EINLEITUNG
Themenauswahl
Translation is a field of study within the Faculty of German Language and Culture at the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (ULIS – VNU) Students in this program engage with various modules designed to develop and enhance their translation skills, including translation theory, advanced translation, translation competence, and specialized translation.
Students engage with various types of texts, including political ones, highlighting the importance of translation in understanding global relationships across fields such as art, science, law, economics, literature, technology, and politics Learning languages or writing in a different language is increasingly challenging, making translation essential for the advancement and development of these areas Translation fosters human experiences, experiments, and discoveries, enhancing the channels of life and diversifying human activities It plays a crucial role in disseminating new ideas across cultures and spreading knowledge universally However, while translation is indispensable, it remains a complex process that goes beyond merely switching from one language to another.
Politics is a fundamental aspect of daily life, playing a crucial role in shaping social, economic, philosophical, and ideological frameworks It enables individuals to stay informed about the changes occurring in the world around them Consequently, the effective role of politics in people's lives underscores the importance of translating political texts and works It is acknowledged that political rhetoric and cultural dimensions, along with sensitivity to complex issues, are critical considerations in the translation of political language.
2 sind Politiker verwenden politische Rhetorik als Kunst, um die Sprache zu manipulieren und überzeugende Ziele zu erreichen
The importance of translating political texts and terms is increasing as new expressions emerge, necessitating clear translations without loss of meaning The evolution of terminology creates challenges for translators, who are expected to bridge the gap between languages and cultures Therefore, translations must be precise and appropriate to eliminate the semantic barrier between the reader and the text.
This study explores the challenges of translating German political terms into Vietnamese, focusing specifically on the translation process from German to Vietnamese.
Translation theorists have established that the act of translating is significantly influenced by the society and culture of both the source text (ST) and the target text (TT) The quality of a translation depends on the translator's knowledge, skills, cultural background, expertise, and awareness of various factors relevant to the source text, such as context, syntax, culture, and style These elements undoubtedly affect lexical choices that serve the purposes of the source language text.
Translating political texts poses significant challenges due to cultural differences between languages It requires translators to have a deep understanding of both the source and target languages to accurately convey the intended meaning.
3 als auch mit dem Thema selbst vertraut sein, um die ĩbersetzung erfolgreich durchzufỹhren Ohne diese Anforderungen wọre die ĩbersetzung unzureichend
In 2015, Dr Wael Al Faqara from the Faculty of English Language and Literature at Mutah University, Jordan, published his research titled "The Difficulties of Translating Political Texts from Arabic Language into English Language" in the British Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences The paper focuses on the challenges of achieving equivalence in the translation of political texts from Arabic to English.
Krisytina Sárosi- Márdirosz der Abteilung für Angewandte Linguistik, Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania schrieb Problems related to the Translation of Political Texts Das untersuchte Sprachenpaar ist Englisch und Ungarisch
Im deutsch-vietnamesischen Sprachpaar gibt es derzeit noch nicht viele Forschungen zu diesem Thema
Durch diese Arbeit sollten die folgenden Fragen beantwortet werden:
Frage 1: Was sind die Schwierigkeiten, mit denen ĩbersetzen-Studierenden des vierten Studienjahres der Fakultọt fỹr Deutsche Sprache und Kultur der ULIS-VNU beim ĩbersetzen politischer Begriffen aus der deutschen Sprache ins Vietnamesische konfrontiert wurden?
Frage 2: Welche ĩbersetzungstechniken haben die Befragten verwendet, um politische Texte zu übersetzen?
Verschiedene Forschungsmethoden werden in der vorliegenden Arbeit benutzt
The theoretical section of the article employs research methods such as synthesis, analysis, and comparison to explore key concepts in translation studies It discusses essential terms including the definition of translation, translation issues, translation methods, and the characterization and adaptation of political language The translation problems identified by Christine Nord are analyzed and illustrated with practical examples This foundational analysis serves as the basis for the subsequent practical investigation in the second part of the research.
The study employs survey and analysis research methods, starting with the creation of a 10-item questionnaire focused on political terms The selected political texts vary in context, reflecting different backgrounds relevant to the events in which these terms are used These texts are appropriately translatable into Vietnamese and suitable for the academic level of the respondents The incompatibility between the German and Vietnamese political systems leads to various translation challenges that must be addressed These challenges are thoroughly analyzed The study's participants consist of 50 fourth-year students specializing in translation and interpreting at the Faculty of German Language and Culture at ULIS-VNU The research aims to identify the difficulties in translation, the strategies employed, and the recommended translation approaches.
THEORETISCHE GRUNDLAGEN
Begriff „ĩbersetzen“
In der übersetzungswissenschaftlichen Literatur befindet sich eine Vielzahl von Definition des ĩbersetzens Im Folgenden werden einige Definitionen dargestellt und diskutiert Barchudarow 1 definiert ĩbersetzen wie folgt:
,,Die ĩbersetzung ist der Prozess der Umwandlung eines Redeprodukts in ein Redeprodukt in einer anderen Sprache unter Wahrung des unverọnderten Inhalts, d.h der Bedeutung.”
This definition presents a fundamental understanding of translation as the transfer between languages Barchudarow emphasizes the importance of content, asserting that translation should accurately convey the message contained in the original text.
Im Vergleich zu der oben dargestellten Definition von Barchudarow legt W.Wilss 2 vor allem Wert auf den kommunikativen Aspekt des ĩbersetzens:
W Wilss unterteilt den gesamten ĩbersetzungsprozess in zwei eng miteinander zusammenhọngende Phasen:
Translation is a process of text processing and verbalization that converts a source language text into an equivalent target language text, requiring a deep understanding of both content and style This process is structured into two main phases: the comprehension phase, where the translator interprets the meaning of the source text, and the subsequent translation phase, which involves rendering that understanding into the target language.
6 und Stilintention hin analysiert, und eine sprachliche Rekonstruktionsphase, in der der ĩbersetzer den inhaltlich und stilistisch analysierten ausgangssprachlichen Text unter optimaler Berücksichtigung kommunikativer Äquivalenzgesichtspunkte reproduziert.“
The translation process is divided into two main phases: the comprehension phase and the reconstruction phase The comprehension phase involves analyzing the content and style of the source text, which serves as a foundation for the reconstruction phase In this latter phase, the source text is reproduced in the target language, with a significant emphasis on the communicative aspect.
U Kautz 3 hat versucht, eine prọgnante Definition zu geben:
„ĩbersetzen ist eine komplexe, funktional bestimmte, planmọòige, sowohl rekreative wie auch kreative Tọtigkeit im Rahmen der transkulturellen sprachlichen Kommunikation zwischen verschiedensprachigen Partnern.“
Translation is, in a broader sense, always a form of cultural work, and in a narrower sense, it involves working with language It encompasses engagement with both the foreign culture and one's own, as well as with one's own language The task of translation presents a communicative challenge that must be viewed from two perspectives: the aspect of cultural contact and the aspect of linguistic contact.
According to their views, culture plays a crucial role in translation studies Culture encompasses the entirety of human work and ways of life, including conventions, norms, and value systems that shape the thoughts, feelings, and actions of a specific community.
A translator should possess strong cultural knowledge to meet the audience's expectations for cultural understanding Kautz believes that the translation should align with the recipients' needs regarding linguistic and cultural comprehensibility.
Die Rolle, die dem ĩbersetzer dabei zukommt, ist aufgrund seiner besonderen Kompetenz die eines verantwortlichen Vermittlers zwischen diesen beiden Kulturen
Translation promotes human experiences, experiments, and discoveries, enhancing the channel of life and diversifying human activities It plays a crucial role in spreading new ideas across different cultures and disseminating knowledge globally While translation is essential, it is not a simple process of switching from one language to another.
Begriff „ĩbersetzungsproblem in der ĩbersetzungswissenschaft“
Nicht nur die Studierenden, sondern auch die Linguisten und ĩbersetzer – Dolmetscher stoòen immer auf die Begriffe ‘‘ĩbersetzungsprobleme‚‚ und
„ĩbersetzungsschwierigkeiten“, die meist nicht unterschieden werden In DUW 1983 wird
„Problem“ mit der „schwierigen (ungelửsten)“ Aufgabe und „Schwierigkeiten“ mit etw.,
„was fỹr jmdn noch ungelửst“ ist definiert 6 Deshalb bleibt die Grenze zwischen Probleme und Schwierigkeiten unklar Im Folgenden werden die ĩbersetzungsprobleme und ĩbersetzungsschwierigkeiten ausfỹhrlich dargestellt und diskutiert
The concept highlights that the knowledge gaps of translators and interpreters lead to translation difficulties Consequently, each individual may encounter different challenges in translation "Ideal" translators are perceived to face no translation difficulties, while "real" translators can identify their subjective challenges through learning Part of their translational competence involves knowing which resources can help mitigate these difficulties as much as possible.
Im Gegensatz dazu bezeichnet Christiane Nord 8 ĩbersetzungsprobleme als die objektiven Probleme, die sich unabhọngig von der Kompetenz des ĩbersetzers und den arbeitstechnischen Gegebenheit aus der ĩbersetzungsaufgaben ergeben
„ĩbersetzungsprobleme sind also die Aufgaben, die man beim ĩbersetzen lửsen muss, wenn man einen Ausgangstext in einen für eine bestimmte Zielfunktion geeigneten Zieltext
Nord unterteilt die ĩbersetzungsprobleme in vier Katergorien nọmlich: ausgangstextspezifische ĩbersetzungsprobleme, pragmatische ĩbersetzungsprobleme, kulturpaarspezifische ĩbersetzungsprobleme, sprachenpaarspezifische ĩbersetzungsprobleme
Translation issues specific to the source text often involve individual stylistic or expressive elements that are not universally applicable These challenges are particularly prominent in literary works, where the author's unique style and expression play a significant role Such translation difficulties also arise in source texts like jokes and wordplays Moreover, they do not occur in isolation but are often intertwined with other issues related to the sender, receiver, language, and cultural pair Consequently, these specific translation problems can be quite challenging to resolve.
For instance, when literally translating the German phrase "Ein Schiff macht keine Flotte" into Vietnamese, one encounters cultural translation challenges In Vietnam, there is a similar expression: "Một cỏnh ộn nhỏ chẳng làm nên mùa xuân," which conveys the same meaning Different cultures have unique ways of expressing ideas If the translator comprehends the meaning of the source text, they can effectively convey it in the target text.
Nach Nord họngen die pragmatischen ĩbersetzungsprobleme mit der Kommunikationssituation und dem Kommunikationspartner zusammen Die Kommunikationssituation umfasst zahlreiche Faktoren, beispielsweise Kulturreferenzen (Eigennamen, Realienbezeichnungen, metasprachliche Auòerungen), kulturelle
10 Vgl Hoai An Le, Dissertation 2010: 53f
Rahmenbedingungen (Sitten und Brọuche, Konventionen) und Orts- und Zeitbezug Kommunikationspartner gelten als Sender und Empfọnger 11
Pragmatic translation problems arise alongside cultural translation issues, as the sender and receiver come from different cultural backgrounds and behave in culturally specific ways The sender communicates a text that aligns with their cultural context, often without considering the receiver's culture, leading to discrepancies When significant differences exist between the sender's and receiver's cultures, the translator must work harder to convey the intended function of the source text The translator plays a crucial role, acting as both the receiver of the source text and the sender of the target text If the translator is unfamiliar with the source text's communication context, they may struggle to grasp the intended message and, consequently, fail to convey it adequately in the target language A lack of understanding of the source text's communicative situation can hinder the translator's ability to express the author's intended message clearly in the target language.
A practical example of translation challenges can be found in the Langenscheidt dictionary with the phrase "arm wie Kirchenmaus," which means "poor as a church mouse." In Vietnamese, there is a corresponding expression, and if the translator is familiar with it, they can accurately convey the meaning by using "Nghèo rớt mồng tơi."
If someone is unaware, the expression is translated as “Nghốo như chuột nhà thờ.” This translation may sound strange to a Vietnamese audience, leading them to feel that it is indeed a translation In such cases, the translation task is not fulfilled effectively.
In addressing pragmatic translation issues, Nord emphasizes the importance of the viewer's horizon and perspective The term "horizon" refers to the inventory of world and cultural knowledge A translator with extensive background knowledge encounters fewer translation difficulties Similarly, when the target audience possesses rich cultural and world knowledge, the translator faces fewer challenges, as there is less need to bridge the "knowledge gaps" of the recipients Additionally, Nord's concept of "perspective" pertains to how communication partners—sender, receiver, and translator—perceive the situation Often, the translator's own perspective significantly influences their translation activities.
In Vietnamese documents and media, the name "Biển Đụng/Ostsee" is commonly used, but for Vietnamese people, it refers to the sea in the east of Vietnam rather than the Baltic Sea in Europe However, translations worldwide refer to it as the South China Sea instead of the Baltic Sea Therefore, translators must consider the audience when choosing an appropriate translation.
13 Vgl Hoai An Le, Dissertation 2010: 56f
Translation challenges arise from the differing norms and conventions of the source language (SL) and the target language (TL), leading to culture-specific translation issues As a form of communication, translation is governed by the norms and conventions of both the SL and TL These conventions encompass formal, content-related, and functional guidelines specific to certain text types, as well as general stylistic norms, literary conventions, macro-conventions, and translation conventions Translation is viewed as both a linguistic and cultural endeavor, which is why many culture-specific translation problems emerge during the translation process.
An example of culture-specific translation issues is the German dining etiquette phrase "Guten Appetit." This expression reflects the norms and conventions of German language and culture When a Vietnamese child says "Guten Appetit" to their grandparents and parents at dinner, it translates to "Con, cháu mời ông bà, bô mẹ xơi/ăn cơm."
Wenn der ĩbersetzer unachtet auf die vietnamesischen Normen und Konventionen ist, wird er ,Guten Appetit" als ,,Chúc ông bà, bố mẹ ngon miệng" übersetzt
Die sprachenpaarspezifischen ĩbersetzungsprobleme ergeben sich laut Nord aus den strukturellen Unterschieden, besonders von Lexik und Syntax, der AS und ZS, d.h., die lexikalischen ĩbersetzungsprobleme wie Mehrdeutigkeit, Homonyme, Konnotationen
14 Vgl Hoai An Le, Dissertation 2010: 57f
Translation issues arise from syntactic complexities such as ambiguous sentences, the functions of prepositional phrases, and word order, leading to language pair-specific challenges These structural differences between languages make translation particularly difficult To overcome these issues, translators must enhance their linguistic and cultural knowledge Notably, there are significant discrepancies between German and Vietnamese, as German is an inflected language while Vietnamese is an isolating language without inflection Consequently, various translation problems occur in both directions Examples are provided to illustrate these language pair-specific translation challenges.
Translating the first-person pronoun "I" in the nominative and the second-person pronoun "you" in the accusative into Vietnamese is problematic, as both can be represented by various pronouns such as tôi, tớ, mình, ta, ông, bà, bố, mẹ, anh, chị, em, and con Consequently, different translations can be chosen, such as "Anh nhớ em" (I miss you), "Mẹ nhớ con" (Mother misses you), or "Ông nhớ cháu" (Grandfather misses you) However, it becomes easier when the translator needs to convert this sentence from Vietnamese to German.
Im Gegensatz dazu stửòt der ĩbersetzer auf viele Schwierigkeiten, wenn er das Pronomen
The German pronoun "ich" translates to "I" in Vietnamese, highlighting the necessity of specific context for accurate translation Additionally, the sentence structure presents unique translation challenges between these two languages, illustrating the complexities of language pair-specific translation issues.
Mit diesem Beispiel kann festgestellt werden, dass die Wortstellungsọnderung in einem deutschen Satz auf die Bedeutung nicht beeinflusst Im ersten Satz steht das Subjekt in der
1 Position, wọhrend das Subjekt des zweiten Satzes in der 3 Position liegt Beim ĩbersetzen dieser Sọtze macht die Wortstellungsọnderung kein Problem, weil der Satz einfach ist Aber wenn diese Änderung in einem komplizierten Satz sich befindet, muss man genau den Satz analysieren, damit alle Satzglieder bestimmt werden kửnnen, z B.: Was ist das Subjekt oder wo liegt das direkte/indirekte Objekt
In translation practice, translators encounter challenges not only due to source and target language deficiencies but also due to a lack of specialized knowledge Each text presents these challenges, as interdisciplinarity is always present Therefore, utilizing a translation duo is a valuable strategy for effectively addressing translation issues No translator can be familiar with all aspects of every field within society In the German language, terminology can vary significantly from state to state and across different levels of government For instance, the term "Parliament" has various designations (Bundestag, Landtag, Bürgerschaft), and in Hamburg, the executive branch is referred to as the Senate rather than the government, which can create additional burdens for translators.
ĩbersetzungsmethoden
Nach Koller (2011: 59) ist die ĩbersetzungsaufgabe eine kommunikative Herausforderung, die unter zwei Aspekten gesehen werden muss: Dem Aspekt des Kulturkontakts und dem
In the context of language contact, translation methods are classified into two groups according to Koller: adapting translation and transferring translation Adapting translation involves replacing culture-specific elements from the source culture with elements from the target culture In contrast, transferring translation refers to the direct transfer of source culture-specific elements into the target culture.
Z.B.: Er lügt wie gedruckt In diesem Beispiel ist der deutsche Ausdruck ,,lügt wie gedruckt“ zu verzeichnen Das bedeutet in der deutschen Sprache und Kultur, dass jemand stọndig lỹgt Wenn der ĩbersetzer transferierende ĩbersetzungsmethode verwendet, wird dieser Ausdruck mit z B.: „Anh ta nói dối như máy in“ wiedergegeben Aber dieser
The expression "Anh ta nói dối như cuội" is not applicable in Vietnamese culture, highlighting the need for translators to employ an adaptive translation method According to Koller, translation methods can be categorized into two groups based on language contact: conforming and alienating translation methods A translator utilizing the conforming method will adhere to linguistic and stylistic norms, while the alienating method focuses on preserving the linguistic and stylistic structures of the source text.
ZT so getreu wie mửglich erhọlt 17
Z.B.: Auge zum Auge, Zahn um Zahn
16 Vgl Hoai An Le, Dissertation 2010: 168f
17 Vgl Hoai An Le, Dissertation 2010: 168f
The article discusses two translation methods: the foreignizing and the domesticating approach The foreignizing method translates a phrase as "Mắt kề mắt, răng kề răng," which may confuse Vietnamese readers about the translator's intent In contrast, the domesticating method offers a more culturally resonant translation, such as "Ngưu tầm ngưu, mó tõm mó." Scholars like Snell-Hornby, Reiò, Vermeer, and Nord argue that translation methods are heavily influenced by the text type and translation purpose Therefore, it's essential to distinguish between literal translation (foreignizing) and free translation (domesticating), which involve non-adaptation and adaptation to the norms and conventions of the target language and culture.
Politische Sprache und ĩbersetzen politischer Begriffe
Political and diplomatic languages are specialized forms of communication used in the social sciences, closely linked to the history of political thought Both serve as technical languages, reflecting the intricate relationship between political discourse and its historical context.
Kontakt mit der Rhetorik, da diese Spezialsprachen als terminologischer Kern vieler gesprochener Genres angesehen werden kửnnen
The scope and purpose of political language differ significantly from those of diplomatic language While diplomatic language primarily serves as a protocol for official events and ceremonies, political language encompasses the expression of historical genres, including the portrayal of significant historical events, personalities, and socially important phenomena within societal history It is also adept at capturing past interpretations of recent events that contemporary society recognizes for their social significance Consequently, political language plays a crucial role in documenting data and facts, such as highlighting important legal and territorial changes, global political events, wars, and treaties.
The terminology of political language is crucial in political philosophy, as it addresses the relationship between individuals and society It is also linked to political theory, facilitating the formulation of descriptive theories regarding political phenomena, such as social critique and principles of justice Without political language, the development of state theories and concepts like "good governance" or "ideal government" would not be possible Additionally, the description of political ideas, ideologies, and goals is a significant aspect of political language Thus, political terminology can be viewed as a secondary discourse that evolves from primary discourse, where the two are intertwined The specialized language of politics is influenced by international actions, customs, and mutually agreed-upon solutions.
2.4.2 Die politischen Texte als spezifische Ausdrücke der politischen Sprache
To understand the terminology of political language, it is essential to examine the core elements of political texts, which can include persuasion, argumentation, deception, or urgency, each requiring specific linguistic approaches The goal of a persuasive speech is to convince the audience to agree with the speaker's idea or opinion, often by structuring arguments as solutions to problems The speaker's initial task is to establish the importance of a particular issue to the audience and then demonstrate that they possess the solution to these problems Persuasive speeches can take various forms, such as sales pitches, debates, and political processes, utilizing emotional and logical appeals Factors like body language, audience receptiveness, and the speech's context significantly impact its success Both written and spoken persuasive texts can be viewed as processes aimed at changing an individual or group's attitudes or behaviors Effective persuasion hinges on the art of argumentation, with political arguments serving as logical constructs applied to political discourse These arguments are utilized by scholars, media, political candidates, and officials, and they can also be employed by citizens in everyday interactions to comment on and understand political events, often reiterating the same facts as promises in slightly different contexts.
Argumentation should be distinguished from propaganda, as propaganda lacks structure and rationality A specific type of argument is the probability-based argument, which relies on observations, experiences, or assertions that the majority finds acceptable and true The most significant arguments are those supported by evidence, including facts, statistical data, research findings, summary reports, or references to reputable sources.
When argument-based persuasion fails, it often leads to deception, misinformation, and haste This results in speakers presenting false data, displaying misleading statistics, and making promises that cannot be fulfilled due to objective circumstances Politics is rife with speeches; citizens and politicians engage in dialogue, journalists and political analysts deliver addresses, and political scientists also contribute to the discourse.
Political texts often gain new interpretations through subsequent readings, leading to a shift in their meaning A critical question arises: what significance do these texts hold, and what do they convey to us? To effectively address this question, one must possess a deep understanding of political terminology The discourse in political science is indeed specialized, yet political speech cannot be viewed in isolation from various interconnected political discourses Issues related to the linguistic aspects of politics emerge when a preliminary idea about the role of language in politics is formulated, making language a relevant topic from a political perspective.
18 Vgl Cacioppo, J T und R E Petty 1986, The Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion Advances in Experimental Social Psychology 19 (1): 123-205
Die politische Terminologie hat folgende Funktionen: 19
- expressive Funktion: d.h sie drückt Ziele aus, die im realen Bereich der Politik verwurzelt sind;
- objektive Funktion: d.h es hat einen objektiven Grund, das Denken, die Gefühle und damit ihre Handlungen der Menschen zu beeinflussen;
- symbolische Funktion: d.h Gedanken und Gefühle werden durch politische Symbole ausgedrückt
Symbolic politics refers to a specific area of politics that is distinct from real and tangible political issues In common usage, it denotes a public display of illusion or substitute actions that aim to distract from actual political realities, effectively serving as a replacement for substantive politics Unlike substantial politics, which involves a sequence of actionable political decisions such as legislation, treaties, and taxation, symbolic politics encompasses elements like slogans, badges, banners, gestures, ritual actions, and political performances, all of which operate within a semantic framework.
Political speeches often express the speaker's goals and methods primarily for manipulative purposes, as the ultimate aim of such rhetoric is to influence and persuade the audience.
19 Vgl Krisztina Sárosi-Mádirosz, Problems Related to the Translation of Political Texts 2015: 166
A key feature of the political system is its reliance on closely related texts, necessitating coherence with existing political literature, especially in translations This coherence is maintained through specific political terminology and non-terminological elements The tradition of political texts contributes to this coherence, often making them challenging for non-lawyers to comprehend Legal texts aim to avoid complex descriptions that exceed the understanding of the average person, requiring further study for clarity The specific nature of these texts can lead to longer sentences, posing difficulties for translators To effectively translate these texts, one must interpret them, as the original documents may sometimes be overly complicated or unclear Despite this contradiction to the logical nature of political texts, translators frequently encounter such challenges due to the expertise or lack thereof of the authors.
The challenge intensifies when the confusion arises from the differences between the two language systems During the translation process, the translator must set aside creativity and instead focus on emphasizing the traditional technical language In this study, technical language refers to the terminology of a field that reflects the reality pertinent to the research area of a specific group of specialists.
Translating specialized terminology poses a significant challenge for translators, who may have different linguistic preferences or may not accept literal translations Additionally, a lack of available documentation can complicate the process In political translations, it is crucial for translators to use the existing terminology from the source language, as this contributes to the code of political communication and the coherence of the text When faced with new concepts during the translation process, translators must consider various political, linguistic, and cultural aspects to achieve the most accurate or acceptable equivalent.
In political translation, a comparative study serves as a valuable method for examining the two linguistic systems involved This intellectual process enriches the translator's reference framework by analyzing another reference system Additionally, it aims to compare the political systems, identifying both commonalities and differences The interpretation and reformulation of discourse into an equivalent expression in another language require the translator to analyze linguistic signs in relation to extralinguistic aspects To produce an accurate translation, minimal knowledge of both political systems is essential Employing comparative political analysis methods is crucial not only for understanding how each political system operates but also for effectively integrating the text into the target culture This theoretical approach helps clarify the boundaries of political action within the distinct power structures and highlights the convergent and divergent aspects of the two political systems Through this comparative study, the translator gains thematic knowledge.
In political translations, the most challenging aspect is translating politically specific material elements that exist solely within a particular political system or regime, drawing an analogy to culture-specific elements.
Adaptation is a translation technique defined as a technical and objective method According to Vinay and Darbelnet, adaptation is a distinct translation procedure employed when the original text references a context that is absent in the target culture, requiring a form of re-creation.
Diese weithin akzeptierte Definition betrachtet Anpassung als ein Verfahren, das angewendet wird, um eine Äquivalenz von Situationen zu erreichen, in denen kulturelle Fehlpaarungen auftreten
PRAKTISCHE UNTERSUCHUNG
Kurzbeschreibung der praktischen Untersuchung
This study examines the results of a questionnaire completed by 30 German language students in their eighth semester of a four-year translation and interpreting program at the Foreign Language University of VNU The questionnaire included 10 German political texts sourced from the New Year's speeches of Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2020 and 2021, the resignation statement in a press release by former Austrian Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, as well as materials from the German Bundestag and the Federal Agency for Civic Education The participants' task was to analyze these texts.
23 https://www.bpb.de/nachschlagen/lexika/lexikon-in-einfacher-sprache/
The study involved translating 25 German political texts and terms into Vietnamese, with participants having prior knowledge of German fundamentals and specialized translation training Despite this preparation, many faced challenges in completing the questionnaire, citing lack of interest and time, as well as finding the questionnaire too lengthy and difficult Some participants left more than half of the sentences untranslated, resulting in subpar submissions that were excluded from analysis Out of 52 distributed questionnaires, only 30 were returned The findings highlighted various translation issues and methods among the group of 30 German studies students, leading to specific methodological recommendations for translating specialized terms.
Probleme beim ĩbersetzen
Mit lexikalischen Problemen sind auch morphologische Probleme gemeint, da die Frage von Nord in welchen Wửrtern sich sowohl auf die lexikalischen als auch morphologischen
The Vietnamese language, classified as an isolating language, differs morphologically from German, which is a inflected language Key lexical issues include lexical ambiguities, word polysemy, homonyms, and specialized terminology Kautz categorizes these lexical challenges as language pair-specific translation problems, highlighting issues related to the frequency of word classes, interference phenomena such as false friends, substandard language variations, and terms from regional dialects, sociolects, and idiolects, as well as the designation of realia and the absence of equivalent words.
Zur besseren ĩbersicht werden nachstehend noch einmal die deutschen Teiltexte und die vorgeschlagenen ĩbersetzungen aufgefỹhrt:
(Nr.4) Die Fünf - Prozent - Hürde ist eine Sperrklausel für Wahlen zum Bundestag sowie bei Landtagswahlen und verschiedenen Kommunalwahlen 25
"Rào cản 5 phần trăm" là điều kiện quan trọng trong các cuộc bầu cử Quốc hội Liên bang Đức, cũng như các cuộc bầu cử tiểu bang và địa phương Theo quy định này, nếu một đảng không đạt được ít nhất 5% số phiếu bầu, đảng đó sẽ không có ghế trong Quốc hội Đức.
(Nr.5) Die Gewaltenteilung gehửrt zu den Prinzipien unserer Demokratie und ist im Grundgesetz verankert 26
25 https://www.bundestag.de/services/glossar/glossar/H/huerde-246288
26 https://www.bundestag.de/parlament/aufgaben/rechtsgrundlagen/gewaltenteilung-246408
Tam quyền phân lập là một nguyên tắc của nền dân chủ Đức và được quy định rõ ràng trong Hiến Pháp
(Nr.6) Die staatliche Gewalt ist in mehrere Gewalten aufgeteilt: Die legislative, die exekutive und die judikative Gewalt sollen sich gegenseitig kontrollieren und staatliche Macht begrenzen 27
Quyền lực nhà nước được phân chia thành ba nhánh chính: lập pháp, hành pháp và tư pháp Mỗi nhánh có nhiệm vụ kiểm soát lẫn nhau, nhằm hạn chế quyền lực nhà nước và đảm bảo sự cân bằng trong quản lý.
On Wednesday, February 24, following the government inquiry, a question hour took place where representatives of the federal government answered pre-submitted questions from members of parliament for one hour, organized by department.
Vào ngày 24 tháng 2, ngay sau phiên chất vấn chính phủ, đã diễn ra hoạt động chất vấn và trả lời giữa các Nghị sĩ và đại diện Chính phủ Liên bang Mỗi Bộ đã tham gia vào hoạt động chất vấn này trong vòng một tiếng, với các câu hỏi được Nghị sĩ gửi bằng văn bản trước đó.
(Nr.8) Das sehen wir an der Einsatzfreude unserer Bundeswehr, die an allen Ecken und Enden Unterstützung leistet 29
27 https://www.bundestag.de/parlament/aufgaben/rechtsgrundlagen/gewaltenteilung-246408
28 https://www.bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2021/kw08-de-fragestunde-821748
29 Neujahrsansprache 2021 von Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel am 31.12.2020
Chúng ta nhìn thấy tinh thần sẵn sàng cống hiến, sự hỗ trợ nhiệt tình ở mọi nơi, trong mọi hoàn cảnh của lực lượng vũ trang Liên bang
(Nr.9) In Artikel 17 des Grundgesetzes steht das Petitionsrecht:
Everyone has the right to individually or collectively submit written requests or complaints to the relevant authorities and the legislature Article 17 of the Federal Constitution outlines the right to petition.
Mọi cá nhân hoặc nhóm người đều có quyền nộp đơn kiến nghị hoặc khiếu nại lên cơ quan có thẩm quyền hoặc đại diện của nhân dân.
The approach to identifying lexical issues in the source text involves the author examining each subsection and pinpointing words or phrases that emerge as "disturbing factors" affecting text comprehension.
The text analysis reveals that the German excerpts present some lexical issues and limited lexical comprehension challenges According to the author's assessment, students in their eighth semester should be able to grasp the intended messages of the excerpts However, understanding individual words does not necessarily ensure comprehension of the overall text content, nor does it guarantee a complete understanding of the material.
30 https://www.bpb.de/nachschlagen/lexika/lexikon-in-einfacher-sprache/249998/petition- petitionsrecht
Effective translation goes beyond understanding individual words; it requires contextual comprehension of texts within specific situations and cultures This is particularly challenging for student translators when dealing with political terminology, as accurate translation into Vietnamese necessitates a deep grasp of both the language and the cultural nuances involved.
Translating German political terminology into Vietnamese often encounters challenges due to the incompatibility between the political systems of Germany and Vietnam This incompatibility is evident in the vocabulary related to each country's administrative system, with certain terms uniquely associated with Germany and its political framework Consequently, translators face difficulties in finding equivalent translations for specific German terms This incompatibility can be categorized into two groups: complete incompatibility and partial incompatibility.
Complete incompatibility arises when a term exists solely within the German political lexicon and lacks relevance to the political systems of other countries This research focuses on German political terminology, highlighting instances of total incompatibility due to the differing political and electoral systems of Germany and Vietnam To illustrate this issue, several examples will be presented.
(Nr.4) Die Fünf - Prozent - Hürde ist eine Sperrklausel für Wahlen zum Bundestag sowie bei Landtagswahlen und verschiedenen Kommunalwahlen
Die vửllige Inkompatibilitọt entsteht, wenn der ĩbersetzer keinen ọquivalenten Begriff in der ZS für einen Begriff in der AS finden kann Im Vietnamesischen gibt es keine
The term "Bundestag" is borrowed directly from German political vocabulary, but Vietnamese translators cannot use this direct borrowing Instead, they must seek an equivalent translation in Vietnamese.
The "Bundestag" is defined as the parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany, where representatives are elected by the public every four years through general elections Its main responsibilities include electing the Chancellor, legislating, and overseeing the federal government In a study involving 30 participants, various translations for "Bundestag" were proposed, including "Hạ Viện," "Nghị Viện," "Quốc hội," and "Quốc hội Liên bang." The majority, 23 participants (approximately 77%), translated it as "Hạ Viện," while four (around 13%) used "Quốc hội Liên bang," and two (about 7%) chose other terms.
Prozent) mit Quốc hội und ein (3 Prozent) mit Nghị viện wiedergegeben
Als nọchstes wird das Wort „Landtagswahlen“ (cỏc cuộc bầu cử tiểu bang) zum Problem werden Dieses Wort wird wie folgt erklọrt:
“Eine Landtagswahl ist die Wahl des Parlaments in einem Bundesland Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland besteht aus 16 Bundeslọndern Jedes Bundesland hat eine eigene
Das Parlament eines Bundeslandes heiòt Landtag Es gibt drei Ausnahmen
31 https://www.bpb.de/nachschlagen/lexika/pocket-politik/16362/bundestag
In Bremen und Hamburg heiòt das Landesparlament “Bỹrgerschaft” In Berlin heiòt es
Es wird oft eine wửrtliche ĩbersetzung produziert, beispielsweise „bầu cử quốc gia, bầu cử vào hội đồng nhà nước“, weil in der vietnamesischen Sprache unterschiedliche
Bezeichnungen für das Wort “Land’’ bestehen, wie đất nước, quốc gia, vùng đất, đất liền
Eine Testperson hat das Wort “Landtagswahlen” mit dem Phrasen “Wahlen auf dem Land” ( Bầu cử ở nông thôn) verwechselt
The term "state power" presents challenges in translation, particularly due to the various Vietnamese words for "power," such as "bạo lực," "cường quyền," "sức mạnh," and "sự ộp buộc." These differences can lead to diverse translation errors, with approximately 13% of students making mistakes Suggested translations include "Cường quyền của nhà nước," "Cơ quan lập pháp nhà nước," "Lập pháp nhà nước," and "Sự phân quyền trong bộ máy nhà nước."
Daraus ist abzuleiten, dass ein lexikalisches Problem im Ausgangstext Fehler verschiedener Art im Zieltext zur Folge haben kann
Angewandte ĩbersetzungsstrategien durch Studierende
This chapter summarizes various translation strategies employed by students during the written survey While not all strategies led to successful translations, inappropriate and incorrect translations are also analyzed to suggest more effective approaches In many cases, students had to combine multiple translation strategies; however, for clarity, the applied strategies are described separately.
Self-correction is considered the most crucial translation strategy for both students and professional translators, as it allows for the emergence of new ideas and improvements during the translation process After completing a translation of part or all of the source text, one can review the translation to identify any issues In written translations, corrections are visible through crossed-out words, additions, and insertions However, when students or translators work with a pencil or computer, these self-corrections remain invisible.
As mentioned earlier, the participants completed the survey within 60 minutes, ensuring they had all the necessary resources for answering questions, including time and reference materials like the internet and dictionaries However, research findings revealed that approximately 67% of the participants faced challenges during the process.
Out of 30 test subjects, 20 employed this strategy; however, not all self-correction attempts resulted in successful translations For instance, one participant initially translated the term "Die staatliche Gewalt" (No 6) as "Bạo lực chính phủ," but later crossed it out and suggested "Lập phỏp nhà nước" instead These examples indicate that the participant was uncertain about their translations, unsure whether they were appropriate This uncertainty may reflect their foreign language and translation competence, as well as potential gaps in their training.
Beim ĩbersetzen spielen die Wửrterbỹcher, vor allem die zweisprachlichen Wửrterbỹcher, entweder ein vietnamesisch-deutsches Wửrterbuch oder ein deutsch- vietnamesisches
Dictionaries play a crucial role in translating German political terminology among students, who often have a limited vocabulary in their field Observations indicate that many students utilize online dictionaries, particularly German-English dictionaries, to search for political terms The linguistic similarities between German and English, as well as the international nature of political language, contribute to this trend Consequently, it is understandable that students seek appropriate English equivalents for specialized German terms.
Translating from German to Vietnamese can create a challenging cycle when English is used as a common language For instance, if a translator looks up the term "Bundestag" in a German-English dictionary, they may find no direct equivalent To effectively use English as a bridge language, translators must possess strong English skills Thus, relying on a bilingual German-English or English-German dictionary is not the most effective solution.
Participants were able to select an inappropriate translation from the dictionary, even though it might be suitable for a different field For instance, the term "Abgeordnete" (meaning "representative") was frequently translated as "Đại biểu," which, while listed in the dictionary, is not appropriate in the context of administration This example illustrates that merely choosing a translation from a dictionary is insufficient; it is crucial for participants to consider the specific context of a technical term to ensure an accurate translation.
A successful literal translation often depends on the translator's careful analysis of the context and usage of words or structures in the target language Even when the source and target languages are typologically similar, semantic errors can still arise due to formal similarities According to the author's statistics, many students resorted to literal translations for challenging political terms, particularly when they struggled to find the appropriate equivalent, such as the term "Fragestunde" (Question Time) Many participants translated this compound as "Thời gian câu hỏi" or "giờ câu hỏi."
Using parentheses as an additional strategy is essential when a proposed translation lacks clarity and leads to misunderstanding However, there are only two instances of parentheses in 30 questionnaires Based on the survey results, it can be concluded that many participants provided translations even though they did not fully understand them, such as “The Five Percent Barrier” (No 4).
The term "Sperrklausel" (No 4) lacks a direct equivalent in Vietnamese, necessitating additional explanations To enhance the recipient's understanding of the author's intended message in the source text, the translator must include clarifying additions in parentheses, particularly for specialized terminology.
“(Nếu một Đảng không giành được ít nhất 5 phần trăm số phiếu bầu thì Đảng đó sẽ không
Empfolene ĩbersetzungsstrategien
có ghế trong Quốc hội Đức)“ Aus diesem oben angeführten Beispiel ist auch ersichtlich, dass der ĩbersetzer sich genau ỹberlegen muss, welche ĩbersetzungsstrategie angewandt wird
Several translation strategies are recommended to assist German students in translating German political terms, including self- and peer-correction, the combination of dictionaries, and internet usage However, to achieve an effective translation, all translation strategies must be closely interconnected.
Self-correction is an essential translation strategy in the field of translation activities It pertains to individual translators, allowing them to identify and rectify their own mistakes, which facilitates personal learning and targeted improvement in their translations This process promotes learner autonomy and typically occurs after translating a text segment or an entire document The correction process consists of two steps: first, reviewing the translation for content accuracy, and second, examining formal aspects such as grammar and style This paper focuses on the importance of self-correction in enhancing translation quality.
Translating from German to Vietnamese results in fewer grammatical errors, while the reverse translation from Vietnamese to German often contains a significant number of grammatical mistakes Therefore, greater attention must be paid to grammatical aspects when translating from Vietnamese to German.
Despite the effectiveness of this strategy, it cannot uncover all errors, necessitating the need for external proofreading Ideally, this proofreading should come from a native speaker, who can assist participants during surveys by reviewing translations and identifying issues It's crucial for the proofreader to have access to both the translation and the source text After receiving the proofreader's recommendations, it's important to assess their relevance However, a drawback of external proofreading is its unavailability in certain situations, such as exams Therefore, alternative resources like monolingual or bilingual dictionaries should be utilized, as they are easily accessible.
Students often rely on bilingual dictionaries to quickly find equivalents for foreign terms However, this can lead to inappropriate translations due to the multiple meanings of words Therefore, using a combination of different dictionaries is crucial, especially when translating German administrative terminology into Vietnamese Participants should consult not only German-Vietnamese dictionaries but also Vietnamese-German dictionaries Furthermore, understanding both German and Vietnamese contexts is essential for accurate translations.
Currently, there is no German-Vietnamese specialized dictionary in the field of politics available in Vietnam As a result, translators often take a detour by using a German-English dictionary followed by an English-Vietnamese dictionary While this method can lead to accurate translations, it is time-consuming and has its drawbacks Translators must first find an appropriate English translation before converting it into Vietnamese, which can be inefficient Additionally, this approach is ineffective for those who do not have a strong command of English.
When a translator is uncertain about a translation or a dictionary entry, it is advisable to consult multiple dictionaries Combining resources, such as a Vietnamese-German dictionary with a German-Vietnamese dictionary, as well as monolingual dictionaries in Vietnamese, German, and English, can enhance accuracy Additionally, specialized dictionaries relevant to the subject matter may also be beneficial for achieving precise translations.
Due to the incompatibility between the German and Vietnamese political systems, translators often struggle to find suitable equivalents for certain technical terms The internet serves as an effective tool for addressing this issue By researching these terms and updating information from official German political websites, such as the "Federal Agency for Civic Education" or mitmischen.de (a platform by the German Bundestag for civic engagement), translators can enhance their understanding and accuracy in translation.
The parliament and current political issues are clearly presented here The internet can often serve as a valuable resource; however, due to the multitude of information sources available online, it is crucial to analyze them carefully to obtain reliable information This ensures that informed translation decisions can be made.