INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the study
Translation quality assessment (TQA) is a critical area within the field of translation, influenced by various factors that determine the effectiveness of a translated text The evaluation of translation quality can vary significantly depending on the perspective taken Among the different models developed by translation theorists, J House's TQA model is particularly notable for its practical application House, a German linguist, created her model after critiquing earlier frameworks proposed by linguists such as Newmark and Hatim, thereby contributing to the ongoing discourse in translation quality assessment.
This paper utilizes Mason's TQA model to evaluate the first three chapters of Đỗ Thu Hà's 2005 novel "Mật mã Da Vinci," which has sparked significant debate regarding its translation quality among translators and readers Renowned translator Tran, T.C.D, critiques the translation in his article "Bản dịch Mật mã Da Vinci: Một thảm họa dịch thuật," published in "Văn Nghệ," highlighting the translator's insufficient knowledge of language, history, and religion, alongside carelessness and the publisher's lack of accountability.
The translation of "Mật mã Da Vinci" has been criticized for numerous errors in vocabulary, grammar, expression, and omissions, as reported by NXB VHTT However, scholars like Thái Bá Tân, Vũ Thế Khôi, and Lê Bầu argue that the translation's quality is not as poor as claimed and should not be dismissed outright.
The translation of the first three chapters of this novel, while containing noticeable mistakes, aims to contribute to the ongoing controversy surrounding its quality.
Scope and objectives of the study
This study focuses on the first three chapters of Đỗ Thu Hà's 2005 book, "Mật mã Da Vinci," analyzing them through J House's Translation Quality Assessment (TQA) framework The objectives include identifying the features of the source text using Halliday's functional grammar and House's dimensions, as well as evaluating the translation's quality Although the title suggests a limited scope, the research encompasses a broad range of applied linguistics, including contrastive analysis, cross-cultural studies, functional grammar, and translation, reflecting the pragmatic theories of language use inherent in House's model.
Research questions
In order to fulfill its objectives stated above, this paper needs to answer the following research questions:
1 What are the features of the ST in the light of Halliday‘s functional grammar and House‘s dimensions?
2 To what degree does the translation text (TT) meet the standard of quality as proposed in House‘s TQA model?
Research methodology
This research employs a qualitative evaluation method, utilizing documents as the primary data source Information is gathered through detailed analysis of these materials, with data categorized into patterns to effectively organize and report results The qualitative approach facilitates an in-depth examination of individual texts and supports various analytical strategies.
The analysis of texts employs both synthetic and analytic methods, where the analytic perspective focuses on identifying and isolating specific aspects for detailed examination, while the synthetic perspective explores the interdependence of these elements to understand how they function collectively as a cohesive whole.
- Descriptive and comparative methods: In order to provide in-depth and detailed descriptions of translation and evaluation, the study is descriptive and comparative in nature.
Organization of the study
The first part of the study is the Introduction which provides a general view of the research such as methods, objectives, and scope
In the Development section of the study, Chapter I provides the theoretical background, while Chapter II reviews existing literature on translation theory and typical Translation Quality Assessment (TQA) models Chapter III outlines the research methodology and procedures, followed by Chapter IV, which presents the findings and discussions derived from data analysis.
In part 3, the conclusion of the study will be stated with three components: Recapitulation of the study, Limitation of the study, and Recommendations for further research.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Translation theory
There are various definitions of translation by different authors; nonetheless, certain definitions will be discussed in this section due to the restriction of size of the thesis
Translation is recognized as a communicative activity that effectively conveys messages across linguistic and cultural barriers, as noted by Tudor (Duff, 1989) Additionally, Hatim and Mason (1990) emphasize that translation occurs within a social context, highlighting its dynamic nature in communication.
Translation is defined as the process of converting textual material from a source language (SL) into equivalent content in a target language (TL) Catford (1965) emphasizes this equivalence, stating that translation involves placing textual material from one language into another Wills (1982) supports this view, describing translation as a procedure that results in an optimally equivalent target text, while also highlighting the importance of the translator's understanding of the original text's syntax, semantics, style, and pragmatics Similarly, J House (1997) defines translation as the replacement of a source text with a semantically and pragmatically equivalent target text, underscoring the consensus on the significance of equivalence in the translation process.
Translation, despite varying definitions, fundamentally aims to preserve the semantic, pragmatic, and textual meanings between languages As noted by Hoang, V.V (2005), translation embodies both artistic and scientific elements; it is an art due to the creative nature of human involvement, and a science because it follows a systematic process that includes analysis, transfer, and restructuring.
Translation encompasses a range of procedures, including both word-for-word and sense-for-sense methods The choice of procedures varies in significance based on the contextual factors present in both the source text (ST) and the target text (TT).
According to Newmark (1988), there are fifteen translation procedures as follows:
Transference Componential analysis Recognized translation
Cultural equivalent Through-translation Paraphrase
Functional equivalent Shifts or transpositions Descriptive equivalent
As depicted by Nida (1964), translation procedures consist of two smaller procedures: Technical procedures and Organizational procedures
Translation methods can be categorized in various ways, but according to Peter Newmark's classification, there are eight distinct methods divided into two primary groups: semantic translation and communicative translation These methods are visually represented in a flattened V diagram.
SL emphasis TL emphasis Word-for-word translation Adaptation Literal translation Free translation Faithful translation Idiomatic translation
(Source: V-diagram of Translation method (P Newmark, 1988:45))
Semantic and communicative translations are the two most prevalent methods employed in literary translation According to P Newmark (1988), semantic translation aligns with the author's linguistic level and is suited for "expressive" texts, while communicative translation caters to the readership and is used for informative and vocative texts These approaches effectively achieve the primary goals of translation: accuracy and economy.
Equivalence is a fundamental concept in translation theory, encompassing various linguistic units, including morphemes, words, phrases, clauses, idioms, and proverbs Consequently, identifying these equivalents often poses the greatest challenge in the translation process.
Jakobson (1959) introduces the notion of ―equivalence in difference‖ and
The concept of "sameness in difference," or "unity in diversity," is foundational in translation studies Nida (1964) categorizes equivalence into two types: formal equivalence, which focuses on the exact wording, and dynamic equivalence, which emphasizes the meaning and impact on the target audience Catford (1964) asserts that translation equivalence (TE) is achieved when the source language (SL) and target language (TL) texts share relevant situational features Reiss (1971) further develops this idea with her notion of "functional equivalence," which expands the understanding of equivalence in translation.
(1992) explores equivalence at different levels (word and above word level) in relation to the translation process such as grammatical, textual, and pragmatic aspects
J House (1977) emphasizes that equivalence is the conceptual basis not only of translation but also of translation criticism where equivalence is the fundamental criterion of translation quality In her article ―Text and Context in translation‖ (2006), she states that views of equivalence as simply bases on formal, syntactic, and lexical similarities alone are multiply ambiguous Further, purely formal definitions of equivalence have long been revealed as deficient in that they cannot explain appropriate use in communicative performance This is why functional, pragmatic equivalence has been a concept accepted in contrastive linguistics for a long time, and it is this type of equivalence which is most relevant for translation It is consequently used in the functional pragmatic model where it is related to the preservation of meaning across two different languages and cultures.
Views and models of translation quality assessment
This model emphasizes the significant influence of text-oriented approaches on translation, particularly in translation pedagogy According to Hatim & Mason, the key principles guiding a translator's work include communicative, pragmatic, and semiotic aspects These principles represent a series of procedures that position the translator as the focal point of the communicative process.
Hatim and Mason outline a framework for text analysis that encompasses numerous concepts; however, it remains unclear whether their approach qualifies as a conventional model for application Instead, their proposals serve as a checklist of elements to consider in translation, focusing on the identification of "dynamic" and "stable" elements within a text These elements exist on a continuum related to translation strategy: more "stable" source texts (STs) may necessitate a "fairly literal approach," whereas "dynamic" STs present greater challenges, where literal translation may not be feasible (J House 1997).
Peter Newmark's contributions to translation theory, particularly in his application of linguistic models such as componential analysis and case grammar, have been significant in the field of translation evaluation His concept of translation criticism, which emphasizes the distinction between semantic and communicative translation, has proven to be both important and fruitful for understanding the nuances of translation.
House (1997) criticizes that Newmark has always spoken against the conception of translation as solely a ―science‖ maintaining that the translation process is also a
The artistic process of translation necessitates the translator's taste, wit, and elegance, as highlighted by the challenges in establishing a consistent model for assessing translation quality While subjective factors inevitably play a role in evaluating translations, it is crucial not to overemphasize this subjectivity Scientific inquiry remains valuable, allowing for the abstraction of details in individual translations and leading to the development of generally valid procedures and evaluative norms.
Development of J House‘s model
J House is a German linguistics who has devoted her life to find out a scientifically based frame work for translation assessment Her first book about this term was published in 1977 named ―A model for Translation Quality Assessment‖ and twenty years later, she revised and updated it into ―Translation Quality Assessment, a model revisited‖ Being different from scholar with mentalist view or response-based view, House takes discourse approach to be the original base of her theory Her model to criticize a translation, for that reason, roots from five important foundations: Halliday‘s systemic-functional theory, Prague school ideas, speech act theory, pragmatics, discourse analysis and corpus-based distinctions between spoken and written language Her model is intended to analyze and compare the SL and TL in different levels: Language/Text, Register, and Genre This makes the evaluation to be more fair and complete In her article published in 2001, House mentioned clearly each element and the way to compare the two texts
A quality translation maintains equivalence to the source text (ST), ensuring that the meaning and context are preserved It involves replacing the original text in the source language with a semantically and pragmatically equivalent version in the target language.
(1997:31) Some people think that the translation should be in the same form and be a
In contemporary translation practices, the term "reproduction" should be redefined through the lenses of discourse analysis and contrastive analysis, emphasizing the importance of functional-pragmatic equivalence Achieving equivalence requires the preservation of meaning, which encompasses three dimensions: semantic, pragmatic, and textual meaning This perspective introduces readers to two distinct types of translation: overt and covert translation.
Overt translation involves a clear "language mention" where the recipients are not directly addressed, preserving the equivalence in language, genre, and register while allowing access to the original's function within its discourse context This type of translation does not create a "second original"; instead, it remains embedded in a new context while signaling its foreign origin, enabling second-language speakers to assess the original's impact from an external perspective Examples include the translation of literary works, religious texts, and political speeches In contrast, covert translation aims to maintain the original text's status within a new context, effectively recreating an equivalent speech event and reproducing the original's functions This type encompasses the interpretation of journalistic, scientific, and magazine texts, where the translator applies a CULTURE FILTER to account for the new context.
A culture filter captures the socio-cultural differences in behavior, communication conventions, rhetorical styles, and normative expectations between two speech communities This concept is crucial for translation criticism as it enables the distinction between covert and overt translations.
In her model, House adopts Halliday‘s terms ―ideational‖ and ―interpersonal‖ as labels for the referential and non-referential functional components
House‘s TQA model consists of specific situational dimensions grouped into two sections: Dimensions of Language User and Dimensions of Language Use
Dimensions of Language User Dimensions of Language Use
In the analysis of language users, three key situational dimensions are identified to determine the background of a text producer The geographical origin refers to the location of the producer, typically represented by Standard British or American English Social class reflects the producer's position within the social hierarchy, with the unmarked form being an educated middle-class speaker of the standard language Lastly, the temporal aspect offers insights into the time period from which the text originates.
In analyzing the Source Text (ST) and Target Text (TT), five situational dimensions of language use are essential The medium can be categorized as simple, such as spoken or written forms, or complex, where written content is intended for spoken delivery Participation varies from simple monologues to complex texts that incorporate features indicative of audience engagement Even monologues can exhibit dialogic characteristics The social role relationship between the speaker and audience can be symmetrical, reflecting equality and solidarity, or asymmetrical, indicating authority dynamics Additionally, social attitude encompasses varying degrees of distance or intimacy, categorized as frozen, formal, consultative, casual, and intimate Lastly, the province pertains to the occupational and thematic context of the text, encompassing the broader "area of operation" of the language activity and relevant production details inferred from the text itself.
In his analysis of situational dimensions, House employs various methods to characterize the linguistic evidence within the text, including Syntactic Means, Lexical Means, and Textual Means The Textual Means specifically involve theme dynamics, clausal linkage, and iconic linkage.
House utilizes various analytical devices to compare source text (ST) and target text (TT), including symbolic dimensions like [+ human], [- human], [+ abstract], and [- abstract] Additionally, she incorporates rhetorical-stylistic concepts such as alliteration and anacoluthon, along with other important frameworks like foregrounding versus automatization, illocutionary force, and emic versus etic texts Furthermore, House examines ideational and interpersonal functions, as well as textual features that encompass overall logical structure and redundancy.
Based on the analysis, a textual profile for the source text is created in the form of a Statement of Function The translation is then evaluated using the same criteria to establish its textual profile Comparing these profiles indicates how well the translation aligns with the source text, leading to a Statement of Quality that assesses its adequacy Discrepancies between the profiles highlight errors, which House categorizes into two distinct types.
COVERTLY ERRONEOUS ERRORS: those which result from a mismatch in one situational dimension
Overtly erroneous errors occur due to a non-dimensional mismatch and can be categorized into two main types The first type includes breaches of the target language system, which manifest as ungrammatical constructions that clearly violate language rules The second type consists of cases of dubious acceptability, where the usage deviates from established norms, raising questions about their appropriateness in the target language context.
Mistakes in the denotative meanings of ST and TT consist of wrong selections, wrong omissions, and ambiguities
LITERATURE REVIEW
Application of House‘s model in Vietnam
In her MA thesis, Luong, T.L (2007) utilizes House’s model to evaluate the translation quality of the English version of Vietnam's Law on Investment 2005 The study reveals significant mismatches across eight parameters of House’s model, indicating that the translation is of poor quality due to its failure to align with the source text's functions and utilize equivalent means for conveying these functions Additionally, Luong offers four implications for the translation of Vietnamese legal documents into English.
A study by Nguyen, T.Y (2007) on the translation quality of the travel guidebook "Du lich Ha Long" applied House's model, revealing that while some discrepancies existed between the source text (ST) and the target text (TT), the TT successfully met the equivalence requirements of the ST Additionally, the TT demonstrated both ideational and interpersonal functional components.
In a study by Le, M H (2010), it was found that both covert and overt errors exist in the target text (TT), yet the TT successfully reflects the ideational and interpersonal aspects of the source text (ST) The research concludes with several implications for the field of literary translation.
Application of House‘s model in other countries
House‘s model is also found in studies conducted in other countries Yamini, H
In 2009, Abdi, F conducted a study on the translation quality of the Persian version of Shakespeare's play "Macbeth." The findings revealed that the translation upheld the integrity of House's model, demonstrating its effectiveness and robustness.
Nazhand and Pur (2011) utilized House's model to assess the Persian translation of William Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury." Their analysis revealed that the translator made several incorrect translations of significant sentences The study concluded that House's model effectively identified both covert and overt errors in the translation, highlighting its utility in predicting translation inaccuracies.
Almeida and Nascimento (1996) evaluated the effectiveness of House's model in translating legal contracts, demonstrating its utility in assessing various translations of the same source text Their study found that while the model was beneficial for evaluating English-to-Portuguese contract translations, it also had some limitations.
Another study by Jun, T & Yan, W (2011) based on House‘s model and its procedure of operation was conducted to analyze and assess Zhang Peiji's translation of
In the analysis of Zhu Ziqing's "The Sight of Father's Back," it was determined that the translation primarily employs overt translation techniques, with only minor instances of overt and covert inappropriateness that do not significantly affect the overall integrity of the text Consequently, the authors concluded that the translated version closely aligns with the original source, indicating a high quality of translation.
This study aims to evaluate the translation quality of the first three chapters of the novel "Mật mã Da Vinci" by Do Thu Ha (2005), addressing a gap identified during the literature review where many literary works have not been methodologically assessed using J House's TQA models.
METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES
Subject of study
This paper focuses on the first three chapters of Dan Brown's 2003 novel "The Da Vinci Code" and its Vietnamese translation by Đỗ Thu Hà from 2005, as a comprehensive analysis of the entire text is outside its scope.
Methodology
This qualitative study aims to identify two types of errors that arise from comparing the Source Text (ST) with the Target Text (TT) using House's TQA Model Primarily, it involves library research to gather relevant data for analysis.
Under House's model, the analysis of the source text (ST) and the translated text (TT) is divided into two sections: Dimensions of Language User and Dimensions of Language Use The first section introduces three situational dimensions—Geographical origin, Social class, and Time—that reflect the characteristics of the text producer The second section applies five situational dimensions—Medium, Participation, Social relationship, Social attitude, and Province—for comparative analysis Each dimension is examined through syntactic, lexical, and textual aspects Additionally, Halliday's functional grammar framework is utilized to analyze the ST in terms of Field, Tenor, Mode, Transitivity system, Theme, and Mood.
Data Collection Procedure
The researcher conducts a thorough reading of the original text before comparing the source text (ST) with its translation to identify two types of errors: overtly erroneous errors and covertly erroneous errors Utilizing House's model in Translation Quality Assessment (TQA), the process involves several key steps: first, analyzing the ST to establish its profile through an analytic method; second, articulating the ST's function concerning ideational and interpersonal meanings using a synthetic method; third, comparing both texts to produce a statement of "in-equivalence," categorizing the errors into covertly and overtly erroneous; and finally, providing a quality assessment based on the translation results through a descriptive method.
Data Analysis Procedure
Errors and mismatches have been identified by comparing the source text (ST) and target text (TT) Covert errors differ from overt errors, as the latter arise from discrepancies in the denotative meanings of ST and TT elements or violations of the target language's grammatical system.
Findings and Discussion: This subsection is aimed at presenting the results of the application/implementation of the above-mentioned step and providing a statement of quality of the TT.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Brief introduction of the original text
Dan Brown, born on June 22, 1964, is a renowned American thriller fiction author, best known for his best-selling novel "The Da Vinci Code," published in 2003 In addition to this iconic work, he has penned several other widely acclaimed novels, including "Digital Fortress" (1998), "Angels and Demons" (2000), "Deception Point" (2001), and "The Lost Symbol" (2009).
Brown's books primarily appeal to educated readers with a keen interest in fiction, treasure hunts, and themes related to history and religion Specifically, "The Da Vinci Code" attracts fans of thriller fiction, cryptography, fine art, and the history of Christianity.
The novel ―The Da Vinci Code‖ was written mainly for entertainment
The novel was divided into 105 chapters excluding the Acknowledgement, Facts, Prologue and Epilogue The whole book is 597 pages in length However, the first three chapters accounts for only 18 pages
IV.1.5 Summary of the original text’s content
In Paris on business, Professor Robert Langdon is unexpectedly called to The Louvre, where a dead body has been discovered This shocking event propels Langdon into a thrilling quest to decode an ancient mystery, ultimately leading him to uncover one of history's greatest secrets Alongside him is Sophie Neveu, a talented and captivating cryptologist, who aids in unraveling the enigmatic clues that lie ahead.
At the end of the novel, the secrets about the Royal Blood and Christianity are unveiled by Langdon without being revealed to anyone else
In the opening chapters, Robert Langdon, staying at the Ritz in Paris after delivering a lecture on religious symbology, receives an urgent call from the concierge about a significant visitor Shortly after, Lieutenant Jérôme Collet from DCJP arrives, seeking Langdon's expertise in the investigation of Jacques Saunière's death, the curator of the Louvre Museum Collet presents Langdon with a peculiar image of Saunière's corpse and takes him to the Louvre for further inquiry.
Silas, the albino, returned to his sparse room to inform the Teacher of the deaths of the three sénéchaux and the Grand Master, who had revealed that the keystone was hidden in the Church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris The Teacher promised to facilitate Silas's entry into the church Prior to his visit, Silas engaged in "corporal mortification." Meanwhile, at the Louvre, Langdon met Captain Bezu Fache, who indicated that the photograph was merely the start of Saunière's actions.
Findings of the study
IV.2.1 Analysis of the original text based on J House’s model and Halliday’s systemic-functional model
This article examines the original text through Halliday’s systemic-functional theory, focusing on five key dimensions: Field, Tenor, Mode, Transitivity system, Theme, and Mood Additionally, it incorporates House’s framework, analyzing both the Dimension of Language User and the Dimension of Language Use to provide a comprehensive understanding of the text's linguistic features and contextual implications.
In this thrilling fiction, Professor Robert Langdon, an expert in religious symbology, travels to Paris to deliver lectures However, his plans take an unexpected turn when he receives a midnight call from the French Judicial Police, seeking his expertise to solve a mysterious murder that demands his unique skills.
1 Lexical means: Preponderance of lexical items that are related to different fields such as symbology, religion, and judiciary which require that readers be educated and have general knowledge on those topics
2 Syntactic means: Preponderance of short clauses with simple structures throughout the text
3 Textual means: Strong textual cohesion to make the text comprehensible and digestible for readers
Theme dynamics: Thematic movement frequently arranged in sequences of theme-rheme movements to ensure given-new ordering For example:
+ ―Silas turned his attention now to a heavy knotted rope coiled neatly on the
Theme Rheme floor beside him The knots were caked with dried blood.‖ (p.17)
Clausal linkage: In clause complexes, ample use of transitional signals could be seen For example:
+ ―Although his female colleagues insisted the gray only accentuated his bookish appeal, Langdon knew better.‖ (p.9)
+ ―The hostess began reading choice excerpts from the inane article, and Langdon felt himself sinking lower and lower in his chair.‖ (p.10)
A Author‘s Temporal, Geographical and Social Provenance
Marked – past (2003), Educated middle class speaker of the standard language, Standard American English
B Author‘s personal (Emotional and Intellectual) Stance:
The author views the incidents that happened in the text with seriousness and objectiveness as he is the teller of the story
Syntactic means: Presence of structures describing stressful situations without humor For example:
Langdon became a reluctant celebrity in the art world due to his books on religious paintings and cult symbology His notoriety surged a hundredfold after a highly publicized incident at the Vatican last year, leading to an incessant influx of self-important historians and art enthusiasts seeking his insights.
+ ―Langdon was feeling anything but fortunate, and coincidence was a concept he did not entirely trust.‖ (p.18)
Author – readers(s): author puts himself on a par with his addressees, i.e., the readers The relationship is symmetrical
In the narrative, the author serves solely as a storyteller, maintaining a detached role without participating in the events of the story This creates a dynamic where the author functions as a producer, while the characters are viewed as products of the narrative, emphasizing the distinct separation between creator and creation.
* Lexical means: a Use of expletives marking a rather informal relationship such as ―of course‖
(p.19) b Presence of reference, for examples, proper names (Langdon, Jacques
In many instances, notable landmarks and figures such as Sauniere, Bezu Fache, and the Eiffel Tower are substituted with personal pronouns like he, she, him, and her Additionally, the text features expressions that convey illocutionary forces, including refusals or urges.
+ ―I‘m sorry,‖ Langdon said, ―but I‘m very tired and–‖ (p.8)
+ ―The agent checked his watch ‗My capitaine is waiting, sir.‘‖ (p.13)
* Syntactic means: Presence of elliptical clauses produced by the interlocutors For example:
+ ―Paris? Incredible It is almost too easy.‖ (p.15)
+ ―The driver shook his head ‗Interpol.‘‖ (p.19)
D Social attitude: consultative and casual The consultative style shows that the addresser (author) does not assume that he can leave out certain parts of his message which he may do in a socially close relationship where much of the message is understood Moreover, the addresser has to be fairly elaborative on supplying background information Besides, there are a lot of conversations among characters in the text, therefore, casual and informal styles are also employed
1 Syntactic means: a Presence of elliptical clauses and contractions, for example:
+ ―‗What is the capital‘s name?‘ Langdon asked, changing topics
‗Bezu Fache,‖ the driver said,…‖ (p.23)
+ ―No, I haven’t climbed the tower.‖(p.19) b Use of first, second, and third personal and possessive pronouns
2 Lexical means: a Presence of emotive subjectivity markers such as ―I hope…‖ (p.7), ―I thought…‖ (p.11), ―I think…‖ (p.19), ―I assume…‖ (p.19) b Presence of interjections or spoken language signals, for example, ―well‖ (p.11) c Interspersion of subjectively qualifying modal adverbial such as: ―not‖ (p.7, p.10) d Interspersion of words and phrases or structures marker [-formal] For example:
+ ―‗Would you be so kind,‘ Langdon said, doing the best to remain polite,
+ ―Mr Langdon, again my apologies…‖ (p.11)
However, the use of normal, everyday conversational expressions is dominant For instance:
+ ―‗She is lovely, no?‘ The agent asked, looking over.‖ (p.19)
A Medium: simple (written to be read)
Syntactic features in oral conversations often include a high frequency of elliptical structures, where context helps clarify incomplete statements Additionally, the use of contractions is prevalent, along with short coordinated clauses connected by "and." These elements reflect the informal nature of spoken language and contribute to the overall social dynamics of communication.
* Textual means: a Ample use of repetition for redundancy throughout the text designed to make comprehension easier For instance:
+ ―‗We are closer than you think The keystone is here in Paris.‘
+ ―‗…I apologize for this intrusion, but you have a visitor…‘
+ Langdon still felt fuzzy A visitor?‖ (p.7) b Presence of a well-planned, logical, simple structure: S – V – Od For instance:
+ ―Langdon held out his hand to shake.‖ (p.25)
+ ―You will meet the capitaine at the main entrance.‖ (p.22)
B Participation: Complex: monologue with built-in (fictional) dialogic parts Syntactic means: a Use of both monologue and dialogue b The text is a narrative fiction; therefore, there is an ample use of the first, second, and third personal and possessive pronouns in indicate direct and indirect interaction situations in the text c Presence of declarative, interrogative, and imperative sentences The examples are as follows:
Our esteemed guest tonight is a renowned author known for his influential works, including "The Symbology of Secret Sects," "The Art of the Illuminati," and "The Lost Language of Ideograms." He has literally written the definitive textbook on Religious Iconology, which many of you utilize in your academic studies.
+ ―We had hoped that you might help us answer that very question, considering your knowledge in symbology and your plans to meet with him.‖ (p.12)
Interrogative: + ―And you believed them?‖ (p.14)
+ ―‗Did you mount her?‘ the agent asked, looking over.‖ (p.19)
Imperative: + ―‗Speak,‘ the voice commanded, sounding pleased to hear from him.‖ (p.14)
+ ―So, my pupil, tell me what I must know.‖ (p.14)
The original text is part of a thriller fiction which is written for educated readers
1 Syntactic means: a Consistent use of the past simple tense, which is popular in narrative form b Presence of use of verbal process to express the character‘s worry such as
The article discusses the significance of clausal linkage in text, highlighting logical relationships such as additive, alternative, causal, explanatory, and illative connections between clauses and sentences It emphasizes the importance of avoiding repeated structures to enhance coherence and clarity in writing.
2 Lexical means: a Presence of adverb ―of course‖ (p.19) at the end of the sentence making the text a little more natural and informal b Preponderance of adjectives and adverbs to describe the character‘s psychological development or the scenery c Use of lexical items marked [+human], for example:
+―The jacquard bathrobe hanging on his bedpost bore the monogram: HOTEL RITZ PARIS.‖ (p.7)
+―Sitting up now, Langdon frowned at his bedside Guest Relations Handbook, whose cover boasted: SLEEP LIKE A BABY IN THE CITY OF LIGHTS, SLUMBER AT THE PARIS RITZ.‖ (p.8)
3 Textual means: a Use of a narrative frame to direct the addressees (readers) to the story b Presence of sentences with a relentlessly repetitive structure: S – V – Od (cf Medium above) c Presence of strong textual cohesion with theme-dynamics (cf Field above.) IV.2.1.5 Transitivity system
The text utilizes several types of processes, including material, verbal, mental, relational, behavioral, and existential processes Among these, material and verbal processes are the most prominent, while the other types are less frequently represented.
Material process is used permanently throughout the text For instance, solely one short paragraph consists primarily of material process:
Discussion: statement of quality
The analysis reveals that, based on House's dimensions, a comparison of Source Text (ST) and Target Text (TT) was conducted, focusing on Medium, Social Role Relationship, Social Attitude, and Province to identify discrepancies The application of House's model highlighted various breaches of equivalence, uncovering issues related to both covert and overt errors in translation.
First, regarding the covertly erroneous errors, there are mismatches on the dimensions below
In the Medium dimension, the discrepancies arise from the inclusion of contacts not present in the source text, along with alterations in phrase types, aimed at adapting the content to resonate more with the Vietnamese context.
In the context of social relationships, a notable lexical mismatch occurs with the use of pronouns Specifically, the pronouns "she" and "her," which refer to a cherished entity like the Eiffel Tower, were inaccurately translated as "trên ấy, cái tháp, trên đó." This mistranslation results in the loss of the nuanced meaning originally conveyed by the pronouns in the target text.
In the analysis of social attitude, the consultative style of the source text (ST) is characterized by a more abundant use of words in the target text (TT), which aims to create a more intimate tone However, the TT often omits details present in the ST, leading to a loss of meaning While the stylistic differences between the ST and TT are minimal and have a negligible impact on the pragmatic meaning, they do undermine the interpersonal function of the text.
In the Province dimension, the minimal use of the past simple tense by the TT, a characteristic common in narrative fiction, along with the avoidance of [+human] lexical items from the ST, contributes to the creation of a fictional style that impacts the interpersonal functional components.
The identified errors in the translation not only reveal overt inaccuracies but also undermine the interpersonal aspects of communication Instances of ungrammaticality, questionable translations, and misinterpretations of the source text's denotative meanings are prevalent Despite the influence of the "cultural filter," which highlights the socio-cultural differences and stylistic conventions between the source and target languages, the translation fails to fully capture both the ideational and interpersonal elements of the original text.
Despite the mismatches presented above, the TT shows some good translated sections that can convey both interpersonal and ideational features of the ST as follows:
1 ―Pulling his shades, he stripped naked and knelt in the center of his room
He glanced down at the spiked cilice belt tightly fastened to his thigh, a symbol worn by all true followers of The Way This leather strap, adorned with sharp metal barbs, inflicted constant pain, serving as a relentless reminder of Christ's suffering.
The pain caused by the device also helped counteract the desires of the flesh
Although Silas already had worn his cilice today longer than the requisite two hours, he knew today was no ordinary day
Grasping the buckle, he cinched it one notch tighter, wincing as the barbs dug
Hắn kéo rèm che, cởi trần và quỳ giữa phòng, kiểm tra dây thắt bằng sợi lông đuôi ngựa buộc chặt quanh bắp đùi Dây thắt này, được các môn đồ chân chính của Con Đường đeo, với những ngạnh kim loại sắc nhọn cắt vào thịt, như một sự nhắc nhở thường xuyên về sự chịu đựng của Chúa.
Mặc dù Silas biết rằng mình đã đeo vật này lâu hơn hai tiếng như yêu cầu, hắn cảm nhận rằng hôm nay không phải là một ngày bình thường Hắn nắm chặt cái dây và cột nó thêm một mức nữa, khiến nó co rúm sâu vào da thịt Hít thở chậm rãi, hắn thưởng thức nghi thức thanh tẩy qua nỗi đau của mình.
(p.16) người khi những ngạnh sắc đâm sâu hơn vào da thịt Thở ra từ từ, hắn cảm nhận sự thanh sạch của nỗi đau đớn.‖ (p.15)
The translation of the first three chapters of "The Da Vinci Code," analyzed through J House's TQA model, exhibits notable discrepancies from the source text (ST) While there are a few well-translated passages, the majority of the target text (TT) contains numerous translation errors indicative of a hasty approach with minimal editing These issues are present throughout all twenty-three pages of the TT, resulting in a low-quality translation that diminishes the positive impact and overall impression of the original text on readers.
