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Field: English Linguistics
Code: 60 22 15
Hanoi - 2011

Hanoi - 2011

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OF CONSTRUCTION TEXTS

Nghiên cứu việc dịch Việt – Anh các tài liệu trong chuyên ngành
xây dựng
M.A. Minor Programme Thesis Field: English Linguistics
Code: 60 22 15
Supervisor : Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lê Hùng Tiến
Hanoi - 2011

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
SL: Source language
TL: Target language
ST: Source text

PART ONE – INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………1
1. Rationale ……………………………………………………………………………… 1
2. Aims of the study……………………………………………………………………… 1
3. Scope of the study ……………………………………………………………………….1
4. Methods of the study…………………………………………………………………… 2
5. Design of the study …………………………………………………………………… 2

PART TWO – DEVELOPMENT…………………………………………………………….3
CHAPTER I: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND …………………………………………3
I.1. Translation theory…………………………………………………………………………3
I.1.1. Definition of translation………………………………………………………… 3
I.1.2. Translation methods …………………………………………………………… 3
I.1.3. Translation procedures………………………………………………………… 6
I.1.4. Translation equivalence…………………………………………………………10
I.2. Technical translation and construction texts……………………………………………14
I.2.1. Technical translation…………………………………………………………….14
I.2.1.1. Definition of technical translation…………………………………………14
I.2.1.2. Technical translation methods…………………………………………… 14
I.2.2. Construction texts………………………………………………………………15
CHAPTER II: AN INVESTIGATION INTO VIETNAMESE – ENGLISH
TRANSLATION OF CONSTRUCTION TEXTS…………………………………………17

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II.1. Translation of construction texts……………………… …………………………….17
II.1.1. Translation of lexical items ……………………………………………………………17
II.1.1.1. Technical terms …………………………………………………………………… 17
II.1.1.2. Synonyms …………………………………………………………………………… 19
II.1.1.3. Word meaning and word form…………………………………………………… 20
II.1.2. Translation of syntactic structures …………………………………………………….20
II.1.2.1. Lengthy and complex sentences……………………………………………………21

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century. The next
following years may see the development in many fields of construction: house, road, bridge
and so on. In the open economy with many foreign investment projects and international co-
operations, translation of construction texts, therefore, has become an urgent need to exchange
information and update modern constructional technology from developed countries.
Being a co-assistance of a translation agency, I am fully aware that the translation of texts in
construction is a difficult job. It requires the translators to continuously improve basic
knowledge in construction field as well as skill in dealing with situations relating to lexical
terms and syntactic structures…
That is the reason why I have decided to carry out a study on Vietnamese-English translation
of texts in construction for my MA minor thesis with the hope that the study can provide a
general view and give useful suggestions to translation of construction texts.
2. Aims of the study
The study is aimed at
- Investigating fundamental aspects in translation of construction texts.
- Identifying the problems relating to translation of construction texts.
- Finding out major causes of the problems and suggestions for solution to the problems
in translation.
3. Scope of the study
As the translation of texts in construction belong to technical translation, it has it own
characteristics. The translators, therefore, has to try his/her best to fulfill his/her job. Within
the scope of this study, a study on the translation of construction texts is very exclusive to talk
about. However, due to the limitation of time, my minor thesis only deals with some aspects,

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problems, major causes of problems and solution to the problems in translation of texts in
construction.
4. Methods of the study
In order to achieve the goal of the study, the main method is quantitative data analysis. Firstly,

I.1. Translation theory
I.1.1. Definition
Translation has been approached from a scientific point of view by linguists through times and
thus has been defined variously. Different linguists have put the definition of translation in
various ways, among which the followings stand out.
We start with a definition quoted from the Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics.
―Translation is the replacement of a text in one language (Source language –SL) by an
equivalent text in another language (Target language – TL)‖ and it is then followed by other
linguists, (Catford, 1965).
―Translation is the expression in another language (or target language) of what has been
expressed in another, source language, preserving semantic and stylistic equivalences‖
(Larson, 1984).
These definitions, in spite of slight differences in the expressions, there are still common
features which can be realized as the notion of movement between languages, content and the
responsibility to find equivalents that preserve the attributes or characteristic features of the
original text. It is a notion of equivalence, which will be taken into consideration in the next
part.
I.1.2. Translation methods
Translation methods are ways of translating for the widest range of texts or text categories.
They provide a framework of principles, restricted rules and hints for translating texts and
criticizing translations, a background for problem-solving.
Translation methodology is considered the utmost importance and the guideline in translation
job. The central problem of translating has always been whether to translate literally or freely.
The argument has been going on and on for a very long time. Some writers favoured some

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kinds of free translation: the spirit not the letter, the sense not the words, the message rather
than the form, the matter not the manner.
Larson (1984) divides translation into two main kinds: literal and idiomatic. According to the
author, literal translation is form-based while idiomatic translation is meaning-based. For

I.1.2.3. Faithful translation
A faithful translation attempts to reproduce precise contextual meaning within the constraints
of TL grammatical structures. It transfers cultural words and preserves the grammatical and
lexical abnormality
I.1.2.4. Semantic translation
Semantic translation is somehow similar to faithful translation. However it takes more account
of the aesthetic value of SL text. It is more flexible, less dogmatic than faithful translation.
Semantic translation admits the creative exception and makes some small concessions to the
readership
I.1.2.5. Communicative translation
Communicative translation attempts to render the exact contextual meaning of the original in
such a way that both language and content are readily acceptable and comprehensible to the
readership.
I.1.2.6. Idiomatic translation
This method reproduces the message of the original but tends to distort nuances of meaning by
preferring colloquialisms and idioms.
I.1.2.7. Free translation

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This reproduces the matter without the manner, or the content without the form of the original.
Usually it is a paraphrase much longer than the original.
I.1.2.8. Adaptation translation
Adaptation translation is the freest form of translation mainly used for plays and poetry:
themes, characters, plots preserved, SL culture converted to TL culture and text is rewritten.
I.1.3. Translation procedures
Definition of Translation procedures: Translation procedures are methods applied by
translators when they formulate equivalence for the purpose of transferring elements of

 Shifts or transpositions: it involves a change in the grammar from SL to TL, for
instance, (i) change from singular to plural, (ii) the change required when a specific SL
structure does not exist in the TL, (iii) change of an SL verb to a TL word, change of
an SL noun group to a TL noun and so forth. (Newmark, 1988b:86)
 Modulation: it occurs when the translator reproduces the message of the
original text in the TL text in conformity with the current norms of the TL, since the
SL and the TL may appear dissimilar in terms of perspective. (Newmark, 1988b:88)
 Recognized translation: it occurs when the translator "normally uses the official
or the generally accepted translation of any institutional term." (Newmark, 1988b:89)
 Compensation: it occurs when loss of meaning in one part of a sentence is
compensated in another part. (Newmark, 1988b:90)

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 Paraphrase: in this procedure the meaning of the CBT is explained. Here the
explanation is much more detailed than that of descriptive equivalent. (Newmark,
1988b:91)
 Couplets: it occurs when the translator combines two different procedures.
(Newmark, 1988b:91)
 Notes: notes are additional information in a translation. (Newmark, 1988b:91)
Vinay and Darbelnet (1965) first proposed 7 procedures operating on three level of style:
lexis, distribution, and message.
The procedures were classified as direct or literal translation and oblique translation.
Literal translation occurs when there is an exact structural, lexical, even morphological equivalence
between two languages. According to the authors, this is only possible when the two languages are
very close to each other.
Oblique translation occurs when word for word translation is impossible.

Direct
Indirect (Oblique)
1.Borrowing

expression and lexicalized terms.
Adaptation refers to a shift in cultural environment, for instance, to express the message using
a different situation. Translators have to adapt a source language situation when it does not
exist in the target language or would be considered inappropriate in the target culture.
According to Nida (1964) there are three types of translation procedures: additions,
subtractions and alterations. They are used (1) to adjust the form of the message to the
characteristics of the structure of the target language, (2) to produce semantically equivalent
structures, (3) to generate appropriate stylistic equivalences and (4) to produce an equivalent
communicative effect.
A translator makes an addition when he needs to clarify an elliptic expression, to avoid
ambiguity in the target language, to change a grammatical category, to amplify implicit
elements or to add connectors

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Subtraction refers to the omission of words or phrases if they are not essential to the meaning
or impact of the text.
Alterations are changes made because of incompatibilities between the two languages due to
structural differences between the two languages such as changes in word order, grammatical
categories and semantic misfits, especially with idiomatic expressions.
In Delisle‘sopinion, translation procedures consider textual micro-units to say the result of the
translation functions in relation to the corresponding unit in the source text.
Delisle (1993) introduces some variations to the translation procedures and maintain the term
procedure for Vinay and Darbelnet‘s procedures. He also introduces a different terminology –
translation strategies, translation errors, operations in the cognitive process of tranlating. He
lists several of these categories as contrasting pairs. In his review of Vinay and Darbelnet
which are all classified as opposing pairs except for the procedures of compensation and
inversion such as: reinforcement/condensation and amplification/ economy, he reduces them
to a single pair: reinfocement/ economy. Reinforcement is to use more words in the TT than
the ST to express the same idea. He distinguishes three types of reinforcement: Dissolution,
explicitation, periphrasis. Economy is to use fewer words in the TT than the ST to express the

to translate the meaning of the original in such a way that the TL wording will trigger the same
impact on the TL audience as the original wording did upon the ST audience. They say that
'Frequently, the form of the original text is changed; but as long as the change follows the
rules of back transformation in the source language, of contextual consistency in the transfer,
and of transformation in the receptor language, the message is preserved and the translation is
faithful'. (Nida and Taber, 1982:200).
I.1.4.2. Baker’s approach to translation equivalence
Baker‘s theory of translation equivalence combines both the linguistic and the communicative
approach. She explores the notion of non-equivalence at different levels and in relation to the
translation process.

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 Non-equivalence at word level
It means that the target language has no direct equivalence for a word which occurs in the
source text. Common problems of non-equivalence then involve such cases as culture-specific
concept, the SL concept is not lexicalized in the target language, the SL is semantically
complex, the SL and TL make different distinctions in meaning, the TL lacks a subordinate,
the TL lacks a specific term (hyponym), differences in physical or interpersonal perspective,
difference in expressive meaning, difference in form, difference in frequency and purpose of
using specific forms, the use of loan words in the source text
 Non-equivalence above word level
According to Baker‘s theory, non-equivalence above word level is referred to the differences
in collocation, idiom and fixed expression translation of the SL and the TL, which create
potential pitfalls and can cause pose various problems in translation.
 Grammatical equivalence
Differences in grammatical structures in SL and TL may cause considerable changes in the
way the information or message is carried across. For many cases, translators need to add or
omit functional word or even information in the TT because of the lack of particular
grammatical devices in the TL or the insufficient meaning in the ST. Baker focuses on
common grammatical devices such as number, tense and aspects, voice, person and gender

 Text-normative equivalence
The SL and TL words are used in the same or similar text types in their respective languages.
 Pragmatic equivalence
Pragmatic equivalence means translating the text for a particular readership. The expectations
of the target readers have to be considered. It is also called ―communicative equivalence‖
 Formal equivalence

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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. The SL and TL have the same formal-aesthetic features-orthographic or phonological
features, etc.
I.1.4.4. Vinay and Darbelnet and their definition of “full equivalence”
Vinay and Darbelnet view equivalence-oriented translation as a procedure which 'replicates
the same situation as in the original, whilst using completely different wording' (ibid.:342).
They also suggest that, if this procedure is applied during the translation process, it can
maintain the stylistic impact of the SL text in the TL text. According to them, equivalence is
therefore the ideal method when the translator has to deal with proverbs, idioms, clichés,
nominal or adjectival phrases and the onomatopoeia of animal sounds.
With regard to equivalent expressions between language pairs, Vinay and Darbelnet claim that
they are acceptable as long as they are listed in a bilingual dictionary as 'full equivalents'
(ibid.:255). However, later they note that glossaries and collections of idiomatic expressions
'can never be exhaustive' (ibid.:256). They conclude by saying that 'the need for creating
equivalences arises from the situation, and it is in the situation of the SL text that translators
have to look for a solution' (ibid.: 255). Indeed, they argue that even if the semantic equivalent
of an expression in the SL text is quoted in a dictionary or a glossary, it is not enough, and it
does not guarantee a successful translation.
I.2. Technical translation and construction texts
I.2.1. Technical translation
I.2.1.1. Definition of technical translation

imaginative literature and popular journalism, and may have to be changed.

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The title of the SL article is often two long by English standard and could be omitted. Besides,
the ―general‖ word is best slightly shifted in translation to application. In addition, the title has
transparent collocation.
He adds that most errors in technical translation are caused be misleading adjective plus noun
collocation for standardized terms. In non-standardized language, transparent or motivated
verb plus object, or subject plus verb collocation can also be misleading.
 Going through the text
It is recommended by Newmark that the translator should read the text through to get the gist
and underline all words and structures that appear to contain problems: new technical terms,
unfamiliar apparent transparent words with morphemes, figures and symbols, syntactic
ambiguity, verb forms The translator, then, can translate sentence by sentence, making
grammatical shifts to form natural language.
In technical translation , the translator can be as and free in recasting grammar (cutting up
sentence, transposing clause, converting verbs to nouns, etc.) as in any other type of
informative or vocative text, provided the original is defective.
Lexically, the main characteristic of technical language is its actual richness and its potential
infinity. The translator has to ensure equivalent level of register. Also he/she has to adjust the
translated sentence in each technical style.
I.2.2. Construction texts
Nowadays due to the dominant role of the global needs for construction, there is a great
opportunity for translation of construction texts (CT). The translation of CT is one part of
technical translation; therefore, it is distinguished from other forms of translation by its
characteristics, its terminology and syntactic features, etc.
Construction texts appear in different forms such as construction reports, construction
procedures and specifications, constructional contracts, constructional investment project,
construction tender documents and so on. In term of style, those texts are in neutral style, the
highest priority is given to denotational meaning. In addition, the language used in the texts is

CONSTRUCTION TEXTS
II.1. Translation of construction texts
Translation is a very complicated process, it is complicated because it involves many aspects
that need to be paid attention and clarified by the translator during the translating process.
Concerning to translation of technical texts in general and technical construction texts in
particular, the documents are written for the experts or the ones specialized in the construction
field not for the lay people. The translator has to carefully take into considerations every
aspect in order to make it successful translation. Nonetheless, lexical items and syntactic
structures are the two main aspects that should be discussed and analyzed in the translation
process.
II.1.1. Translation of lexical items
Lexical items are bone of technical texts in general and technical texts in construction in
particular. They embody the process of knowledge distillation. In construction texts, a lot of
special expressions like acronyms, abbreviation, figures, symbols, and formulas etc are used.
Thus translating lexical items accurately is very important and it becomes the first and
foremost aspect that matters the translator.
II.1.1.1. Technical terms
As suggested by Newmark (1988), the central difficulty in construction text translation is the
technical terms, the new and difficult terminologies. In fact, there have been no translators
who are products of courses that provide technical translation training. Thus, translating
technical terms becomes a challenging matter for a translator of CT.
The following examples are highly specialized terms in construction. To render them into
English is not an easy task at all.
Vietnamese English
Đầm lèn Compaction

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Đá dăm lu khô Dry bound macadam
Đất gia cố guđrong Tar-stabilized soil
Cốt liệu thô Coarse aggregate

H
n
– Chiều sâu từ mặt nước đến mặt đất (đáy sông, đáy hồ ) khi bắt đầu khoan hoặc
kết thúc khoan (m).

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Cao độ lỗ khoan phải được ghi chép đầy đủ vào nhật ký khoan và theo quy trình 22TCN259-
2000.
The terms in bold may be new and unfamiliar to a non-construction majored translator. He/she
may be confused in getting the meaning of these terms in the source texts, and choosing the
words in the target language so that the translation is correct may become challenging. It takes
the translator time and experience to find proper translated version.
Measurement of drill hole elevation must be carried out by the level or the theodolite. Error
span between two measurement times will not be over
mmL50
, with L is the distance
from the bench mark to drill hole calculated in km.
When drilling is carried out by floating means, identification of drill hole elevation must be
done and calculated based on the following formula:
Z
m
= Z
n
- H
n
(1)
While: Z
m
- Elevation of drill hole mouth when starting of finishing drilling
Z