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LITERATURE REVIEW Q SH HH ray 5 "Mr 8n
The chapter demonstrates the theoretical framework, which is adjusted for the research findings Generally speaking, the researcher provides several definitions linked to the topic, as well as various classifications of errors and a number of potential root causes Several earlier investigations on the subject of the research issue in Vietnam and around the world conclude this chapter.
A number of linguists provide different translation definitions in various relevant studies throughout the long history of translation development According to Wilss (1982), “Translation is a procedure which leads from a written source language text (SLT) to an optimally equivalent target language text (TLT).” In the same point of view, Newmark (1988:5) stated translation is the process of conveying a text’s meaning into the other language as in the manner intended by the author. According to him, the first purpose of a translation should depend on some factors such as text styles, the readership, the intention of the text, and so on The TL (target language) and the SL (source language) are two important parts of the translation process, according to the two authors mentioned above Specifically, although Wilss paid greater attention to the text’s internal component, such as semantics, grammar, and pragmatic comprehension, Newmark focused on the outward components such as the translator’s goal This is another commonality that should be noted.
In addition, translation is defined by Nida and Taber (1982:12) as the most natural translation of the message’s SL After a year, Catford (1965:20) shared viewpoint that translation is the process of identifying and substituting the SL’s text with equivalent text in the TL According to Newmark (1988), translation is a skill that entails attempting to convey the same idea in a different language in place of a written text in one language, suggesting that a translation of the source language can not be a perfect rendition of the source material and it merely represented the most accurate translation of a text in the TL In other words, it is challenging or even impractical to produce a perfect translated version which is exactly the same to the original one.
Likewise, Bell R.(1991) mentioned that translation is the expression in TL of what has been articulated in the SL, preserving semantic and stylistic equivalencies.Moreover, Robinson (1997) added that translation is a sophisticated action
Nguyễn Ngọc Anh Thư — 11194966- Business English 61C involving both conscious and unconscious learning processes He asserted that translation is a clever activity that necessitates original problem-solving under textual, social, and cultural constraints.
To summarize, translation could be understood as the process of roughly transferring the meaning of a text written in the SL into a text written in the TL. Additionally, translators need to pay attention to various implicit components with a viewing to making the closest version of the target language text.
Several academics have established various classifications of the various sorts of translation Larson (1984) stated that there are two primary categories of translation: meaning-based translation and form-based translation Form-based translation, known as literal translation, attempts to replicate the form of the SL while meaning-based translation endeavors to convey the SL’s text meaning using the receptor language’s natural forms Idiomatic translation refers to such a translation As Larson (1984:15) mentioned, a literal translation is meaningless and offers little in the way of communication If the general grammatical structure of the two language is comparable, it can be comprehended According to him, idiomatic translations exploit the natural forms of the receptor language in both the grammar constructions and the choices of lexical items A translation that is truly idiomatic appears to have been produced in the TL from the beginning and does not seem like a translated version Therefore, an expert translator will make an effort to translate idiomatically.
Newmark (1988) categorized translation into 8 types, namely: communicative translation, word-for-word translation; adaptation translation; literal translation; semantic translation; faithful translation; idiomatic translation and free translation.
The TL appears below the SL words in this method, which is known as interlinear translation Specifically, word-for-word translation, often known as literal translation, is the process of converting a text from SL into another while preserving or not the original text’s content This type’s primary application is to aid translators in pre-translation text comprehension and in understanding the mechanics of the source language For example:
E.g: Vietnamese: Cô ấy thì gay, anh ta thì béo
English: She is thin, and he is fat
Nguyễn Ngọc Anh Thư — 11194966 — Business English 61C
Newmark (1988, p 46) mentioned that the closest TL equivalents of the SL grammatical structures are used in literal translation, however the lexical words are once again traaslated individually and devoid of context It implies that the words are translated literally from SL into TL by the translator For instance:
English: as quick as lightning
Despite the grammatical restrictions of the TL, contextual meaning from the source language is transferred into the TL in this style of translation It makes an effort to adhere as closely as possible to the author’s intentions and text-realization in the
E.g: Vietnamese: Anh ấy đũng mãnh như hồ
English: He is as brave as a tiger
The SL’s and beauty are promoted through this method This model's translation is more versatile compared to faithful translation since it allows translators to be creative and intuitive.
E.g: Vietnamese: Nhà có chó dtr
English: There is a fierce dog in the house
The adaptation method is frequently employed while translating plays. Particularly, the author would employ adaptation to alter the SL culture with a TL culture's equivalent when the SL culture is absent from the TL culture.
While using this technique, the subject is replicated without regard for the original’s style or content Since the translator frequently clarifies the meaning of
SL words in the TL, the TL text is typically longer than the SL text.
E.g: Vietnamese: Nang niu ban chan Viét
English: Tender care of your feet Idiomatic translation
This translation technique should produce a natural and understandable result for
Nguyễn Ngọc Anh Thư — 11194966- Business English 61C
TL readers The message of the SL text is essentially restated in this form, however, it frequently changes the nuanced aspects of the meaning by favoring idioms and colloquialisms that do not appear in the SL text.
E.g: Vietnamese: Một giọt máu dao hơn ao nước 1a
English: Blood 1s thicker than water
While both semantic and communicative translation aim to convey meaning effectively, there is a key distinction While semantic translation focuses on reader comprehension and clarity, communicative translation prioritizes reader engagement and an enjoyable reading experience In other words, communicative translation seeks to create a smooth and pleasant communication flow, ensuring the translation is readily understandable for readers.
E.g: Vietnamese: Không được giẫm lên cỏ
English: Keep off the grass 2.2 Error analysis in translation
2.2.1 Definition of errors in translation
According to Cambridge Dictionary, error is defined as “a mistake, especially in a way that can be discovered as wrong, or the making of such mistakes”, nevertheless, “mistake” and “error” have been distinguished by one scholar in the late 1960s According to Corder (1967), errors are far more systematic and allow us to identify what pupils are lacking, for instance, expose a knowledge gap. Moreover, mistakes are accidental flaws caused by certain errors in the physical status or memory system throughout a performance It is fascinating to note that many assumed mistakes were undesirable and refrained from producing them before the 1960s because behavioristic ideas were believed to have predominated in the field of linguistics at the time However, the publication of Chomsky’s Universal Grammar in 1992 has chastised the behavioristic point of view and improved attitudes towards error analysis (quoted in Pham Phi Quynh Na, 2005). Lennon (1991:182) also provides another definition, presenting an error as a linguistic form “which, in the same context and under similar conditions of production, would, in all likelihood, not be produced by the speakers’ native speaker counterparts’.
Definition of Errors in Translation
Nguyễn Ngọc Anh Thư — 11194966 — Business English 61C
Depending on translation theories and standards, translation errors are defined differently (Hansen,2010) Koller (1979:216) defined translation errors as a lack of equivalence between the ST and the TT or the TT’s inadequacy Translation errors are classified by Hatim and Mason (1997:203) as significant (unmotivated) denotational meaning discrepancies between the source and the target texts (divided into omissions, additions, and substitutions), and violations of the target- language system (such as orthography, grammar) In terms of functionalistic approach, Seguinot (1990:172) “an offence against: the function of the translation, the coherence of the text, the text type or text form, linguistic conventions, culture- and situation-specific conventions and conditions, the language system” Based on the skopos theory, a translation error is defined “as a failure to carry out the instructions implied in the translation brief and as an inadequate solution to a translation problem” and is in relation to whether the intended text function and the receiver’s expectations are met As a result, the idea of translation error is seen differently depending on several perspectives, in this instance incorporating equivalence-based theory or functionalist theory.