Unit 6: Translation Errors

WARMUP

Game
Detect the translation errors in the following pictures

Theory
Revision
Guess the errors from the definitions

Addition
The translator introduces
superfluous information or stylistic
effects.

Ambiguity
The source or target text segment
allows for more than one semantic
interpretation.

Indecision
The candidate gives more than one
option
for a given translation unit.

Omission
An element of information in the
source text
is left out of the target text.

Terminology
A term specific to a special subject
field is
not used when the corresponding
term
is used in the source text.

Comprehension
Errors
1/ Misunderstanding of Original Text
2/ Ambiguity

1. Misunderstanding
of Original Text
English
Nh khn ngn mt
xc ng ln lao.

Vietnamese
Wisdom blocks strong
emotions.

Source: newvietart.com/index4.697.html

1. Misunderstanding
of Original Text
English
The Temple Church
survived eight
centuries of political
turmoil, the Great Fire
of London...

Vietnamese
Nh th tn ti
qua tm th k hn
lon v chnh tr, cuc
khi ngha Ngn la v
i London...

Mt Ma Da Vinci (Dan Brown), translated by Thu H

1. Misunderstanding
of Original Text
English
Even if you get killed,
just walk it off!
- Captain America

Vietnamese
Nu bn b git, th
thi!

The Avengers 2, National Cinema Center

2. Ambiguity
English
But how can it be
proved? she
continued. "It's only
my word against Mr.
Kelada's."

Vietnamese
Nhng n c chng
minh nh th no
y? b ni tip. Ch
l khng ng vi
ca ng Kelada thi
m.

Mr. Know-All (W. S. Maugham), translated by Lan An

https://nguyendinhlananh.wordpress.com/2010/06/26/mr_know-all-ga-bi%E1%BA%BFt-tu%E1%BB%91

2. Ambiguity
Vietnamese
Yu cu ph n khng
dn theo tr em vo
qun bar.

English
Ladies are requested
not to have children in
the bar.

2. Ambiguity
English
If we were late and
missed our window of
opportunity or missed
the shot, there would
be no second chances.
One shot, one kill.

Vietnamese
Nu n mun hoc b l
thi im mc tiu xut
hin hay bn trt, chng
ti s khng c c hi th
hai. Mt vin n, mt
tn
(Hi ch.
k ca mt tay sng bn ta

(Memoir of an elite Navy SEAL sniper)

Alpha Books)

Translation Errors
1/
2/
3/
4/
5/
6/

Inconsistency
Terminology, Word Choice
Too Freely Translated
Too Literal, Word-for-Word
Addition/Omission
Mistranslation into Target Language

1. Inconsistency
English
Langdon had lectured
often enough on the
Knights Templar to
know that almost
everyone on earth had
heard of them, at least
abstractedly.

Vietnamese
Langdon thng xuyn
ging bi v Hip s
Templar n
bit rng hu nh mi
ngi trn tri t u
nghe ni v h, ch t
l mt cch tru tng.

Mt Ma Da Vinci (Dan Brown), translated by Thu H

1. Inconsistency
English
...the Church accused
the Templars of
secretly performing
rituals in which they
prayed to a carved
stone head...

Vietnamese
...gio hi kt ti
nh th v b mt tin
hnh nghi l cu nguyn
trc mt ci u
c o...

Mt Ma Da Vinci (Dan Brown), translated by Thu H

1. Inconsistency
English
The Templars
honoured Baphomet
by encircling a stone
replica of his head and
chanting prayers.

Vietnamese
n th tn vinh
Baphomet bng cch i
vng quanh m hnh ci
u bng ca ng ta
v ht kinh cu
nguyn.

Mt Ma Da Vinci (Dan Brown), translated by Thu H

2. Terminology, Word
Choice
English
And virtually all the
elements of the
Catholic ritual - the
mitre, the altar, the
doxology and
communion, the act of
god-eating...

Vietnamese
V dn dn tt c cc
yu t trong cc nghi l
ca Ki t gio nh m t,
bn th chnh, bi thnh
ca, cch c x cng nh
ngh thut chn n
cho Cha...

Mt Ma Da Vinci (Dan Brown), translated by Thu H

2. Terminology, Word
Choice
English
Vietnamese
South Korea enacts
Hn Quc ban hnh lut
chemicalcastration
thin ha hc trng
law to punish
tr ti phm u dm.
paedophiles.
nh ngha ting Vit (Vdict):
Thin: Ct bi hoc bung trng ca sc vt d
nui bo.
Gio s Trnh Nht: Dng thuc dit dc
Gio
s Diu Tn:
Tim thuc trit dm
www.comvny2k.com//Dieu
Tan-YKien_TuongduongTrongPhiendich.htm
www.vny2k.com/vny/Frank Trinh_TuongduongTrongPhiendich.htm

2. Terminology, Word
Choice

Whistle-blower: = Ngi thi ci? Ngi t co/Ngi t

gic

3. Too Freely
Translated
English
Your Distressed Jeans
May Be Harboring A
Dirty Secret
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/0
The Huffington Post
9/distressed-jeans-dirty-secret_n_35689
51.html

Vietnamese
Mc Qun B Trung Quc
D Nhim Bnh Nan Y
Dn Tr
http://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/mac-quanbo-trung-quoc-de-nhiem-benh-nan-y-1374220
400.htm

3. Too Freely
Translated
Video Clip
Li Vn Sm lm phin dch vin cho Ng Ngn
T ti Lin hoan Phim Quc t Vit Nam ln 1

3. Too Freely
Translated
Ng Ngn T
Good evening L & G.
I just want to say what
a pleasure and honor I
have been to take
part, take place in the
first Vietnam
international film
festival in this beatiful
city of Hanoi on it

Li Vn Sm
Vng, Ng Ngn T c...
gi ti li cho ti tt c
nhng ngi bit anh,
hm m anh qua nhng
ting reo h khi anh xut
hin. Cm n tt c mi
ngi cho n anh
th H Ni, ni m anh
cng bit rt nhiu qua

3. Too Freely
Translated
Ng Ngn T
I think this week has
been full of new and
interesting challenges
for everyone, but what
true is passion of film
is very much alive
here.

Li Vn Sm
V anh y cng rt phn
khi khi c mi ti d
lin hoan phim quc t
ln u tin t chc ti
Vit Nam v anh y tin
tng rng vi ny th
in nh Vit Nam s c
tng lai rt sng.

3. Too Freely
Translated
Ng Ngn T
I think the goal of any
film festival is not only
to bring world cinema
to local audiences but
also bring local cinema
to world audiences
and I think that's
certainly's been
achieved here.

Li Vn Sm
V anh y ni rng l H
Ni trong nhng ngy qua
th anh y cng c
chng kin nhng dng
ngi n cc rp
xem cc phim trnh chiu
trong lin hoan phim quc
t nh th no. Xin cm
n!

Rt nhiu kin bnh lun tri ngc

v s c ny, nhng ring ti th khng
thy bc vi nhng li ch, v h ch
ng. Ti c dch u, ti ba m.
MC Lai Vn Sm

4. Too Literal, Word-forWord

Lolita
Author: Vladimir Nabokov
Translator: Dng Tng
SL: English
TL: Vietnamese

4. Too Literal, Word-forWord

English

Vietnamese

Where the devil did you get her?Ma xui qu khin, ng v u c con
b vy?
I beg your pardon?
Xin li, ng ni g?
I said: the weather is getting
Ti ni: thi tit ang tt dn ln.
better.
C v th.
Seems so.
Con b l ai?
Whos the lassie?
Con gi ti.
My daughter.
ng ni di - khng phi th.
You lieshes not.
Xin li, ng ni g?
I beg your pardon?
I said: July was hot. Wheres her Ti ni: thng By va ri tht nng
bc. M n u?
mother?
(Dng Tng)
Cht ri.
Dead.

4. Too Literal, Word-forWord

English

Vietnamese

Where the devil did you get her?ng kim u ra con b p qu tri?
Xin li, ng ni g th?
I beg your pardon?
Ti ni: Thi tit lc ny p qu tri.
I said: the weather is getting
C v cn ma.
better.
C b l ai y?
Seems so.
Con gi ti.
Whos the lassie?
ng ni di ri con u m con.
My daughter.
Xin li, ng ni g th?
You lieshes not.
Ti ni: ht ma ri, cn u m cn.
I beg your pardon?
I said: July was hot. Wheres her M n u?
Cht ri.
mother?
(Thin Lng)
Dead.

4. Too Literal, Word-forWord

English
Mary's sending out
very few invitations.
She doesn't want any
Tom, Dick, and Harry
turning up.

Vietnamese
Mary gi i rt t giy mi.
C y khng mun bt ky
tn Tom, Dick, v Harry
no xut hin.
Mary mi rt t ngi,
c y khng mun nhng
k tm thng n

Dch st tng ch l cch tt

nht dch sai hon ton.
Nh ngn ng hc, Dch gia, C Gio s Cao Xun Hao

5. Addition/Omission
Location: Van Mieu
(Temple of Literature)
ST: Information board
about the 82 doctors
steles
SL: Vietnamese
TL: English
Author: unknown
Translator: unknown

5. Addition/Omission

5. Addition/Omission
English
The works of literature engraved
on each stele in ancient Chinese
praise the merits of the King and
cite the reason for holding
Royals exams. Also included on
the stele were the number of
candidates and the functions of
the mandarins whose task it was
to organize the exams and
engrave the names and

Vietnamese
Trn mi tm bia khc mt bi
vn bng ch Hn vi ni dung
ca ngi cng c ca triu vua,
l do m khoa thi, mc ch
dng bia, s lng th sinh, h
tn, chc v ca nhng ngi
c giao trch nhim t chc
k thi, ngi son vn bia,
nhun sc, vit ch v h tn
qu qun nhng ngi khoa

5. Addition/Omission
Words are untranslated
because they are...
Too difficult?
Overlapped?
Negligence of the
translator?

5. Addition/Omission
ST: Instruction for using
Agar Jelly Pudding
SL: Vietnamese
TL: English

6. Addition/Omission
Vietnamese
2. [] Khuy u
khong 5 pht.

English
2. [] Gradually and
stir, keep for about 5
min, till the buble
disappear, add
flavouring into the
solution, stir well.

6. Mistranslation
into Target Language
Mistranslation in to TL vs. Misunderstanding of
ST?
Are they overlapped?

6. Mistranslation
into Target Language
Mistranslation into TL
Meaning is not
properly conveyed in
TL
Related to
mechanical error

Misunderstanding of ST
Misreading a word
Misinterpreting the
syntax of
a sentence

Related to thinking
process, language
competence
(Source: ATA Framework for Standardized Error Marking

6. Mistranslation
into Target Language
Choice of preposition
Use of definite and indefinite articles
Term being either more general or more specific
than in original text
Choice of verb tense and mood

6. Mistranslation
into Target Language
English
Japan Keeps This Train
Station Running for
Just One Regular
Passenger
Citylab
Train station =
specific

Vietnamese
ng Tu 3 Nm Ch Phc
V Mt Hnh Khch Nht
Bn
VnExpress
ng tu = general
Causing
misunderstandings for
readers

6. Mistranslation
into Target Language
English
Japan Keeps This Train
Station Running for
Just One Regular
Passenger

Vietnamese (revised)
Ga Tu Nht Bn
c Duy Tr Phc V
Cho Mt Hnh Khch
Duy Nht

6. Mistranslation
into Target Language
Q: Is this mistranslation or
misunderstanding?

English
His lawyer, my good
friend and relation,
Clarence Choate Clark,
Esq., now of the
District of Columbia
bar, [...]

Vietnamese
[...], lut s ca ng ta,
Ngi Clarence Choate
Clark, nay l thnh vin
ca lut s on min
Columbia, cng l bn v
b con ca ti, [...]

(Dng Tng)

6. Mistranslation
into Target Language
A:
Misunderstanding
District of Columbia
= Washington DC
Should be
translated into c
khu Columbia or
th Washington
DC

6. Mistranslation
into Target Language
Les Particules
Elementaires (The
Elementary Particles)
Author: Michel
Houellebecq
Translator: Cao Vit Dng
Publisher: Nng
Publishing House

 B em cht cch y mt tun, nng ni. VI

Ung thu t cung.

FR

Mon pre est mort il y a une semaine,"

dit-elle. "Un cancer de l'intestin.

EN

"My father died a week ago," she said.

"Cancer of the bowel.

6. Mistranslation
into Target Language

6. Mistranslation
into Target Language
Intestin (French)

Bowel (English)

6. Mistranslation
into Target Language
Revised version: B em cht cch y mt
tun, nng ni. Ung thu trc trng.
How could the translator make such ridiculous
mistake???

Practice Session
Practice puts brains in your muscles.

Game: Finding Fault

Class divided into 2
teams
Each team send 2
representatives to be the
inspectors
The others are cotranslators
Translators have 20
seconds each round to
translate
Inspectors find the errors
in translated text(s)

Round 1
#01
He has a liver-spotted
Dalmatian.

#02
The old lady has liverspotted hands.

Round 1 | Answer
#01
Anh ta c mt ch ch
m nu.

#02
B lo c i bn tay
lm m i mi.

Round 2
At least five factories in southern China are
still using a widely banned practice of
sandblasting [] to wear out jeans.
(The Huffington Post)

Round 2 | Answer
C t nht 5 nh my min Nam Trung
Quc vn s dng loi cng ngh phun ct
vn b cm ti nhiu quc gia trn th
gii lm rch vi jeans.

Round 3
Cng cha s khng cht, m ch ng
mt gic di trm nm.
(Lng Vn Hng)

Round 3 | Answer
The princess shall not die, but fall into a
deep sleep for a hundred years.

Discussion
The aim of argument, or of discussion,
should not be victory, but progress.

Discussion Q1
3 grades of translation evils according to
Vladimir Nabokov (author of Lolita)
1) Errors due to ignorance or misguided
knowledge.
2) Words or passage being skipped
intentionally due to ambiguity or lack of
understandings.
3) The authors work is intentionally modified

Discussion Q1
What do you perceive to be the most
serious translation evil? Why?
Answer: The 3rd Evil

Discussion Q1
Huffingtonpost: (tm dch) Chic qun b
rch ca bn c th n cha mt b mt khng
khip - Your Distressed Jeans May Be Harboring A
Dirty Secret No China in the title
Dantri: Mc qun b Trung Quc d nhim
bnh nan y
Dantri distorted the original title
By taking advantage of most Vietnamese

Discussion Q2

In Harry Potter, the word Play Station

was translated as Trm Chi by L Lan.
Her reply:

Discussion Q2
Ti dch Play Station l Trm Chi cng
nh ti dch Mud Blood l Mu Bn, hay
house elf l gia tinh u cng mt phong
cch dch thut. Nhng t thuc... bn
quyn ca ti. Ngi khc hon ton c th
gi n l ci g khc ty . Nu mun bt
b th bt c ch no trong 7 tp sch ti
dch u c th bt b nh vy. M k
no ban u gi ci computer l my

Discussion Q2
What do you think about her reply?
Do you agree?

Thanks!
Any questions ?
Any comments are welcomed!