INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the study
Translation quality assessment (TQA) is a significant area of interest within the field of translation, influenced by various factors that determine the perceived quality of a translated text The perspective from which the translation is evaluated plays a crucial role in this assessment Among the models developed by translation theorists, J House's TQA model is particularly noted for its practical applicability House, a German linguist, created her model after critically analyzing and addressing the limitations of earlier models proposed by other linguists, such as Newmark and Hatim.
This paper evaluates the first three chapters of Đỗ Thu Hà's 2005 novel "Mật mã Da Vinci" using the TQA model, highlighting the ongoing debate regarding the translation's quality 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," where he attributes its shortcomings to the translator's inadequate knowledge of language, history, and religion, alongside carelessness and the publisher's lack of accountability.
The article titled "Mật mã Da Vinci dịch ẩu, NXB VHTT nói gí?" discusses the controversy surrounding the translation of "The Da Vinci Code," highlighting numerous errors in vocabulary, grammar, expression, and omissions Despite these criticisms, scholars such as 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.
―catastrophe‖ though there are noticeable mistakes in it Hence, the conductor of this research wishes to employ a recognized model of TQA in order to evaluate the
2 translation quality of the first three chapters of this novel to contribute a voice to the controversy raised.
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 features of the source text using Halliday's functional grammar and assessing the translation's quality While the title suggests a narrow scope, the research encompasses a broad spectrum of applied linguistics, including contrastive analysis, cross-cultural studies, functional grammar, and translation, grounded in pragmatic theories of language use and addressing both semantic and textual aspects.
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 document analysis as the primary source of data Information is systematically categorized into patterns, forming the foundation for organizing and reporting 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, utilizing an analytic perspective to identify and isolate specific aspects for focused examination, while also adopting a synthetic perspective to explore the interdependence of these elements and understand how they function together 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
The second part of the study, titled Development, outlines the theoretical framework in Chapter I and reviews relevant literature on translation theory and typical Translation Quality Assessment (TQA) models in Chapter II Chapter III details the research methodology and procedures, while Chapter IV presents the findings and discussions, showcasing the results of the 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 bridges linguistic and cultural gaps, as noted by Tudor (Duff, 1989:5), and it occurs within a social context, according to Hatim & Mason (1990).
Translation is defined by Catford (1965) as the process of replacing textual material in one language (source language) with equivalent material in another language (target language) This emphasis on equivalence is echoed by Wills (1982a), who describes translation as a procedure that transitions from a written source language text (SLT) to an optimally equivalent target language text (TLT), highlighting the translator's need for comprehensive understanding of the original text's syntactic, semantic, stylistic, and pragmatic elements J House (1997) supports this view, asserting that translation involves the replacement of a source language text (SL) with a semantically and pragmatically equivalent text in the target language (TL).
Despite varying expressions, all definitions of translation emphasize its core essence: the preservation of semantic, pragmatic, and textual meaning between two languages As noted by Hoang, V.V (2005), translation embodies both artistic and technical elements.
Translation is both an art and a science It embodies artistry through the creative expression of human beings, while also adhering to a scientific process that involves various stages, including analysis, transfer, and restructuring.
Translation encompasses a range of techniques beyond just literal and interpretive methods The translator can employ various approaches that vary in significance based on the contextual elements of 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 classified in various ways, but Peter Newmark identifies eight distinct methods categorized into two primary groups: semantic translation and communicative translation This classification is 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 used in literary translation According to P Newmark (1988), semantic translation aligns with the author's linguistic style and is suited for "expressive" texts, while communicative translation caters to the readership and is ideal for informative and vocative texts These approaches effectively address the primary goals of translation: accuracy and economy.
In translation theory, equivalence is a fundamental concept, encompassing various linguistic units including morphemes, words, phrases, clauses, idioms, and proverbs As a result, identifying equivalents poses significant challenges during the translation process.
Jakobson (1959) introduces the notion of ―equivalence in difference‖ and
In the realm of translation, the concept of "sameness in difference" or "unity in diversity" plays a crucial role 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 source language (SL) and target language (TL) texts share relevant situational features Furthermore, Reiss (1971) expands on this idea with her notion of "functional equivalence," advancing the understanding of equivalence in translation studies.
(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
Functional pragmatic equivalence plays a crucial role in contrastive linguistics and is essential for effective translation This concept emphasizes the importance of preserving meaning across diverse languages and cultures, making it a key component of the functional pragmatic model in communication.
Views and models of translation quality assessment
This model emphasizes the significant influence of text-oriented translation approaches on translation pedagogy According to Hatim & Mason, the key principles guiding a translator's work include communicative, pragmatic, and semiotic aspects These principles serve as a framework of procedures that position the translator at the heart of the communication process.
Hatim and Mason offer a framework for text analysis that encompasses numerous concepts, yet it remains ambiguous whether their approach can be conventionally applied as a model Instead, their proposals can be viewed as a checklist of elements to consider in translation studies They emphasize the distinction between "dynamic" and "stable" elements within a text, which are presented on a continuum linked to translation strategies More "stable" source texts (STs) may necessitate a "fairly literal approach," whereas "dynamic" STs present unique challenges where literal translation might not be feasible (J House 1997).
Peter Newmark's applications of linguistic models, such as componential analysis and case grammar, play a significant role in the linguistic textual approach to translation, as highlighted by House (1997) He emphasizes the importance of translation evaluation, which he refers to as translation criticism, in analyzing translations effectively.
8 distinction between semantic and communicative translation has also been important and fruitful
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 demands the translator's taste, wit, and elegance, as noted in 1981 Despite this, the absence of a consistent model for assessing translation quality is evident While subjective elements are inherent in translation evaluation, it's crucial not to overstate their importance Scientific inquiry plays a vital role in distilling the complexities of individual translations, paving the way for universally applicable procedures and evaluative standards.
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) by replacing it with a semantically and pragmatically equivalent text in the target language This ensures that the meaning and context of the original message are preserved, making the translation effective and accurate.
(1997:31) Some people think that the translation should be in the same form and be a
In modern translation, the concept of "reproduction" must evolve through discourse and contrastive analysis, emphasizing functional-pragmatic equivalence To achieve equivalence, it is essential to preserve meaning, which encompasses semantic, pragmatic, and textual dimensions This perspective introduces readers to two distinct types of translation: overt and covert translation.
An overt translation refers to a type of language mention where the recipient is not directly addressed, preserving the equivalence in language, genre, and register while allowing access to the original's function within its discourse context This results in a target text that, although embedded in a new context, retains its "foreign" origin, enabling second-language speakers to evaluate the original's impact Examples of overt translation can be found in literary, religious, and political texts Conversely, covert translation maintains the original text's status within a new context, recreating an equivalent speech event and reproducing the original's functions This type is commonly applied to journalistic, scientific, and magazine texts, where the translator considers the new context through a culture filter.
The culture filter is a critical concept for understanding socio-cultural differences in communication and behavior between two speech communities It highlights the preferred rhetorical styles and expectations that shape interactions This concept is essential in translation criticism, as it enables the distinction between covert and overt translations, emphasizing the importance of cultural context in effective translation practices.
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 context of Language User, three situational dimensions define the provenance of a text producer: geographical origin, social class, and time The geographical origin refers to the text producer's location, typically represented by Standard British or American English Social class reflects the producer's position on the social hierarchy, with the unmarked form being an educated middle-class speaker of the standard language Lastly, the time dimension offers insights into the temporal origin of the text.
In analyzing the Source Text (ST) and Target Text (TT), five situational dimensions of language use are essential The medium can either be simple, such as spoken or written formats, or complex, like written content intended for oral delivery Participation levels vary from simple monologues to complex texts that incorporate features indicating audience engagement Even a monologue can exhibit dialogic characteristics The social role relationship between the speaker and listeners can be symmetrical, reflecting equality and solidarity, or asymmetrical, indicating a hierarchical authority Additionally, social attitudes encompass varying degrees of distance or closeness, categorized as frozen, formal, consultative, casual, or intimate.
The term "11" encompasses both occupational and professional activities, as well as the broader context of the language's area of operation It also highlights specific details regarding text production that can be inferred from the content itself.
In his analysis of situational dimensions, House employs various methods to characterize the linguistic evidence in the text, specifically focusing on Syntactic, Lexical, and Textual Means The Textual Means include elements such as theme dynamics, clausal linkage, and iconic linkage, which play a crucial role in understanding the text's structure and meaning.
House utilizes various analytical tools to compare source text (ST) and target text (TT), including symbolic dimensions like [+ human], [- human], [+ abstract], and [- abstract] Additionally, she incorporates rhetorical-stylistic elements such as alliteration and anacoluthon, along with concepts like foregrounding versus automatization and illocutionary force Furthermore, the analysis considers emic and etic texts, as well as ideational and interpersonal functions Key textual features examined include overall logical structure and the presence of redundancy.
The analysis establishes a textual profile for the source text through a Statement of Function, followed by a similar analysis of the translation text to determine its own profile By comparing these profiles, we assess the translation's quality in relation to the source text, resulting in a Statement of Quality Discrepancies between the two profiles indicate errors, which House categorizes into two 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 types: breaches of the target language system, which include ungrammatical instances that clearly violate the rules of the language, and cases of dubious acceptability, where the usage deviates from established norms.
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 identified discrepancies between the source and target texts across eight parameters of House's model, indicating that the translation was of poor quality due to its inability to fully align with the functions of the source text and to use comparable means for conveying these functions Additionally, Luong proposed four recommendations for improving 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" applies House's model, revealing some discrepancies between the source text (ST) and target text (TT) Despite these mismatches, the TT fulfills the equivalence criteria of the ST and incorporates 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 translated text (TT) Despite these errors, the TT successfully conveys the ideational and interpersonal features of the source text (ST) The study concludes with several implications for literary translation practices.
Application of House‘s model in other countries
House‘s model is also found in studies conducted in other countries Yamini, H
& Abdi, F (2009) investigated the translation quality of the Persian translation of the
13 play ―Macbeth.‖ It was found out that the results do not blemish House‘s model in any ways; rather, they showed the strength of this model
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 key sentences The study demonstrated that House's Model effectively identified both covert and overt errors in the translation process, highlighting its predictive capability regarding 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 indicated 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 some minor instances of both overt and covert inappropriateness that do not significantly impact the overall effectiveness of the text Consequently, the authors concluded that the translated version closely aligns with the original source, indicating a high quality of translation.
In summary, while prior research has explored translation quality using J House's TQA models, the literature review revealed a lack of methodological evaluations for numerous literary works Consequently, this study aims to assess the translation quality of the first three chapters of Do Thu Ha's novel "Mật mã Da Vinci" (2005).
METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES
Subject of study
This paper focuses on the first three chapters of Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code," published in 2003, along with its Vietnamese translation by Đỗ Thu Hà from 2005, rather than analyzing the entire text.
Methodology
This qualitative study aims to identify two types of errors resulting from the comparison of the source text (ST) with the target text (TT), utilizing House's TQA Model as its framework Primarily based on library research, the study seeks to enhance understanding of translation accuracy and quality.
House's model for analyzing and comparing source texts (ST) and translated texts (TT) is divided into two main sections: Dimensions of Language User and Dimensions of Language Use The first section introduces three situational dimensions—Geographical origin, Social class, and Time—that highlight the background of the text producer The second section focuses on five situational dimensions: Medium, Participation, Social relationship, Social attitude, and Province, which are used for further analysis and comparison Each dimension is examined through three aspects: syntactic, lexical, and textual means Additionally, Halliday's functional grammar framework is employed to analyze the ST based on Field, Tenor, Mode, Transitivity system, Theme, and Mood.
Data Collection Procedure
The researcher begins by thoroughly reading the original text before comparing the source text (ST) to its translation to identify two types of errors: overtly erroneous and covertly erroneous The House model is frequently utilized in Translation Quality Assessment (TQA), which involves a systematic approach comprising two main steps: first, conducting an analysis to establish the ST profile using the analytic method, and second, providing a statement of function for the ST in relation to its ideational and interpersonal meanings through the synthetic method.
This article analyzes two texts to identify instances of "in-equivalence," categorized into "covertly erroneous errors" and "overtly erroneous errors" using a comparative method Additionally, it offers a quality assessment of the translation results through a descriptive approach.
Data Analysis Procedure
Errors and mismatches are identified through a comparison of the source text (ST) and target text (TT) Covert errors differ from overt errors; the former arise from subtle discrepancies, while the latter stem from mismatches in denotative meanings or violations of the target language's grammatical rules.
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 writer, best known for his best-selling novel "The Da Vinci Code," published in 2003 by Anchor Books In addition to this iconic work, he has authored 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 attract educated readers with a keen interest in fiction, treasure hunts, and themes related to history and religion Specifically, "The Da Vinci Code" appeals to 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 for business, Professor Robert Langdon is called to The Louvre, where a dead body has been discovered This shocking event propels Langdon into an exhilarating quest to decipher an ancient code and unveil one of history's greatest mysteries Accompanying him on this thrilling journey is Sophie Neveu, a talented and captivating cryptologist.
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, an agent from DCJP, arrives to seek Langdon's assistance in investigating the mysterious death of Jacques Saunière, the curator of the Louvre Museum Collet presents Langdon with a peculiar image of Saunière's corpse and transports him to the Louvre for further inquiry.
Silas, the albino, returned to his sparse room to update the Teacher on the deaths of the three sénéchaux and the Grand Master, who revealed the location of the keystone at the Church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris before their demise The Teacher promised to facilitate Silas's entry into the church Prior to this, Silas engaged in "corporal mortification." Meanwhile, at the Louvre, Langdon and Collet met Captain Bezu Fache, who indicated that the photograph was merely the beginning 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 analyzes the original text through Halliday's systemic-functional theory, focusing on five dimensions: Field, Tenor, Mode, Transitivity system, Theme, and Mood Additionally, it incorporates House's two sections, which examine the Dimension of Language User and the Dimension of Language Use.
In a gripping thriller, Professor Robert Langdon, an expert in religious symbology, travels to Paris for a series of 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 chilling murder case As Langdon delves into the mystery, his knowledge becomes crucial in unraveling the dark secrets hidden within the city.
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 visibility skyrocketed last year following a highly publicized incident at the Vatican, leading to an 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, remaining detached from the characters and their experiences This establishes a dynamic where the author functions as the producer, while the characters are viewed as the products of the story.
* 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, characters such as Sauniere, Bezu Fache, and the Eiffel Tower are substituted with personal pronouns like he, she, him, and her Additionally, the text features statements that convey illocutionary forces, including refusals and 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 include a high frequency of elliptical structures that rely on context to clarify incomplete statements, the use of contractions, and the prevalence of short coordinated clauses connected by "and." These elements reflect social attitudes and enhance the fluidity of spoken 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
22 c Presence of declarative, interrogative, and imperative sentences The examples are as follows:
Our distinguished guest tonight is a renowned author, known for his influential works such as "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 text demonstrates clausal linkage through logical relations, including additive, alternative, causal, explanatory, and illative connections between clauses and sentences Additionally, it avoids repeated structures, enhancing the overall coherence and flow of the content.
The article highlights the use of the adverb "of course" at the end of sentences, which contributes to a more natural and informal tone It also notes the frequent use of adjectives and adverbs that vividly illustrate the character's psychological development and the surrounding scenery Additionally, the text incorporates lexical items that are marked as [+human], enhancing the relatability of the characters and their experiences.
+―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 article discusses several types of processes utilized in the text, including material, verbal, mental, relational, behavioral, and existential processes Among these, material and verbal processes are the most prominent, while the other types play a lesser role.
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 between Source Text (ST) and Target Text (TT) has been conducted, focusing on Medium, Social Role Relationship, Social Attitude, and Province to identify discrepancies The application of House's model has highlighted various breaches of equivalence, leading to the identification of issues related to both covert and overt errors in the translation process.
First, regarding the covertly erroneous errors, there are mismatches on the dimensions below
In the Medium dimension, 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 better resonate with the Vietnamese context.
In the context of social roles, a notable lexical mismatch occurs with the use of pronouns, particularly "she" and "her," which are intended to refer to cherished entities like the Eiffel Tower This pronoun usage was inaccurately translated as "trên ấy, cái tháp, trên đó," resulting in the loss of the nuanced meaning in the target text.
The analysis of social attitude reveals that the consultative style in the source text (ST) is characterized by a richer vocabulary 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 minor and do not significantly impact the pragmatic meaning, they do diminish the interpersonal function of the text.
In the analysis of the Province dimension, it is evident that the TT rarely employs the past simple tense, which is characteristic of narrative fiction This choice, along with the avoidance of [+human] lexical items from the source text, contributes to the creation of a distinct fictional style that influences the interpersonal functional components.
The identified errors in the translation not only highlight significant grammatical issues but also undermine the interpersonal aspects of communication Instances of ungrammaticality, questionable translations, and inaccuracies in conveying the denotative meanings of the source text are prevalent When considering the "cultural filter" concept, which addresses the socio-cultural differences between linguistic communities, it becomes evident that the translation fails to fully capture 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 gazed at the spiked cilice belt tightly fastened around his thigh, a symbol worn by devoted followers of The Way This leather strap, adorned with sharp metal barbs, serves as a constant reminder of Christ's suffering, inflicting pain to reinforce their faith.
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 quanh bắp đùi Đây là vật dụng mà tất cả môn đồ của Con Đường đều đeo, với dây da dập những ngạnh kim loại sắc, như một sự nhắc nhở về sự chịu đựng của Chúa.
Hôm nay, Silas nhận ra rằng mình đã đeo vật này lâu hơn hai tiếng so với yêu cầu Hắn biết rằng đây không phải là một ngày bình thường Với quyết tâm, hắn nắm chặt cái dây và cột nó lại thêm một mức nữa, cơ thể co rúm lại.
41 deeper into his flesh Exhaling slowly, he savored the cleansing ritual of his pain.‖
(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, reveals significant discrepancies from the source text (ST) While a few passages are well-translated, the majority of the target text (TT) contains various translation errors, indicating a lack of careful 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 impressions originally conveyed by the ST.