THE TRANSLATION OF THEMES FROM ENGLISH INTO VIETNAMESE: THE CASE OF THE AMERICAN NOVEL “TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD” AND THE VIETNAMESE TRANSLATION “GIẾT CON CHIM NHẠI”
Main Article Content
Abstract
This paper attempts to examine how Themes in English are translated into Vietnamese. The data for the study are taken from the novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ written by the eminent American novelist Harper Lee and the Vietnamese version ‘Giết con chim nhại’ translated by two Vietnamese translators Huỳnh Kim Oanh and Phạm Viêm Phương. The theoretical framework employed in the study is Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). The unit of analysis is independent major clause simplexes in the source text (ST) and their corresponding major independent clause simplexes in the target text (TT). The aspects of analysis and comparison are simple and multiple Themes in declarative, imperative and interrogative clause simplexes. The study shows that most Themes in English clause simplexes are closely translated and retained as Themes in corresponding Vietnamese clause simplexes. The study also indicates that there are a number of translation shifts which are partly due to the differences in clause structure of English and Vietnamese, partly due to the semantic complexity (ambiguity) of some ST question words, and partly due to the translators’ negligence of the role of Theme and its delicate choices in constructing textual meaning in the clause and developing meaning in the texts. It is clear from the study that SFL is highly relevant to translation theory and translation practice: It can stand to benefit the translator from analysis of the ST, to discussion of translation problems, to explanation for establishment of points of translation equivalence and translation shift between the choices in the TT and those in the ST, and to synthesis of the TT – the final product of the translation process.
Article Details
Keywords
Translation, Theme, Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, ‘Giết con chim nhại’, English, Vietnamese
References
Baker, M. (2018). In other words: A coursebook on translation (3th ed.). Routledge.
Bell, R. T. (1991). Translation and translating: Theory and practice. Longman.
Cao, X. H. (2004). Tiếng Việt: Sơ thảo ngữ pháp chức năng (Vietnamese: An outline of functional grammar). NXB Giáo dục.
Catford, J. C. (1965). A linguistic theory of translation. Oxford University Press.
Diep, Q. B. (2005). Ngữ pháp tiếng Việt (A Vietnamese Grammar). NXB Giáo dục.
Eggins, S. (2004). An introduction to systemic functional linguistics (2nd ed.). Continuum.
Fries, P. H. (1981). On the status of theme in English: Arguments from discourse. Forum Linguisitcum, 6(1), 1-38.
Fries, P. H. (1995a). Theme, method of development, and texts. In R. Hasan, & P. Fries (Eds.), On subject and theme: A discourse functional perspective (pp. 317-59). John Benjamins.
Fries, P. H. (1995b). Patterns of information in initial position in English. In P. H. Fries & M. Gregory (Eds.), Discourse in society: Systemic functional perspectives. Meaning and choice in language: Studies for Michael Halliday (pp. 47-66). Ablex Publishing Corporation.
Fries, P. H. (1997). Theme and new in written English. In T. Miller (Ed.), Functional approaches to written texts (pp. 230-43). English Language Programs, United States Information Agency.
Fries, P. H. (2002). The flow of information in a written text. In P. H. Fries, M. Cummings,
D. Lockwood, & W. Spruiell (Eds.), Relations of functions within and around language (pp.
117–155). Continuum.
Gregory, M. & S. Carroll (1978). Language varieties and their social contexts. Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1961). Categories of the theories of grammar. Word, 17(3), 241–292.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00437956.1961.11659756
Halliday, M. A. K. (1970). Language structure and language function. In J. Lyons (Ed.), New
horizons in linguistics (pp. 140–165). Penguin Books.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1978). Language as social semiotic: The social interpretation of language and meaning. Edward Arnold.
Halliday in Kress (Ed.) (1981). Halliday: System and function in language. Oxford University Press.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1985). An introduction to functional grammar. Edward Arnold.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1991). The notion of context in language education. In T. Le, & M. McCausland (Eds.), Language education: Interaction and development (pp. 1–25). Proceedings of the International Conference Held in Ho Chi Minh City, 30 March –1 April, 1991. University of Tasmania.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1993). The act of meaning. In J. E. Alatis (Ed.), Georgetown University
round table on languages and linguistics 1992: Language communication and social
meaning (pp. 7–21). Georgetown University Press.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1998). An introduction to functional grammar (2nd ed.) (Sixth impression). Edward Arnold.
Halliday, M. A. K. (2001). Towards a theory of good translation. In E. Steiner & C. Yallop
(Eds.), Exploring translation and multilingual text production: Beyond content (pp. 13–18).
Mouton de Gruyter.
Halliday, M. A. K. (2017). The gloosy ganoderm: Systemic functional linguistics and translation. In J. J. Webster (Ed.), Halliday in the 21st century (pp. 105–125). Bloomsbury.
Halliday, M. A. K. and Hasan, R. (1976). Cohesion in English. Longman.
Halliday, M. A. K. and Hasan, R. (1989). Language, context and text: Aspects of language in a social-semiotic perspective. Oxford University Press.
Halliday, M. A. K., McIntosh, A., and Strevens, P. (1964). The linguistic sciences and language teaching. Longmans.
Halliday, M. A. K. (2012). Dẫn luận ngữ pháp chức năng (An introduction to functional grammar). (Trans: Hoang, V. V). NXB Đại Học Quốc gia Hà Nội. https://doi.org/10.25073/2525/vnufs.4229
Halliday, M. A. K. (2017). Halliday in the 21st century. J. J. Webster (Ed.). Bloomsbury.
Halliday, M. A. K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (1999). Construing experience through meaning: A language-based approach to cognition. Cassell.
Halliday, M. A. K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2015). Halliday’s introduction to functional grammar (4th ed.). Routledge.
Hasan, R. (1993). Context for meaning. In J. E. Alatis (Ed.), Georgetown University round table on languages and linguistics 1992: Language communication and social meaning (pp. 79–103). Georgetown University Press.
Hasan, R. (1995). The conception of context in text. In P. H. Fries & M. Gregory (Eds.), Discourse in society: Systemic functional perspectives. Meaning and choice in language: Studies for Michael Halliday (pp. 183–283). Ablex Publishing Corporation.
Hasan, R. (1996). What kind of resource is language? In C. Cloran, D. G. Butt, and G. Williams (Eds.), Ways of saying: Ways of meaning. Selected papers of Ruqaiya Hasan (pp. 13-36). Cassell.
Hasan, R. (2011). Selected works of Ruqaiya Hasan on applied linguistics. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
Hasan, R. & Fries, P. (1995). Reflection on subject and theme: An introduction. In R. Hasan, & P. Fries, (Eds.), On subject and theme: A discourse functional perspective (pp. xiii-xlv). John Benjamins.
Hasan, R., & Perrett, G. (1994.). Learning to function with the other tongue: A systemic
functional perspective on second language teaching. In T. Odlin (Ed.), Perspectives on
pedagogical grammar (pp. 179–226). Cambridge University Press.
Hoang, V. V. (2007). Về khái niệm Đề ngữ trong ngôn ngữ học chức năng (On the concept of Theme in functional linguistics). Ngôn ngữ (Language), 2(213), 1-10.
Hoang, V. V. (2008). Về vị trí và tổ chức của Đề ngữ trong cú đơn và cú phức nhìn từ góc độ ngôn bản (On the order and organization of Theme in clause simplex and clause complex seen from the point of view of text). Ngôn ngữ (Language), 4(227), 19-27.
Hoang, V. V. (2012). An experiential grammar of the Vietnamese clause. NXB Giáo dục Việt Nam.
Hoang, V. V. (2018). “Bánh trôi nước” and three English versions of translation: A systemic functional comparison. VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, 34(4), 1-35. https://doi.org/10.25073/2525-2445/vnufs.4279
Hoang, V. V. (2020). The language of Vietnamese school science textbooks: A transitivity
analysis of seven lessons (texts) of Biology 8. Linguistics and the Human Sciences
14(1-2), 1-35. https://doi.org/10.1558/lhs.13751
Hoang, V. V. (2021). Systemic functional linguistics in translation: The case of translating M. A. K. Halliday’s An Introduction to Functional Grammar, Second Edition, from English into Vietnamese. Linguistics and the Human Sciences, 15(1), 52-96. https://doi.org/10.1558/lhs.4115
Hoang, V. V. (2022). Theme in the Vietnamese clause simplex: A systemic functional description. VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, 38(3), 1-34. https://doi.org/10.25073/2525-2445/vnufs.4838
Hoang, V. V. (2023). The language of Vietnamese school science textbooks: A textual analysis of ten lessons (texts) of Biology 8. Linguistics and the Human Sciences, 15(3), 285-236. https://doi.org/10.1558/lhs.24319
House, J. (2015). Translation quality assessment: Past and present. Routledge.
Kim, M., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2017). Ways to move forward in translation studies: A textual perspective. In J. Munday, & M. Zhang (Eds.), Discourse analysis in translation studies (pp. 11-26). John Benjamins Publishing Company. doi 10.1075/bct.94.01kim
Koller, W. (1979). Einfuhrung in die ubersetzungsuisenschaft (Research into the Science of
Translation). Quell und Meyer.
Koller, W. (1989). Equivalence in translation theory. In A. Chesterman (Ed.), Readings in translation theory (pp. 99–103). Loimaan Kirjapaino Oy.
Lee, H. (2002). To Kill a Mockingbird. Harperperenial Modernclassics.
Martin, J. R. (1992). English text: System and structure. John Benjamins.
Martin, J. R., & Rose, D. (2013). Working with discourse: Meaning beyond the clause (2nd
ed.). Bloomsbury.
Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (1995). Lexicogrammatical cartography: English systems. International Language Sciences Publishers.
Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2001). The environments of translation. In E. Steiner, & C. Yallop (Eds.), Exploring translation and multilingual text production: Beyond content (pp. 41–124). Mouton de Gruyter.
Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2013). Appliable discourse analysis. In F. Yan, & J. J. Webster (Eds.), Developing systemic functional linguistics: Theory and application (pp. 135–205). Equinox.
Matthiessen, C. M. I. M., & Bateman, J. A. (1991). Systemic linguistics and text generation: Experience from Japanese and English. Frances Pinter.
Matthiessen, C. M. I. M., Teruya, K., & Lam, M. (2010). Key terms in systemic functional linguistics. Continuum.
Munday, J., & Zhang, M. (2017). Introduction. In J. Munday & M. Zhang (Eds.), Discourse analysis in translation studies (pp. 1-9). John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Nguyen, T. H. V. (2015). Cấu tạo và chức năng thông báo của Đề trong câu đơn tiếng Việt (Structure and information function of the Vietnamese simple sentence). Unpublished doctoral dissertation. VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Olo Tomori, S. H. (1982). The morphology and syntax of present-day English: An introduction. Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.
Popovič, A. (1976). A Dictionary for the analysis of literary translation. Edmonton, Alberta: Department of Comparative Literature, University of Alberta.
Steiner, E. (2019). Halliday’s contributions to a theory of translation. In J. J. Webster (Ed.), The Bloomsbury companion to M. A. K. Halliday (pp. 412-426). Bloomsbury Academic.
Thompson, G. (2014). Introducing functional grammar (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Thai, M. D. (1998). A Systemic-functional interpretation of Vietnamese grammar. Doctoral thesis. Department of Linguistics, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Thai, M. D. (2004). Metafunctional profile of the grammar of Vietnamese. In A. Caffarel, J. R. Martin, & C. M. I. M. Matthiessen (Eds.), Language typology: A functional perspective (pp. 397-431). John Benjamins.
Taylor, C. (1998). Language to language. Cambridge University Press.
Teruya, K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2019). Halliday in relation language comparison and typology. In J. J. Webster (Ed.), The bloomsbury companion to M. A. K. Halliday (pp. 427-452). Bloomsbury Academic.
Webster, J. J. (2015). Understanding verbal art: A functional linguistic approach. Springer.
Webster, J. J. (Ed.) (2019). The bloomsbury companion to M. A. K. Halliday. Bloomsbury Academic.
Wilss, W. (1982). Translation equivalence. In N. B. Richard (Ed.), Ten papers in translation (pp. 1-14). SEAMEO Regional Language Centre.
Bell, R. T. (1991). Translation and translating: Theory and practice. Longman.
Cao, X. H. (2004). Tiếng Việt: Sơ thảo ngữ pháp chức năng (Vietnamese: An outline of functional grammar). NXB Giáo dục.
Catford, J. C. (1965). A linguistic theory of translation. Oxford University Press.
Diep, Q. B. (2005). Ngữ pháp tiếng Việt (A Vietnamese Grammar). NXB Giáo dục.
Eggins, S. (2004). An introduction to systemic functional linguistics (2nd ed.). Continuum.
Fries, P. H. (1981). On the status of theme in English: Arguments from discourse. Forum Linguisitcum, 6(1), 1-38.
Fries, P. H. (1995a). Theme, method of development, and texts. In R. Hasan, & P. Fries (Eds.), On subject and theme: A discourse functional perspective (pp. 317-59). John Benjamins.
Fries, P. H. (1995b). Patterns of information in initial position in English. In P. H. Fries & M. Gregory (Eds.), Discourse in society: Systemic functional perspectives. Meaning and choice in language: Studies for Michael Halliday (pp. 47-66). Ablex Publishing Corporation.
Fries, P. H. (1997). Theme and new in written English. In T. Miller (Ed.), Functional approaches to written texts (pp. 230-43). English Language Programs, United States Information Agency.
Fries, P. H. (2002). The flow of information in a written text. In P. H. Fries, M. Cummings,
D. Lockwood, & W. Spruiell (Eds.), Relations of functions within and around language (pp.
117–155). Continuum.
Gregory, M. & S. Carroll (1978). Language varieties and their social contexts. Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1961). Categories of the theories of grammar. Word, 17(3), 241–292.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00437956.1961.11659756
Halliday, M. A. K. (1970). Language structure and language function. In J. Lyons (Ed.), New
horizons in linguistics (pp. 140–165). Penguin Books.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1978). Language as social semiotic: The social interpretation of language and meaning. Edward Arnold.
Halliday in Kress (Ed.) (1981). Halliday: System and function in language. Oxford University Press.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1985). An introduction to functional grammar. Edward Arnold.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1991). The notion of context in language education. In T. Le, & M. McCausland (Eds.), Language education: Interaction and development (pp. 1–25). Proceedings of the International Conference Held in Ho Chi Minh City, 30 March –1 April, 1991. University of Tasmania.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1993). The act of meaning. In J. E. Alatis (Ed.), Georgetown University
round table on languages and linguistics 1992: Language communication and social
meaning (pp. 7–21). Georgetown University Press.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1998). An introduction to functional grammar (2nd ed.) (Sixth impression). Edward Arnold.
Halliday, M. A. K. (2001). Towards a theory of good translation. In E. Steiner & C. Yallop
(Eds.), Exploring translation and multilingual text production: Beyond content (pp. 13–18).
Mouton de Gruyter.
Halliday, M. A. K. (2017). The gloosy ganoderm: Systemic functional linguistics and translation. In J. J. Webster (Ed.), Halliday in the 21st century (pp. 105–125). Bloomsbury.
Halliday, M. A. K. and Hasan, R. (1976). Cohesion in English. Longman.
Halliday, M. A. K. and Hasan, R. (1989). Language, context and text: Aspects of language in a social-semiotic perspective. Oxford University Press.
Halliday, M. A. K., McIntosh, A., and Strevens, P. (1964). The linguistic sciences and language teaching. Longmans.
Halliday, M. A. K. (2012). Dẫn luận ngữ pháp chức năng (An introduction to functional grammar). (Trans: Hoang, V. V). NXB Đại Học Quốc gia Hà Nội. https://doi.org/10.25073/2525/vnufs.4229
Halliday, M. A. K. (2017). Halliday in the 21st century. J. J. Webster (Ed.). Bloomsbury.
Halliday, M. A. K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (1999). Construing experience through meaning: A language-based approach to cognition. Cassell.
Halliday, M. A. K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2015). Halliday’s introduction to functional grammar (4th ed.). Routledge.
Hasan, R. (1993). Context for meaning. In J. E. Alatis (Ed.), Georgetown University round table on languages and linguistics 1992: Language communication and social meaning (pp. 79–103). Georgetown University Press.
Hasan, R. (1995). The conception of context in text. In P. H. Fries & M. Gregory (Eds.), Discourse in society: Systemic functional perspectives. Meaning and choice in language: Studies for Michael Halliday (pp. 183–283). Ablex Publishing Corporation.
Hasan, R. (1996). What kind of resource is language? In C. Cloran, D. G. Butt, and G. Williams (Eds.), Ways of saying: Ways of meaning. Selected papers of Ruqaiya Hasan (pp. 13-36). Cassell.
Hasan, R. (2011). Selected works of Ruqaiya Hasan on applied linguistics. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
Hasan, R. & Fries, P. (1995). Reflection on subject and theme: An introduction. In R. Hasan, & P. Fries, (Eds.), On subject and theme: A discourse functional perspective (pp. xiii-xlv). John Benjamins.
Hasan, R., & Perrett, G. (1994.). Learning to function with the other tongue: A systemic
functional perspective on second language teaching. In T. Odlin (Ed.), Perspectives on
pedagogical grammar (pp. 179–226). Cambridge University Press.
Hoang, V. V. (2007). Về khái niệm Đề ngữ trong ngôn ngữ học chức năng (On the concept of Theme in functional linguistics). Ngôn ngữ (Language), 2(213), 1-10.
Hoang, V. V. (2008). Về vị trí và tổ chức của Đề ngữ trong cú đơn và cú phức nhìn từ góc độ ngôn bản (On the order and organization of Theme in clause simplex and clause complex seen from the point of view of text). Ngôn ngữ (Language), 4(227), 19-27.
Hoang, V. V. (2012). An experiential grammar of the Vietnamese clause. NXB Giáo dục Việt Nam.
Hoang, V. V. (2018). “Bánh trôi nước” and three English versions of translation: A systemic functional comparison. VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, 34(4), 1-35. https://doi.org/10.25073/2525-2445/vnufs.4279
Hoang, V. V. (2020). The language of Vietnamese school science textbooks: A transitivity
analysis of seven lessons (texts) of Biology 8. Linguistics and the Human Sciences
14(1-2), 1-35. https://doi.org/10.1558/lhs.13751
Hoang, V. V. (2021). Systemic functional linguistics in translation: The case of translating M. A. K. Halliday’s An Introduction to Functional Grammar, Second Edition, from English into Vietnamese. Linguistics and the Human Sciences, 15(1), 52-96. https://doi.org/10.1558/lhs.4115
Hoang, V. V. (2022). Theme in the Vietnamese clause simplex: A systemic functional description. VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, 38(3), 1-34. https://doi.org/10.25073/2525-2445/vnufs.4838
Hoang, V. V. (2023). The language of Vietnamese school science textbooks: A textual analysis of ten lessons (texts) of Biology 8. Linguistics and the Human Sciences, 15(3), 285-236. https://doi.org/10.1558/lhs.24319
House, J. (2015). Translation quality assessment: Past and present. Routledge.
Kim, M., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2017). Ways to move forward in translation studies: A textual perspective. In J. Munday, & M. Zhang (Eds.), Discourse analysis in translation studies (pp. 11-26). John Benjamins Publishing Company. doi 10.1075/bct.94.01kim
Koller, W. (1979). Einfuhrung in die ubersetzungsuisenschaft (Research into the Science of
Translation). Quell und Meyer.
Koller, W. (1989). Equivalence in translation theory. In A. Chesterman (Ed.), Readings in translation theory (pp. 99–103). Loimaan Kirjapaino Oy.
Lee, H. (2002). To Kill a Mockingbird. Harperperenial Modernclassics.
Martin, J. R. (1992). English text: System and structure. John Benjamins.
Martin, J. R., & Rose, D. (2013). Working with discourse: Meaning beyond the clause (2nd
ed.). Bloomsbury.
Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (1995). Lexicogrammatical cartography: English systems. International Language Sciences Publishers.
Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2001). The environments of translation. In E. Steiner, & C. Yallop (Eds.), Exploring translation and multilingual text production: Beyond content (pp. 41–124). Mouton de Gruyter.
Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2013). Appliable discourse analysis. In F. Yan, & J. J. Webster (Eds.), Developing systemic functional linguistics: Theory and application (pp. 135–205). Equinox.
Matthiessen, C. M. I. M., & Bateman, J. A. (1991). Systemic linguistics and text generation: Experience from Japanese and English. Frances Pinter.
Matthiessen, C. M. I. M., Teruya, K., & Lam, M. (2010). Key terms in systemic functional linguistics. Continuum.
Munday, J., & Zhang, M. (2017). Introduction. In J. Munday & M. Zhang (Eds.), Discourse analysis in translation studies (pp. 1-9). John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Nguyen, T. H. V. (2015). Cấu tạo và chức năng thông báo của Đề trong câu đơn tiếng Việt (Structure and information function of the Vietnamese simple sentence). Unpublished doctoral dissertation. VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Olo Tomori, S. H. (1982). The morphology and syntax of present-day English: An introduction. Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.
Popovič, A. (1976). A Dictionary for the analysis of literary translation. Edmonton, Alberta: Department of Comparative Literature, University of Alberta.
Steiner, E. (2019). Halliday’s contributions to a theory of translation. In J. J. Webster (Ed.), The Bloomsbury companion to M. A. K. Halliday (pp. 412-426). Bloomsbury Academic.
Thompson, G. (2014). Introducing functional grammar (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Thai, M. D. (1998). A Systemic-functional interpretation of Vietnamese grammar. Doctoral thesis. Department of Linguistics, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Thai, M. D. (2004). Metafunctional profile of the grammar of Vietnamese. In A. Caffarel, J. R. Martin, & C. M. I. M. Matthiessen (Eds.), Language typology: A functional perspective (pp. 397-431). John Benjamins.
Taylor, C. (1998). Language to language. Cambridge University Press.
Teruya, K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2019). Halliday in relation language comparison and typology. In J. J. Webster (Ed.), The bloomsbury companion to M. A. K. Halliday (pp. 427-452). Bloomsbury Academic.
Webster, J. J. (2015). Understanding verbal art: A functional linguistic approach. Springer.
Webster, J. J. (Ed.) (2019). The bloomsbury companion to M. A. K. Halliday. Bloomsbury Academic.
Wilss, W. (1982). Translation equivalence. In N. B. Richard (Ed.), Ten papers in translation (pp. 1-14). SEAMEO Regional Language Centre.