CHIẾN LƯỢC DỊCH CA TỪ BÀI HÁT TIẾNG HÁN SANG LỜI VIỆT: CÂN BẰNG GIỮA TRUNG THÀNH VÀ SÁNG TẠO THEO NGUYÊN LÝ PENTATHLON

Abstract

This research applies Peter Low’s Pentathlon principle to examine translation strategies employed in rendering Chinese songs into Vietnamese lyrics, particularly within the context of the “Vietnamese-lyricized Chinese pop songs” phenomenon that flourished in Vietnam from the 1990s onwards. Using a qualitative approach, the study analyzes 15 widely circulated Vietnamese versions, categorizing them into three main strategies: literal translation, adaptive (sense-for-sense) translation, and re-creative translation. Three representative cases for each strategy are selected for in-depth analysis based on five key components of the Pentathlon Principle: melody, meaning, naturalness, rhythm, and rhyme. Findings reveal that adaptive translation is the most prevalent, owing to its ability to balance semantic fidelity with lyrical fluency. Re-creative translations, despite diverging from the original content, prove highly effective in terms of artistic expression and audience reception. Literal translations, while faithful to the source, often struggle with singability and prosodic fluidity. The study contributes a nuanced framework for balancing linguistic, musical, and cultural elements in song translation, and affirms the applicability of the Pentathlon model in teaching, researching, and practicing song translation in the Vietnamese context.