English special ellipsis and its Vietnamese equiva- 123docz.net

CHAPTER 4. ELLIPSIS IN COMPLEX SENTENCES IN THE NOVEL “GONE WITH THE WIND” IN ENGLISH AND THEIR VIETNAMESE

4.4. English special ellipsis and its Vietnamese equivalents

ENGLISH

VIETNAMESE EQUIVALENTS

Category of ellipsis F % F %

Ellipsis in non-finite clause 28 46.67 26 50.00 Ellipsis in verbless clause 32 53.33 26 50.00

Total 60 100 52 100

There are 60 elliptical cases of subject in complex sentences were identified in the novel. It can be seen from the table that there are two types of special ellipsis the author would like to investigate, namely ellipsis in non-finite clause and ellipsis in verbless clause. The former appears 28 times accounting for 46.37 %, which is two more than their Vietnamese equivalents (26 cases with 50%). Both types of special

ellipsis investigated conserve a rule. One instance where the ellipsis of subject and verb is possible is when the auxiliary is the verb “be”. Another one is the ellipsis of subject plus auxiliary when the auxiliary is also the different forms of “to be”. In this case, both subject and auxiliary in the subordinate clause may be omitted. More detailed can be illustrated in the following parts.

4.4.1. English ellipsis in non-finite clause and their Vietnamese equivalents There are 28 cases of the English ellipsis in non-finite clause found in the novel.

They are the elliptical subject and the auxiliary verb “to be” in different tenses.

The typical examples below will illustrate the features of the ellipsis of subject plus auxiliary in complex sentences above.

(36) Although (▲)born to the ease of plantation life, waited on hand and foot since infancy, the faces of the three on the porch were neither slack nor soft.

(Page 6)

Mặc dù được sinh trưởng giữa cuộc sống dễ dãi ở đồn điền, được chăm sóc, hầu hạ từ lúc bé nhưng cả ba khuôn mặt dưới mái hiên không có gì uể

oải hay mềm yếu. (Page 8)

(37) (▲) Filled with her own anxieties, she nevertheless watched him with affectionate pride, for Gerald was an excellent horseman. (Page 30)

Mặc dù tràn ngập bởi nhiều nỗi lo buồn, Scarlett vẫn không khỏi ngắm nhìn cha với một sự hãnh diện trìu mến, bởi vì Gerald quả là một tay kỵ mã đại tài. (Page 33)

(38) (▲) Prodded by her mother, Pissy bobbed a sudden curtsy and grinned at Scarlett, who could not help grinning back. (Page 64)

Bị mẹ đẩy tới, cô bé vừa cúi chào vừa toe toét, khiến Scarlett chẳng thể nào đừng cười trả. (Page 68)

(39) As the walls went swiftly up the thought with satisfaction that, when (▲) finished, it would be larger and finer looking than any house in town. (Page 846)

Nhìn những bức tường ngày càng vươn cao, nàng khoan khoái nghĩ rằng khi đã hoàn tất, ngôi biệt thự của nàng sẽ huy hoàng và lộng lấy hơn bất cứ

một dinh thự nào khác ở Atlanta. (Page 775)

All the examples have in common the fact that the subject plus auxiliary happens in the subordinate clauses and the auxiliaries are different forms of “to be”, and these are omitted. That is the ellipsis in non-finite clause, and all these elliptical

case are initial ellipsis. In the subordinate clause showing the concession in (36) the subject omitted is “three (boys)” and the auxiliary is “were”. This sentence may be written in full as: Although three boys were born to the ease of plantation life, waited on hand and foot since infancy, the faces of the three on the porch were neither slack nor soft. Or in (37) the subject plus auxiliary omitted here are

“Scarlett was/ She was”, in (39) the elliptical elements are “Pissy was”, and in (39) they are “they were”. Basing on the main clauses enables the readers to identify the elliptical elements.

All their Vietnamese equivalents share the same this type of ellipsis. When expressing the passive voice, Vietnamese use “bị”, “được” and all the Vietnamese equivalents do not repeat the elliptical elements in English. As in (38) “ Bị mẹ đẩy tới” is understood as “Pissy bị mẹ đẩy tới”. There is one point we should pay attention is that when translating some English sentences without subordinators, the author Vu Kim Thu inserted them in her translation. For example, in (37) the subordinator “Mặc dù” was added to translation. With this, the sentences sound natural and persuade the readers much more.

4.4.2. English ellipsis in verbless clause and their Vietnamese equivalents

In comparison to the ellipsis in non-finite clause, the ellipsis in verbless clause happens a bit more often, which are 32 cases. All cases found in the novel share one common thing, which is the elliptical cases of the subject and the verb “to be”.

The followings are typical cases of ellipsis in verbless clauses.

(40) (▲) Too cold with fear to move, she heard his progress from room to room downstairs, his steps growing louder and bolder as he discovered no one.

(P. 429.)

Lạnh run vì sợ, nàng đứng chết lặng một chỗ, nghe tiếng bước chân tên giặc đi từ phòng này sang phòng khác ở tầng dưới, bước chân hắn càng lúc càng nặng nề và bạo dạn hơn khi thấy chẳng có người trong nhà.(P.417) (41) (▲) unable to agree with the Gentlemen’s Glee Club as to the programme

for their next recital ,the ladies had waited on Melanie that afternoon and announced their intention of with-drawing completely from the Musical circle. (P. 774)

Bất đồng ý kiến với Câu lạc bộ Vui của nam giới về chương trình biểu diễn sắp tới của họ, chiều nay các bà đã đợi Melanie thông báo ý định rút hoàn toàn khỏi Câu lạc bộ Âm nhac. (P.710)

From sentences (40) and (41) the elliptical elements here are subordinators and subject plus the verb “be”, which is the same ellipsis as their Vietnamese equivalents. Although in both English and their Vietnamese equivalents do not have the appearance of subordinators, the readers still understand that in (40) and (41) it is “Because”. However, in the following case, the ellipsis in verbless clause is only the ellipsis of subject and the verb “be” in Vietnamese equivalent:

(42) (▲) Accustomed to the care of their mistresses when they were ill in slave days, they didn’t how to nurse themselves in their sick.

Vốn quen được chủ nhân bảo vệ cho gia đình con cái, bây giờ họ hoàn toàn không có chút ý thức trách nhiệm nào với chính bản thân. (P.599)

In (42), with the elliptical elements it is likely to consider the as “Although they were accustomed to the care of their mistresses when they were ill in slave days, they didn’t how to nurse themselves in their sick.”

The following cases illustrate that in English sentences only the subject plus the verb “be” are omitted , which also arises the vebless:

(43) She’d tell the family tonight she was going to Atlanta to try to borrow money, to try to mortgage the farm if(∆) necessary. (P. 529)

Nội đêm nay nàng sẽ cho cả nhà hay là nàng sẽ đi Atlanta để mượn tiền, hoặc nếu cần nàng sẽ cầm đất luôn. (P.508)

(44) These visit were disappointing, for she had little opportunity for the long quiet talks with her mother to which she looked forward while (▲) in Atlanta, no time to sit by Ellen while she sew, smelling the faint fragrance of lemon verbena sachet as her skirts rustled, feeling her soft hands on her cheek in a gentle caress. (P215)

Những chuyến về quê đó thật chán trường vì nàng ít có dịp có hầu chuyện lâu với mẹ như vẫn mong chờ khi ở Atlanta – không đủ thì giờ ngồi bên Ellen khi bà may vá để ngửi mùi hương thoang thoảng của mã tiền thảo toát ra từ y phục của mẹ hay ngửa mặt cho bàn tay mềm mại của mẹ vuốt ve. (P.220) (45) Once (▲) at Tara, he said something about the-a-dusk of the gods and about

the end of the world and some such foolishness. (P757)

Có lần ở Tara, anh ấy đã nói tới … một.. một ngày tàn của thần thánh, tới ngày tận thế và một cái gì vớ vẩn như vậy. (P695)

The original sentence of (45) is “Once he was at Tara, he said something about the- a-dusk of the gods and about the end of the world and some such foolishness.”

In this sentence the subject of the two clauses are the same, and the verb in subordinate clause is “be”, therefore, the subject and the verb “be” are omitted together. In this case, the subordinators used in the sentence are once, and in (43) and (44) are if and while respectively.

There are 26 cases of ellipsis in verbless clause with Vietnamese equivalents, six cases fewer than English one. The following are some typical cases in which the Vietnamese sentences were written in the full form.

(46) (▲) Unashamed of how he came by his fortune, he pretended that they were unashamed of their beginning. (Page 859)

Rhett không hổ thẹn về cách làm giàu của mình, hắn giả vờ cho là bọn họ

cũng như hắn, đều không biết hổ thẹn vì xuất xứ của mình.(Page 783) (47) (▲) Weak with relief, Wade tried to be polite about his new sister but

failed. (Page 866)

Wade mừng quýnh, nó có làm ra vẻ lịch sự với đứa em mới của nó nhưng không được. (Page 789)

The Vietnamese equivalents of (46) and (47) do not have any elliptical phenomenon. When translating them, the author inserted the subject of sentences in the subordinate clause. It is not difficult to recover the elliptical elements basing on the other clauses in the sentence.

In general, the ellipsis in verbless clause mainly happens in the subordinate clause of the complex sentence. These elliptical elements can be recovered basing on the main clauses. Some Vietnamese equivalents had the same elliptical elements, some added subordinators, and others kept the subjects. The translator would like to make the readers enjoy the novel in the most natural and appropriate way.

4.4.3. Summary of special ellipsis

In conclusion, in terms of function categories of ellipsis, most special cases have close relation to the ellipsis of subject plus different forms of auxiliary “to be”, which makes special ellipsis in “non- finite clause”. The rest is the ellipsis of subject and lexical verb “to be”, which forms the special cases of ellipsis called ellipsis in verbless clause. These special cases of ellipsis also share one common feature, which is that the ellipsis happens in the subordinate clause, and they can be converted basing on the main clause.

Like elliptical noun phrase and elliptical clause, some Vietnamese equivalents of special ellipsis had the same elliptical elements as English ones, and some remain

subject, while others may add subordinators. Even if in what ways they can be translated, they all share the same purpose to persuade novel readers.

English special ellipsis and its Vietnamese equivalents

Types of ellipsis in complex sentences

Ellipsis of head noun alone