INTRODUCTION
LITERATURE REVIEW
An overview of translation 2 Relay translation 3 Audio-visual translation 4 Relay translation in subtitling 5 Translation quality assessment (TQA) 6 Translation errors 7 Summary
Translation serves as a vital form of communication, transferring messages between individuals through the essential role of a translator Its importance has been evident since the translation of the Bible into multiple languages for preaching purposes A notable example of the critical nature of accurate translation is the mistranslation of a Japanese telegram to Washington before the Hiroshima bombing, where "mokasuiu" was incorrectly translated as "ignored."
However, translation’s emergence as an academic study only embarked on the 20 th century and later on was admitted as a branch of applied linguistics (Venuti,
Translation is defined as the process of conveying a message from a source language (SL) to a target language (TL), with an emphasis on both the process and the resulting product (Newmark, 1988) It is ubiquitous in our daily lives, appearing in various forms such as instructions, tourist information, movies, books, treaties, contracts, and official documents Nida & Taber (1969) emphasize that translators should prioritize the receptor's response to the translated message, while Newmark (1995) highlights the importance of accurately conveying the meaning of the SL text in the TL, all while maintaining the author's original intent.
Catford (1995, as cited in Osman, 2017) describes translation as the process of substituting the source language (SL) text with its equivalent in the target language (TL) While definitions may vary, it is clear that the essence of translation lies in conveying the meaning of the source text (ST).
According to the Guidance on Relay Translations by Society of Authors
Relay translation occurs when a text is translated not directly from the original language but through an intermediary language For instance, in this research, a Thai text is first translated into English and then from English into Vietnamese This process highlights the complexities and nuances involved in multi-step translation.
A "relay" in translation refers to the process where an intermediary translation serves as a bridge between the source and target languages, resulting in a product that exists in a different language from the original A key characteristic of this relay is that the intermediary translation has its own audience, distinguishing it from what are typically called "indirect" translations Unlike these indirect versions, relayed translations do not merely exist temporarily but have their own significance and context within the translation process.
Relay translation and interpreting have become integral in various contexts, from Bible translation to simultaneous conference interpreting According to Dollerup (2000), relay interpreting offers distinct advantages over relay translation, primarily due to the presence of the original message sender and their body language, which aids relay interpreters in capturing key information more effectively In contrast, relay translators often face challenges in fully understanding ambiguous messages due to the lack of direct interaction with the message senders, leading to unavoidable deviations in the translation process.
Take Dollerup’s experience in literature translation for example:
In the works of respected Danish translators, it is common to encounter at least one error per page in prose translations, with an even higher frequency in popular literature due to the lack of meticulousness from translators and publishers Regardless of how 'errors' are defined, it is evident that each translator employing relay translation tends to introduce additional deviations from the original text, leading to a cumulative effect of inaccuracies with each successive translation in the chain.
According to Oreo (2004), the three primary types of audio-visual translation are dubbing, voice-over, and subtitling Dubbing and voice-over both require replacing the source language (SL) audio with target language (TL) audio while ensuring lip synchronization.
8 later refers to the use of written text at the bottom of the screen without interfering with the SL audio
Subtitles can be classified into two main types: intra-lingual and inter-lingual Intra-lingual subtitles use the same language as the audio, while inter-lingual subtitles provide a translated version of the spoken language Additionally, subtitles can be delivered alongside images and can be either open or closed, allowing viewers to choose their visibility.
Cintas (2010) introduces the six-second rule, which suggests that readers can comfortably read two full 35-character lines in six seconds However, this guideline is often disregarded in fan-subbing, where three to five lines per time frame are common In the context of Vietnamese subtitles, modifications to these rules are observed, as highlighted by Phudeviet.org For Vietnamese subtitles, each time frame should ideally last a maximum of five seconds and contain 5-7 words, with a strict limit of 10 words If a sentence is lengthy, it should be split into two or three lines to ensure clarity and comprehension.
Relay translation, despite its limitations, remains a popular choice among major subtitling companies for cost-effective multilingual projects, as noted by Dollerup (2008) This method also serves as a vital connection for non-profit subtitling communities, facilitating communication among diverse international audiences A common example is the translation of a Korean music video into English, which is subsequently translated into other languages such as Vietnamese or Spanish.
According to Zilberdik’s research (2004), which analyses the famous Danish film called “Festen” (The Celeration) by Thomas Vinterberg and its translation into
Relay translation in subtitling, particularly from Hebrew through English and German, tends to generate more deviations than direct subtitling The likelihood of errors increases with each additional relay in the translation chain Zilberdik (2004) emphasizes the importance of thoroughly analyzing the original film, considering elements such as context, acting, and body language This analysis is crucial for relay subtitlers to fully understand the movie, even if they are unfamiliar with the source language.
Translation criticism is crucial for translators for three primary reasons Firstly, it enables them to enhance their skills by evaluating others' work Secondly, it broadens their understanding of both languages and subject matter Lastly, it deepens their grasp of essential translation principles and theories, which are vital for their professional development.
The role of Translation Quality Assessment (TQA) remains a topic of debate, particularly regarding the criteria for determining the quality of a translation According to House (1997, as cited in Schọffner, 1997), varying perspectives on translation lead to distinct concepts of translational quality and, consequently, different methods of evaluation.
A "good" translation is assessed based on the accuracy of the target text (TT) in relation to the source text (ST), according to Newmark (1991) He emphasizes the importance of both quantitative and qualitative equivalence in translation Nida (1964) adds that the response of the receptors to the TT should mirror that of the ST, although this aspect is considered subjective and requires further clarification (Newmark, 1974 in House, 1977).
Newmark (1995) also proposes a five-step method to evaluate a translation, which is considered as a “comprehensive criticism of a translation”, namely:
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Data analysis 2 Comparison and evaluation 3 Discussion, conclusion and suggestions for the improvement of the two subtitles
Initially, the researcher collected and classified errors from both subtitles to get an overview of the number and types of errors that both Zingtv and CCCS made
Zingtv splits each drama episode into two halves, while CCCS maintains the full length of each episode This difference in episode structure results in varying timecodes for subtitles in both platforms.
Figure 4: Table of the number of translation errors made by Zingtv and CCCS in the 1 st episode of Buppae Saniwas (Love Destiny)
No Types of Error The Number of
Each type of Error made by Zingtv
The Number of Each type of Error made by CCCS
The table compares the error counts in subtitles produced by Zingtv and CCCS, revealing that Zingtv has a higher total number of errors than CCCS.
Zingtv encountered ten types of errors in its translations: mistranslation, terminology, omission, misunderstanding, punctuation, addition, faithfulness, spelling, cohesion, and usage The most prevalent errors were omission, with 26 instances, and mistranslation, with 21 occurrences, while terminology errors totaled 17 Notably, usage and cohesion errors were the least frequent, with only 1 to 2 errors each.
CCCS's subtitles feature eight primary error types: mistranslation, omission, misunderstanding, punctuation, addition, usage, and ambiguity Notably, mistranslation is the most prevalent error, accounting for 19 instances, followed by misunderstanding and omission with 10 and 7 errors, respectively Other error types appear infrequently, with only 1 or 2 occurrences each Overall, CCCS demonstrates significantly fewer errors and a narrower variety of error types compared to Zingtv.
The comparison between two subtitles is provided as below Also, evaluations are conducted with the supporting information and comments from the three interviewees
The findings from the three interviews align with the previously noted data, indicating a consensus among all interviewees that the subtitle produced by CCCS demonstrates a greater attention to detail, particularly in minimizing trivial errors.
In the meantime, Zingtv’s errors are more irritating (interviewee C)
Moreover, interviewee B stated that for the parts that are hard to listen, the translator from Zingtv would produce a translation that is totally different from the
SL She also referred to the line below as an example
56 00:54 Bước qua đi Đi ăn cơm thôi ạ ไปทานข้าวเถอะค่ะ
57 00:58 Đi thôi Con ăn trước đi ไปทานก่อนเถอะ
Kadesurang's mother invites her grandmother to dinner, but the grandmother insists on waiting for Kadesurang to return home first This situation highlights how Zingtv's translation alters the original meaning of the characters' dialogue.
This type of error also happens to CCCS’s subtitle, however, it is because of the deviation in the relay translation Take the lines below as an example
Engsub Suggested translation and Thaisub
Ngươi là ai? มึงเป็นใคร
25 44:28 Cút đi Let go of me
Thả ta ra ปล่อยกู
26 44:33 Cút! Cút! Let go of me
Không! Sợ! ไม่ กลัว
27 44:34 Cút đi đi! Get out! Thả ta ra! ปล่อยกู
28 44:35 Ta nói cút đi mà!
Get out! Đưa nó đi đi! เอามันออกไป
29 44:47 Ta không muốn chết đâu
I don’t want to die Đừng tụng nữa หยุดสวด
This section highlights Karakate's intense fear as the special mantra takes effect, leading to her crying and screaming, which creates a challenging listening experience It appears that the English translator crafted the subtitles by focusing on the context rather than the character's actual words, resulting in a distortion in the Vietnamese subtitles (Vietsub).
Interviews A and B highlight a significant error in the translation of titles and modes of address, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 For clarity, Zingtv's subtitles depict the protagonist's family as noble, with the protagonist referred to as a "Vương gia," equivalent to a prince Additionally, Karakate's address is also noteworthy.
“Quận chúa” (equal to princess) However, the protagonist’s mother is addressed as
The term "Vương phi," meaning a prince's wife, is misleading as the protagonist and his father are merely courtiers, not members of a royal family Their titles, Than Muen/Muen Than and Okya, further emphasize their status This distinction is supported by definitions found in the Thai-Viet dictionary (Nguyen, 1999).
“ออก” (Ok) means “quan” Additionally, Karakate is also the daughter of a courtier in a province, which was clarified by Karakate when she introduced herself to
Kadesurang is the daughter of Phraya Ramnarong from Songkwae, making the title "Quận chúa" misleading Additionally, Zingtv's translation does not accurately reflect the social hierarchy, particularly in terms of addressing servants (Interviewee A) For instance, Karakate's two maids, Pin and Yam, are referred to as “Ee-Pin” and “Ee-Yam.” According to the Thai-Viet Dictionary (Nguyen, 1999), the term “อิ” (Ee) translates to “child,” as seen in the phrase “อินังคนใช้นั้นหายไปไหน,” which means “Where has that maid gone?”
Nevertheless, Zingtv only translates them as “Pin” and “Yam”, which does not show that their class is lower than Karakate’s
Interviewee A noted that while Zingtv's translations resonate with Vietnamese viewers due to their similarity to Chinese movie translations, CCCS excels in accurately conveying character nuances For instance, the term “quý nữ” may seem unfamiliar, yet it effectively reflects the respectful context of “Mae Ying/Mae Nai.” Interviewee B echoed this sentiment, stating that Zingtv's approach is easier for Vietnamese audiences to grasp, whereas CCCS's translation is deemed acceptable However, she remarked that those familiar with the content would prefer CCCS's translations, suggesting that they provide explanations for new terms like Okya and Than Muen, as well as the Thai honorifics “Mae” and “Por,” since CCCS primarily used transference methods for these titles.
Interviewee B also pointed that CCCS often translated statements into questions and vice versa This can be seen via the lines below
Engsub Suggested translation and Thaisub
54:35 Ổn rồi Alright, can we make up?
Làm lành nhé? ดีกัน
In this line, Rueng, Kadesurang’s friend, asked her to make it up with him, but CCCS’s translator conveyed it as “ổn rồi” (Alright), which is incorrect
In another line, the SL text is just a statement, but CCCS translated it into a question
Engsub Suggested translation and Thaisub
53:10 Sao lại bỏ lại tui?!
Không nhấc chân lên được ก้าวขาไม่ออก
In this part, Kadesurang could not move because of scaring the ghost The
English subtitle produced no translation here As a result, CCCS had to make an attempt to create a translation based on the context Unfortunately, their attempt did not come to success
During the analysis of Zingtv subtitles, it was observed that similar errors to those found in CCCS subtitles were present For example, a statement made by a servant to report an issue was incorrectly punctuated with a question mark, leading to viewer confusion Additional instances of such errors can be seen in figures 1 and 2.
16:10 Thuyền của tiểu thư Junwad bị chìm ạ?
Thuyền của tiểu thư Junwad bị chìm ạ เรือแม่หญิงจันทร์วาดล่มเจ้าค่ะ
Omission errors are a significant issue, with Zingtv recording 26 instances, the highest among all error types In several instances, the translator left out portions or even entire lines of dialogue, resulting in a lack of translation in some cases.
08:34 Ta cũng thấy Cái con này! Ta cũng thấy Omission
22 อีนี่ กูก็เห็น
The translator failed to fully convey the message, as the term “อีนี่” was completely omitted from the subtitle Additionally, between 9:06 and 9:19, further utterances were neglected This may be attributed to the chaotic context of a drowning maid, which posed challenges for the translator's listening However, even with longer and clearer statements, similar errors persisted, highlighting ongoing issues in translation accuracy.
Về nhà thôi, tiểu thư กลับเรือนเถิดหนา แม่นาย
As for CCCS, most of their omissions are caused by the relay translation
Engsub Suggested translation and Thaisub
26:54 No translation No translation Ôi nóng โอ๊ย ร้อน
The absence of translation for the English subtitle leads to CCCS lacking a corresponding translation Interestingly, even when an English subtitle is present, CCCS fails to translate the line as indicated in the utterance below.
Engsub Suggested translation and Thaisub
42:17 No translation My lady Thưa quý nữ แม่หญิงเจ้าคะ
There is a point added by B that both subtitles cannot show the differences in language and culture between the past and present For example, the words “เวจ”
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
Conclusion 2 Limitations and suggestions for further research REFERENCES
In conclusion, the research successfully identified errors made by both subtitling teams, revealing that the T-V subtitles contain a greater variety of errors compared to the E-V subtitles, which still exhibit issues typical of relay translations Despite these shortcomings, interviewees expressed positive views on both versions Additionally, recommendations for translators and subtitlers are provided to enhance their work, ensuring translations better align with the preferences of Vietnamese audiences.
2 Limitations and Suggestions for further research
Despite the researcher's efforts, this case study faces unavoidable limitations Primarily, as it analyzes only one episode of the drama "Buppae Sanniwas," generalizing the findings to the entire series or other Thai dramas translated into Vietnamese is challenging Additionally, the English subtitle version is missing approximately three minutes due to technical errors during video encoding, hindering a complete analysis of potential errors by CCCS Time constraints and the researcher's limitations also mean that audience opinions, particularly from those unfamiliar with the Thai language, are not considered Future research should involve interviewing translators from each version to gain insights into their translation strategies and the errors made Furthermore, exploring other relay chains, such as Chinese, could provide valuable information for a more comprehensive understanding of translation issues.
Researching Vietnamese-English and Korean-English-Vietnamese translations is essential, as many entertainment applications like Wetv, IQIYI, and Mangotv offer multilingual subtitles for global audiences Analyzing the translation quality of these platforms can significantly enhance the viewer experience, ensuring more accurate and engaging content for users.
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APPENDICES Appendix 1: Set of interview questions
1 From your point of view, in each translation (T-V, E-V), which errors are dominant? How do these error affect the quality of the translation?
(Trong mỗi bản dịch, chị thấy những lỗi dịch nổi bật nhất là gì? Những lỗi này ảnh hưởng thế nào đến bản dịch?)
2 Between the two translations (T-V, E-V), which do you think would please Vietnamese audience? (Trong hai bản dịch (T-V, E-V), chị thấy bản dịch nào hợp lý hơn và phù hợp với thị hiếu người xem Việt hơn?)
3 Which special factors in the SL text could not be fully interpreted by the translators? What are they? (Bản gốc có điều đặc biệt gì mà hai bản dịch không truyền tải được hay không? Đó là gì?)
4 Do you have any suggestions for further improvement of both translations? What are they? (Chị có gợi ý gì để cải thiện hai bản dịch không?
Những gợi ý đó là gì?)
An addition error in translation occurs when a translator includes unnecessary information or stylistic elements, which should generally be avoided While it's important to resist the urge to add "clarifying" material, explicitation is an acceptable practice Explicitation involves the translator incorporating specific semantic details into the target text for clarity, particularly when the target language requires information that isn't explicitly stated in the source text but is understood through contextual knowledge.
Ambiguity (AMB) refers to an error that arises when a segment of text can be interpreted in multiple ways in either the source or target language, while the corresponding segment in the other language has a single, clear meaning.
Capitalization errors arise when the rules governing upper and lower case letters in a language are not adhered to It is important to note that in the Framework grid, capitalization errors are classified as a subset of Spelling/Character (SP/CH) errors.
Cohesion (COH) refers to the clarity and flow of a text, which can be disrupted by errors such as inconsistent terminology, misuse of pronouns, and inappropriate conjunctions These cohesion errors create challenges for readers, making it difficult to navigate the content While cohesion encompasses the overall structure of the text, evaluators will identify specific elements that hinder this coherence Ensuring proper cohesion is essential for effective communication and reader comprehension.
Diacritical marks, also known as accents, play a crucial role in conveying meaning in the target language Errors arise when these marks are either incorrect or omitted, leading to potential misunderstandings Such mistakes are considered serious, particularly when they obscure the intended sense of the text It is important to note that in the Framework grid, diacritical mark errors fall under the sub-category of Spelling/Character (SP/CH) errors.
Faithfulness (F) in translation is crucial, as it ensures that the target text accurately reflects the meaning and intent of the source text Translators must avoid rewriting or enhancing the original content; instead, they should focus on conveying its essence Graders will meticulously compare the translation to the source, and any creative alterations that misrepresent the original meaning will be marked as errors Additionally, significant changes in sentence or paragraph structure that disrupt the flow, shift emphasis, or obscure the author's intent may also result in penalties.
A faux ami, or false friend, is a linguistic error that arises when words in different languages share a similar form but have distinct meanings These words, often derived from common roots, can lead to confusion among language learners, as they may appear synonymous but differ significantly in certain contexts Understanding faux amis is essential for effective communication and language mastery.