An investigation into domestication and foreignization in the english translation of culture spec

THE UNIVERSITY OF DANANG UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES ĐOÀN THỊ NGỌC BÍCH AN INVESTIGATION INTO DOMESTICATION AND FOREIGNIZATION IN THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF CULTURE-SPECIFIC ITEMS IN VŨ TRỌNG PHỤNG'S DUMB LUCK NOVEL AND READERS' PERCEPTION MASTER THESIS IN LINGUISTICS AND CULTURAL STUDIES OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES Da Nang, 2020 THE UNIVERSITY OF DANANG UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES ĐOÀN THỊ NGỌC BÍCH AN INVESTIGATION INTO DOMESTICATION AND FOREIGNIZATION IN THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF CULTURE-SPECIFIC ITEMS IN VŨ TRỌNG PHỤNG'S DUMB LUCK NOVEL AND READERS' PERCEPTION Major: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS Code: 822 02 01 MASTER THESIS IN LINGUISTICS AND CULTURAL STUDIES OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES SUPERVISOR: NGUYỄN THỊ THU HƯỚNG, Ph.D Da Nang, 2020 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis contains no material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis by which I have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma No other person‘s work has been used without due acknowledgements in the thesis This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other tertiary institution Da Nang, May 2020 Doan Thi Ngoc Bich ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS During the process of fulfilling the graduation paper, I have received much encouragement and essential assistance from my teachers, family, and domestic as well as foreign friends Sincerely from the bottom of my heart, I highly appreciate their cooperation and support I would like to send my deep gratitude to Ms Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, the supervisor of this graduation paper Her useful recommendation, detailed comments and practical encouragement have helped me obtain the aim and shape my ideas Therefore, it is the fact that the paper would not have been completed without her enthusiasm I warmly thank all my family, friends and colleague for their valuable help throughout the process of writing the thesis Especially, I give thanks to my international friends for their effective and precious cooperation during the process to complete the survey of the questionnaire ABSTRACT Recognizing the importance of culture-specific items (CSIs) in translation, the researcher aims to analyze whether Vietnamese culture-specific items have been translated into English based ondomestication or foreignization Data were based on culture-specific items taken from —Số Đỏl novel of Vũ Trọng Phụng and their English equivalents in the Vietnamese version by Nguyễn Nguyệt Cầm and Peter Zinoman This research also examines readers‘ perception of the cultural words It investigates if readers have difficulties as well as misunderstanding in comprehending culture-specific items in the English translation of —Dumb Luckl novel To conduct the survey, the questionnaire was designed with 10 domesticated cuture-specific items and 10 foreignized culture-specific items taken from —Dumb Luckl novel to obtain feedbacks from three foreign readers The findings indicate that the background information plays a significant role in improving the comprehensibility of foreign readers about Vietnamese culture-specific items The occurrences of foreignizing were much higher than domestication with the domination of literal translation technique However, the translators should have a parallel combination of both —domesticationl and —foreignizationl when translating culture-specific items into English It is essential to provide the background information in order to enhance the effectiveness of English translated Vietnamese masterpieces At the same time, it is necessary to consider the level of the comprehensiveness to create closeness for foreign readers Besides, translators should conduct a survey about readers‘ perception designed for various foreign audiences so that translated texts are more popular with international friends Key words: culture-specific items (CSIs), domestication, foreignization, readers‘ perception TABLE OF CONTENTS QUYẾT ĐỊNH GIAO ĐỀ TÀI LUẬN VĂN (bản sao) LIST OF TABLES Number Name of Tables Page Procedures that can be applied in Foreignization and Table 2.1 Domestication strategies 18 Table 3.1 The Division of the CSIs and translation procedure 23 Table 4.1 The Translational Strategies Of Character Names 26 Table 4.2 The Translational Strategies Of Place Names 30 Table 4.3 The Translational Strategies of Social Classes 32 Examples of Definition Applied in Translating CSIs of Table 4.4 Table 4.5 Social Classes The Translational Strategies of Fashion 33 34 Examples of Substitution Applied in Translating CSIs of Table 4.6 Fashion 35 Examples of Definition Applied in Translating CSIs of Table 4.7 Table 4.8 Fashion The Translational Strategies of Measuring System 36 36 Examples of Substitution and Borrowing Applied in Table 4.9 Table 4.10 Translating CSIs of Measuring System The Translational Strategies of Food and Drink 37 38 Examples of Substitution Applied in Translating CSIs of Table 4.11 Food and Drink 39 Examples of Literal Applied in Translating CSIs of Food Table 4.12 and Drink 40 Examples of Literal Translation Applied in Translating Table 4.13 Table 4.14 CSIs of Food and Drink The Translational Strategies of Addressing System 41 42 Examples of Definition Applied in Translating Table 4.15 Addressing system 42 Number Table 4.16 Name of Tables Examples of Literal Translation Applied in Translating Addressing system Page 44 Table 4.17 The Translational Strategies of Entertainment Forms 45 Table 4.18 The Translational Strategies of Expressions 46 Table 4.19 Examples of Substitution Applied in Translating Expressions Examples of Literal Translation Applied in Translating Table 4.20 Expressions 47 Table 4.21 Examples of Omission Applied in Translating Expressions Table 4.22 The Translational Strategies of CSIs 50 Table 4.22 Examples misunderstood by Reader 55 Table 4.23 Examples misinterpreted by reader 56 47 51 LIST OF CHARTS Number Name of Chart Page Chart 4.1 Domestication and Foreignization of Place Names 26 Chart 4.2 Domestication and Foreignization of Place Names 31 Chart 4.3 Domestication and Foreignization of Social Classes 32 Chart 4.4 Domestication and Foreignization of Fashion 34 Chart 4.5 Domestication and Foreignization of Measuring System 36 Chart 4.6 Domestication and Foreignization of Food and Drink 38 Chart 4.7 Domestication and Foreignization of Addressing System 44 Chart 4.8 Domestication and Foreignization of Entertainment Forms Domestication and Foreignization of Expressions 45 Chart 4.10 Domestication and Foreignization of CSIs 51 Chart 4.11 Readers' Perception About Foreignization and Domestication Domestication and Foreignization of Readers' perception 52 Chart 4.9 Chart 4.12 46 53 LIST OF APPENDICES Number Name's Appendix Page Appendix A CSIs 61 Appendix B Questionaire 79 The original source The target source Foreignization Ngây thơ —Innocence! + (p 55) Dậy (p.55) literal translation + literal translation Nữ quyền — Women‘s Rights! (p + literal translation + (p 55) 62) —Resolute Faithfulness! (p 62) literal translation Lưỡng lự —Hestitationl + (p 55) Cái áo Ỡm Ờ (p 62) —Coquettel literal translation + (p 63) (p 58) quần Hãy literal translation + literal translation + literal translation + literal translation + borrowing (p 55) Kiên Trinh chờ phút 11 (p 58) áo lót Hạnh phúc (p 58) coósê Ngừng tay ( p 61) —Pubertyl (p.62) —Wait-aMunitel panties (p 63) The —Happinessl slip (p 63) —StopThose- Handsl (p.58) (p.63) áo dài giản brassiere Her simple áo dị, áo dài Her collar không thuộc was not mốt cánh sen shaped like a lotus leaf không thuộc (p 68) mốt bành bẻ (p 67) Domestication Procedure The original source The target source Foreignization Domestication Procedure Áo ba đờ xuy dầy sù (p 80) A heavy ba đờ xuy (p 76) + borrowing Áo quấn đinh nhiễu Thượng Hải trắng, mà viền đen ( p 90) The funeral clothes must be made from white Shanghai crepe with a black border (p 82) + literal translation + definition + literal translation Cái Coócsê ( p 56) Một thiếu niên bé nhỏ Âu phục quấn chân voi (p 130) quấn đùi (p 146) quần ngủ (p 146) (p 62) He wore a European style suit, and his paints were cuffed in the so-called elephant style ( p 105) slips (p 115) + substitution Underwear + substitution + substitution + substitution + omission quấn phố (p 115) Trousers (p.146) Quấn nhà (p 115) pajama (p.146) bottoms đồ sô gai tân thời, mũ mấn trắng (p.115) Fashionable new mourning Coóc xê 2 The original source The target source viền đen Dernières creation! (p.191) clothes This outfit (including the white hat with black lace trim) (p.144) chế tạo cho phụ nữ gọi Nghênh giá (p.238) To design a special outfit for women named — Welcome to the Kingll (p.172) áo the dài (p.215) Domestication Procedure literal translation + a floor-length silk gown (p.158) + substitution One sported a swallow coat, the kind that girls and young women wear to go out (p.58) + substitution Nào áo cổ bành bẻ đuôi tôm để bà cô diện phố xá (p.49) ba —hình Three wooden nhânll tạc ma nơ canh gỗ, imported Tây from Europe phương gửi (p.57) sang (p.48-49) Foreignization + definition Measuring system The original source The target source Foreignization xu (p 14) Xu (p 34) + borrowing Hai hào Two hào + borrowing + borrowing + borrowing + borrowing ( p 15) (p 35) năm nghìn 5,000 bạc piasters (p 43) You are fined one đồng and eight hào! (p 47) Phạt đồng tám! (p 34) ba đồng three (p 251) piasters (p Domestication Procedure 180) Food and drink The original source Phở tái (p 14) The target source Foreignization Noodle soup Domestication Procedure + substitution + Substitution with extrarare beef (p bún chả ế (p 24) Món đét-se (p 80) Nước ao (p 95) 35) stale noodles and rancid barbecue pork (p 42) An elegant đét-se (p 76)water Pond (p 85) + borrowing + literal translation The The target original source source nước ruộng the field (p 99) water (p 87) bát a bowl of cháo yến swallow‘s (p 185) nest porridge (p 139)and Cơm Tây, French cơm Tầu, Chinese nem chả đủ cuisine and (p 117) served all manner of rare and expensive delicacies (p 98) dressing system Ad The The target original source source dì (p 78) Auntie Foreignization Domestication Procedure + literal translation substitution + substitution Domestication Procedure + Foreignization + literal translation Toa and moa + definition [7] (p 77) Old via [8] + definition Me sừ Xuân + definition (p 132) Bà(p.175) cụ nhà the old man + literal translation + definition + definition (p 75) toa, moa (p 81) Cụ via (p.82) Me-sừ Xuân (p 77) (p 128) (p 105) Lúy (p.117) Lúy (p.149) A mi ơi! My a mi! (p 180) (p 136) Entertainment forms The original The target source source cải lương Nam Kỳ p 15) kèn bú Tây (p 88) Foreignization Domestication Procedure A southern opera (p 35) + Lexical creation Western + substitution ( Ngày hội gái nhảy Hà Nội (La journée des cavalières Hanoiennes) (p 104) Thưa ngài, hân hạnh ngài cho hầu ngài vài set (p 121) trumpet 80) (p La journee + borrowing I would be honored if you would play a séc with me (p 100) + borrowing a new paper called the Wooden Fish Drum (p 130) + literal translation + borrowing des cavalières Hanoiennes (p 90) tờ báo Gõ mõ (p 171) cúp Mélia the Melia Jaune (p Jaune Cup 210) Kèn ta, kèn (p 163) Vietnamese, Tây, kèn Tầu Chinese and (p 199) French clarinets (p 148) + substitution The original source The target báo Con Vẹt the Con Vẹt (p 243) magazine (p source Foreignization 175) — tiểu thư Miss Junior Walking bộll(p.142) Race (p.113) 10 câu đối (p 197) Domestication Procedure + borrowing + literal translation banners + addition + substitution displaying parallel couplets 11 lốc bốc soảng bú rich (p 197) Expression The original source Thế mà để tơi ngoan bụt, (p.30) Phòng giam lỗ mũi (p 31) Con Giời Phật đấy! (p 38) (p 147) a trumpet (p 147) The target source But the kids are as well behaved as little Buddhas, (p.45) This jail is just a tiny snot hole ( p 46) —That kid really is a gift from heaven!l ( p 51) Foreignization Domestication Procedure + literal translation + literal translation + substitution The original The target source source Xuân Tóc Đỏ As Xuan đương mở Toc Do‘s máy nói speaking kèn machine hát (p 68) was shifting into high gear (p 69) ngáy o o sấm (p 32) snoring Foreignization Domestication Procedure + addition + literal translation thunderous l Ông Phán đứng dậy bị lò so đẩy lên (p.107) Xuân nói nửa y (p 46) The senior + substitution + substitution + substitution clerk sprang to his feet (p 92) —I don't nạc nửa mỡ believe (p 111) you have any need for them,! Xuan responded suggestivel Ông Victor Ban kinh hãi cúi đầu thấp, bắt tay Xn Tóc Đỏ xong đứng y (p 94) Victor Ban bowed his head low and shook hands with Xuan, who The original source ngây mặt người gỗ (p 118) Có chọi gọi chọi trâu (p 124) 10 The target source stood frozen in place like a wooden statue (p 99) A water buffalo is only a true water buffalo when it eats and fights (p.102) rattled on (p 116) Foreignization Domestication + Procedure literal translation Nhai nhãi nói chão rách (p 147) 11 Không They not come from môn đăng hộ families of đối! (p 156) + omission + omission 12 + omission the same social rank! (p 121) 13 Mày bôi gio trát trấu vào thannh danh nhà tao (p.157) Điều hai với hai bốn (p 155) You‘ve sulled the family‘s honor (p 121) It is a clear as two plus two makes four (p.121) + literal translation The original source The target source Thiên biến Give to a vạn hóa host of (p 167) peculiar Foreignization Domestication Procedure + addition conditions Tài đào mỏ (p 128) praise your (p.181) prospectin + literal translation + literal translation g skills (p 137) rồng cháu the tiên (p.227) children of dragons and the grandchildr en of fairies (p.166) nhanh cuốc lủi (p.240) quick as a water hen (p.173) —mày nuôi ong tay áol (p.157) —you let the bee up your sleeve!l (p.121) Lại khen You only phò mã áo tốt praise what (p.267) everyone has noted already! (p.189) + + omission Literal translation + Omission APPENDIX —Nearby, Red-Haired Xuân attempted to engage a sugarcane girl in deep discussion! (p.34) A sugarcane girl is: a the girl sells sugarcanes b the girl‘s name is —sugarcane! The other idea: —Two hào for tickets to the nightclub, one for two bowls of noodles soup with extra-rare beef! (p.35) —Noodles soup with extra-rare beef” is: a a type of soup consisting of broth, white rice noodles, herbs, and rare beef b a type of soup consisting of noodles made from wheat flour and rare beef The other idea: —Inside was a beggar together with his wife and child, a vagabond, and a female peddler with two baskets of stale noodles and rancid barbecue pork” (p.42) — Noodles and barbecue pork” are: a served with grilled pork made into meatball over a plate of white rice vermicelli and herbs with a side dish of dipping sauce b served with grilled pork over white rice noodles c served with grilled pork over white rice noodles and herbs The other idea: —Great-Grandpa was slurping down a bowl of swallow's nest porridge! (p.139) —Swallow's nest porridge” is: a oatmeal cooked with added flavorings such as sugar and swallow‘ nest of any birds b a kind of a plain thick rice soup largely disintegrated after prolonged cooking in water and served with salanganes‘ nest c a kind of a plain thick rice cooked with added flavorings such as sugar and nest of any birds —Red-Haired Xuan handed over the field water and several daisy leaves! (p.87) —The field water” is: a the water is collected directly from the paddy field It is unsafe and unclean to drink, or even to cook meals b a kind of popular water Vietnamese people usually drink The other idea: —Dr Lung held the vial of water up to the light —What the hell is this? Pond water?ll (p 85) It is: a a kind of dirty water taken from the pond to drink b a kind of healthy water that local people often drink It was a young man running toward them wearing traditional clothes: a turban, a floor-length silk gown, and a pair of old-fashioned shoesl (p.158) A floorlength silk gown is: a a floor-length dress dressed on formal occasions such as weddings b a long tunic that is slit on the sides and worn over loose pants c a long and loose piece of clothing over other clothes for particular purpose The other idea: It was a young man running toward them wearing traditional clothes: a turban, a floor-length silk gown, and a pair of old-fashioned shoesl (p.158) Which is — turban”? a b c The other idea: —Recalling the words of a southern opera, Xuân broke into song: —All alone on an autumn night, my tender heart is sinking!! (p.35) A southern opera is: a opera in the south of Vietnam b a form of modern folk opera in Vietnam which combines southern Vietnamese folk songs, classical music, and modern spoken drama The other idea: 10 There were scores of wreaths and at least three hundred banners displaying parallel couplets (p.147) Which is —banners displaying parallel couplets!? b c The other idea: a 11 —The kids are as well behaved as little Buddhas! (p.45) The kids: a are little Buddhas b behave very well c follow Buddhism The other idea: 12 ——But how could you possibly decline, my friend?! she retorted —A woman like Miss Snow? Beautiful, very modern, and from a rich family? Were you to marry Miss Snow, every well-educated young man in our country of Nam would praise your prospecting skills!!! (p.137) Prospecting skills means that a someone does attempts to get married with the other only due to his / her wealth b the person has mining skills c the person has high skills of attracting beautiful girls The other idea: 13 —You let the bee live up your sleeve!! (p.121) It means that a the bee lives in sleeves b the bee‘s nest has the shape of the sleeve c homeowner raises a traitor who causes damage to homeowners The other idea: 14 To try to improve relations between the countries, on the one hand, and to let the arrogant Siamese know that we are the children of dragons and the grandchildren of fairies, the Protectorate Government invited the king of Siam to travel to Vietnam (p.165-166) —the children of dragons and the grandchildren of fairies” is a to mention Vietnamese ancestors as dragons and fairies b to imply the unity of the Vietnamese because all Vietnamese have the same origin and blood-relationship The other idea: 15 —Who stood frozen in a place like a wooden statue! (p.99) It means: a standing still and keep immobile b standing in the extremely cold weather The other idea: 16 —Symptoms of the nervous system indicate problems with the kidneys and can give to a host of peculiar conditions” (p.128) —Give to a host of peculiar conditions! means: a difficult and hard situations created by God b numerous unpredictable and extraordinary changes The other idea: 17 —This jail is just a tiny snot hole.! (p.46) That means: a the water is dripping in the small jail b the jail is too small to hold many people c the jail is dirty The other idea: 18 Every stood up except the vagabond, who was snoring thunderously.! (p p.46) — Snoring thunderously” means: a sleeping during the daytime b sleeping deeply and soundly The other idea: 19 —Quick as a water hen, Xuan darted through the crowd in the opposite direction of the procession.! (p.173) —Quick as a water hen” means that: a someone leaves a place very quickly and quietly to hide b a water hen can swim very quickly c someone walks like a water hen The other idea: 20 —A water buffalo is only a true water when it eats and fights! (p.102) That means: a people only confirm their positions only when they show their talent and ability b good water buffaloes always fight against each other while eating * Full name: * Nationality: * Profession: * How long have you been in Vietnam? * What region of Vietnam have you been in? * How many Vietnamese translation novels have you read in English? * Did you find it difficult to understand English translation of Vietnamese cultural items? If yes, why? * How is your understanding when reading culture-specific items in —Dumb Luck!? a Fully understand b Nearly Understand c Partly understand * Do you want to suggest any solutions to make the English translation comprehensible the foreign readers? ... (2013) investigates into children‘s literature translated into Albanian to show the level of visibility of the original author and culture versus the translator in the original language and domesticating.. .THE UNIVERSITY OF DANANG UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES ĐOÀN THỊ NGỌC BÍCH AN INVESTIGATION INTO DOMESTICATION AND FOREIGNIZATION IN THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF CULTURE- SPECIFIC... understand the translated items by domesticating translation while translation strategy of foreignization remains the source text, —formal features and in turn informs the readers of the SL- culture,