INTRODUCTION
Rationale for the research 1
Imagination, according to Einstein, one of the greatest scientists of all times, is
Imagination, often deemed more important than knowledge, knows no bounds and can lead to groundbreaking inventions A prime example of this is fantasy literature, which has evolved from ancient myths to contemporary tales that captivate audiences This genre not only showcases the vitality of storytelling but also conveys profound messages about friendship, morality, and other themes As noted by Phan Hon Nhien in Sai Gon tiep thi magazine, fantasy novels resonate deeply with young readers who possess limitless imagination and a desire to explore the world, fostering their belief in miracles and positivity Consequently, fantasy literature plays a crucial role in enriching the spiritual lives of young adults.
In Vietnam, there is a notable shortage of authors specializing in fantasy literature for the younger generation, with only a handful of names emerging in this genre One prominent figure is Nguyen Nhat Anh, known for his captivating Lang Biang series, which has contributed to the landscape of fantasy writing for youth in the country.
( huy n x ang Biang), and Phan Hon Nhien with Rare Blood ( u hi ), Cold Eyes ( h ng i t l nh), The Azoth Necklace ( hu i h t zoth and Penetration
Translation plays a crucial role in enhancing the literary landscape by bringing several popular fantasy novels into Vietnamese, primarily from English Notable examples include classics like "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," "Coraline," and "Peter Pan," as well as beloved series such as "Harry Potter," "The Chronicles of Narnia," "Charlie Bone," and "Chrestomanci."
The significance of English-Vietnamese fiction translations and their translators is undeniable, yet the inherent differences between the two languages make the translation process challenging, even for experienced professionals For translator trainees, exploring this process can provide valuable insights into the complexities involved and strategies to navigate these challenges effectively.
This research focuses on the English-Vietnamese translations of proper nouns and personal pronouns in the fantasy novel "Howl's Moving Castle" by Diana Wynne Jones, which has gained popularity among literature and anime fans alike, especially after being adapted into a film by Hayao Miyazaki The study highlights the distinct features of personal pronouns in both languages, noting that while English pronouns are neutral, Vietnamese pronouns can reflect the speaker's attitudes towards the subjects mentioned This nuance presents a challenge for translators, who must interpret and convey these attitudes accurately in the target language Additionally, the unique and imaginative proper names in fantasy literature serve to enhance readers' engagement, making this research valuable for aspiring translators seeking to navigate these complexities.
Aims and research questions 2
This research aims to provide trainee translators and English learners with a theoretical foundation in translation, focusing on proper names and the pronoun system, particularly personal pronouns Additionally, it compares two Vietnamese translations of the same original novel: one by professional translator Dang Kim Tram, published by Nha Nam Publishing and Communications JSC, and another by an amateur translator known as mhd, available on truyentranh.com The study also explores the factors influencing translators' choices during the translation process.
There will be two questions to address in this research, which are:
What are the similarities and differences in the way proper names and personal pronouns from the novel ―Howl‘s Moving Castle‖ are translated in its two Vietnamese versions?
What are the determinants of equivalence formation?
This study focuses on the translation of proper nouns and personal pronouns in two Vietnamese versions of the original novel, due to time constraints The thesis evaluates the translators' choices of English-Vietnamese equivalences for these linguistic elements and explores the reasons behind their translation decisions.
This qualitative research paper explores intangible factors, such as proper names and personal pronouns, while examining their connections to cultural and social aspects.
The research data collection process involves analyzing relevant documents, specifically focusing on proper names and personal pronouns from the novel "Howl's Moving Castle." Through document analysis, the researcher aims to gain insights into the experiences of translators who convert these elements from English to Vietnamese Additionally, brief interviews with professional translators will be conducted to validate the researcher's findings and gather suggested translations.
1.5 Organization of the graduation paper
There are five chapters included in the research
Chapter 1: Introduction This is the general overview about the research: reasons, aims and methods of doing the research
Chapter 2: Literature Review This part presents a review of relevant research associated with the addressed issues, namely: the definition of translation, translation equivalence, translation procedures, and linguistics features of proper names and personal pronouns
Chapter 3: Methodology includes research instruments, data collection process, as well as the reasons for choosing those and then provides the process of analyzing qualitative data extracted
Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion This part gives in-depth answers to the research questions and provides insightful analysis of translating personal pronouns and proper names from the Howl‘s Moving Castle novel
Chapter 5: Conclusion is a summary of all aspects written in the research as well as connectedness to future researches which are in the same field.
Methodology 3
This qualitative research paper focuses on intangible factors, such as proper names and personal pronouns, while exploring their connections to cultural and social aspects.
The research data collection process involves analyzing relevant documents, specifically proper names and personal pronouns from the novel "Howl's Moving Castle." This document analysis aims to gain insights into translators' experiences in translating these elements from English to Vietnamese Additionally, brief interviews with professional translators will be conducted to validate the researcher's evaluations and gather suggested translations.
1.5 Organization of the graduation paper
There are five chapters included in the research
Chapter 1: Introduction This is the general overview about the research: reasons, aims and methods of doing the research
Chapter 2: Literature Review This part presents a review of relevant research associated with the addressed issues, namely: the definition of translation, translation equivalence, translation procedures, and linguistics features of proper names and personal pronouns
Chapter 3: Methodology includes research instruments, data collection process, as well as the reasons for choosing those and then provides the process of analyzing qualitative data extracted
Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion This part gives in-depth answers to the research questions and provides insightful analysis of translating personal pronouns and proper names from the Howl‘s Moving Castle novel
Chapter 5: Conclusion is a summary of all aspects written in the research as well as connectedness to future researches which are in the same field.
LITERATURE REVIEW 2 1 Translation 5
Proper names and Personal pronouns 12
According to the Oxford Advanced earner‟s Online Dictionary, proper name is
―a word that is the name of a person, a place, an institution, etc and is written with a capital letter‖
Proper names in fantasy novels
Translating proper names in literary works involves more complexity than simply transferring them into the target language According to Nord (2003), while proper names in the real world may lack descriptive qualities, they often carry significant meaning in fiction For instance, in Oscar Wilde's play The Importance of Being Earnest, the name Earnest embodies both a character and a key trait, showcasing wordplay Similarly, the Hatter family in Howl's Moving Castle reflects their profession as hat-makers through their descriptive name Such names can be translated, serving as cultural markers; however, if translators choose not to translate them, they must consider compensatory strategies, such as providing contextual information.
According to John Langan (1997:416), as pronouns are words used as substitutions for nouns or noun phrases, personal pronouns are used to replace the person or people mentioned
As stated by Quirk et al (1985), English personal pronouns have various cases (forms) classified according to their grammatical role in sentences:
Subjective: used as the subject of a verb, e.g.: I, we
Objective: used as the object of a verb or of a preposition, e.g.: me, us
Reflexive: used to refer back to a noun or pronoun (i.e., its antecedent) within the same clause, for example: She cut herself
Possessive: used to indicate something‘s possessor of something, including two groups: The first group is used as determiners, e.g my, our The second group is used as pronouns, e.g mine, our
Also, English personal pronouns are divided into three persons, which are: first, second, and third
English personal pronouns can be summarized in the appendix of this paper
Nguyen Quang (1996) notes that Vietnamese personal pronouns possess both singular and plural forms, encompassing first, second, and third person references Unlike English, Vietnamese pronouns include terms of address and kinship, which enrich their structure (Nguyen Quang, 1997) In English, terms of address that convey emotions, attitudes, social status, and relationships are not classified as personal pronouns This distinction allows for a more nuanced translation of personal pronouns in Vietnamese literature, highlighting the importance of understanding these terms of address in the original text.
Vietnamese personal pronouns, unlike their English counterparts, carry nuanced meanings that reflect the relationships between conversation participants and the speaker's emotions Nguyen Quang (1996) explains that kinship terms, used by members of society, evolve beyond their original meanings, as they often refer to individuals without a blood relationship Consequently, these terms convey feelings of respect, intimacy, and solidarity.
According to Le Dinh Tu on the Wordpress site dedicated to linguistic studies, Vietnamese terms of address can be categorized into three distinct types.
Inferior: h n, ch m y, cô em, etc
This way of classification refers to different relationships which are: family relation (e.g.: cô, c u, ch , th m) and social relation (e.g.: ch t ch, hi u trƣ ng)
Similarities and differences between Vietnamese and English personal pronouns
The analysis reveals that the primary similarity between the linguistic devices in the two languages lies in their functional purpose; however, the differences are diverse and significant This is highlighted in the article "Personal Pronouns in English Language Usage."
Vi t‖ on asentranslation website, in English, there is no concept of ―politeness‖,
In contrast to English, where personal pronouns provide limited information about a person's age, gender, and social status, Vietnamese personal pronouns offer rich insights into these aspects, including feelings and attitudes The Vietnamese language features a significantly larger array of personal pronouns, incorporating terms of address and kinship, which enhances its expressiveness Additionally, Vietnamese personal pronouns can differ regionally, exemplified by variations such as 'tui' and 'tôi,' further illustrating the complexity of the language.
The novel and its Vietnamese translations 12
"Howl's Moving Castle," a young adult fantasy novel by Diana Wynne Jones, follows the story of Sophie Hatter, the eldest of three daughters resigned to running her family's hat shop When the Witch of the Waste casts a spell that transforms Sophie into a 90-year-old woman, she flees to the castle of the infamous Wizard Howl, known for his rumored appetite for young women's hearts Within the castle, Sophie gradually breaks the spells affecting both herself and Howl, as well as the fire demon Calcifer, ultimately discovering her own hidden power as a wizard.
With an unlimited imagination as well as a unique sense of humor, Jones is considered as one legendary writer in fantasy literature Similarly, the novel Howl‘s
Moving Castle has received good comments from critics, like the one from The Horn Book: ―Wit and humor glint from the pages‖
Sophie Hatter, an 18-year-old girl and the eldest daughter in a family of hat makers, faces societal expectations that limit her dreams due to her shyness After being cursed by the Witch of the Waste and transformed into a 90-year-old woman, Sophie leaves her home and finds refuge in Howl's moving castle Embracing her new identity allows her to express her emotions freely and discover more about herself, leading to a transformative journey of self-discovery and empowerment.
‗bullied‘ Calcifer – the fire demon in the Castle, protested Howl, and went counter the Witch of the Waste
Wizard Howl, a 27-year-old powerful sorcerer, is initially rumored to be a 'bluebeard' who consumes the hearts of young women However, it is revealed that Howl is the one behind these rumors, deliberately cultivating a bad reputation to escape responsibilities Despite admitting his cowardice, Howl proves to be a fundamentally good person.
Calcifer, the fire demon who powers Howl's moving castle, is a pivotal character in the novel, described as being "a good million years" older than Sophie, making him the second oldest character Bound by a mysterious contract to Howl, Calcifer enables the castle's movement but remains trapped in the fireplace Howl considers him one of his vulnerabilities, and despite his cunning nature, Calcifer often complains He is the first to recognize Sophie’s unique ability to bring inanimate objects to life, which prompts him to invite her into the castle In a strategic bargain, Calcifer offers to lift Sophie’s spell if she can break his contract with Howl.
Michael Fisher: An orphanage child who came to the castle and became
Howl‘s apprentice He was 15 years old and a boy of good manner
The Witch of the Waste is the oldest character in the story, with her true age remaining a mystery She uses magic to maintain her youthful appearance, which changes each time Sophie encounters her Mrs Penstemmon, Howl's teacher, notes that the Witch possesses magical talent comparable to Howl's Like Howl, she has also formed a contract with her fire demon.
Lily Angorian – the Witch’s fire demon: At first, she was the teacher of Neil,
In the final chapter of the novel, it is revealed that Howl's nephew plays a significant role in drawing Howl to his hometown in Wales, connecting the story to our world Additionally, she is unveiled as the fire demon of the Witch of the Waste, indicating that she is much older than Calcifer.
Fanny Hatter: Sophie‘s step mother who used to be the youngest apprentice in the hat shop Because of Mr Hatter‘s death, Fanny became widowed but was still
‗young and pretty‘ She married a wealthy man named Sacheverell Smith soon after Sophie left the shop
Lettie Hatter, Sophie’s 17-year-old younger sister, is the daughter of Mr Hatter’s late first wife After their father's passing, Fanny initially planned for Lettie to train at Cesari's pastry shop, but she later exchanged this opportunity with her younger sister, Martha, to pursue her passion for magic at Mrs Fairfax's home.
Martha Hatter: The youngest among the three Hatter sisters, daughter of
Fanny, believed to be the most intelligent among the three, was sent to Mrs Fairfax to study magic However, her true desire was to marry and have a large family, leading her to gladly swap roles with Lettie to work at Cesari's Fanny was also in love with Michael.
Mrs Fairfax, a witch residing in Upper Folding and a friend of Fanny, quickly discerned the trick played by Martha and Lettie Despite this, she agreed to take Lettie on as her apprentice, provided that Lettie was eager to learn and remained true to herself.
Mrs Pentstemmon: an eighty six year old witch which was the teacher of Mrs
In her journey, Sophie encounters Fairfax, Wizard Suliman, and ultimately Howl, recognizing his remarkable magical talent and kind-hearted nature However, she fears that Howl might succumb to darkness.
18 be Howl‘s mother and met her, she encouraged Sophie to break the contract between Howl and Calcifer
Wizard Suliman, originally known as Benjamin (Ben) Sullivan, hails from Wales, just like Howl Once the Royal Wizard of Ingary, he fell victim to the Witch of the Waste, who decapitated him and fused his body with Prince Justin's head Prior to this tragic event, Suliman transferred much of his magical power to a scarecrow, which later comes to life thanks to Sophie in the story.
Prince Justin, the younger brother of the King, becomes the focal point of the Witch's ambition to create the ideal ruler for Ingary By merging elements of Prince Justin and Wizard Suliman, she crafts a powerful figure, but to finalize her creation, she requires Howl's head.
Gaston/Percival: the combination of Wizard Suliman‘s body and Prince
After extracting information about Howl, the Witch transformed Justin into a dog-man, leading him to seek refuge in Mrs Fairfax's house Confused by memories of Lettie, whom he had never encountered, Justin grapples with his new identity and the mysterious connections to his past.
Two translations selected for the thesis are:
―Lâu i bay c a Ph p sƣ Howl‖, by Đ ng Kim Trâm, Nha Nam Publishing and Communications JSC
―Lâu i bi t i‖, by mhd, an amateur translator, originally appeared on the website truyentranh.com
Translators Dang Kim Tram and mhd play a crucial role in capturing the humor of the original "Howl's Moving Castle." Many readers, including the researcher, feel that Dang Kim Tram's translation leans towards a more serious tone, which does not fully align with the original's spirit and results in a longer text In contrast, mhd's translation successfully retains much of the original's humor, although it occasionally lacks completeness.
METHODOLOGY
Selection of subjects 19
This study evaluates the English-Vietnamese translations of proper nouns and personal pronouns from the novel "Howl's Moving Castle," comparing a professional translation by Dang Kim Tram from Nha Nam Publishing and Communications JSC with an amateur version from the online forum truyentranh.com, created by a user named mhd Given the significant linguistic differences between English and Vietnamese, this evaluation offers valuable insights and lessons for trainee translators.
When selecting proper names in literature, it's essential to consider their descriptive nature, as they often reveal key characteristics of people, places, and objects In the context of a story featuring both magical and non-magical worlds, greater emphasis is placed on the names within the magical realm, as they tend to be more descriptive Conversely, for the non-magical world, only pre-existing descriptive names, such as "Rugby Club Reunion," were chosen for analysis Additionally, English terms of address are included in the examination of proper names.
When writing a graduation paper, it is important to avoid using possessive and reflexive personal pronouns, as these primarily focus on subject and object cases The most challenging aspect is identifying the correct subject and object personal pronouns Once this is accomplished, translating possessive and reflexive personal pronouns into Vietnamese becomes simpler, as translators only need to add a specific word.
―c a‖ in front of a subject or object personal pronoun to make it possessive, and add
―ch nh‖ in the same position to make it reflexive.
Research instruments 20
The research will utilize carefully selected instruments aligned with its design to meet the researcher’s objectives, focusing on intangible factors such as proper names and personal pronouns within cultural and social contexts The study aims to uncover the reasoning behind a translator's choices for English-Vietnamese equivalence, employing qualitative methods to draw conclusions This will involve analyzing documentary evidence and conducting interviews with professional translators, with document analysis specifically addressing the first two research questions.
On the other hand, quantitative methods can contribute a great assistance to the thesis because they make procedure of data analysis become clearer.
Procedure of data collection 20
The study emphasizes the significance of choices and perception, highlighting the necessity of primary data such as proper nouns and personal pronouns Analyzing 21 chapters from the original English novel and its two Vietnamese translations is a meticulous yet valuable endeavor to illustrate the distinct approaches of the translators To facilitate this analysis, soft copies of all three versions were collected and organized into a three-column table, with an additional column for the researcher's notes Furthermore, the key data—proper nouns and personal pronouns—were marked using Microsoft Word's highlighting feature.
In order to validate the researcher‘s evaluation and provide suggested translations of the above linguistic devices, interviews with professional translators who are also lecturers at ULIS were arranged
Procedure of data analysis 21
In qualitative research, data analysis is an ongoing and iterative process where researchers capture insights from the qualitative data gathered from three different versions of a novel This involves documenting reflections and dividing the data into significant analytical units for deeper understanding.
The analysis of the original text and its translations revealed a total of 67 proper names, categorized into four distinct groups: 42 names for people, 17 for places, 4 for events, and 4 for objects Additionally, personal pronouns were classified into two categories based on their usage—those referring to characters as identified by others and those used in dialogue, which play a crucial role in the narrative of Howl's Moving Castle.
This paper presents significant findings based on a thorough analysis of data, focusing on the similarities and differences in two translations concerning proper names, personal pronouns, and the determinants essential for achieving equivalence in these elements.
4.1 Similarities and differences in the translations of proper names by two translators
In translating proper names of places, translator Mhd typically retains their original form, occasionally adding words to clarify their function.
Market Chipping Market Chipping, and refer it later as ―th trấn‖ because
Market Chipping is originally referred to as a ―prosperous town‖
Transference is the primary translation method employed by MHD In certain instances, when proper names are encountered again, MHD utilizes the functional equivalent procedure for translation.
For instances: esari‟s (a pastry shop) esari‟s
Porthaven Marshes, also known as Bãi ầm lầy ngoài Porthaven, showcases the unique translation methods employed by translator MHD for place names The two charts below summarize these approaches effectively.
Figure1: hd‟s translation of proper names indicating places
Translator Dang Kim Tram approaches linguistic devices uniquely by often finding Vietnamese equivalents for the meaningful components present in proper names.
Market Square Quảng trường Chợ
Figure 2: Dang Kim Tram's translation of proper names indicating places
From these, the researcher would specially like to discuss the translations of
Kingsbury and Porthaven are names that inherently describe their nature; Porthaven clearly suggests a port city through its combination of "port" and "haven." Meanwhile, Kingsbury signifies a royal or noble residence, further emphasizing its historical significance.
The term "King's manor" signifies the capital of a nation, specifically Ingary Ideally, the two translators should have maintained consistency in their translations, similar to the previous examples Instead, they opted for the "transference" method to translate these names.
The researcher‘s suggestion is that these two can be translate as below:
Porthaven Thành phố cảng Porthaven
There are only four proper names of events appearing in the novel of Howl‟s Moving Castle Translators‘ choices of equivalence are described in the table below
English DKT’s version mhd’s version Translation procedures
1 May Day Lễ hội Mùa Xuân Ngày May Day or
Ngày Hạ Chí Literal translation
Reunion câu lạc bộ Rugby sẽ họp…
Cuộc Hội Ngộ c a Câu Lạc Bộ
Cuộc hội ngộ c a Rugby Club
Lễ họp m t c a câu lạc bộ chơi rugby
Eve Đêm Hạ chí hôm trước ngày
Table 1: translations of proper names indicating events
The researcher is captivated by translator Dang Kim Tram's interpretation of "May Day," as it evokes a dreamy essence that harmonizes with the enchanting, pre-industrial society depicted in Howl's Moving Castle.
The most notable example for this category is the novel‘s title itself – Howl‟s Moving Castle
Mhd‘s translation: âu ài Bi t i
Dang Kim Tram‘s translation: âu ài Bay của Ph p sư Howl
Mhd effectively translated "moving" as "bi t i," but overlooked the emphasis of "Howl" when placed at the beginning of the phrase Conversely, translator Dang Kim Tran preserved "Howl" but fell short of reader expectations by translating "moving" as "bay." Notably, throughout the novel, the castle does not fly; it merely walks and runs.
Hence, the researcher‘s suggestion for translating the novel‘s title is a combination from the above translations: ‗Lâu Đ i Bi t Đi c a Howl‘
Translations for proper names referring to objects in the novel Howl‘s Moving Castle whose translations are summarized in the table below:
English DKT‘s version Mhd‘s version Translation procedures
Lâu i bay c a ph p sƣ Howl
2 Welsh Rugby Bóng bầu d c xứ Wales
Hướng Một Th Giới Thứ
Chi u Chỉ M nh l nh Cultural equivalent
Table 2: translations of proper names indicating objects
The two translators primarily utilize transference and literal translation for proper names representing individuals The procedures they employed are illustrated in the charts below, with a comprehensive evaluation available in the appendix.
Figure 3: translations of proper names indicating people
In "Howl's Moving Castle," the researcher identified a total of 42 proper names, including terms of address like Mrs Fairfax and Wizard Pendragon These names play a crucial role in assessing the effectiveness of the two translators' Vietnamese equivalents for the personal pronouns used in the novel.
The research findings on the translation of proper names support Newmark's theories, highlighting the significance of literal translation as the most frequently employed method This prevalence stems from the descriptive nature of proper names in literature, which makes them less susceptible to contextual influences.
4.2 Similarities and differences in the translations of personal pronouns by two translators
In Vietnamese, personal pronouns convey essential information about a person's age, gender, social status, and relationships, a nuance absent in English Consequently, translators face significant challenges in finding suitable equivalents for these pronouns, requiring careful consideration to maintain meaning and context.