Translation 1 _ FLD_ Hai Phong University

Name:……. Class:………. Date:………

CHAPTER 3: TRANSLATION ERRORS
Topic: Committing to posterity a time when time stood still
I.Important vocabulary
posterity/pɒsˈter.ə.ti/ (n): ………………………………
virtually/ˈvɜː.tʃu.ə.li/ [B2] (adv): ………………………
bewitched /bɪˈwɪtʃt/ (adj): ………………………………
intact /ɪnˈtækt/ [C2] (adj): ………………………………
communal house /ˈkɒm.jə.nəl haʊs/ (n): ………………..
reign /reɪn/ [C2] (n): ……………………………………..
betel and areca /ˈbiː.təl/ /ə.ˈri.kə/ :………………………
fidelity /fɪˈdel.ə.ti/ (n): …………………………………..
condiment /ˈkɒn.dɪ.mənt/ (n): ………………………….
glutinous rice /ˈɡluː.tɪ.nəs raɪs/ (n): ……………………
II.ATA framework for standard error marking
2.1 Introduction to ATA framework for standardized error marking ( Giới thiệu về khung
ATA)
ATA (American Translators Association) is a professional association founded to
advance the translation and interpreting professions and foster the professional development of
individual translators and interpreters.
It covers 10,000 members in more than 100 countries (translators, interpreters, teachers,
project managers, software developers, policy makers and so on).
Candidates who wish to become ATA certified translators are required to translate two
short passages.
The ATA assessment is quite a complicated system that merits detailed explanation. At
first glance, it appears entirely objective as it based on the quantification of errors
2.2 List of translation errors (Version 2015)
1. Addition 7. Faithfulness 13. Literalness 19. Register
2. Ambiguity 8. False friends 14. Mistranslation 20. Spelling
3. Capitalization 9. Grammar 15. Misunderstanding 21. Style
4. Cohesion 10. Illegibility 16. Omission 22. Syntax
5. Diacritical marks 11. Indecision 17. Punctuation 23. Terminology
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6. Unfinished 12. Usage 18. Word form/ Part

of speech
(Source: American Translators Association (2018). Retrieved
December 20,2018, from http://atanet.org/certification/aboutexams_errors.php

2.3 Common translation errors that students of FLD often made in translation process
Task: Match the name of the translation error to its description

Error Description
1. Addition a.Occur when the target text doesn’t respect the meaning of the
source text as much as possible.
2. Cohesion b. Occur when the translator introduces superfluous information
or stylistic effect.
3. Faithfulness c. Occur when an element of the information in the source text
is left out of the target text
4. Grammar d. Occur when a sentence in the translation violate the
grammatical rule of the target language.
5. Omission e. Occur when a text is hard to follow because of inconsistent
use of terminology, misuse of pronouns, inappropriate
conjunctions or other structural errors
6. Style f. Occur when the style of the translation is inappropriate for
publication or professional use.

III. Identify translation errors, give comments and evaluation on related

phenomenon in specific text
Task: Identify translation errors in the following translation products and give suggested
translations

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Translation 1 _ FLD_ Hai Phong University

Source Text (Part1) Student’s translation product (Part 1)

Duong Lam Village is a living daily life Làng Đường Lâm là một bảo tàng
museum with a lifestyle that has sống về cuộc đời thường nhật với lối
remained virtually unchanged for sống không bao giờ thay đổi trong nhiều
centuries. A bewitched Hanoian captures thế kỷ. Một người Hà Nội say mê ghi lại
its images for posterity. Tran Quoc những hình ảnh của nó cho thế hệ mai
Trung said he was motivated to make this sau. Trần Quốc Trung cho biết anh có
collection by fear that Duong Lam động lực để thực hiện bộ sưu tập này lo
Village would become a victim of sợ rằng Làng Đường Lâm sẽ trở thành
modern urbanization in the near future. nạn nhân của quá trình đô thị hóa hiện
The village, about 45 kilometers đại trong nay mai.
west of downtown Hanoi, still preserves Ngôi làng cách trung tâm thành
many of its historical and cultural phố Hà Nội khoảng 45 km về phía Tây,
features. It boasts 956 ancient houses, vẫn còn lưu giữ nhiều nét đặc trưng văn
including those built in 1649, 1703 and hóa và lịch sử. Nó neo đậu 956 ngôi nhà
around 1850. cổ, bao gồm cả những căn được xây
(Source:https://e.vnexpress.net/photo/places/ dựng vào năm 1649, 1703 và đâu đó năm
committing-to-posterity-a-time-when-time-stood- 1850.
still-4393888.html)
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Suggested answer:
Translation error1
Source text :
Translation product
Suggested text :
Suggested answer:
Translation error 2:
Source text :
Translation product:
Suggested text :
Suggested answer:
Translation error 3:
Source text :
Translation product:
Suggested text :

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Translation 1 _ FLD_ Hai Phong University

Source Text (Part2) Student’s translation product (Part 1)

Though there are many entrances to Có nhiều lối vào làng, cổng Mông
the village, the Mong Phu Gate remains a Phụ điểm xuất phát phổ biến của du
popular starting point for tourists. This is khách. Đây được cho là cổng làng cổ
reportedly the only ancient village gate duy nhất còn nguyên vẹn ở miền Bắc
left intact in northern Vietnam. Việt Nam.
The Mong Phu communal house is Đình Mông Phụ là trái tim của làng
the heart of the village and village life. và cuộc sống ở đây. Tương truyền ngôi
Legend has it that it was built on the làng được xây dựng trên trán của một
forehead of a dragon in 1684 under the con rồng vào năm 1684 dưới triều vua
reign of King Le Hien Tong in the shape Lê Hiển Tông theo hình chữ “I”. Đình
of a capital “I.” The stately building hosts làng trang nghiêm là nơi tổ chức các sự
public events, festivities and meetings. kiện cộng đồng, lễ hội và các cuộc gặp
Amongst tens of thousands of gỡ.
Vietnamese villages, Duong Lam is the Trong hàng vạn ngôi làng trên cả
first to be recognized as a national nước, người ta công nhận Đường Lâm là
architectural heritage site. Di tích kiến trúc nghệ thuật cấp Quốc
(Source:https://e.vnexpress.net/photo/places/committ gia.
ing-to-posterity-a-time-when-time-stood-still-
4393888.html)

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Translation 1 _ FLD_ Hai Phong University

Suggested answer:
Translation error 1:
Source text :
Translation product:
Suggested text :
Suggested answer:
Translation error 2:
Source text :
Translation product:
Suggested text :
Suggested answer:
Translation error 3:
Source text :
Translation product:
Suggested text :

IV. Recommendations for better translation products 1.

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HOMEWORK

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Translation 1 _ FLD_ Hai Phong University

EX1: Identify the translation errors in the following translation products and
give suggested translations.