- Equivalence is the central issue in translation - The definition, relevance, and applicability of

equivalence has caused heated controversy. It has been analyzed, evaluated and extensively discussed from different points of view and has been approached from many different perspectives

- -> many different theories of the concept of equivalence

It is the relationship between a source text (ST) and a target text (TT) that allows the TT to be considered as a translation of the ST.

Any relation characterizing translation under a specified set of circumstances.

Equivalence was a relationship between two texts in two languages, rather than between the languages themselves

Jakobson (1959)Nida and Taber (1982)Baker (1992)

Jakobson (1959): equivalence is always possible (regardless of the cultural or grammatical differences between ST and TT) since there are several methods that the translator can chooseloan-translations, neologisms and semantic shifts, and circumlocutions

Nida and Taber (1982) : Formal equivalence and dynamic equivalence

Dynamic equivalence/ functional equivalence focuses on the message itself -> emphasizing readability. (e.g.. in translating novels)

Formal equivalence attempts to translate the text word-for-word (literally). (e.g. in translating Bible, international diplomacy)

Baker (1992) Equivalence at word level (chapter 2) Equivalence above word level (chapter 3)

Grammatical equivalence (chapter 4) Textual equivalence (chapter 5, 6) Pragmatic equivalence (chapter 7)

Form-based equivalence: (see Baker)Equivalence at word, sentence, or text level

Meaning-based equivalence: (see Koller) Denotative, connotative, pragmatic, formal

equivalence Function-based equivalence: (see Nida)

Dynamic equivalence, formal equivalence Quantitative equivalence

One-to-one equiv., one-to-many equiv., One-to-part-of-one equivalence, Nil equivalence

One-to-one equivalence A single expression in TL is equivalent to a single

expression in SL

Information Technology = Công nghệ Thông tinOne-to-many equivalence More than one TL expressions are equivalent to a

single SL expression.

To breed Tre

To feed

Nứa

Nuôi To raise Bamboo Trúc

To keep Mai

So support Vầu

One-to-part-of-one equivalenceA TL expression covers part of a concept designated by a single SL expression.Rồng dragon Bush Thảo nguyên Nil equivalenceno TL expression is equivalent to a single SL expression Eg: Internet = “Mạng Internet”

B¸nh Ch ng = Ch ng cake/Banhchung¸o dµi = aodai

Koller’s 5 types of equivalence: Denotative equivalence Connotative equivalence Text-normative equivalence Pragmatic / Dynamic equivalence Formal equivalence

Denotative equivalence is one in which the SL and TL words refer to the same thing in the real world. This is the referential identity between SL and TL units.

This is equivalence of the extra linguistic content of a text, otherwise called ‘content invariance’

a rabbit → con thỏ

Besides denotative value, SL and TL words should produce the same communicative values in the mind of native speakers of the two languages

Or the equivalence transmitted by specific choices between synonymous expressions with respect to level of style (register), the social and geographical dimension, frequency, etc.

Eg: - ăn nhanh kẻo nguội - để nguội hẵng ăn

Connotation of speech level: elevated, poetic, normal, colloquial, slang, vulgar

Connotation of socially determined usage: student language, military language, aristocratic language…

Connotation of geographical relation or origin: American English, Australian English…

Connotation of medium: spoken language, written language…

Connotation of stylistic effect: pompous, artificial, euphemistic…

Connotation of frequency: common, uncommon Connotation of register: normal usage, technical, medical… Connotation of evaluation: positively evaluative, ironic,

pejorative... Connotation of emotion: using emotive language to describe

a given topic

As fair art thou, my bonnie las,So deep in luve am I,And I’ll luve thee stil, my dear,Till a’ seas gang dry.

Em đẹp lắm, ơi cô gái nhỏ

Anh đắm say em tự bao giờ Anh sẽ mãi còn yêu em đóYêu đến ngày biển cạn sông khô

(A red, red rose. Robert Burns. Translated by:N.X.Thơm)

Your majesty Sir

Muôn tâu bệ hạ Th a ngµi

As fast as a kangaroo

Nhanh như kangaroo

The poor HIV patients

Underprivileged People living with

AIDS

Surgeon: A. Swan Assistant: Mr.

Dickson GA: Dr. Wood Incisions: median

sternotomy and right thigh and leg

Bác sĩ phẫu thuật: A. Swan

Phụ tá: Ông Dickson Gây mê tổng quát: Bác sĩ

Wood Đường phẫu: rạch giữa

xương ức, đùi và chân phải

Her face is all her fortune

MÆt c« ta lµ tÊt c¶ vèn liÕng cña c«

Con ấy chỉ được mỗi cái xinh

The SL and TL words using the same or similar text types in their respective languages.Examples:

◦in correspondence

Faithfully yours Trung thành của bạn

Kính thư

Art.2. the organization and its members, in pursuit of the purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in accordance with the following principles:

1) the organization is based on the principle for the sovereign equality of all its members…

Điều 2. để đạt được những mục đích nêu ở điều 1, liên hợp quốc và các thành viên liên hợp quốc hành động phù hợp với những nguyên tắc sau đây:1) Liên hợp quốc được xây dựng trên nguyên tắc bình đẳng chủ quyền của tất cả các nước thành viên…

The SL and TL words have the same effect on the reader Or mainly aiming at the receiver, to whom the translation is directedAlso called “communicative equivalenceExamples: anh (§¾c Lª) Y (D ¬ng T êng) HE g· (Lª Ba K«ng)

It’s cold in here.◦ Trong này lạnh quá.◦ Làm ơn đóng hộ cửa sổ / bật điều hoà.

Chào nhé, đi đâu đấy?◦ Hi, where are you going?◦ Hi, how are you?

Possibilities of formal equivalence with respect to categories such as rhyme, verse form, rhythm, special stylistic forms of expression in syntax and lexis, word play, metaphor and so on.

Formal equivalence is particularly used in translation of poems, songs, etc.

Also called ‘expressive equivalence

“The war’ly race may riches chaseAnd riches still may fly them, O!And tho’ at last they catch them fastTheir hearts can never enjoy them. O!”(Green Grow the Rashes by Robert Burns)“Bọn người đời hám giàu sang theo đuổiTưởng giàu sang bốc họ lên giờiDẫu cuối cùng giàu sang đạt tớiNhưng cõi lòng đâu đã thảnh thơi.”( Cây Bấc Xanh” translated by Nguyên Xuân Thơm)

Where do I be gin? C©u chuyÖn t×nh n¨m x aTo tell a s tory of how great a love can

be?Tõ thêi xa x a nay ®· trë vÒ

trong t«iWhere do I start?

According to Baker (1992) when the translator starts analyzing the ST s/he looks at the words as single units in order to find a direct 'equivalent' term in the TL.

Some strategies to deal with non-equivalence at word level

1. culture-specific concepts: concepts from the source culture which are unknown in Vietnamese E.g. vegemite, Speaker (of the House of Common), hen party

Suggested solution: Translation using cultural substitution or using loan word plus explanation

2. The target language lacks a specific termE.g. Comb, brush hair

Wash, clean, shampoo hair Curl, perm hair sheer, great, active, fertile,

fevered imagination

Solution: translate with more general words

The SL lacks specific terms◦ Mũ: hat, cap, helmet◦ Xanh: blue, green

Mismatch in meaning components◦ brother vs anh, em trai(for componential analysis, read Newmark)

3. The source and target make different distinctions in meaning

E.g. bring: carrying things to a place where the speaker is or is to be take: conveying things to a place where the speaker is not. Vietnamese does not make this distinction.

E.g. see, look, watch Solution: Translation by adding meaning to

equivalents

For more problems with equivalence at word level and strategies to deal with them, refer to the book In other words: A book on translation.

Translating idioms Translating collocations

1. What is an idiom?

“a fixed group of words with a special meaning that cannot be guessed from the combination of the actual words used” (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 1981).

E.g. turn over a new leaf not turn over new leaves

Problems in translating idiomsa. Some idioms are misleadingE..g take someone for a ride, Have a bun in

the oven b. English idioms with no equivalent in

VietnameseE.g. to be born with a silver spoon in one’s

mouth or at the eleventh hour, burning the candle at both

ends, or a skeleton in the closet.c. Some English idioms are particularly

culture-specific to carry coals to Newcastle

2. Techniques for translating idioms a. Exact equivalence

to fight like cats and dogs b. Reduction

He kicked the bucket last Sunday. He's head over heels in love with her.

c. ParaphraseShe's putting a very brave face on things.

d. Omission or compensation

See the book In other word

- grammatical rules vary across languages -> cause remarkable changes in the way the information or message is carried across. (number, tense and aspects, voice, person and gender)

-> the translator either to add or to omit information in the TT (Vietnamese) because of the lack of particular grammatical devices in the TL itself (Vietnamese) .

- textual equivalence = the equivalence between a SL text and a TL text in terms of information and cohesion

- three main factors = the target audience, the purpose of the translation and the text type.

- the translator needs to work out implied meanings in translation in order to get the ST message across. -> to recreate the author's intention in another culture in such a way that enables the TC reader to understand it clearly.

Baker, Mona (1992) In Other Words: a Coursebook on Translation, London: Routledge.

Jakobson, Roman (1959) 'On Linguistic Aspects of Translation', in R. A. Brower (ed.) On Translation, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, pp. 232-39.

Nida, Eugene A. and C.R.Taber (1969 / 1982) The Theory and Practice of Translation, Leiden: E. J. Brill.