledge of our mother tongue as well as our understanding in both cultures and traditions Table of contents CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION Rationale of the study Scopes of the study Methods of the study .7 Aims of the study Design of the study CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW .9 CHAPTER III: RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT Theoretical background 14 1.1 Translation 14 1.1.1 Definition 14 1.1.2 Methods of translation 15 1.1.3 Types of translation .20 1.2 Idioms 22 1.2.1 Definition 22 1.2.2 Common features of idioms 23 1.2.3 Classification of idioms .26 1.3 Equivalence and non-equivalence .28 1.3.1 Definition 28 1.3.2 Types of equivalence 30 1.3.3 Common non-equivalent types .33 Causes affect in translating weather idioms from English into Vietnamese 2.1 Language 44 2.1.1 What is language? 44 2.1.2 The relationship between language and translation .45 2.2 Culture .46 2.2.1 What is culture? 46 2.2.2 The relationship between culture and language 47 2.2.3 The relationship between culture and translation 48 List of equivalent and non-equivalent weather idioms .50 3.1 Non-equivalent translation of weather idioms 50 3.2 Equivalent translation of weather idioms 52 CHAPTER IV: IMPLICATIONS, SUGGESTIONS, AND CONCLUSION Implications 57 1.1 In teaching 57 1.2 In translation 58 Suggestions .60 Conclusion 60 References CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION Rationales of the study In the past ten years, English has become an essential, significant language beside our mother tongue With the growth of our country, numerous of foreign companies have been coming to Vietnam for trade, business, cooperation, investment, etc Therefore, the importance of using an international language becomes the first priority - English Additionally, in any negotiations, conferences, meetings, etc between the Vietnamese and the foreigners, using English fluently is “a must” Nevertheless, communications, which include using idioms, is a two-way process and this is one of the reasons the Vietnamese should grasp English idioms as much as possible Another problem when Vietnamese people learn English is we only focus on grammar, vocabulary, tenses, spelling, pronunciation, etc., but not the idioms which are one of the foundations to master a language Idioms are one of the most used phrases in daily life both speaking and writing because it is a simple method to express our thoughts, emotions, desires, etc helping us communicate and understand more the way English natives use their language However, to completely understand another language through its figures of speech is quite a challenge since some idioms not have the similar or equivalent phrases in our own language This is not mentioned some are too difficult for foreign learners to know how to use correctly in which situation or even understand As a student’s majoring in translation - interpretation, I determine to find the equivalent and non-equivalent English idioms related to weather when translating into Vietnamese In addition, the reasons make it difficult to find similar phrases from English to Vietnamese will be figured out in this research paper Scopes of the study The research paper will focus on general view of translation, idioms, and equivalence Besides, I will point out the causes leading to the differences between English and Vietnamese idioms in translation as well as a list of equivalent and nonequivalent idioms will be given However, due to my limitation of knowledge and the narrow of my topic which are weather idioms, it may prevent language learners from expand their information and improve their English Methods of the study Due to my topic, the methods used in this research are mostly collected from textbooks, materials, and studies done before combined with comparative and contrastive analysis The research will begin with the definition of translation, idioms, and equivalence The information is collected from English and Vietnamese dictionaries, textbooks and studies related to equivalence in translation, and the Internet The next part of my research is to point out the causes affect translation English idioms related to weather into Vietnamese Aims of the study Firstly, this research is to provide an overall definition of translation, idiom, and equivalence that is extremely useful and practical for students whose major is translation and interpretation It helps students expand and reinforce their knowledge of translation and idioms as well as equivalence in translation and its importance in translation Secondly, it encourages and inspires people to enrich their own knowledge through learning English idioms By learning English idioms, they also learn Vietnamese equivalent phrases, which is a perfect way to conserve our own language Moreover, it gives learners a chance to practice using English weather idioms more in daily life Finally, this paper helps translators recognize the importance of idiomatic expressions in translation because authors always embellish their creation and works by adding figures of speech, idiomatic expressions, slangs, etc Design of the study The research will be divided into four parts: First is introduction This part contains rationale, scopes, methods, aims, and design of the study Second is literature review This part is the summary of my references quoted to support my point of view in this research Third is research development In this part, a general view of translation, idioms, and equivalence are mentioned as well as the reasons making it hard to find the equivalent English idioms related to weather translation in Vietnamese Fourth are implications, suggestions, and conclusion In this part, there are my implications of this research and suggestions for any further studies in the future CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW Idioms are one of the most important and difficult parts in every language because they contain a massive amount of information related to cultures and traditions It is necessary for language learners who desire to master a foreign language to learn its inseparably significant part Another reason learners should possess their own collection of idioms is because of its frequent use in daily life Sometimes, it is hard for either the natives to explain a full meaning of an idiom for learners or learners to understand completely and use correctly in an appropriate moment or situation To truly understand and use a foreign language competently, it is undeniable that language learners have to study the cultures, traditions, and customs of that language Understanding these problems, Jennifer Seidl published a book called “English idioms and how to use them” in 1978 in order to help foreign learners to understand the meaning of idioms, learn them systematically, and use them properly and efficiently In 2010, Michael McCarthy and Felicity O’Dell also published “English idioms in use: Advanced” to “help you take your knowledge of idioms to a more advanced level.” [20, tr.4] Besides learning idioms, many theories and definitions of translation, idioms, and equivalence in translation are mentioned, which are three central focuses, in order to introduce an overall view of these three concepts Since this paper is deeply related to the theory of translation equivalence, theories, concepts, and ideas of three definitions above hold a contributory role in providing, expanding, and consolidating useful information for readers, especially who are interested in the theory of translation and translation equivalence Therefore, many notable theories of translation and translation equivalence from famous authors, such as Peter Newmark, Eugene Nida, John Cunnison Catford, are presented and recited In terms of idioms, contributions from many different linguists, such as Bobrow and Bell, Yong and Peng, Heacook, etc., are mentioned and quoted In terms of equivalence, important, prominent works from Eugene Nida, John Cunnison Catford, Mona Baker are introduced In terms of translation theory, “A Textbook of Translation” by Peter Newmark (1988) introduced strategies and methods used in translation It is very useful for students to have a basic view and learn systematically as a translator He introduced full, logical steps to before actually starting translating from analyzing a text, learning and grasping the process of translation to the language functions, translation methods Moreover, along with the standard methods used in translation, he also mentioned other translation procedures which are either another method of translation or an effect on a translated text His contribution in translation theory is recognized worldwide and applied in teaching translation in many countries Another significant contribution to the theory of translation belongs to Eugene Nida His two remarkable “Towards a science of translating” and “The theory and practice of translation” contribute valuable and practical methods to the theory of translation In “Towards a science of translating” books, following Jakobson, Nida divided translation into three parts that are intralingual translation, interlingual translation, and intersemiotic translation In the same book, Nida also mentioned many different aspects in the translation process that translators have to deal with, such as different features of meaning (linguistic meaning, referential meaning, and emotive meaning), the correspondences and contrasts between two languages, the translation procedures as well as proper techniques of adjustment translators apply in translation Moreover, in “Towards a science of translating”, he had a separate chapter to discuss the role of translators in translation In this chapter, he not only pointed out the model of translators’ role but also some basic requirements for translators as well as the motives of translators in translation He summarized in the 10 translation not only involves the linguistic competence of translators but also involve continuously the contact of those cultures Culture has a great impact on translation process The relationship between culture and translation, additionally, is considered as two paralleled paths This is based on the process of translation which not only focuses on converting the SL message to the TL message but also conveys the cultural aspects naturally from the SL to the TL Making the reproduced product fit in the TL culture as well as keeping the meaning precisely the same with the origins The purpose of naturalness in translation is because all particular situations are rooted in the respective cultures House claimed: “Translation is not only a linguistic act; it is also a cultural one, an act of communication across cultures Translation always involves both language and culture simply because the two cannot really be separated Language is culturally embedded: it both expresses and shapes cultural reality, and the meanings of linguistic items, be they words or larger segments of text, can only be understood when considered together with the cultural context in which these linguistic items are used.” [13, tr.11] She later summed up by stating “in the process of translation, therefore, not only the two languages but also the two cultures come into contact In this sense, it can be said that translating is a form of intercultural communication.” [13, tr.12] Newmark in A Textbook of Translation [20, tr.95], adapting Nida, classified the cultural aspects into five categories These cultural aspects has a great impact on language as well as creates the differences between cultures They also influence translation as well as create the non-equivalence in translation According to page Newmark, here are five cultural categories: [20, tr.103] • Ecology Animals, plants, local winds, mountains, plains, ice, etc 49 • Material culture (artefacts) Food, clothes, housing, transport and communications • Social culture - work and leisure • Organizations, customs, ideas Political, social, legal, religious, artistic • Gestures and habits (often described in “non-verbal” language) List of equivalent and non-equivalent weather idioms 3.1 Equivalent translation of weather idioms from English into Vietnamese English weather idioms Equivalents in Vietnamese (Like) A bolt from the blue Sét đánh ngang tai A storm in a teacup Chuyện bé xé to - After rain comes fair weather/ - Sau mưa trời lại sáng sunshine - Bĩ cực, thái lai - After a storm comes a calm sea - Khổ tận cam lai - Có bệnh vái tứ phương Any port in a storm - Sắp chết đuối vớ cọng rơm As right as rain Khỏe vâm Be a breeze Dễ trở bàn tay 50 Be in hot water Tai bay vạ gió Chase rainbows Dã tràng xe cát biển đông Come rain or shine Dù nắng hay mưa - Trong rủi có may Every cloud has a silver lining - Họa trung hữu phúc - Greased lightning Nhanh chớp - Like greased lightening - Bơ bải - Việc hơm để ngày mai Make hay while the sun shines - Dạy từ thuở thơ Dạy vợ từ thuở bơ vơ Raining cats and dogs Mưa trút nước Save/Keep money for a rainy Làm lành, để dành đau day Shoot the breeze Nói chuyện tầm phào - Soon hot, soon cold - The sharper the storm, the Cả thèm chóng chán sooner it’s over 51 Steal someone’s thunder Phỗng tay (của ai) Sunshine one minute, rain the Sớm nắng chiều mưa next - When it rains, it pours Phúc bất trùng lai, họa vơ đơn chí - It never rains but it pours 3.2 Non-equivalent translation of weather idioms from English into Vietnamese English weather idioms Meaning Something new and innovative, A Breath of Fresh Air especially in contrast to a stagnant state of affairs A Cold Day In July A fair-weather friend A ray of hope A ray of sunshine A snowball’s chance (Something that) will never happen A person will only be your friend when things are going well for you There is a chance that something positive will happen Something brings happiness to someone No chance at all 52 (Be) All wet Completely mistaken, completely wrong Batten Down the Hatches Prepare for a storm Be on thin ice In a precarious or risky situation Be snowed in Be snowed under Blood and Thunder Blow hot and cold To be unable to leave because of too much snow Be extremely busy with word, or things to A dramatic, spectacular performance To keep changing your attitude Thinking that is not limited to Blue-sky thinking commonly accepted norms or beliefs Bone Dry Completely dry, totally without moisture Brainstorm To generate many ideas quickly Brass-monkey weather Extremely cold weather To Break the ice get something started, particularly by means of a social introduction or conversation 53 Catch Some Rays To sit or lie outside in the sun A condition for something that Cold Day in Hell would be extremely unlikely to occur Come Hell or High Water No matter what happens Cook Up a Storm Cook a great deal of food Dead of Winter The coldest, darkest part of winter Dog Days of the Summer The hottest day of summer Face like thunder Extremely angry Get wind of To learn or hear of something that should be a secret (Have one’s) Head in the clouds To be out of touch of reality Heavens Open Start to rain heavily In a fog/haze To be confused, dazed, disoriented To see things clearly and calmly, In the cold light of day without the emotions at the moment things happened On cloud nine To be extremely happy 54 A rare combination of disastrous Perfect Storm occurrences To Pure as the Driven Snow be innocent and chaste (frequently used ironically) Put on ice To postpone for another day To Rain on your parade something that ruins someone’s plans See which way the wind blows To consider a situation before doing something Soak Up the Sun To enjoy the sun Spit into The Wind Wasting time on something futile Indication that something is about Storm is brewing to become bad or explode If you have a stormy relationship Stormy relationship with someone, you have a lot of arguments and disagreements Take a rain check something) (on Decline an invitation but maybe you will accept it another time A quiet time before a period of The calm before the storm great activity, difficulty or arguments 55 if something is the tip of the The tip of the iceberg iceberg it is only a small, easily visible, part of a problem Three Sheets to the Wind Throw caution to the wind Very drunk To go crazy and forget all responsibilities or commitments If someone is under a cloud, they (Be) Under the cloud are suspected of having done something wrong (Be) Under the weather To feel ill/unwell (Be) Up in the air Uncertain Weather permitting Fine weather Weather the storm Survive during difficult times When Hell Freezes Over Never 56 CHAPTER IV: IMPLICATIONS, SUGGESTIONS, AND CONCLUSION Implications 1.1 In teaching Idioms are one of the most significant parts of every language and it cannot be deniable stating to truly master a foreign language, language learners have to find a way to learn idioms systematically to practice and use them logically and competently However, the amount of Vietnamese students using idioms in practice frequently is extremely small, yet not mentioned the number of Vietnamese students who is able to use idioms wisely in appropriate moments and situations is even smaller There are many reasons causing this problem First is the traditional education system The curriculum for English at secondary and high school only focuses on grammar and vocabulary to prepare students for big examinations like high school examination entrance and university examination entrance Second is the learn-by-heart problem Vietnamese students usually have to learn by heart phrases or expressions and their meanings so that they are able to solve the problem in the texts Third is passivation in learning Vietnamese students are forced to study constantly at school and at extra classes They are not encouraged to build themselves an interest or passion of doing or becoming anything, and they have to fulfill their homework everyday as well as prepare for the subjects tomorrow This leads to a situation that students are passively received education while it should be vice versa, and results in lack of interest in studying English, curiosity in discovering the differences between two cultures, traditions, and customs For all these following reasons, learning idioms is not effective and practical in spite of its importance and necessity Besides, understanding and grasping English idioms broaden students’ knowledge in their mother tongue Though Vietnamese 57 students are exposed to Vietnamese idioms, proverbs, and folk songs since the elementary school, a number of students still either remembering or using idioms in daily life decline As the study pressure increases, students consider learning idioms as a required for their texts and may forget them to have more space for new information Though learning English idioms is necessary for a language learner, they still have to master their native language first before studying any foreign language Therefore, widening students’ knowledge by learning idioms in both Vietnamese and English helps them conserve the Vietnamese traditions and cultures as well as enhance their English Teachers can start teaching idioms by raising students’ awareness of the differences between English and Vietnamese’s cultures and traditions Then, in order to draw their attention, teachers should divide idioms into specific topics and combine each topic properly into the class lesson Next, teachers should let them guess the meaning and find the equivalent Vietnamese idiom to attract their interest The entire process is the first step to improve students’ knowledge Teachers then must encourage students to use idioms frequently in daily life to memorize idioms better as well as practice them more correctly and properly As it is said: “Practice makes perfect” The more they practice, the better they become However, assistance is always needed Teachers should be sensible in correcting students’ mistakes as well as giving them comments for employing idioms the appropriate situation 1.2 In translation It is undeniable to claim idiom is an inseparable part of every language In order to master a foreign language and become a good translator, it is a compulsive requirement to know, understand, and use idioms competently as well as accurately To create a habit of using idioms frequently and prevent making mistakes while 58 using them, translators should create an idiomatic collection of equivalent translation in different fields Possessing a massive collection of idioms related to diverse topics, translators not only have to study and grasp thousands of English idioms but also have to own the same amount of idiomatic knowledge in their native language To solve these problems, making a comparative list of equivalent and non-equivalent idioms between English and Vietnamese is one of many good choices It helps translators to improve their English skills as well as translation's skills Moreover, it enhances translators' reaction in speaking, especially as an interpreter Besides this directly influential element, the knowledge of English and Vietnamese idioms, one subsidiary element affecting a translation is cultures and customs There are many differences in cultures and customs in different regions within a nation For example, the symbolic flower on Tet Holidays differs between the north and the south of Vietnam It is the peach blossom in the north, and in the south, it is the apricot blossom Another example is the difference in celebrating a one-year-old birthday between the north and the south in Vietnam Within a country, differences already exist Hence, to become a good translator, we have to comprehend both Vietnamese and English cultures In addition, having a cultural foundation in both languages not only helps us avoid making a clumsy and unnatural translation but also be flexible when encountering new concepts and ideas Translation is a big world in which many brand new idioms and expressions we have never heard or seen, and some may never be translated or have an equivalent translation Therefore, we should have an open-minded to think twice based on the context, the situation, or the use of the idioms and expressions in the original text so that we can have the best translation Sometimes, we have to consider either to keep 59 the translation literally or to “think outside the box” to have a good translation, yet remain the author's intention Suggestions Idiom is an enormous, inseparable part of a language There is undeniable to say this research only covers a small part of idiomatic expressions related to weather though English expressions donating weather are many more Besides the shortage of numbers of weather idioms, my research may also be lack of deeper analysis of idiomatic features Moreover, the cultural relationship and the cultural effect on the symbols are not fully analyzed Therefore, some suggestion for further investigation is: • A further research of comparison between weather, or climate, English and Vietnamese idioms • A deeper research of idiomatic features related to weather between English and Vietnamese • A research of cultural influences on English and Vietnamese weather idioms Conclusion Since language is an enormous field, there are countless theories and ideas for different aspects In the final note, my research only focuses on finding the equivalent translation of weather idioms from English to Vietnamese and listing the non-equivalent translation of other weather idioms At the same time, the differences in cultures between English and Vietnamese are mentioned in order to clarify the distinction between the two expressions During the process of creating this collection, I have read many theories, ideas, and proposals of different authors, linguists about translation, idioms, and equivalence as well as differences in cultures Though there is a lot of limitation and inadequacy in the research, my initial aim is achieved 60 References Books Baker, M (1992) In other words: A coursebook on translation London: Routledge Balaban, J (2000) Spring essence: The poetry of Ho Xuan Huong Port Townsend, WA: Copper Canyon Press Byram, M (2008) From foreign language education to education for intercultural citizenship Clevedon: Multilingual Matters Cacciari, C & Glucksberg, S (1991) Understanding idiomatic expressions: the contribution of word meanings In Simpson, G B (Ed.), Understanding word and sentence (217 -240) North-Holland: Elsevier Science Publishers Castro-Paniagua, F., (2000) English-Spanish translation, through a crosscultural interpretation approach New York: University Press of America Catford, J C (1965) A linguistic theory of translation: An essay on applied linguistics London: Oxford University Press Fernando, C., (1996) Idioms and Idiomaticity Oxford: Oxford University Press Ghazala, H (1995) Translation as problems and solutions: A coursebook for university students and trainee translators Malta: ELGA Publication Glucksberg, S 2001 Understanding figurative language: from metaphor to idioms New York, NY: Oxford University Press 10 Heacock, P (Ed.) (2003) Cambridge dictionary of American idioms Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 11 Hoàng Phê (2003) Từ điển tiếng Việt (7th ed.) Trung tâm Từ điển học Hà Nội - Đà Nẵng: Nxb Đà Nẵng 12 Horby, A S (2015) Oxford advanced learner’s dictionary: International student’s edition (9th ed.) Oxford: Oxford University Press 13 House, J (2009) Translation Oxford: Oxford University Press 14 Jakobson, R (1959) On linguistic aspects of translation In Brower, R A (Ed.), On Translation (232 - 239) Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press 15 Katan, D., (2004) Translating cultures: An introduction for translators, interpreters and mediators (2nd ed.) Manchester: Saint Jerome Publishing 16 Kövecses, Z 2010 Metaphor: A practical introduction (2nd ed.) Oxford: Oxford University Press 17 Kunin, A.V (2006) Comprehensive English – Russia phraseological dictionary Moscow: Moscow Higher school publishing house 18 Mai Ngọc Chừ., Vũ Đức Nghiệu., & Hoàng Trọng Phiến (1997) Cơ sở ngôn ngữ học tiếng Việt (5thed.) Nxb Giáo dục 19 McCarthy, M., & O’Dell, F (1978) English idioms in use: Advanced UK: Cambridge University Press 20 Newmark, P (1988) A textbook of translation Hertfordshire: Prentice-Hall International 21 Nguyễn Đình Hùng (2007) Tuyển tập thành ngữ tục ngữ ca dao việt - anh thông dụng Nxb Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 22 Nguyễn Quốc Hùng (2007) Hướng dẫn kỹ thuật biên dịch (1st ed.) Nxb Văn Hóa Sài Gòn 23 Nguyễn Thiện Giáp (2009) Từ vựng học tiếng Việt (7th ed.) Nxb Giáo dục Hà Nội 24 Nida, E A (1964) Towards a science of translating Leiden: E J Brill 25 Nida, E A., & Taber, C R (1969/ 1982) The theory and practice of translation Leiden: E.J Brill 26 Seidl, J., & McMordie, W (1978) English idioms and how to use them (5th ed.) Oxford: Oxford University Press 27 Vinay, J P., & Darbelnet, J (1995) Comparative stylistics of French and English: A methodology for translation (Juan, C S & Marie-Josée, H., Trans.) Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company 28 Wardhaugh, R (2002) An introduction to sociolinguistics (4th ed.) Oxford: Blackwell Publishers 29 Yong, H., & Peng, J (2007) Bilingual lexicography from a communicative perspective Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company The internet 30 Bobrow, S., & Bell, S (1973) On catching on to idiomatic expressions Memory and Cognition, 1(3), 343 - 346 Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03198118 31 Bruce, L (1995) Helps for Lexical Semantic Analysis Unpublished manuscript Retrieved from https://glossary.sil.org/term/translational-equivalence 32 Svalberg, A., (2007) Language Awareness and Language Learning Language Teaching, 40(4), 287-308 Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444807004491