TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i
ABSTRACT ii
PART A: INTRODUCTION 3
1. Rationale 3
2. Scope of the study 4
3. Aims of the study 4
4. Method of the study 5
5. Design of the study 5
PART B: DEVELOPMENT 7
CHAPTER I: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 7
1. Terminology 7
1.1. Definition of terminology 7
1.2. General features of terminology 8
1.3. Formation of terminology 9
1.4. Words and neologisms 11
2. Translation theory 11
2.1. Definition of translation 11
2.2. Translation methods 12
2.3. Translation equivalence 13
2.4. Translation procedures 15
2.5. Technical term translation 19
CHAPTER II: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TERM TRANSLATION 20
1. Structural features of Vietnamese mechanical engineering terms 20
1.1. Simple terms 20
1.2. Complex terms 20
2. Structural features of English mechanical engineering terms 22
2.1. Simple terms 22
2.2. Complex terms 23
3. English-Vietnamese translation of mechanical engineering terms 24
3.1. English-Vietnamese translation of mechanical engineering simple terms.24

that they do not have enough knowledge of mechanical engineering and that Vietnamese
language has not had words that can express or present the meaning of some English terms
exactly. In this case, they need study and choose suitable translation strategies to carry out
the English-Vietnamese translation of terms in materials for mechanical engineering
effectively.
In addition, translation studies and applications are also important in English language
teaching. Translation is really useful for teachers who teach English for mechanical
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engineering. They can save time and sometimes help their students understand English
lessons more profoundly when they translate some English mechanical terms into
Vietnamese equivalents. In this case, they do not need analyse or explain English terms by
using other English words, which may cause confusion, waste much time, and make their
lectures more difficult. Moreover, teachers, students and engineers can understand and
translate English materials into Vietnamese more exactly and easily when they apply
appropriate translation strategies. It is better when they have the knowledge of English and
Vietnamese languages, translation theories as well as mechanical engineering to deal with
difficult mechanical engineering terms in English and Vietnamese languages.
It can be said that technical term translation in general and mechanical engineering
term translation in particular represent one of the most difficult tasks for everyone. In fact,
in Vietnam there are not many studies on English-Vietnamese translation of terms in
science and technology especially mechanical engineering and the need for and important
role of studies on the English-Vietnamese translation of mechanical engineering terms are
increasing.
Therefore, the author decides to carry out a study on the English-Vietnamese
translation of terms in the materials for mechanical engineering. Hopefully, the thesis
would bring concrete benefits to translators/interpreters, researchers, engineers, teachers,
students and so on.
2. Scope of the study
There are innumerable English and Vietnamese mechanical engineering terms in many
materials for mechanical engineering. The study concentrates on typical English terms and

linguistics will be applied in the thesis.
The materials for mechanical engineering are derived from books, bilingual
dictionaries and downloaded from the Internet.
5. Design of the study
The study includes three main parts, a bibliography, and appendixes.
Part A: Introduction
It consists of rationales, aims, scope and methods of the study.
Part B: Development
Chapter I: Theoretical background
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The chapter provides the theory of terminology and translation.
Chapter II: Mechanical engineering term translation
The chapter analyses typical structural features of mechanical engineering terms in
both English and Vietnamese and draws out main strategies used in the English-
Vietnamese translation of mechanical engineering terms.
Part C: Conclusion
The conclusion summarizes a number of common translation strategies and makes
some comments on them.
In addition, Part C gives some suggestions for translation, dictionaries editing, English
language teaching, and the standardization of Vietnamese mechanical engineering
terminology. Finally, the part C suggests further study.
References
Data sources
Appendixes.
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PART B: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER I: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
The chapter will provide typical theories on terminology and translation considered a
basis for studying the English – Vietnamese translation of mechanical engineering terms.
1. Terminology

1.2. General features of terminology
There are different ideas about features of terminology. In general, many linguists have
common agreement about the following general features of terminology. They are
systematic, accurate, international, and national.
1.2.1. Systematic
This is the most important characteristic of terminology. In one terminology system,
each term is dependent on others. The characteristic helps terms define their positions in
one terminology system. Terms name things, events, phenomena, activities, and
concepts…which exist objectively and have relations with other terms in a particular
system with disciplines controlling their existence and development, so their concepts can
be easily comprehended (Nguyen Thien Giap, 1999).
1.2.2. Accurate
Nowadays, science and technology have dramatically developed, and terminology
plays an important role in building a specific theory. To understand the theory, it is
necessary to know the terms which are used to present the theory. To help the reader
thoroughly comprehend any scientific and technical objects, terms must have functions of
exactly naming and correctly define the objects without confusion. Therefore, terminology
is featured with accuracy.
1.2.3. National
Each nation should use its own language’s terms to express scientific concepts and
avoid abusing foreign terms. Luu Van Lang (1977:58) states that terminology in any
scientific fields or specific fields must be part of one national language, so terminology
must be national and have the national language’ features.
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1.2.4. International
Besides national charateristic, terminology is international. This seems to be
contradictory, but in fact it is very logical. The vocabulary system of each language brings
the typical features of a nation which uses that language but science is the common fortune
of human beings. Theories or concepts of mathematics, physics, and biology… are
universally used. It is impossible that theories on biology in Vietnam are different from

Transdisciplinary borrowing: as internal borrowing, it refers to situations where a
designation from one specific subject field is used in another one to represent a different
concept. The general features making up the intension of both concepts in both subject
fields are often comparable and analogous, e.g.
‘Reaction’
In Chemistry: interaction among two or more chemical elements or compounds,
resulting in the creation of another chemical compound.
In Physics: force of equal magnitude and opposite direction, developed due to action
of any given force.
Conversion: as the morphosyntactically differentiated usage of a single form, e.g.
Input (noun) – input (verb), intake (noun) – intake (verb)
Semantic transfer within a special language: An existing term in a special language
is used to designate a different concept, by an analogous extension. These are some main
modes of semantic transfer:
Simile: this is usually expressed by means of suffixes (–like, -style, -type…), e.g.
Noise-like error, ethernet-like interface, bus-type interface.
Synecdoche: this is the most productive technique of utilizing existing forms, which
is referred to as systematic polysemy in the contemporary linguistic theory of semantics,
e.g. ‘Screen’
Concrete: the part of a computer on which information is displayed
Abstract: the information displayed on this computer part.
•Interlingual borrowing:
Terms existing in one language can be introduced into another language by means of:
Direct borrowing: e.g. English: diameter, spiral (from Ancient Greek)
Loan translation: The morphological elements of a term or whole words from the
source language are translated literally (“word by word”) to form a new term in the target
language, e.g. German: die nische (from ‘niche’ in French).
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1.4. Words and neologisms
In translation, it is necessary to distinguish terms with neologisms and words.

context but inappropriate to other contexts. Newmark (1988b) presents eight main methods
of translation including each method’s features and applications.
Word – for- word translation
The method is often considered interlinear translation with the TL immediated below
the SL words. Newmark (1988b:45) states: “The SL word – order is preserved and the
words translated singly by their most common meanings, out of context. Cultural words
are translated literally. The main use of word – for – word translation is either to
understand the mechanics of the source language or to construe a difficult text as a pre-
translation process.”
Literal translation
As it is stated by Newmark (1988b:46), “the SL grammatical constructions are
converted to their nearest TL equivalents but the lexical words are again translated singly,
out of context. As a pre-translation process, this indicates the problems to be solved”.
Faithful translation
The method tries to reproduce “the precise contextual meaning of the original within
the constraints of the TL grammatical structures” and “it attempts to be completely faithful
to the intentions and the text-realization of the SL writer” (Newmark, 1988b:46).
Semantic translation
Newmark (1988b:46) distinguishes semantic translation with faithful translation. The
method is different from “faithful translation” “only in as far as it must take more account
of the aesthetic value…of the SL text, compromising on “meaning” where appropriate so
that no assonance, word-play or repetition jars in the finished version. Semantic translation
is more flexible, less dogmatic than faithful translation and admits the creative exception.
Adaptation
According to Newmark (1988b:46), the method is the freest form of translation; it is
mainly use for poetry, songs and plays. The method preserves the theme, plots, and
characters. The SL culture is converted to the TL culture and the text rewritten.
Free translation
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Newmark (1988b:46) says the method reproduces the matter without the manner, the

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a. One-to-one equivalence:
A single expression in TL is equivalent to a single expression in SL. The equivalence
type often appears in terminology, e.g., information technology – công nghệ thông tin.
b. One-to-many equivalence:
More than one TL expressions are equivalent to a single SL expression, e.g., bamboo
(English) – tre/nứa/trúc/mai/vầu (Vietnamese).
c. One-to-part-of-one equivalence:
A TL expression part of a concept designated by a single SL expression, e.g., rồng
(Vietnamese) – dragon (English), bush (English) – thảo nguyên (Vietnamese).
d. Nil-equivalence:
No TL expression is equivalent to a single SL expression. In this case,
loaned/borrowed equivalents should be used, e.g., modem (English) – mô đem
(Vietnamese), áo dài (Vietnamese) – aodai (English).
In technical translation, many English terms are translated by transference (loaned
words or transcription).
2) Meaning-based equivalence:
Le Hung Tien (2006:56-59) states two kinds of meaning-based equivalence based on
the theory by Koller (1979):
a. Denotative equivalence:
The SL and TL words refer to the same thing 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', e.g., rabbit (English) – con thỏ (Vietnamese).
b. Connotative equivalence:
The SL and TL words trigger the same or similar associations in the minds of native
speakers of the two languages. This is the equivalence between the dimensions of
connotation:
• Connotation of speech level: elevated, poetic, normal, colloquial, slang…
• Connotation of socially determined usage: student language, military language…
• Connotation of geographical relation or origin: American English, Australian…

According to Newmark (1988b), literal translation is the most important of the
procedures, so he discusses it in a separate chapter. Literal translation ranges from one
word to one word, through group to group, collocation to collocation, to sentence to
sentence; the longer the unit, the rarer the one-to-one translation. This also means “above
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the word level, literal translation becomes increasingly difficult”. Newmark (1988b:81)
adds “normally, the more specific or technical a word, the less it is likely to be affected by
context” and “the more likely a literal translation”.
Therefore, literal translation is a common procedure in technical translation,
particularly technical term translation.
2.4.2. Transference
Newmark (1988b:81-82) defines “transference (emprunt, loan word, transcription) is
the process of transferring a SL word to a TL text as a translation procedure. He also gives
some following cases applied the procedure: “names of all living” and “most dead people”;
“geographical and topographical names including newly independent countries such as (le)
Zaire, Malawi, unless they already have recognised translations”; “names of periodicals
and newspapers; titles of as yet untranslated literary works, plays, films; names of private
companies and institutions; names of public or nationalized institutions, unless they have
recognized translation; street names, addresses, etc”.
Up to now, there is always argument about transference procedure, “the argument in
favour of transference is that it shows respect for the SL country’s culture. The argument
against it is that it is the translator’s job to translate, to explain” (Newmark, 1988b:82).
2.4.3. Naturalization
Newmark (1988b:82) says: “The procedure succeeds transference and adapts the SL
word first to the normal pronunciation, then to the normal morphology of the TL”.
2.4.4. Cultural equivalent
As it is stated by Newmark (1988b:82), the procedure is “an approximate translation
where a SL cultural word is translated by TL cultural words”. He clearly points out that
“the main purpose of the procedure is to support or supplement another translation
procedure in a couplet”.

type is the change from singular to plural or in the position of adjectives, nouns, adverbs.
The second type is used when a SL grammatical structures does not exist in the TL. The
third one is required when literal translation is grammatically possible but may not accord
with natural usage in the TL. The fourth type of transposition is the replacement of a
virtual lexical gap by a grammatical structure.
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As it is stated by Newmark (1988b:85), “transposition is the only translation procedure
concerned with grammar, and most translators make transpositions intuitively”.
2.4.10. Modulation
When mentioning modulation procedure, Newmark (1988b:88) analyses Vinay and
Darbelnet’ definition of the procedure. Vinay and Darbelnet (1965) coin the term
“modulation” to define “a variation through a change of viewpoint, of perspective and very
often of category of thought”. They divide modulations into “eleven rather random
categories”. However, in Newmark’s opinion the “negated contrary” category, only
important one, is not discussed by Vinay and Darbelnet. The “negated contrary” category
or “positive for double negative” (or “double negative for positive”) is a “concrete
translation procedure which can be applied in principle to any action (verb) or quality
(adjective or adverb)”.
However, it is reasonable when Newmark (1988b:88) thoroughly states “in theory
negative is not as forceful as the positive; in fact the force of the double negative depends
on the tone of voice, and therefore the appropriateness of this modulation must depend on
its formulation and the context”
Vinay and Darbelnet (1965) give several types of modulation. Some examples are:
abstract for concrete, cause for effect, one part for another, reversal of terms, active for
passive, space for time, intervals and limits, change of symbols. Practically, Vinay and
Darbelnet’s classification is not totally convincing but the types of modulation procedure
are useful in technical translation.
2.4.11. Paraphrase
The procedure is “an amplification or explanation of the meaning of a segment of the
text. It is used in an “anonymous” text when it is poorly written, or has important

In cases where there is a TL technical equivalent, the translator may translate a SL
descriptive term by a TL technical term. This shows off the translator’s knowledge and
acclimatizes the professional reader. Conversely, in cases where the translator does not
find TL equivalent for an SL technical term, he should use a descriptive term.
One of the most important requirements for a translator to become a competent
technical translator is that he has to have much knowledge of linguistics and background
knowledge of the specific field (a particular technical field).
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CHAPTER II: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TERM TRANSLATION
1. Structural features of Vietnamese mechanical engineering terms
Besides general features of terminology in languages, Vietnamese terminology is also
characterized with their own structural features. After collecting and observing a great
number of Vietnamese mechanical engineering terms, the author finds out that Vietnamese
mechanical engineering terms can be classified into two main kinds: simple terms and
complex terms. In this part, the author will describe and analyze typical structural features
of Vietnamese mechanical engineering simple terms and complex terms.
1.1. Simple terms
The number is really not great though Vietnamese consists of quite many simple
words. The general function of technical terms is to technically name the concepts of
things, phenomena, processes…. In some cases, Vietnamese simple terms do not denote
things, phenomena as well as technical and scientific processes as precisely and clearly as
complex terms do. This is one main reason for reducing the number of simple terms. The
majority of Vietnamese simple terms are nouns and verbs, e.g.
Verbs: tiện, bào, mài, rèn, đúc, nung, dập, tán, ép, nén, chặt, cắt, hàn…
Nouns: nắp, đế, giá, răng, rìu, quạt, đinh, ghim, ren, máng, bơm, van…
Vietnamese mechanical engineering simple terms may be Vietnamese-originated terms
(bào, nung, ép), Sino-Vietnamese originated terms (nhập, xuất, tuyến), or Indo-European
originated terms (van, cắt, pha). Nowadays, technology is always developed and improved,
so more and more new theories, techniques, equipments, machines, appliances, and tools
appear. This requires more and more new terms to name them. In some cases, Vietnamese

(4) T = Tv + Tv: thân dao, lưỡi cắt, bàn cắt…
(5) T = t + Tv: thiết bị cắt, bộ điều khiển, con lăn …
(6) T = t + Th: sự tăng, bộ lọc, cái kế…
(7) T = Ti + Ti: véc ni, rô to, bu lông, sú páp, lanh tô…
(8) T = Tv + Ts: trộn cáp, đầu van, tạo pha…
In addition, there are other structures which will be clearly observed in the process of
studying the English-Vietnamese translation of mechanical engineering terms.
● Specifically combined words or nominal groups: the number of such terms is big.
They usually denote specific features and details related to things, events, phenomena as
well as processes in mechanical engineering. Specifically combined words usually consist
of a noun which plays the most important role in naming things, phenomena, processes in
mechanical engineering, the other words in each specific word combination help describe
features, status, nature of concepts of things, phenomena, and processes more concretely.
Main structural models of terms which can be seen as specifically combined words (the
main word is underlined)
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T: term A: adjective
N: noun Adv: adverb
V: verb VP: verb phrase
t: adjunct ( sự, cái, con, chiếc, và, cho, của,…)
(1) T = t + N + N: sự biến đổi trạng thái, sự tiếp nhận tín hiệu xung, cái tụ đĩa, sự đổi
chiều khí, sự thay đổi không khí, sự nối khớp cầu, bộ nối âm, cái tụ đĩa…
(2) T = N + V: máy phát, máy bào, máy tiện, máy phay, ống nghe…
(3) T = t + N + A: cái tụ vi sai, bộ điều khiển sơ bộ, cái bản lề cố định, cái bản lệ chìm…
(4) T = N + VP = hệ thống điều khiển kích thước, hệ thống định vị phương sai, phím điều
khiển bánh răng…
(5) T = t + N + Adv: sự điều khiển bằng tay, sự điều khiển bằng máy, sự tính lại bừng tay,
sự dừng trước thời gian, sự hàn trong chân không…
(6) T = N + Adv: tín hiệu tới đích, máy phay bằng tay…
Apart from the above common structures, there are other ones which are unpopular, so

slot, T-junction, L head engine, I head cylinder…
The next groups are terms with structures Noun + Noun+ (Noun), (Adverb) + Verb-ing
+ Noun, Adjective + Noun + (Noun) and Adverb+ Past Participle + Noun, Noun+ Past
Participle + Noun. The following terms are examples:
Noun + Noun Delivery valve, cap nut, gear box
Verb-ing + Noun Coupling reaction, drilling cable
Adjective + Noun + (Noun) Axial force diagram, Planetary gear set
Adverb+ Past Participle + Noun Finely ground powder, directly compressed air
Noun+ Past Participle + Noun Hand made tool, water cooled engine.
In mechanical engineering terminology, the number of abbreviations is quite great and
increasing. This causes it difficult to understand them and translate them into Vietnamese.
The following table presents some examples:
Simple terms Lathe, equalizer, saw, torch, track
Complex terms Thumb tack, cheese-head screw, agent of erosion, strain cracking,
Otto cycle
Abbreviations G (acceleration due to gravity), eff (efficiency), hp (horsepower)
Acronyms LOX (liquid oxygen explosive), DO (dissolved oxygen)
Initialisms EAP (equivalent air pressure), AWS (American Welding Society)
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In conclusion, it is necessary to know the common structural features of Vietnamese
and English mechanical engineering terms to compare them together in translation process
and to find out appropriate Vietnamese equivalents for English mechanical engineering
terms.
3. English-Vietnamese translation of mechanical engineering terms
This part will study the English-Vietnamese translation of mechanical engineering
terms according to the general features and structural features of English and Vietnamese
mechanical engineering terms.
3.1. English-Vietnamese translation of mechanical engineering simple terms
The part focuses on six common groups of English mechanical engineering simple
terms.

profoundly the English term as well as the Vietnamese equivalent.
Particularly, those which refer to both people and things must be noticed in translation.
The translator should use more time considering the context of these terms to translate
them into Vietnamese terms; for example, the term regulator may be translated as máy
điều tiết or người điều tiết.
In conclusion, to understand and translate English terms which are agential nouns into
Vietnamese, the reader and translator should choose Vietnamese equivalents which consist
of elements called adjuncts like máy, cái, bộ, thiết bị, bộ phận, dụng cụ, vật, thợ, or người
and other elements which are Vietnamese or Sino-Vietnamese originated. They should
apply functional or descriptive equivalent procedure to find appropriate Vietnamese
equivalents to English terms with explanation if necessary. In case of long explanation,
they may put it in the footnote of page.
Group 2: Simple terms which are nouns
In mechanical engineering, it is necessary to focus on three typical subgroups of the
group. For the first subgroup of nouns, it includes the nouns belonging to Group 1
mentioned above and other nouns which do not end with suffix er/or, e.g., capstan – cái
tời (để kéo hay thả dây cáp), carriage - bàn xe dao, tailstock – ụ sau. Such English terms
tend to be literally translated because a SL term has a TL equivalent. In this case, the
translator usually does not find it difficult to translate an English term into a Vietnamese
term because this is one-to-one equivalence.
However, in some cases where an SL mechanical engineering term does not have TL
equivalent or it is a new term, transference and descriptive words should be used, e.g.,
coupe - coupe, xe thể thao giống sedan nhưng chỉ có hai cửa, sedan - sedan, loại xe hòm
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