INTRODUCTION
Rationale of the study
English has long been recognized as the global language of communication, permeating various aspects of human life In today’s society, proficiency in English is crucial for job seekers, as it is widely utilized in business, politics, international relations, culture, and entertainment Despite not being an official language in numerous countries, English remains the most commonly taught foreign or second language worldwide.
The shipbuilding industry is a key priority sector for the Vietnamese government and has gained significant attention in recent years By capitalizing on the limited capacity of major shipbuilding nations, Vietnam's shipbuilding sector is successfully entering the international export market.
The main factor that forms the cooperation between partners is the contract
Regardless of your industry, age, or experience, creating a contract is crucial for any business In the shipbuilding sector, contracts serve as both a legal foundation binding the parties involved and a formal document outlining the vessel's construction progress Typically written in English, these contracts often incorporate specialized shipbuilding terminology, making shipbuilding contract translation a challenging task that demands exceptional translation skills.
The research carried out by the writer is for the purpose of pointing out some suitable translation procedures to translate effectively shipbuilding contract
Aim of the study
This research aims to offer valuable suggestions for the effective translation of commercial shipbuilding contracts from English to Vietnamese Upon completion, the study is expected to achieve several key outcomes that enhance the translation process.
- Generally introduce about translation and procedures of translation
- Indicate the overview of shipbuilding contract
- State some procedures to translate shipbuilding contract from English into Vietnamese
Scope of the study
The study will concentrate on the translators who are working for shipbuilding companies and their experiences in dealing with the shipbuilding contract.
Method of the study
The research is carried out basing on the qualitative analysis The data and information for the study were collected by:
Collecting the documents, reference books and information over internet
Interviewing the translators about their own experience
Suggestions experience from my supervisor Mrs.Tran Thi Ngoc Lien,
MA, other teachers and my understanding at Hai Phong Private University and gained experience in training course.
Design of the study
The research contains three parts
PART ONE is the Introduction, which includes Rationale, Scope of the study, Aims of the study, Method of study and Design of study
PART TWO is development, which consists of three chapters as following:
Chapter I is theoretical background of translation and contract in general
Chapter II gives out general knowledge on shipbuilding contract
The last Chapter is some suggestions in translation of shipbuilding contract
PART THREE is conclusion and references
PART II: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER I: THEORY BACKGROUND
Translation can be defined in various ways, leading to different interpretations from individuals Despite these diverse perspectives, many definitions hold true Numerous studies have explored the concept of translation, each offering unique insights while sharing common characteristics According to Webster's New World Dictionary, "to translate" means "to put into the words of a different language" or "to rephrase or paraphrase in explanation." Additionally, Lewis (1958:265) notes that the term "translate" originates from Latin, highlighting its linguistic roots.
Translation, derived from the term "trans+latus," meaning "carried across," involves the transfer of content from a source language (SL) to a target language (TL) According to Foster (1958), this process is fundamentally about transferring the essence of a text Catford (1965) emphasizes that translation entails replacing textual material in one language with equivalent material in another, without accounting for cultural nuances.
Translation is fundamentally about achieving equivalent textual material, although the specific type of equivalence remains ambiguous According to Levy (1967), translation serves as a communication process aimed at conveying the original knowledge to a foreign audience Similarly, Savory (1968) asserts that translation relies on finding equivalent ideas behind varying verbal expressions Nida (1984) further emphasizes that translation involves reproducing the closest natural equivalent in the target language.
In 1984, E.A Nida defined translation as the interpretation of a source text's meaning and the creation of an equivalent target text that conveys the same message Robinson (1997) further emphasizes that translation is an intelligent activity that encompasses both conscious and unconscious learning processes, viewing the translator as a learner engaged in complex cognitive tasks.
Translation is an intelligent activity that demands creative problem-solving within various textual, social, and cultural contexts (p.51) Pinhhuck (1977: 38) describes translation as the process of finding a target language equivalent for a source language utterance Similarly, Wilss (1982: 3) emphasizes that translation is a transfer process aimed at transforming a written source language text into an optimally equivalent target language text, necessitating a comprehensive understanding and analytical processing of the syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic aspects of the source language.
Translation involves converting a source language (SL) text into a target language (TL) while preserving the original message or thought Despite variations in definitions, the core objective remains the same: to effectively transfer meaning using appropriate semantic structures.
The role of a translator is to effectively convert text from the source language to the target language, ensuring that the final product feels original rather than merely a translation Determining the quality of a translation can be challenging, as there is no definitive standard for what constitutes a "good" or "bad" translation As Neil Coffey suggests, a successful translation balances the constraints of budget while achieving its intended purpose This raises the question of whether there are specific criteria that can be used to evaluate the quality of a translation.
6 any requirement for a good translator? The website mac.com – a website about languages points out some that translators might be interested in
- Native ability in the target language
- Good familiarity with the subject matter in both the language of origin and the target language
- Enough understanding of the language of origin, so as to be able to recognize bad language from good
- Knowledge of the target audience and the author's intentions
- Close cooperation with all concerned
The website also suggests what a good translator should or should not do:
Use your own style of writing, but write in the language and terminology of the target audience
Do not try to mimic the author's style unless it can improve the content of his message
Translate ideas, and remain true to the author's intentions
Do not translate words or even sentences, unless it contributes to the intended meaning of the author
Eliminate redundancy where emphasis is not clearly intended by the author
Author's often repeat themselves, when intending no additional emphasis Do not pass an author's poor writing habits onto your target audience
Eliminate unnecessary and ambiguous language, if it does not contribute to the author's intention or ideas
Do not make your target audience suffer, because of the author's inability to express himself clearly
If you can improve on the author's logic without contradicting his intended meaning, then do so
Do not be afraid to consult the author, when you are uncertain about his intended meaning
Know your author's intentions and basic assumptions
Do not filter the author's ideas with your own value judgments, and do not purposely incite your target audience, unless it was the author's intention to do so
In conclusion, a skilled translator must thoughtfully evaluate their work, approaching each translation as if they were a native of the target language's country It is essential for them to have a deep understanding of the specific type of text they are translating.
Different ways of rending a text or a message have been introduced by some authors Below are a number of translation methods generalized by Peter Newmark (1988):
The Source Language (SL) word order is maintained, with words translated using their most common meanings Cultural terms are translated literally This method is primarily employed to grasp the mechanics of the source language or to interpret challenging texts as part of the pre-translation process.
Eg: “Khi xa nhà người ta cảm thấy nhớ nhà” = “When far home one feel homesick”
The SL grammatical structures are translated into their closest equivalents in the Target Language (TL), while the lexical items are translated out of context This pre-translation process highlights issues that need to be addressed.
Eg: “Học, học nữa, học mãi” can be rendered literally as “ Study, study more, study forever” Whereas, the appropriate translation would be “Study, study and study”
The article aims to accurately convey the original context while adhering to the grammatical structures of the target language It effectively translates cultural terms and maintains the level of grammatical and lexical variation from the source language norms.
It attempts to be completely faithful to the intentions and the text-realisation of the SL writer
Eg: “Tôi cho rằng anh ta sẽ không đến”
Faithful translation: “I think that he won't come” (But it should be “I don't think he will come”)
Idiomatic translation focuses on conveying the meaning of the source language (SL) text using natural expressions in the target language (TL) While it effectively communicates the original message, it may distort subtle meanings by favoring colloquialisms and idioms that are not present in the original text.
Eg: “The peasant's hard life”
This approach to translation prioritizes the aesthetic qualities of the source language (SL) text, allowing for compromises on meaning when necessary to preserve elements like assonance, wordplay, and repetition in the final version Unlike faithful translation, it does not depend on cultural equivalence and focuses on maintaining the text's artistic integrity.
9 concessions to the readership While “faithful” translation is dogmatic, semantic translation is more flexible
Eg: “I never hear or read the name of Yarmouth but I am reminded of a certain Saturday on the beach ” (David Copperfield by Charles
Mỗi khi nghe hoặc đọc đến tên Yarmouth, tôi lập tức nhớ về một sáng thứ bảy tuyệt vời trên bãi biển.
It attempts to render the exact contextual meaning of the original in such a way that both language and content are readily acceptable and comprehensible to the readership
Eg: “I never hear or read the name of Yarmouth but I am reminded of a certain Saturday on the beach ” (David Copperfield by Charles
“Cứ mỗi lần nghe hoặc đọc đến tên Yarmouth thì tôi lại nhớ đến một sáng thứ bảy nào đó trên bãi biển… ” (Cứ mỗi lần thì lại )
It reproduces the matter without the manner, or the content without the form of original Usually it is a paraphrase much longer than the original
Eg: “Business is business” = “Công việc là công việc, tình cảm là tình cảm, không lẫn lộn được”
This is the freest form of translation mainly used for plays and poetry: themes/characters/plots preserved, SL culture converted to TL culture & text is rewritten
1.4 Some well-known translation procedures
Nida (1964) identifies two main translating procedures: Technical and Organizational Technical procedures involve analyzing both the source and target languages, thoroughly studying the source text prior to translation, and making judgments on semantic and syntactic similarities Organizational procedures focus on continually reevaluating the translation, comparing it with existing versions by other translators, and assessing its communicative effectiveness through feedback from target language readers Additionally, Graedler (2000) suggests various translating methods, including creating new words, explaining the source language expression instead of direct translation, retaining the original term, or selecting a target language word that closely resembles the source term in relevance.
On the other hand, according to Newmark, there are 8 procedures: