Trinh Cong Son's Songs in Semantic and Syntactic Features

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
UNIVERSITY OF DANANG
LNG VN NHN
A STUDY OF
THE ENGLISH TRANSLATIONAL
VERSIONS OF TRINH CONG SONS
SONGS IN TERMS OF SEMANTIC AND
SYNTACTIC FEATURES
Subject Area : THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Code
:
60.22.15
M.A. THESIS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Supervisor: TRNG BCH L, Ph.D.
Danang, 2011
STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP
I certify that the present thesis A STUDY OF THE ENGLISH
TRANSLATIONAL VERSIONS OF TRINH CONG SONS SONGS IN
TERMS OF SEMANTIC AND SYNTACTIC FEATURES is my own work.
This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree in any
other institution.
Da Nang, 2011
Lng Vn Nhn
ABSTRACT
Trinh Cong Son has been the close and friendly name to many people.
Sometimes, he is the CONFIDANT to share the feelings of sadness and
happiness by singing his marvelous songs whose lyrics are weaved by brilliant
but simple and meaningful words which take a lot of time to understand some
phrases and sentences in more than 500 songs of this talent musician. His music
is so strange! Sweet floating sadness! It insinuates the human heart to make a
cool and sparkling lake with holy melodies. Has it got the SONISM when
people are drunk with his thinking?
+ Cuc i c bao lu m hng h. (Ma hng)
+ V sao ti sng? V t nc cn mt tri tim.
(Mi ngy ti chn mt nim vui)
More than 70 of his songs have been translated into many languages, such
as: English, French, Japanese, etc. because translators love Sons songs very
much and want to share and introduce those songs to friends around the world.
However, according to Professor Buu Y, a famous translator and a close friend
of Trinh Cong Son, right before translating Sons songs, translators surrender.
Translating is only for the sake of love for his music. Many English translational
versions of Vn Mai, Trn Duy Tnh, Nh Qunh, and Khng Duy, etc. or
some foreigners, such as: Richard Fuller, Patrick Gallagher, John C. Schafer and
Jason Gibbs, etc. try to convey Sons ideas in his songs. Those English
translational versions only help us understand the general meaning but are too
difficult to sing like Vietnamese versions.
Translating Trinh Cong Sons songs is an attractive trend. Beside that,

there has not been any certain research on this problem in the light of linguistics.
My research, by standing on the point of view in Translation strategies of
Newmark, Baker and Catford to study the semantic and syntactic features of 14
songs taken from Trnh Cng Sn The collection of everlasting songs. Music
press 1997. (Trnh Cng Sn Tuyn tp nhng bi ca khng nm thng. Nxb
m Nhc 1997). The research also puts forward some suggesting English
translational versions to set the implications after studying those songs.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP
ABSTRACT
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
iv
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
vii
LIST OF TABLES
viii
LIST OF CHARTS
ix
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1. RATIONALE
1.2. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
1.3. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.5. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
1.6. ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW & THEORETICAL

BACKGROUND
2.1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
6
6
2.1.1. What is translation?
2.1.2. What is equivalence?
2.1.3. Types of equivalence
10
2.1.4. What is literary translation?
16
2.1.5. Vietnam - English translation
17
2.2. TRANSLATION PROCEDURES/STRATEGIES AND METHODS
19
2.2.1. Translation procedures
19
2.2.2. Translation methods
25
2.2.3. Translation of songs
27
2.3. TRINH CONG SONS BIOGRAPHY
28
2.3.1. Writings about Trinh Cong Son and his music
29
2.3.2. Translations of Trinh Cong Sons songs
30
CHAPTER 3: METHODS AND PROCEDURES
32
3.1. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
32
3.1.1. Aims
32
3.1.2. Objectives
32
3.2. RESEARCH DESIGN
33
3.3. METHODS OF RESEARCH
33
3.4. DATA COLLECTION AND DESCRIPTION
34
3.5. RESEARCH PROCEDURES
34
3.6. SUMMARY
35
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
36
4.1. SEMANTIC FEATURES
36
4.1.1. Translation by using omission
36
4.1.1.1. Full omission
36
4.1.1.2. Partial omission
41
4.1.2. Translation by using a more neutral/less expressive word
45
4.1.3. Translation by using a more general word
50
4.1.4. Translation by using expansion
53
4.1.5. Translation by using co-hyponym
56
4.1.6. Translation by paraphrase using unrelated word
57
4.1.7. Translation by using meronymy
59
4.2. FREQUENCY OF SEMANTIC TRANSLATION STRATEGIES
59
4.3. SYNTACTIC FEATURES
61
4.3.1. Structural-shifts
62
4.3.2. Intra-system shifts
69
4.3.3. Class-shifts
72
4.4. FREQUENCY OF SYNTACTIC TRANSLATION STRATEGIES
83
4.5. SUMMARY
84
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS
86
5.1. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS
86
5.2. IMPLICATIONS FOR TRANSLATION
88
5.3. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
91
5.4. SAMPLE OF SUGGESTED TRANSLATIONS &

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY
91
5.4.1. Suggested translations of songs
91
5.4.2. Suggestions for further study
94
REFERENCES
95
CORPORA
100
QUYT NH GIAO TI
APPENDIX
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
Adj
Adjective
AP
Adjective phrase
Adv
Adverb
AdvP
Adverb phrase
Conj
Conjunction
Link
Linking
Noun
NP
Noun phrase
Pro
Pronoun
Prep
Preposition
Prep.P
Prepositional phrase
QW
Question word
SL
Source language
ST
Source text
TL
Target language
TT
Target text
Verb
VP
Verb phrase
LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1: The tokens and percentage of semantic strategies
60
Table 4.2: The tokens and percentage of syntactic strategies
83
LIST OF CHARTS
Chart 4.1: The percentage of semantic strategies
61
Chart 4.2: The percentage of syntactic strategies
84
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1. RATIONALE
Trnh Cng Sn (1939-2001) was a song writer, musician, poet and painter.
He was born in Daklak, grew up in Hu, studied in Qui Nhn, taught school in
Bo Lc, and then finally moved to Saigon in 1965. A heavy drinker and smoker,
he died of diabetes, liver and kidney failure. He wrote over 600 songs, achieving
his first hit, "t mi" ["Wet Lashes"], in 1957. Joan Baez dubbed him the Bob
Dylan of Vietnam. He often wrote about the ephemeral nature of life, as in the
classic "Ct bi" ["Sand and Dust"]. The singer most associated with him is
Khnh Ly, whose husky, mournful voice helped to popularize his music. They
often performed together on South Vietnamese university campuses. More
recently, Hng Nhung has also been celebrated for her jazzy interpretions of his
songs. Trinh Cong Sons songs are so strange, which were written by intellectual
language. In another way, they are weaved by the most beautiful words in the
treasure of Vietnamese language. It takes years to understand some words or
sentences in Trinh Cong Son songs, but not all of us can catch Sons ideas, and
some seem to be so different. Son himself created his own unique school of
music which is not only very sublime but also very sweet with simple melodies.
Therefore, Sons music is also for public, in other word, it is also for all because
it is easy to remember.
Sons songs will be immortal in peoples hearts not only in Vietnam but
also in many countries like: France, Japan and America, etc. People love to sing
his songs. Many of those songs have been translated into many languages, most
of them are in English, French and Japanese with different versions. For
examples:
+ Bit u Ngun Ci (Unknown origin)
+ Lng L Ni Ny (The quiet world of mine / So silent here)
+ Mt Ci i V (My own lonely world / A realm of return / A place for
leaving and returning)
+ Ct bi (Dusty sand / Sand and Dust)
+ i gi em bit bao ln (Life has called you many times)
+ Em n t nghn xa (Youve come a long time)
+ Gn nh nim tuyt vng (Something like despair)
+ Li bun thnh (Sad Sunday eve)
+ Tui i mnh mng (In too large life)
As an English teacher and a fan of Trinh Cong Sons music, I find it very
interesting to study the English translations of Sons songs which are various
with more than 70 English translated words by many people. However, up to
now, just a few researches on the lyrics of the English translational versions have
been found.
It is clear that there are many difficulties for translators to translate Trinh
Cong Sons songs into English. Practically, clarifying the syntactic and semantic
features helps us have a clear view about Sons songs and their English
equivalences and find out another better way to translate Trinh Cong Sons songs
with full ideas of writer obtained.
Theoretically, more than 70 of his songs were translated into English, and
many studies in the lyrics and melodies of Trinh Cong Sons songs have done so
far. However, researches on the syntactic and semantic features of English
versus Vietnamese versions of Trinh have not been carried out. Therefore, it is
necessary to do a research on this matter to have a total view about translating
Trinh Cong Sons songs into English. A STUDY OF THE ENGLISH
TRANSLATIONAL VERSIONS OF TRINH CONG SONS SONGS IN
TERMS OF SEMANTIC AND SYNTACTIC FEATURES has been carried out
for the reasons listed above.
1.2. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
We hope this study will provide insights into the practice of translating
Vietnamese songs into English, especially the strategies in handling the
intricacies of semantic and syntactic features of great works such as those written
by Trinh Cong Son.
1.3. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study deals with investigating the procedures used in translating the
semantic features of lexicon and the syntactic features of phrases and sentences
in Trinh Cong Sons songs taken from Trnh Cng Sn The collection of
everlasting songs. Music press 1997. (Trnh Cng Sn Tuyn tp nhng bi ca
khng nm thng. Nxb m Nhc 1997) and website http://www.tcshome.org/songs-en/songs.
1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This study will seek the answers to the following questions:
(1) How were the semantic features in Trinh Cong Sons collection of songs
translated into English?
(2) How were the syntactic features in Trinh Cong Sons collection of songs
translated into English?
1.5. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

+ Source language: is the language in which a text was originally written.
+ Target language is the language into which a text is translated.
+ Semantic approach is an approach to translation which has three
features:
SL bias
Keeps semantic and syntactic structures as closely as possible
Author-centered
+ Communicative approach is an approach which has three features:
TL bias
Keeps effect as closely as possible
Second reader-centered
1.6. ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
The study will include five chapters as follows:
- Chapter 1, INTRODUCTION, concerns with the statement of the problem,
justification for the study, scope of the study and research questions.
Organization of the study is also given out.
- Chapter 2, LITERATURE REVIEW and BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE,
deals with some previous studies related to the problem and presents theoretical
background of:
+ Trinh Cong Sons biography
+ Trinh Cong Sons music
+ Theory of translation
- Chapter 3, METHODOLOGY, consists of aims and objectives of the
study, research design, research methodology and research procedure. In
addition, data collection, data analysis as well as the reliability and validity of
the study will be mentioned.
- Chapter 4, FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS, this chapter is divided into
2 parts:
+ Section 1: The semantic features of lexicon in Trinh Cong sons songs
when being translated from Vietnamese into English.
+ Section 2: The syntactic features of phrases and sentences in Trinh Cong
Sons songs when being translated from Vietnamese into English.
- Chapter 5, CONCLUSION, summarizes what have been discussed in
chapter 4 with some comments on the limitations of this study and make
suggestions for future studies.
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL
BACKGROUND
2.1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
2.1.1. What is translation?
There are many definitions of translation. The simplest way is the transfer
of text from the language A into language B. However, going through the time,
this understanding has begun to become wider and deeper depending on the
position of researchers. Often, though not by any means always, it is rendering
the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author intended
the text. Common sense tells us that this ought to be simple, as one ought to be
able to say something as well in one language as in another. On the other hand, it
may be complicated, artificial and fraudulent.
Translation was mainly discussed in terms of the conflict between free and
literal translation, and the contradiction between its inherent impossibility and its
absolute necessity. A translator must be either an interpreter or a rhetorician. A
good translation is one in which the merit of the original works is so completely
transfused into another language as to be as distinctly apprehended and as
strongly felt by a native of a country to which that language belongs as it is by
those who speak the language of original work. Recommending literal
translation of syntax as well as words, it was said that the sentence is a wall
blocking out the language of the origin, whilst word for word translation is the
arcade.
Before, people thought that translation is the replacement of a textual
material in one language (source language SL) by equivalent textual material
in another language (target language TL). The equivalent here is the

grammatical factors between the SL and the TL. Therefore, at the time with this
view the grammatical equivalent became one of the criteria for assessing the
quality of a translation.
Later, according to Newmark (1980) [17, p7], translation is a craft
consisting in the attempt to replace a written message and/or statement in one
language by the same message and/or statement in another language. So, the
textual material now changes into the message more communicative.
Basing on the translation theory on transformational generative grammar,
the translators need to go beyond explicit text structures and should consider
the text as a mere comparison of corresponding structures. This leads to another
important awareness the language is really a generative device, which helps the
translators take shape in their mind the technique for analyzing the text. This is
not only a technique used in decoding the source text but also the procedure for
choosing the suitable corresponding structures in the target language.
In addition, translation is a term covers on three distinguishable meanings.
That is translating, the process (to translate), the activity rather than the
tangible object. A translation is the product of the process of translating (e.g.
the translated text), and the translation, the abstract concept which
encompasses both the process of translating and the product of that process. [1,
p13]
Furthermore, translation is also a communication bridge of two languages.
Obviously, language is various and different from country to country as the
sameness cannot exist between two languages.
Danica Seleskovitch (2009) [7], a brilliant interpreter and writer, has said:
Everything said in one language can be expressed in another one - on condition
that the two languages belong to cultures that have reached a comparable
degree of development. The condition she makes is false and misleading.
Translation is an instrument of education as well as of truth precisely because it
has to reach readers whose cultural and educational level is different from, and
often lower or earlier, than, that of the readers of the origin. Beside that,
translation has been instrumental in transmitting culture, sometimes under
unequal conditions responsible for distorted and biased translations, ever since
countries and languages have been in contact with each other.
As a means of communication, translation is used for multilingual notices,
which have at least appeared increasingly conspicuously in public places; for
instructions issued by exporting companies; for tourist publicity, where it is too
often produced from the native into the foreign language by natives as a matter
of national pride; for official documents, such as treaties and contracts; for
reports, papers, articles, correspondence, textbook to convey information, advice
and recommendations for every branch of knowledge. As a technique for
learning foreign languages, translation is a two-edged instrument: it has the
special purpose for demonstrating the learners knowledge of the foreign
language, either as a form of control or to exercise his intelligence in order to
develop his competence.
2.1.2. What is equivalence?
Vinay and Darbelnet (1995) [28] view equivalence-oriented translation as a
procedure which replicates the same situation as in the original, whilst using
completely different wording. 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, clichs, 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. However, later they note that glossaries and
collections of idiomatic expressions can never be exhaustive. 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. 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.
Roman Jakobson's (1959) [12] study of equivalence gave new impetus to
the theoretical analysis of translation since he introduced the notion of
'equivalence in difference'. On the basis of his semiotic approach to language and
his aphorism 'there is no signatum without signum' [12, p232], he suggests three
kinds of translation:
Intralingual (within one language, i.e. rewording or paraphrase)
Interlingual (between two languages)
Intersemiotic (between sign systems)
Jakobson claims that, in the case of interlingual translation, the translator

makes use of synonyms in order to get the ST message across. This means that in
interlingual translations there is no full equivalence between code units.
According to his theory, translation involves two equivalent messages in two
different codes. Jakobson goes on to say that from a grammatical point of view
languages may differ from one another to a greater or lesser degree, but this does
not mean that a translation cannot be possible, in other words, that the translator
may face the problem of not finding a translation equivalent. He acknowledges
that whenever there is deficiency, terminology may be qualified and amplified
by loanwords or loan-translations, neologisms or semantic shifts, and finally, by
circumlocutions. Jakobson provides a number of examples by comparing English
and Russian language structures and explains that in such cases where there is no
a literal equivalent for a particular ST word or sentence, then it is up to the
translator to choose the most suitable way to render it in the TT.
There seems to be some similarity between Vinay and Darbelnet's theory of
translation procedures and Jakobson's theory of translation. Both theories stress
the fact that, whenever a linguistic approach is no longer suitable to carry out a
translation, the translator can rely on other procedures such as loan-translations,
neologisms and the like. Both theories recognize the limitations of a linguistic
theory and argue that a translation can never be impossible since there are
several methods that the translator can choose. The role of the translator as the
person who decides how to carry out the translation is emphasized in both
theories. Both Vinay and Darbelnet as well as Jakobson conceive the translation
task as something which can always be carried out from one language to another,
regardless of the cultural or grammatical differences between ST and TT.
Nida argued that there are two different types of equivalence,
namely formal equivalence - which in the second edition by Nida and Taber
(1969/1982) [20] is referred to as formal correspondence - and dynamic
equivalence. Formal correspondence 'focuses attention on the message itself, in
both form and content', unlike dynamic equivalence which is based upon 'the
principle of equivalent effect' [20, p159]. In the second edition (1982) or their
work, the two theorists provide a more detailed explanation of each type of
equivalence.
2.1.3. Types of equivalence
Formal correspondence consists of a TL item which represents the closest
equivalent of a SL word or phrase. Nida and Taber make it clear that there are
not always formal equivalents between language pairs. They, therefore, suggest
that these formal equivalents should be used wherever possible if the translation
aims at achieving formal rather than dynamic equivalence. The use of formal
equivalents might at times have serious implications in the TT since the
translation will not be easily understood by the target audience. Nida and Taber
themselves assert that, typically, formal correspondence distorts the grammatical
and stylistic patterns of the receptor language, and hence distorts the message, so
as to cause the receptor to misunderstand or to labor unduly hard.
Dynamic equivalence is defined as a translation principle according to
which a translator seeks to translate the meaning of the original in such a way
that the TL wording will trigger the same impact on the TC audience as the
original wording did upon the ST audience. They argue: 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' [20, p200].
One can easily see that Nida is in favor of the application of dynamic
equivalence, as a more effective translation procedure. This is perfectly
understandable if we take into account the context of the situation in which Nida
was dealing with the translation phenomenon, that is to say, his translation of the
Bible. Thus, the product of the translation process, that is the text in the TL, must
have the same impact on the different readers it was addressing. Only in Nida
and Taber's edition is it clearly stated that dynamic equivalence in translation is
far more than mere correct communication of information.
Despite using a linguistic approach to translation, Nida is much more
interested in the message of the text or, in other words, in its semantic quality.
He therefore strives to make sure that this message remains clear in the target
text.
Catford's (1965) [5] approach to translation equivalence clearly differs from
that adopted by Nida since Catford had a preference for a more linguistic-based
approach to translation and this approach is based on the linguistic work of Firth
and Halliday. His main contribution in the field of translation theory is the
introduction of the concepts of types and shifts of translation. Catford proposed
very broad types of translation in terms of three criteria:
The extent of translation (full translation vs. partial translation);
The grammatical rank at which the translation equivalence is established
(rank-bound translation vs. unbounded translation);
The
levels
of
language
involved
in
translation
(total
translation vs. restricted translation).

In rank-bound translation an equivalent is sought in the TL for each word,
or
for
each
morpheme
encountered
in
the
ST.
In
unbounded
translation equivalences are not tied to a particular rank, and we may

additionally find equivalences at sentence, clause and other levels. Catford finds
five of these ranks or levels in both English and French, while in the Caucasian
language Kabardian there are apparently only four.
Thus, a formal correspondence could be said to exist between English and
French if relations between ranks have approximately the same configuration in
both languages, as Catford claims they do.
One of the problems with formal correspondence is that, despite being a
useful tool to employ in comparative linguistics, it seems that it is not really
relevant in terms of assessing translation equivalence between ST and TT. For
this reason we now turn to Catford's other dimension of correspondence, namely
textual equivalence which occurs when any TL text or portion of text is observed
on a particular occasion to be the equivalent of a given SL text or portion of text.
He implements this by a process of commutation, whereby 'a competent
bilingual informant or translator' is consulted on the translation of various
sentences whose ST items are changed in order to observe what changes if any
occur in the TL text as a consequence.
House (1977) [9] is in favour of semantic and pragmatic equivalence and
argues that ST and TT should match one another in function. House suggests that
it is possible to characterize the function of a text by determining the situational
dimensions of the ST. In fact, according to her theory, every text is in itself is
placed within a particular situation which has to be correctly identified and taken
into account by the translator. After the ST analysis, House is in a position to
evaluate a translation; if the ST and the TT differ substantially on situational
features, then they are not functionally equivalent, and the translation is not of a
high quality. In fact, she acknowledges that a translation text should not only
match its source text in function, but employ equivalent situational-dimensional

means to achieve that function.
Central to House's discussion is the concept of overt and covert translations.
In an overt translation the TT audience is not directly addressed and there is
therefore no need at all to attempt to recreate a second original since an overt
translation must overtly be a translation. By covert translation, on the other hand,
is meant the production of a text which is functionally equivalent to the ST.
House also argues that in this type of translation the ST is not specifically
addressed to a TC audience.
House's theory of equivalence in translation seems to be much more flexible
than Catford's. In fact, she gives authentic examples, uses complete texts and,
more importantly, she relates linguistic features to the context of both source and
target text.
New adjectives have been assigned to the notion of equivalence
(grammatical, textual, pragmatic equivalence, and several others) and made their
appearance in the plethora of recent works in this field. An extremely interesting
discussion of the notion of equivalence can be found in Baker (1992) [2] who
seems to offer a more detailed list of conditions upon which the concept of
equivalence can be defined. She explores the notion of equivalence at different
levels, in relation to the translation process, including all different aspects of
translation and hence putting together the linguistic and the communicative
approach. She distinguishes between:
Equivalence that can appear at word level and above word level, when
translating from one language into another. Baker acknowledges that, in a

bottom-up approach to translation, equivalence at word level is the first element
to be taken into consideration by the translator. In fact, when the translator starts
analyzing the ST s/he looks at the words as single units in order to find a direct
'equivalent' term in the TL. Baker gives a definition of the term word since it
should be remembered that a single word can sometimes be assigned different
meanings in different languages and might be regarded as being a more complex
unit or morpheme. This means that the translator should pay attention to a
number of factors when considering a single word, such as number, gender and
tense.
Grammatical equivalence, when referring to the diversity of grammatical
categories across languages. She notes that grammatical rules may vary across
languages and this may pose some problems in terms of finding a direct
correspondence in the TL. In fact, she claims that different grammatical
structures in the SL and TL may cause remarkable changes in the way the
information or message is carried across. These changes may induce the
translator either to add or to omit information in the TT because of the lack of
particular grammatical devices in the TL itself. Amongst these grammatical
devices which might cause problems in translation Baker focuses on number,
tense and aspects, voice, person and gender.
Textual equivalence, when referring to the equivalence between a SL text
and a TL text in terms of information and cohesion. Texture is a very important

feature in translation since it provides useful guidelines for the comprehension
and analysis of the ST which can help the translator in his or her attempt to
produce a cohesive and coherent text for the TC audience in a specific context. It
is up to the translator to decide whether or not to maintain the cohesive ties as
well as the coherence of the SL text. His or her decision will be guided by three
main factors, that is, the target audience, the purpose of the translation and the
text type.
Pragmatic equivalence, when referring to implicatures and strategies of
avoidance during the translation process. Implicature is not about what is

explicitly said but what is implied. Therefore, the translator needs to work out
implied meanings in translation in order to get the ST message across. The role
of the translator is to recreate the author's intention in another culture in such a
way that enables the TC reader to understand it clearly.
Popovic (1970) [22], in his definition of translation equivalence,
distinguishes four types:
- Linguistic equivalence: where there is homogeneity on the linguistic level
of both SL and TL texts, i.e. word for word translation.
- Paradigmatic equivalence: where there is equivalence of the elements of
a paradigmatic expressive axis, i.e. element of grammar, which Popovic sees as
being a higher category than lexical equivalence.
- Stylistic (translational) equivalence: where there is functional
equivalence of elements in both original and translation aiming at an expressive
identity with an invariant of identical meaning.
- Textual (syntagmatic) equivalence: where there id equivalence of the
syntagmatic structuring of a text, i.e. equivalence of form and shape.
2.1.4. What is literary translation?
According to Professor Rainer Schulte (1980) [24], literary translation
bridges the delicate emotional connections between cultures and languages and
furthers the understanding of human beings across national borders. In the act of
literary translation the soul of another culture becomes transparent, and the
translator recreates the refined sensibilities of foreign countries and their people
through the linguistic, musical, rhythmic, and visual possibilities of the new
language.
A literary translation is the translation of literature such as novels, plays and
poems. The translation of literary works is considered by many one of the
highest forms of translation as it involves so much more than simply translating
text. A literary translator must be capable of also translating feelings, cultural
nuances, humour and other subtle elements of a piece of work.
A rather interesting approach to literary translation comes from Michel
Riffaterre (1992) [25, p204-217]. He separates literary and non-literary use of
language by saying that literature is different because i) it semioticicizes the
discursive features e.g. lexical selection is made morphophonemically as well as
semantically, ii) it substitutes semiosis for mimesis which gives literary language
its indirection, and iii) it has the textuality that integrates semantic components
of the verbal sequence (the ones open to linear decoding)-a theoretically openended sequence-into one closed, finite semiotic, system" that is , the parts of a
literary texts are vitally linked to the whole of the text and the text is more or less
self contained. Hence the literary translation should "reflect or imitate these
differences". He considers a literary text as an artifact and it contains the signals,
which mark it as an artifact. Translation should also imitate or reflect these
markers.
The traditional discussion of the problems of literary translation considers
finding equivalents not just for lexis, syntax or concepts, but also for features
like style, genre, figurative language, historical stylistic dimensions, polyvalence,
connotations as well as denotations, cultural items and culture-specific concepts
and values. The choices made by the translators like the decision whether to
retain stylistic features of the source language text or whether to retain the
historical stylistic dimension of the original become all the more important in the
case of literary translation. For instance, whether to translate Chaucer into old
Marathi or contemporary is very important. In the case of translating poetry, it is
vital for a translator to decide whether the verse should be translated into verse,
or into free verse or into prose.
2.1.5. Vietnamese English translation
Translation has so far been an interesting topic for study all over the world.
In fact, translation with the problems in translating has been dealt with by many
famous linguists in both English and Vietnamese. The study of translation
originated in Roma, and its duty is to translate the works of literatures at that
time. It was also mentioned the role of context, grammar and pragmatics in
translation. Generally, his work mainly studied the translation on the aspects of
theory.
In Vietnam, there has been a growing concern about the quality of
VietnameseEnglish translations. Some have been called by prestigious
translators as disasters of the translation art. Indeed, the practice of translation
is not only a craft, but also a science and an art, which needs to be constantly
improved with a view to bringing the Vietnamese mass culture to new heights.
Particularly, English is the language of billions of documents available in all
fields, academic or popular. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that many scholars
and lecturers teaching translation at universities have spared no efforts to work
on the frequently seen types of mistakes in English Vietnamese translation as
well as techniques translators may employ to avoid them. However, the field of
study in Vietnam began comparatively recently and the number of published

works remains modest. While some researches have focused on the basic theory
of translation, other work has sought to show different examples of translation
techniques or provide sample translations.
Much of the work published for internal circulation in universities
emphasizes the former aspect, which is the theoretical basis of translation.
Prominent publications of this type (in Vietnam) include Interpreting and
Translation Course Book (Bi Tin Bo & ng Xun Thu, 1999) [3], Theory of
Translation (Hunh Trung Tn & Nguyn Ngc Tuyn, n.d.) [10] and some
scattered academic essays found on the Internet. Different from international
books on the theory of translation, these publications are closely related to the
English Vietnamese translation. Written by experienced translators who have
spent years practicing translation as a profession and working with students
learning translation skills, the books concentrate on addressing the main
theoretical issues encountered by translation learners in Vietnam. This can be a
solid basis to start any further research on the practice of translation in Vietnam.
For instance, in Interpreting and Translation Theory, the authors have mentioned
the basic process of translation with the four-level approach.
Another trend of coping with translation issues in Vietnam is to figure out
what are the weaknesses lingering in translation work and suggest specific
techniques to help translators avoid repeating frequently made mistakes. This
kind of approach can be seen in Hng dn k thut dch Anh Vit (English
Vietnamese Translation Techniques) (2005) by Nguyn Quc Hng [19] and L
Vn Ss Translation and Grammar (2003) [15]. Both books are practical and
useful for readers as translation learners if they are to develop their translation
skills and ability to deal with thorny situations. The authors base their arguments
on verified studies by well-known scholars over the world and their scope of
study is broad.
2.2. TRANSLATION PROCEDURES AND METHODS
2.2.1. Translation procedures
The translating procedures, as depicted by Nida and Taber (1969/1982) are
as follows:
I. Technical procedures:
analysis of the source and target languages;
a thorough study of the source language text before making attempts
translate it;
Making judgments of the semantic and syntactic approximations.
II. Organizational procedures:
Constant reevaluation of the attempt made; contrasting it with the existing
available translations of the same text done by other translators, and checking the
text's communicative effectiveness by asking the target language readers to
evaluate its accuracy and effectiveness and studying their reactions.
Krings (1986:18) [13] defines translation strategy as "translator's potentially
conscious plans for solving concrete translation problems in the framework of a
concrete translation task," and Seguinot (1989) [26] believes that there are at
least three global strategies employed by the translators: (i) translating without
interruption for as long as possible; (ii) correcting surface errors immediately;
(iii) leaving the monitoring for qualitative or stylistic errors in the text to the
revision stage.
Moreover, Loescher (1991) [14, p8] defines translation strategy as "a

potentially conscious procedure for solving a problem faced in translating a text,
or any segment of it." As it is stated in this definition, the notion of
consciousness is significant in distinguishing strategies which are used by the
learners or translators. In this regard, Cohen (1998) [6, p4] asserts that "the
element of consciousness is what distinguishes strategies from these processes
that are not strategic."
Furthermore, Bell (1998) [1, p188] differentiates between global (those
dealing with whole texts) and local (those dealing with text segments) strategies
and confirms that this distinction results from various kinds of translation
problems.
Venuti (1998) [27, p240] indicates that translation strategies "involve the
basic tasks of choosing the foreign text to be translated and developing a method
to translate it." He employs the concepts of domesticating and foreignizing to
refer to translation strategies.
Jaaskelainen (1999) [11, p71] considers strategy as, "a series of
competencies, a set of steps or processes that favor the acquisition, storage,
and/or utilization of information." He maintains that strategies are "heuristic and
flexible in nature, and their adoption implies a decision influenced by
amendments in the translator's objectives."
Taking into account the process and product of translation, Jaaskelainen
divides strategies into two major categories: some strategies relate to what
happens to texts, while other strategies relate to what happens in the process.
Product-related strategies, as Jaaskelainen writes, involve the basic tasks of
choosing the SL text and developing a method to translate it. However, she
maintains that process-related strategies "are a set of (loosely formulated) rules

or principles which a translator uses to reach the goals determined by the
translating situation". Moreover, Jaaskelainen divides this into two types, namely
global strategies and local strategies: "global strategies refer to general
principles and modes of action and local strategies refer to specific activities in
relation to the translator's problem-solving and decision-making."
The following are the different translation procedures that Newmark, one of
the most popular translation scholars, (1988) [18] proposed:
- Transference: it is the process of transferring an SL word to a TL text. It
includes transliteration and is the same as what Harvey (2005) [8, p5] named
transcription.
- Naturalization: it adapts the SL word first to the normal pronunciation,
then to the normal morphology of the TL.
- Cultural equivalent: it means replacing a cultural word in the SL with TL
one. However, they are not accurate.
- Functional equivalent: it requires the use of a cultural-neutral word.
- Descriptive equivalent: in this procedure, the meaning of the culturalbased translation (CBT) is explained in several words.
- Componential analysis: it means comparing an SL word with a TL word
which has a similar meaning but is not an obvious one-to-one equivalent, by
demonstrating first their common and then their differing sense components.
- Synonym: it is a near TL equivalent. Here economy trumps accuracy.
- Through-translation: it is the literal translation of common collocations,
names of organizations and components of compounds. It can be called: claque
or loan translation.
- Shifts or transpositions: Transposition, or shift as Catford calls it, reflects

the grammatical change that occurs in translation from SL to TL. According to
Newmark, it involves a change in the grammar form 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, (iv)
change of an SL noun group to a TL noun and so forth.
- Modulation: With Newmark, it occurs when the translator reproduces the
message of the original text in the SL text in conformity with the current norms
of the TL, since the SL and the TL may appear dissimilar in terms of perspective.
- Recognized translation: it occurs when the translator normally uses the
official or the generally accepted translation of any institutional term.
- Compensation: it occurs when loss of meaning in one part of a sentence is
compensated in another part.
- Paraphrase: in the procedure, the meaning of the CBT is explained. Here
the explanation is much more detailed than that of descriptive equivalent.
- Couplets: it occurs when the translator combines two different procedures.
Another popular translation scholar whose work on translation practice is
widely adopted is Mona Baker (1992) [16], pointed out 8 strategies for dealing
with non-equivalence at word level.
- Translation by a more general word (superordinate): this is one of the
commonest strategies for dealing with many types of non-equivalence,
particularly in the area of propositional meaning. It works equally well in most,
if not all, languages, since the hierarchical structure of semantic fields is not
language-specific.
- Translation by a more neutral/less expressive word: this is also one of

the commonest ways to set the equivalence between two or more languages by
using a word or phrase to get the general meaning.
- Translation by cultural substitution: This strategy involves replacing a
culture-specific item or expression with a target-language item which does not
have the same propositional meaning but is likely to have a similar impact on the
target reader.
- Translation by using a loan word or loan word plus explanation: this
strategy is particularly common in dealing with culture-specific items, modern
concepts, and buzz words. Following the loan word with an explanation is very
useful when the word in questions repeated several times in the text. Once
explained the loan word then can be used on its own; the reader can understand it
and it is not distracted by further lengthy explanation.
- Translation by paraphrase using a related word: this strategy tends to be
used when the concept expressed by the source item is lexicalized in the target
language but in a different form, and when the frequency with which a certain
form is used in the source text is significantly higher than would be natural in the
target language.
- Translation by paraphrase using unrelated word: if the concept
expressed by the source item is not lexicalized at all in the target language, the
paraphrase strategy can still be used in some contexts. Instead of a related word,
the paraphrased may be based on modifying the superordinate or simply on
unpacking the meaning of the source item, particularly if the item in question
semantically complex.
- Translation by omission: this strategy may sound rather drastic, but in

fact it does no harm to omit translating a word or expression in some contexts. If
the meaning convey by a particular item or expression is not vital enough to the
development of the text to justify distracting the reader with lengthy
explanations, translators can and often do simply omit translating the word or
expression in question.
- Translate by illustration: this is a useful option if the word which lacks an
equivalent in the target language refers to a physical entity which can be
illustrated, particularly if there are restrictions on space and if the text has to
remain short, concise, and to the point.
At the syntactic level, Catford (1965) [5], another well-known translation
studies scholar suggests examining shifts, he defines them as departures from
formal correspondence in the process of going from the SL to the TL. Catford
argues that there are two main types of translation shifts, namely level shifts,
where the SL item at one linguistic level (e.g. grammar) has a TL equivalent at a
different level (e.g. lexis), and category shifts which are divided into four types:
Structure-shifts, which involve a grammatical change between the
structure of the ST and that of the TT;
Class-shifts, when a SL item is translated with a TL item which
belongs to a different grammatical class, i.e. a verb may be translated with a

noun;
Unit-shifts, which involve changes in rank;
Intra-system shifts, which occur when SL and TL possess systems
which approximately correspond formally as to their constitution, but when
translation involves selection of a non-corresponding term in the TL system. For

instance, when the SL singular becomes a TL plural.
Catford was very much criticized for his linguistic theory of translation.
One of the most scathing criticisms came from Snell-Hornby (1988), who argued
that Catford's definition of textual equivalence is circular, his theory's reliance on
bilingual informants hopelessly inadequate, and his example sentences isolated
and even absurdly simplistic. She considers the concept of equivalence in
translation as being an illusion. She asserts that the translation process cannot
simply be reduced to a linguistic exercise, as claimed by Catford for instance,
since there are also other factors, such as textual, cultural and situational aspects,
which should be taken into consideration when translating. In other words, she
does not believe that linguistics is the only discipline which enables people to
carry out a translation, since translating involves different cultures and different
situations at the same time and they do not always match from one language to
another.
2.2.2. Translation methods
Newmark (1988b) [18, p81] mentions the difference between translation
methods and translation procedures. He writes that, While translation methods
relate to whole text, translation procedures are used for sentences and the
smaller units of language.. He refers to the following methods of translation:
- Word-for-word translation: in which the SL word order is preserved and
the words translated singly by their most common meanings, out of context.
- Literal translation: in which the SL grammatical constructions are
converted to their nearest equivalents, but the lexical words are again translated
singly, out of context.
- Faithful translation: it attempts to produce the precise contextual

meaning of the original within the constraints of the TL grammatical structures.
- Semantic translation: which differs from faithful translation only in as
far as it must take more account of the aesthetic value of the SL text.
- Adaptation: which is the freest form of translation, and is used mainly for
plays (comedies) and poetry; the themes, characters, plots are usually preserved,
the SL culture is converted to the TL culture and the text is rewritten.
- Free translation: it produces the TL text without the style, form, or
content of the original.
- Idiomatic translation: it reproduces the message of the original but
tends to distort nuances of meaning by preferring colloquialism and idioms
where these do not exist in the original.
- Communicative translation: it attempts to render the exact contextual
meaning of the original in such a way that both content and language are readily
acceptable and comprehensible to the readership.
The terms strategy and procedure have not been distinguished clearly
by any translation scholars. In this research, we stand on the point of view of
John Kearns (2009) in Routledge Encyclopedia or Translation studies, edited by
Mona Baker and Gabriela Saldanha. He stated that those two terms can be used
interchangeably to describe the ways of translating units smaller than text. From
this point onwards, in this study, we use the term strategy.
2.2.3. Translations of songs
According to Peter Low (2006) [21], in art songs, the source texts often
have intrinsic complexity and literary value as poetry, and the words generally
receive greater respect than in other types of song. For those songs that most
depend for their effect on verbal comprehension, good translations are

particularly important. With a sung text, rhymes usually observe the syllable
count of the original. This is a translation designed to fit the music and to be
performed with it. Besides, a translation has given priority to matching the music,
it will be too inaccurate structurally and semantically to help the singer in
untangling the source text. He also pointed that a line-by-line approach is unduly
restrictive: it means that some of the normal tools of competent translators--tools
such as transposition, modulation, paraphrase, compensation in place--are
rendered unavailable, totally or partially. In the case of song texts, the typical
reader of translations is often a music lover rather than a poetry buff, and maybe
ill equipped for teasing meaning out of an opaque text. Therefore considerations
of purpose should affect the translators' handling of cultural and contextual
details. With a singable translation, making singable translations is a difficult
task. One is subject to huge, multiple constraints imposed by the preexisting
music, because one cannot ignore the rhythms, the note values, the phrasings or
the stresses of the music--even phrasings and pitch levels may have to be
considered and to reduce the number of short vowel sounds and the clustering of
consonants. Ideally, the new version must sound as if the music had been fitted
to it, even though it was actually composed to fit the original. It is not surprising,
then, that many of these versions are too badly done to be usable, many are so
marred by forced rhymes and unnatural language that performers simply cannot
sing them with conviction. The argument in favor of singable translations points
out that most songs were intended to communicate verbally as well as musically.
The devising of this kind of singable text presents the translator with fascinating
challenges. The translator is judged on five events: singability, sense, naturalness,

rhythm, and rhyme.
The song translator cannot and need not give precise equivalents for every
detail of the original text; he must and can translate what is essential to the music.
It is very strictly confined in regard to rhythm and declamation: he must fit the
music exactly. But he need not and indeed, if he wishes to preserve the rhyme
scheme and, at the same time, use idiomatic, understandable English, he cannot
parallel the precise meaning of every line. He may ignore details which are not
reflected in the music and hence have no effect in the song. Thus he is at once
more restricted and freer than the translator of poetry as such.
2.3. TRINH CONG SONS BIOGRAPHY
Trnh Cng Sn (1939-2001) was a song writer, musician, poet and painter.
He was born in Daklak, grew up in Hu, studied in Qui Nhn, taught school in
Bo Lc, then finally moved to Saigon in 1965. A heavy drinker and smoker, he
died of diabetes, liver and kidney failure. He wrote over 600 songs, achieving his
first hit, "t mi" ["Wet Lashes"], in 1957. Joan Baez dubbed him the Bob
Dylan of Vietnam. He often wrote about the ephemeral nature of life, as in the
classic "Ct bi" ["Sand and Dust"]. The singer most associated with him is
Khnh Ly, whose husky, mournful voice helped to popularize his music. They
often performed together on South Vietnamese university campuses. More
recently, Hng Nhung has also been celebrated for her jazzy interpretions of his
songs. Trinh Cong Sons songs are so strange, which were written by intellectual
language. In another way, they are weaved by the most beautiful words in the
treasure of Vietnamese language. It takes years to understand some words or
sentences in Trinh Cong Son songs, but not all of us can catch Sons ideas, and
some seem to be so different. Son himself created his own unique school of
music which is not only very sublime but also very sweet with simple melodies.
Therefore, Sons music is also for public, in other word, it is also for all because
it is easy to remember.
2.3.1. Writings about Trinh Cong Son and his music
Trinh Cong Sons music has been the subject of many studies from normal
people who write because of love saving for Son to linguists to clarify and
discover his school of music, his ways of using language and melodies and his
thoughts in the lyrics, not only in Vietnam but also in many other countries, such
as America, Japan, France, etc. Yoshii Michiko, a Japanese lady, studied Trinh
Cong Son music by doing her Master degree in French at Paris University in
1991 on the topic Chansons anti-guerre de Trinh Cong Son [62]. Beside that,
Nguyn Th Thanh Thy, who is now the lecturer of Quy Nhon University,
wrote about Trinh Cong Son in her Master thesis in 2006 with the topic Thn
phn Con ngi v Tnh yu trong ca t Trnh Cng Sn [44]. Trinh Cong Son
music seems to be the unlimited treasure to do research. Nguyn Th Thanh
Huyn studied the hyponym syntax on Sons lyrics in her Master degree of
Literature Science, in Ho Chi Minh city 2009 by the topic M hnh n d cu
trc trn c liu ca t Trnh Cng Sn [46]. Nearly a month after Trinh Cong
Sons death, many writings, and books about him were published. Trnh Cng
Sn Mt ngi th ca, mt ci i v by Nguyn Trng To, Nguyn Thu Kha,
on T Huyn collect and compile (Music publisher Center of culture and
language East West, H Ni, 5 2001) [47]. Some years later (2004) this book
with some added information was republished with a new name Mt ci Trnh
Cng Sn (Thun Ho Publisher - Center of culture and language East West).
Besides, in this period, there had other books, such as: Trnh Cng Sn - Ct bi
lng ly (Thun Ho publisher- Hng River magazine) [53]; Trnh Cng Sn Ngi ht rong qua nhiu th h (Youth publisher, 7 2001) [43]; Trnh Cng
Sn - Cuc i - m Nhc - Th - Hi Ha & Suy Tng (Art publisher TP.
HCM, 11 - 2001) [58]; Trnh Cng Sn: mt nhc s thin ti (Bu Youth
publisher 4 - 2003) [31]; Trnh Cng Sn - C mt thi nh th (Nguyn c
Xun Literature publisher, 1 - 2003) [40]; Trnh Cng Sn v cy n lya ca
Hong t b (Hong Ph Ngc Tng Youth publisher, 2/2005) [36]. In 2008,
Bi Vnh Phc a literature critic - wrote about Trinh Cong Son in his book Trnh Cng Sn Ngn ng v nhng m nh ngh thut (Sai Gon Culture
publisher, 2008) [30].
2.3.2. Translations of Trinh Cong Sons songs
There are some Vietnamese and foreigners, by their love, translated Trinh
Cong Sons songs into English. Tran Duy Tinh has 11 songs, such as: Bi ca
dnh cho nhng xc ngi - A song dedicated to all the corpses; Cho mt ngi
nm xung - To one who lays down ; Cui cng cho mt tnh yu - The end of a
love; i bc ru m - Cannon fire lulls the night, etc. Beside that, Ton That
Quynh Du also has Con mt cn li - The remaining eye; Em i trong chiu - In
the Evening You Walk; Phi pha - Passage of Time, etc. Vn Mai, one of the few
females translating Trinh Cong Sons songs, contributed a significant number
with 12 songs, for examples: t mi - Misty eyes; Ti i ng tuyt vng - Dear
I, dont despair; Thng mt ngi - Loving somebody; Ru i i nh - Lullaby
to life, etc. Richard Fuller, an English language teacher in Sai Gon now, used to
be on TV show about his translations of Sons songs, has some good English
versions by the view of a foreigner, such as: Ni vng tay ln - The Great Circle
of Viet Nam; Ca dao m - A mother's lament; Ngi con gi Vit Nam - Girl
with yellow skin, etc. Patrick Gallagher, a true fan of Sons music, tried to
introduce Sons songs to his people in America by translating some songs, for
instance: Ht trn nhng xc ngi - Now I sing the dead; Hoa vng my Bright yellow flower; Ma hng - Life too long for sadness, etc. All the English
translational versions of Van Mai, Tran Duy Tinh, Nhu Quynh and Khuong Duy,
etc or Richard Fuller, Patrick Gallagher, John C.Schafer and Jason Gibbs, etc
(view website: http://www.tcs-home.org/songs-en/songs) [64] play an important
role in building up the collection of English translational of Trinh Cong Sons
songs.
CHAPTER 3
METHODS AND PROCEDURE
3.1. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
3.1.1. Aims
Starting from the framework based on the semantic features of lexicon and
syntactic features of phrases and sentences between English and Vietnamese,
this research will take Trinh Cong Sons English translated versions versus their
originals in Vietnamese to investigate the similarities and differences when those
songs are translated from Vietnamese into English in order to come to the
generalizations of how the translating methods are rendered.
3.1.2. Objectives
To achieve this aim, the study will have the following specific objectives:
- To examine the semantic features of lexicon when they are translated.
- To examine the syntactic features of phrases and sentences when they are
translated.
- To examine a number of Trinh Cong Sons songs and their English
translated versions with a focus on the semantic features of lexicon and syntactic
features of phrases and sentences.
- To identify the similarities and differences in terms of semantic and
syntactic features between English and Vietnamese versions of Trinh Cong
Sons songs.
- And finally to come to some considerations and generalizations for
translation of Trinh Cong Sons songs.
3.2. RESEARCH DESIGN

On the purpose of carrying out an investigation into the semantic features of
lexicon and syntactic features of phrases and sentences between Vietnamese and
English translation by taking Trinh Cong Sons songs as the data, we have
decided to do research through descriptive and contrastive approaches. The
research design is planned to carry out such important things as:
- Providing some basic theoretical concepts related to translation, semantics
as well as syntax.
- Collecting and classify semantic features of lexicon and syntactic features
of phrases and sentences by taking Trinh Cong Sons songs as the data.
- Describing and analyzing the collected data to find out the semantic
features of lexicon and syntactic features of phrases and sentences on the basis of
translation theory.
3.3. METHOD OF RESEARCH
This research paper is carried out with the combination of both descriptive
method and contrastive method.
The descriptive method in the study is expressed in describing the
semantic features of lexicon and syntactic features of phrases and sentences of
Trinh Cong Sons Vietnamese-version and English-translated version songs.
The contrastive method in this study is expressed in comparing the
similarities and differences, in terms of semantic features of lexicon and
syntactic features of phrases and sentences between Vietnamese and English
versions in Trinh Cong Sons songs.
Due to the described and contrasted data, this study will find out the
strategies and methods which are used more popularly. Then, its very important
to identify and analyze possible linguistic and non-linguistic factors that

influence consciously and unconsciously in choosing each strategy for
translating Trinh Cong Sons songs.
3.4. DATA COLLECTION AND DESCRIPTION
The data includes 14 songs taken from Trnh Cng Sn The collection of
everlasting songs. Music press 1997. (Trnh Cng Sn Tuyn tp nhng bi ca
khng nm thng. Nxb m Nhc 1997) and more than 40 songs taken from the
website http://www.tcs-home.org/songs-en/songs. All of them have both
Vietnamese and English versions with different translators.
The lexicon (words and phrases) as well as the phrases and sentences will
be examined and identified according to the sets of strategies suggested by Baker,
Newmark and Catford.
3.5. RESEARCH PROCEDURES
For the research to be carried out properly, the steps below will be taken:
- Collecting lexicon (words and phrases) and sentences from 14 songs of
Trinh Cong Son (Vietnamese and English versions) in the data.
- Doing literature review
- Sorting out the words - phrases and phrases - sentences according to the
sets of strategies suggested by Baker, Newmark and Catford.
- Calculate the exact percentage for each strategy used in translating the
lexicon and phrases and sentences from Vietnamese to English in Trinh Cong
Sons songs.
- Investigate the linguistic and non-linguistic factors influencing the choice
of using each strategy in translating the lexicon and phrases and sentences from
Vietnamese to English in Trinh Cong Sons songs.
- Making some recommendations concerning translation of Trinh Cong

Sons songs from Vietnamese into English as well as putting forward some
suggestions for translating some of Sons songs.
3.6. SUMMARY
In this chapter, besides mentioning the research design, research method
and data collection, we presented fully the procedures we need to follow when
doing research. These are some conclusions:
Firstly, the paper is carried out through the descriptive and contrastive
methods which are crucial to the aim and the objectives of the study.
Secondly, due to the data collection and description, we focus on describing
the process of collection, the kinds of data collected, the number of data
collected from translated works both Vietnamese and English versions of Trinh
Cong Sons songs.
Finally, the procedures of the study are clearly mentioned, which lay a good
foundation to carry out investigation according to a proper direction.
CHAPTER 4
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
By using the strategies suggested by Newmark and Baker and Catord, we
examine the semantic features of words and phrases in the 14 English
translational versions of Trinh Cong Sons songs in contrast to the source texts in
Vietnamese. Besides, we also stand on the point of view of Catford to run
through the syntactic features in those 14 songs. All the typical strategies used by
the translator in these 14 songs are illustrated from the highest frequency to the
lowest ones. Finally, as a summary of findings, all the figures will be
demonstrated by charts.
4.1. SEMANTIC FEATURES OF WORDS AND PHRASES
After examining the parallel corpus of Vietnamese and English versions of
the collection of Trinh Cong Son songs, containing 1569 Vietnamese words and
1585 English words, 7 strategies were found. In this part, each strategy with
examples will be presented and discussed.
4.1.1. Translation by using omission
This strategy appears in all the 14 songs with the highest appearing times:
83 tokens and occupies nearly a half of the proportion in all strategies with
48.5%.
Besides, the Translation by using omission strategy also has its
specific features.
4.1.1.1. Full omission
In this case, we care about the missing of words and phrases in the English
translational versions are opposed to Vietnamese lyrics. This is a loss in meaning
which occurs in all the 14 songs.
It is true that translating singable texts is more different to other kinds and it
is more difficult to maintain the meaning from the source texts while getting
along with the sound beats. In the entire corpus examined, the most typical
feature of Omission is the dropping meaning of words and phrases. For example,
in the song BIT U NGUN CI ORIGIN UNKOWN, the phrase
ngy kia is omitted in these two sentences, resulting in the complete loss of
meaning of the phrase:
(1) Ngy kia
trng
gi
The moon
will be
old
[line 5, Appendix 1]
Similarly, in the example below, to maintain the 6 sound beats like

Vietnamese lyric, the translator omits the phrase lng nghe and the word
nm:
(2) Lng nghe
con sng
nm
The river
tells (its tale)

This case appears in all the following examples taken out from the other 13
songs. In the song CT BI DUSTY SAND, the phrase trn caoare
passed by in these pairs of sentences:
(3) L a
trn cao
Dead leaves
rng y
are falling down

The translator only uses two words to express the full meaning of the
Vietnamese phrase. We can see that, in the English version, the adverbial phrase
trn cao disappears. However, only having the verb phrase fall + down
which means something drops from a high position to a lower position, the
prepositional phrase trn cao is hidden inside. In other words, while omitting
particular word or phrase, the translator retains its meaning elsewhere nearby.
In the song CON MT CN LI THE OTHER EYE, the verb
nhn disappears in line 7:
(4) Con mt cn li
The other eyes
nhn
cuc tnh phai
for an old love

In the song I GI EM BIT BAO LN LIFE HAS CALLED

YOU MANY TIMES, despite well setting the balance in terms of sound beat
between Vietnamese lyric and its English translational version, the translator
also passes by the meaning of some words and phrases. This one is a typical
example:
(5) Bc chn
khng ch
ai
No one is waiting for
(you)
In the song EM N T NGHN XA - YOUVE COME A LONG
TIME, at the third appearing time, the phrase xa l is omitted:
(6) Ti vn nhn thy
em
see
gia m ng
xa l
in the crowd
you are

In the song GN NH NIM TUYT VNG
SOMETHING
LIKE DESPAIR, the abverbial phrase c nhiu khi is passed by:

(7) C nhiu khi
ri
(Thats)
xung
fallen
bn i
straight down
by
life
In the song LI BUN THNH SAD SUNDAY EVE, the word
nmand u hiu are omitted:
(8) Nm
trong cn gc
(Alone)
in my own den
u hiu
In the song LNG L NI NY - THE QUIET WORLD OF MINE,
the phrase xa vng is also omitted:
(9)
Tan theo
cht tnh
Flies along
xa vng
a little love
In the song MT CI I V - MY OWN LONELY WORLD, the

phrase v tnh is omitted in this sentence:
(10) Con tinh yu thng
v tnh
A lover-demon
cht gi
has just called

In the song NGHE TING MUN TRNG - HEAR ALL SOUNDS

AROUND, the word m is omitted 10 times. Here is an example of this
case, in which the word gi is also omitted:
(11) m
nghe
(I) hear
gi
t tnh
whispring
In the song NH CNH VC BAY - LIKE A FLYING HERON, the

noun i is omitted in this phrase:
(12) Rt xung
falling down
lm sng lnh nh
as bobbing waves
In the song QUNH HNG - A LITTLE ROSE, A LITTLE LOVE,

the phrase ming ci is omitted in this sentence:
(13) Ming ci
khc khch
trn lng
A chuckle
on your lips
In the song TUI I MNH MNG - IN TOO LARGE LIFE, the

verb m is omitted in this case:
(14) m
(With)
cuc sng
trong tay
full love
in hands
In the song XIN TR N NGI - I PAID MY DEBT, the phrase

th di is omitted 2 times:
(15) Th di
(You)
ra i
khng nh g ti
left
without remembering me
Those 16 examples above are the typical ones for more than 50 times of
appearing of this strategy. One more time, it is necessary to emphasize that
because of trying to set the English translational versions equally to the source
texts in Vietnamese, many words and phrases cannot be conveyed and
maintained with full meaning. All the cases illustrated above belongs to the Full
omission.
Besides, there appears 3 other cases in which the words and phrases are
translated with only a haft the meaning. Some omissions applied to the nouns,
some to verbs and some others to adjectives and adverbs.
4.1.1.2. Partial omission
a. Omission of adjective
This case stands on the second rank after the feature Full Omission with 13
tokens in 7 songs. The translator, in many cases, omits the Adjective.
(16) mt ngt
honey
(tnh yu mt ngt)
(a honey love)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
Omission
mt ngt
honey
mt (ong)
ngt
While translating the phrase mt ngt, the translator uses only one word
honey = mt (ong) to set the English equivalent, which makes the target
text drop out the adjective ngt.
(17) tnh su
love
(tr n mt i cha ht tnh su)

(a debt of love has not been paid)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
Omission
tnh su
love
tnh
su
While translating the phrase tnh su, the translator uses only one word
love = tnh to set the English equivalent, which makes the target text drop
out the adjective su.
b. Omission of noun
This is also considered as a typical feature after examing through the 14
songs. With 8 times of appearing, the Omission of Noun exists in 5 songs. These
are some examples to illustrate.
(18) ct bi
sand
(ti v lm ct bi)
(I come back to sand)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
Omission
ct bi
sand
ct
bi
While translating the phrase ct bi, the translator uses only one word
sand = ct to set the English equivalent, which makes the target text drop
out the word bi.
(19) nhnh hoa
a rose
(mt nhnh hoa gia tm hn)

(a rose in your soul)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
Omission
nhnh hoa
a rose
mt hoa (hng)
nhnh
While translating the phrase nhnh hoa, the translator uses only one word
a rose = mt hoa (hng) to set the English equivalent, which makes the
target text drop out the word nhnh.
(20) rng hai vai
immense
(bin rng hai vai)

(the immense sea)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
Omission
rng hai vai
immense
rng
hai vai
While translating the phrase rng hai vai, the translator uses only one
word immense = rng (mnh mng) to set the English equivalent, which
makes the target text drop out the word hai vai.
(21) ngy vui
all joys
(ni em v ngy vui khng em)

(where you are, are there all joys)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
Omission
ngy vui
all joys
tt c nim vui
ngy
While translating the phrase ngy vui, the translator uses only one word
all joys = tt c nim vui to set the English equivalent, which makes the
target text drop out the word ngy.
(22) n ngi
my debt
(xin tr n ngi)
(I pay my debt)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
Omission
n ngi
my debt
n ca ti
ngi
While translating the phrase n ngi, the translator uses only one word
my debt = n ca ti to set the English equivalent, which makes the target
text drop out the word ngi.
c. Omission of verb
This case appears 3 times in 2 songs and stands on the fourth rank in the
strategy Translation by using omission.
(23) nm k
tell
(lng nghe con sng nm k)

(the river tells its tale)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
Omission
nm k
tell
nm
While translating the phrase nm k, the translator uses only one word
tell = k to set the English equivalent, which makes the target text drop out
the verb nm.
(24) xin lm qun i
serve as an inn
(ti xin lm qun i)

(I serve as an inn)
Source text
Target text
xin lm qun i
serve as an inn
Back translation
phc v nh qun
tr
Omission
xin / i
While translating the phrase xin lm qun i, the translator uses only
one word serve as an inn = phc v nh qun tr to set the English
equivalent, which makes the target text drop out 2 verbs xin and i.
Possessing 48.5% of all the strategies used in translating these 14 Trinh
Cong Sons songs, Translation by using Omission is such a popular one, but it is
also real that conveying full meaning of source text to target text is a big
challenge and seems to be never achieved.
4.1.2. Translation by using a more neutral/less expressive word
The second runner-up in all is the strategy Translation by using a more
neutral/less expressive word, which has 21.6% for 37 tokens. In this case, the
translator cannot express the true meaning of the source text by using an exact
equivalent in the target text. Using this strategy is to help readers or singers
understand some parts of meaning of words or phrases in the source text.
(25) hnh hi
a man
(vn hnh hi ln dy)

(to grow up a man)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
hnh hi
a man
mt ngi
Hnh hi - This word means the shape, the body of someone. Maybe, the
translator understands deeply the lyric of this song. Besides, he also has a clear
view in Buddhism. Hnh hi is pointed out directly by the phrase a man
which helps listeners, singers when observing the English version understand the
true meaning.
(26) trng nh vi
(cht mt chiu tc trng nh vi)
turn white
(just one day my hair turn white)

Source text
Target text
Back translation
trng nh vi
turn white
tr nn trng
trng nh vi - This is an idiomatic phrase in Vietnamese when people

compare something with white color to the lime. In the English version, the
translator uses the phrase turn white which hasnt expressed fully the
meaning, but, the general meaning is partly transferred and conveyed.
(27) trm nm
life time
(cho trm nm vo cht mt ngy)

(for life time will end some day)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
trm nm
life time
cuc i
trm nm in this situation does not mean a hundred year as its

denotative meaning, but it refers to another aspect, the life time of a person.
Understanding the implied thinking of Son, the translator, by using the
communicative approach in translating, sets the English equivalent for this
phrase life time. We can see this phrase in [line 12, Appendix 6] and [line 6,
Appendix 9].
(28) ln cao xung thp
up there down here
(nhn ti ln cao, nhn ti xung thp)

(see me up there, see me down here)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
ln cao xung thp
up there down here
trn di ny
With the denotative meaning, we can understand the phrases ln cao

xung thp like describing the different position of someone when they change
their seat or living. By starting the point view of connotative meaning, the
phrases ln cao xung thp may consists of other deeper meanings. It could
be the job, the success, the love, living condition, etc, which sometimes get to
the highest, the happiest, but sometimes drop to the level off, to the end of
sadness. In this situation, the translator adds there here which clarify one
aspect in the deep meaning of Vietnamese lyric. Therefore, connotative
description is used in this case.
(29) r ri
depressed and sad
(ti lng nghe lng ti r ri)

(I feel my heart depressed and sad)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
r ri
depressed and sad
bun, phin mun
The phrase r ri is an adjective phrase which is the combination of two

words r and ri with the meaning of feeling wearied or exhausted. In this
case, the translator doesnt use direct English equivalent of r ri, by
describing the deep feeling inside with the meaning of a sad heart, he chooses
the combination of two adjectives to make an adjective phrase which runs as the
English equivalent for Vietnamese lyric.
(30) xun th
early years
(trong xun th thy bng trm nm)

((In) early years is seen a whole life)
Source text
xun th
Target text
Back translation
early years
nhng nm u
In the same way with the translations above when using a neutral/less
expressive words or phrases to express partly the meaning inside, the translator
in this situation uses this strategy to set the English equivalent. If we consider the
deep meaning inside xun th by clarifying the syntax structure of this phrase,
we will know the answer for choosing English equivalent of the translator.
Xun th is a noun phrase which is the combination of an adjective and a noun
xun + th. Xun, in this case, xun doesnt mean Spring, but its
connotative meaning young. Th means time. Connect the meaning of these
separated words, the English equivalent could be the young time. Setting
early instead of young, the translator can only describe some parts of
meaning in this phrase.
(31) sng cn mn
all fades away
(ni u ni u, sng cn mn)

(oh where oh where, all fades away)
Source text
sng cn mn
Target text
Back translation
all fades away
tt c phai m
In terms of semantics, this is an idiom in Vietnamese. However, when

translating from Vietnamese to English, the translator doesnt go close to each
word, such as sng river; stone, but using the this strategy to clarify
and help listeners, readers understand the a little meaning of this phrase.
(32) Lng l ni ny
(tiu bi ht)
A world of mine
(the title of this song)

[Title, Appendix 9]
quiet and sad
(sad like blood drop, quiet and sad)

Source text
lng l ni ny
Target text
Back translation
a world of mine
mt th gii ca ti
quiet and sad
tnh lng v bun
Lng l ni ny: This Noun phrase appears two times in the song with two
different English translational versions:
- the title of the song,
- in the sentence bun nh git mu, lng l ni ny.
In terms of semantics, ni ny can get its English equivalent place, but
the translator makes ni ny become a lonely land where only one person
stays in. Not going directly into the word to set English equivalent, the translator,
in most of case, tries to describe the word with its deep meaning, with the
implied ideas which the writer wanted to blow in. In this situation, the translator
uses world of mine, the place so immense but lonely and sad. However, in the
second appearing, the phrase ni ny disappears and becomes hidden
understanding.
There appears 3 times the translator uses the word around to set the
English equivalent for the Vietnamese lyrics. In all 3 cases, this word cannot
express a complete meaning of the Vietnamese texts.
(33) loanh quanh
around
(i u loanh quanh cho i mi mt)

(to go around on tired life)
(34) trng vy
around
(nghe lng miu trng vy)

(Feel all shrines around)
(35) y a
around
(m nghe ting mun trng y a)

(Hear and feel all sounds around)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
around
xung quanh
loanh quanh
trng vy
y a
4.1.3. Translation by using a more general word
With 11.1% for 19 tokens, this strategy stands on the third rank in all the
strategies and is used in 9 songs/14 songs. In contrast to the strategy above
which the translator uses a neutral/less expressive word to describe the source
text, in this trategy, the translator tries to fulfill the meaning of source text a
more general word that helps listeners/ readers or singers understand the general
meaning.
(36) cui
small stone
(ti xin lm cui)

(I would a small stone)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
cui
small stone
nh
It is such a difficult question that why the translator, in this case, does not
use the word coobble which is equivalent to the source text, and also has 2
syllables that suit the sound beat. The word stone is the hypernym with
general meaning while cui is the hyponymy, a typical type of stone.
cui also appears in the song CT BI DUSTY SAND with the same
English equivalent stone. [line 15, Appendix 2]
(37) tnh phai
old love
(nhn cuc tnh phai)

(for an old love)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
tnh phai
old love
tnh c
phai could get the English equivalent fade which means something
becomes unclear by seeing or in someones mind, someones remember. It could
be an image, a love affair which no longer goes together with the carrier who
burdens that memory. In contrast, the translator chooses old instead of using
fade. Old means something is not new, but who can be sure that something
old is something fade? However, with a love, it could be. Especially, in this case,
the translator one more time uses a general word with the meaning of hyponymy
to translate by hiding the word phai into the word old.
(38) ln
move
(ln theo gt hi)

(move with your steps)
(39) lang thang
moving
(mt i em mi lang thang)

(all your life you are moving)
(40) ra i
move
(bao nhiu nm ri cn mi ra i)
(how many years still on the move)
Source text
Target text
ln
lang thang
move/ moving
ra i
Back translation
di chuyn
chuyn ng
In the 3 cases above, the translator uses the same English equivalent for the
3 source texts which have different English equivalent if considering their true
meaning. The verb move cannot express the meaning of those three words, but
the general meaning is easily obtained.
In the same way with the three cases above, in this one, the translator uses 2
different English equivalents to describe one Vietnamese word nng which
should get sunlight to be its English equivalent, instead of using warmth
and light in these examples:
(41) nng
light
(khi trong lng khng cht nng)

(when no light in your heart)
(42) nng
warmth
(tr li nng trong tim)

(warmth is back in your heart)
(43) nng
light
(nng c hng bng i mi em)

(is light pink as your pink lips)
[line 1,9, Appendix 11]
Source text
nng
(44) mt hm
once
Target text
Back translation
light
nh sng
warmth
hi m
(mt hm bin mt)

(once disappeared)
Source text
Target text
Back translation
mt hm
once
mt ln
mt hm can get the English equivalent one day. However, going into
deeper, when reading full phrase mt hm bin mt, we see an image of the
sudden, the surprise and the at-fault feeling that we havent been ready to get.
The translator uses and adverb once to set the English equivalent for mt
hm with the intention of describing the deeper meaning of this phrase by the
means of using general word.
4.1.4. Translation by using expansion
Appearing 11 times with 6.4%, this strategy stands on the fifth rank in all
strategies used. In this case, the translator, because of trying to maintain the
ideas getting along with the sound beats, sometimes omits the meaning of some
words and phrases, but sometimes adds words to support the meaning.
(45) k
Tell
(con sng nm k)
its tale

In this example, only the word tell is enough to express the meaning of
k, but the translator adds its tale for 2 purposes: to make the words equal
to the sound beat; to clarify the meaning by adding some words. Sequently, these
examples below are also run in this way.
(46) xa b
Cross out
( xa b khng hay)
my name
( cross out my name)

Adding my name in this case helps readers or singers easier to understand

one part of meaning that the writer wants express.
(47)
Good
bn b
( c qu hng bn b)
friends
( countries and good friends)

Maybe, bn b = friends are all the good people who we can share
everything from the sadness to the happiness which leads the translator choose
this adjective to add before the noun.
(48) ri
Fall straight
xung
( ri xung bn i)
down
( fallen straight down by life)

To make the state of falling clearer, the translator adds one more adjective
straight while fall down is enough for ri xung.
(49) xanh xao
Pale
( ting ht xanh xao)

and sad
( pale and sad eve song)

Sometimes, this addition makes the deep meaning inside words clearer. The
translator, in most of cases, understands the source text so much that he help us
know what the writer Trinh Cong Son wanted to describe. In this example, the
emotion is expressed out by adding the adjective sad while pale can be the
English equivalent for xanh xao. Also using sad, the 2 examples below
shows the same way in expanding the meaning of source text.
(50) lng l
Quiet
( lng l ni ny)
and sad
( quiet and sad)

(51)
mt em
Your
(bun bng i mt em)

sad
eyes (sad as your sad eyes)

In the example below, hear is an act that you passively receive the sound,
but this verb become more emotional when the translator adds one more verb
feel.
(52) nghe
Hear
(nghe ting mun trng)

and feel
(hear and feel)

The town = thnh ph becomes closely, friendly and so warmly with

full of love when the translator adds the adjective dear.
(53)
Dear
thnh ph
( trong thnh ph ny)
town
( in our dear town)

4.1.5. Translation by using co-hyponym

It is really difficult for music translators to find out a good equivalent word
or phrase in target language that also gets along with sound beat of source text
and singable. This difficulty leads the translator, in these 14 songs of Trinh Cong
Son, chooses words or phrases which are in the same functional types and have
similar meaning to help readers or singers easier to understand the source text.
(54) ng
Know
(con sng u c ng)

(the river doesnt know)
ng belongs to Volition verb. The translator uses a cognitive verb

know to set the English equivalent. Both of these two verbs are of the same
type mental verb. Consequently, the translator also uses know for another
verb phrase in the source text nh ra which is in the same cognitive category.
(55) nh ra
Know
( m sng khng nh ra)

( the river doesnt know)
In the examples below, the translator uses perception verb feel to set the
English equivalent for a Vietnamese perception verb nghe. This case appears
5 times in three songs.
(56) lng nghe
Feel
(ti lng nghe lng ti r ri)

(I feel my heart depressed and sad)
(57) nghe
(nghe lng miu trng vy

(nghe xa cch cuc i)
(nghe hoang ph cnh y)
Feel
(all shrines around)

(Feel away from life)
(Feel all runs nearby)
[line 5-6-7, Appendix 10]
(58) nghe
(ta nghe nghn git l)
Feel
(I feel scores of tears)

Besides using verbs of the same type, the translator also uses Adjective and
Noun in the same group to set the English equivalent for source texts. In the
example (59), the adjective mad and hn ghen are different but they are in
the same group of Attitude adjectives. In the example (60), the translator uses a
hyponymy a rose to illustrate the hypernym nhnh hoa.
(59) hn ghen
Mad
(nng c cn hn ghen mi em)

(is light still mad at your lips)
(60) nhnh hoa
A rose
(mt nhnh hoa gia tm hn)

(a rose in your soul)
Appearing 10 times with 5.8%, the strategy Translation by using cohyponym is one of the most used strategies in these 14 songs.
4.1.6. Translation by paraphrase using unrelated word
Sometimes, to set the words and phrases getting along with sound beats, the
translator cannot use exact equivalent for source text. To make the sentence
singable, he adds some words or phrases that have no related meaning to the
source text.
(61) chiu
Eve
(chiu Ch nht bun)

(sad Sunday eve)
chiu - This word must get the English equivalent afternoon, but in this
situation, the translator chooses the word eve = evening. We often see Christmas
Eve or New Years Eve. With the meaning of evening = m, it is far different
from the Vietnamese lyric. However, the difficulty here is that, there is only 1
the musical sound beat, while the word afternoon has three syllables which
require 3 sound beats. On the other hand, the word evening which contains three
syllables and also requires 3 sound beat, but luckily, this word can be shorten
into eve which has only 1 syllable = 1 sound beat. Therefore, we can get to the
point that, in this case, the translator doesnt use either semantic or
communicative approach to transfer from Vietnamese to English, but he
translates to make the word get along with the musical sound beat.
(62) hai vai
Head
(trn hai vai ta i vng nht nguyt)

(just over head the sun and moon)
hai vai could get the English equivalent shoulders. However, the
translator uses another phrase head which seems not to be getting along with
the Vietnamese. In this case, we can see that, translating songs is rather difficult
because of the musical sound beats. Sometimes, the translator(s) pass by a
beautiful word or phrase that is very equivalent to the word or phrase in SL, to
choose another one which has the same meaning or nearly the same but having
the suitable sound beat with the music and melody. Besides that, translating with
the most maintained meaning is the target of any translator. Therefore, how to
express and describe the meaning of the word or phrase is the reason why
translators do not choose exact equivalent word or phrase in TL, but using a
different one to illustrate and convey a full image inside the word. This situation
is a typical example. The translator chooses head, though the meaning is not
equivalent to the Vietnamese, its general meaning and the image it treasures
could perform better than the word shoulders.
This strategy appears 7 times with 4.1% in all the strategies used to translate
in the 14 songs.
4.1.7. Translation by using meronymy
In this case, the translator uses Part Whole relationship to set the English
equivalent for source text in Vietnamese. This strategy appears 4 times with
2.5%.
Instead of using correct English equivalent, the translator chooses you to
describe vai = shoulders; chn em= your feet.
(63) vai
You
(my hn ng qun trn vai)

(angry clouds asleep on you)
(64) chn
(ng du chn em i)
(ma cy tri nu chn v)
You
(they will take you out)

(season fruits take you back)
[line 16-19, Appendix 13]
4.2. FREQUENCY OF SEMANTIC TRANSLATION STRATEGIES

After studying through 14 songs both in Vietnamese and their English
translational versions, using translation strategies suggested by Newmark and
Baker, we found that there are 7 strategies most used and their frequency is
illustrated in the table below:
Table 4.1: The tokens and percentage of semantic strategies
Strategy
Tokens
Percentage
83
48.5%
37
21.6%
Translation by using a more general word
19
11.1%
Translation by using expansion
11
6.4%
Translation by using co-hyponym
10
5.8%
Translation by paraphrase using unrelated word
4.1%
Translation by using meronymy
2.5%
171
100%
Translation by using omission

Translation by using a more neutral/less
expressive word
In the data, the strategy Translation by omission appears 83 times and

take the highest percentage with 48.5% while the two strategies Translation by
a more neutral/less expression word and Translation by a more general word
(superordinate) stand on the second and third rank with 21.6% for 37 tokens
and 11.1% for 19 tokens.
Staying at the fourth and fifth rank is the two strategies Translation by
Expansion with 6.4% for 11 tokens and Translation by using Hyponym and
Co-hyponym 5.8% for 10 tokens.
Standing at the sixth and seventh rank is the two strategies Translation by
paraphrase using unrelated words with 4.1% for 7 tokens, and Translation by
using Meronymy with 2.5% for 4 tokens.
By examining the frequency of those 7 strategies, the strategy Translation

by omission is most used with nearly a haft of proportion.
The percentage of 7 strategies is illustrated as follows:
Chart 4.1: The percentage of semantic strategies

4.3. SYNTACTIC FEATURES
Based on the 4 strategies suggested by Catford, 280 pairs of sentences both
in the Vietnamese and English versions were examined to find out which
strategy is used.
Number
Strategy
Structural-shifts
Class-shifts
Unit-shifts
Intra-system-shifts
In this part, each strategy with examples will be presented and discussed.
4.3.1. Structural shifts
These are amongst the most frequent category shifts at all ranks in
translation; they occur in phonological and graphological translation as well as in
total translation. In grammar, structure-shifts can occur at all ranks.
Examining all the 14 songs, this strategy appears 17 times with 22% in all
the strategies used.
(65) thu bng ti
darkness shink
( v ti thu bng ti)

( and I darkness shrink)
With the surface meaning when comparing to the first phrase cy tra thu
bng di, we can understand bng ti like the shadow of the writer, at noon, like
the trees shrink their shadow at noon. However, translator uses the word
darkness so different from bng ti in using the equivalent to set in the TL.
The darkness here is also an expressive way to the deep meaning of Vietnamese
in a connotative way. We dont consider the right or wrong factor in translation,
but we can recognize that, in this situation, the translator uses communicative
approach to reach the meaning.
Thu
bng ti
Structural shifts
VO to OV
Darkness
(66) sao em nh vi
shrink
( i a sao em nh vi)
why dont you longer stay
( why dont you longer stay)

By using structure of a question with modifying the way to express the

meaning, the translator successfully transfer from SL to TL with keeping the true
meaning despite the difference in structure of those two questions, but having the
same elements. With the Vietnamese version, we can see that:
Sao
em
QW +
nh
+
vi
Aux
+V
While the English version has the structure:

Why
QW +
dont
you
Aux +
+
Sao
Structural shifts
longer
em
stay?
Adv + V
nh
vi
(QW + S + Aux + V
QW + Aux + S + Adv + V)
(67) tnh phai
old love
Why dont you
longer
stay?
(con mt cn li nhn cuc tnh phai)

(the other eyes for an old love)
Both Vietnamese and English versions have structure of a Noun phrase.
tnh
phai
Noun +
adjective
old
love
Adjective + Noun
tnh
phai
old
love
Structural shifts
(N + Adj Adj + N)
(68) l con mt ai
whose eye it is
(con mt cn li l con mt ai)

(the other eye, whose eye it is)
This is a question. The translator also uses a syntactic structure equivalent

to translate from Vietnamese into English whose eye it is?
L
con mt
ai
Structural shifts
(V + S S + V)
Whose
(69) ph thnh thang
warm, busy town
eye
it
is
(v li trong ph thnh thang)

(back to warm, busy town)
thnh thang can get the English equivalent immense; large or spacious. The
translator, with a deep understanding in the lyrics of Trinh Cong Sons songs,
expresses the love, the warmth, the people and the feeling inside the phrase
thnh thang by choosing the English equivalent warm, busy town. The syntactic
structure of these two phrases is inversed:
-
ph
Noun
thnh thang
+
warm
Adjective
Adjective phrase
busy
town
Adjective
Noun
ph
thnh thang
warm busy
town
Structural shifts
(N +Adj.P Adj.P+ N)
(70) i gi em
(i gi em v gia au thng)
you are called
(you are called to come in love)

The translator changes from Active voice of Vietnamese sentence to Passive

voice of English sentence.
-
gi
em
You
are
called (Passive voice)

i
(Active voice)
gi
em
(Active voice)
Structural shifts
(Active Passive)
You
(71) gia thin nhin hin ha
peaceful nature amidst
are
called (Passive voice)

The syntactic structure in this example is also reversed:
gia
Structural shifts
thin nhin
hin ha
(Prep + N + Adj
Adj + N + Prep)
peaceful
(72) mnh vn c liu
nature
amidst
( hay mnh vn c liu)
lonely I am
(oh now lonely I am)

The Vietnamese clause consists of the structure S + V + Adj:

-
mnh
S
vn
+
c liu
Tobe (V)
Adj
However, when transferring from Vietnamese into English, the translator

uses the Inversion to emphazise the loneliness in the song.
-
lonely
Adj
I
+
am
+
Tobe (V)
mnh
vn
lonely
c liu
Structural shifts
(SVAdj AdjSV)
(73) lng l ni ny
a world of mine
am
(tiu )
(the title)
[Title, Appendix 7]
In terms of syntax, we can see that, lng l ni ny is a Adjective phrase

which is the combination of Adjective phrase, Noun and Determiner:
-
lng l
Adjective phrase
ni
ny
Noun +
Determiner
In comparison, the title of this song is a Noun phrase which consists of

Determiner, Adjective and Noun phrase:
-
the
quiet
world of mine
Determiner +
Adjective
lng l
+
ni
Noun phrase
ny
Structural shifts
(Adj + N + Det Det + Adj + N)
the
(74) li cho ai
for whom is left
quiet
world of mine
(tnh yu v ti, li cho ai)

(a nave love, for whom is left)
[Line 15, Appendix 8]
In terms of syntax, there are two main different points between Vietnamese
and English. First, while Vietnamese is a To-infinitive phrase, the English
translational version is set in Passive voice Verb phrase. Beside that, the
translator also uses Inversion when putting the Prepositional phrase cho ai after
the To-infinitive, its English version standing before the Passive voice Verb
phrase:
-
li
Verb phrase (To-inf)
cho ai
+
for whom
Prepostional phrase
is left
Verb phrase (Passive)
Structural shifts
li
cho ai (To-infinitive)
for whom
is left (Passive)
(To-infinitive Passive)
(V + Prep.P Prep.P + V)
(75) ta mang cho em mt a qunh
a flower here Ive brought you

By considering the syntactic features, we can see the difference in structure

of these two sentences. With the Vietnamese version, it is the SVOO:
Ta
mang cho
em
mt a qunh
With the English translational version, it is the OSVO:

A flower here
O
I ve brought
you
Ta
V
mang cho
em
mt a qunh
Structural-shifts
(SVOO OSVO)
A flower here
I ve brought
you
(76) Em mang cho ta mt cht tnh
A little love youve brought me

By considering the syntactic features, we can see the difference in

structure of these two sentences. With the Vietnamese version, it is the SVOO:
Em
mang cho
ta
mt cht tnh

A little love
you
ve brought
me
Em
mang cho
ta
mt cht tnh
Structural-shifts
(SVOO OSVO)
A little love
you
ve brought
me
(77) Ta mang cho em mt cht bun
A little sorrow Ive brought you


of these two sentences. With the Vietnamese version, it is the SVOO:
Ta
mang cho
em
mt cht bun

A little sorrow
ve brought
you
Ta
mang cho
em
mt cht bun
Structural-shifts
(SVOO OSVO)
A little sorrow
ve brought
you
(78) em n ngt ngo
(hai mi nm em n ngt ngo)
you sweetness own
(twenty years you sweetness owe)

By considering the syntactic feature of these two sentences, the grammatical

elements are the same, but the position of them is different. With the Vietnamese
version, it is the combination of SVO:
Em
ngt ngo
O
while the English translational version is the combination of SOV:

You
sweetness owe
V
Em
ngt ngo
Structural-shifts
(SVO SOV)
You
sweetness owe
4.3.2. Intra-system shifts

In a listing of types of translation-shift, such as we gave above, one might
expect system-shift to occur along with the names of the types of shift
affecting the other fundamental categories of grammar - unit, structure and class.
Most of the cases are the changes from singular in source text in Vietnamese
to plural in target text in English.
In the entire corpus examined, this strategy appears 21 times with 27% in all
the strategies used.
In Appendix 1, the strategy Intra-system-shifts appears 2 times when the

translator uses Plural nouns in the English translational version for
Common/Singular nouns in Vietnamese version:
(79)
Vietnamese (singular)
English (Plural)
gt hi
Steps
bng
shadows

(80)
English (Plural)
hoa
Flowers
Leaves

(81)
English (Plural)
tay
Arms
sng
Waves

(82)
English (Plural)
li
Words
cy
Trees
Weeds
ngy
Days
my
Clouds
[line 6-9-14, Appendix 9]

Common/Singular nouns in Vietnamese version:(84)
English (Plural)
my
Clouds
tay
Hands
rung t
Fields
hoa lan
Flowers
bm
Bees
chim
Birds
bp
Buds
sng
Waves
cy tri
Fruits
[line 1-6-9-13-18-19-23, Appendix 9]
In Appendix 7, the Intra-system-shifts appears with one special case when

the translator changes from a Statement in Vietnamese to a Question in English.
+ Bn b ri xa chn chiu: This is a statement with the structure of S + V
+ O:
-
Bn b
ri xa
chn chiu
Subject (NP)+
Verb phrase
Object (NP)
Different from the Vietnamese lyric, the translator uses structure of a

question to set the English equivalent for this clause to describe the synonym
idea.
-
Where
re
all my good friends?
Question word + Verb (tobe) +
Subject
We can see two different main points between Vietnamese and its English
translational version. First, while Vietnamese has the Ordinary verb ri xa, the
English has the Linking verb to be = are. Second, the Noun phrase chn chiu
isnt translated into English.
(85)
Bn b
S
ri xa
+
chn chiu
+
Wherere all my good friends?

QW + (tobe) + S?
4.3.3. Class shifts
Class-shift occurs when the translation equivalent of an SL item is a
member of a different class from the original item.
This strategy appears 39 times in all the 14 songs and possesses a half
percentage of all strategies used with 51%.
In Appendix 1, this strategy appears 7 times, these are some typical
examples:
(86) i a
(i a trng nay nm ng)
I see
(I see the moon just old)

i a: this is an exclaimative word in Vietnamese, usually used in lulling

songs, in folk songsWhat is the English equivalent here for this word? The
translator replaces by the phrase I see a compensation way in understanding
the meaning with context. We can understand this situation like that, i a trng
nay gi, you suddenly recognize the moon has been old. So, the phrase I see
with the compensation strategy in translating is suitable.
Class-shifts
i a I
(exclaimative to Clause)
(86) vui chi
at play
see
S+V
(ti vui chi gia i)

(Im at play in life)
vui chi is a verb phrase with the structure:

Vui
+ chi
Adjective
+ Verb
while in the English version, it is replace by at place - a prepositional phrase

with the structure:
at
preposition
+ play
noun
Class-shifts
(VP to Prep.P)
Vui
+ chi
Adj
+ V
at
+ play
Prep
+ N
In Appendix 2, this strategy appears 4 times. This is a typical example:

(87) trng nh vi
(cht mt chiu tc trng nh vi)
turn white
(just one day my hair turn white)

trng nh vi: this is an idiomatic phrase in Vietnamese when people

compare something with white color to the lime. In the English version, the
translator uses the phrase turn white which hasnt expressed fully the meaning,
but, by the method of synonymy, the general meaning is partly transferred and
conveyed.
- trng
nh
vi
Adjective + comparative word + Noun

-
turn
+ white
Verb
+ Noun
trng
Class-shifts
(Adjective phrase Verb phrase)
nh
vi
Adj + comparative word + Noun
turn
Verb
+ white
+ Noun
In appendix 3, this strategy appears 2 times with these 2 examples below:

(88) ln cao xung thp
up here down there
The structure between Vietnamese and English version is also different.
With the Vietnamese, it is the verb phrase, but with the English version, it is the
prepositional phrase.
-
ln
cao
xung thp
Verb + adjective
-
up
there
Verb + adjective
-
down
Prep. + Adverb of place
here
Prep. + Adverb of place
Class-shifts
(Verb phrase Prepositional
ln
cao
+ Adj
up
phrase)
xung
V
there
thp
+ Adj
- down
Prep. + Adv
here
Prep. + Adv
(89) Cn hai con mt
Ive got two eyes

While the Vietnamese lyric has the structure of a verb phrase, the English
version gets the structure of a sentence with the appearing of Subject I.
-
Cn
hai con mt
Verb +
Noun phrase = Verb phrase
ve got
two eyes
Subject +
verb phrase +
Noun phrase = Clause
Cn
Class-shifts
(Verb phrase Clause)
hai con mt
+
I ve got
S + VP +
NP
= VP
two eyes
NP
= Clause
In Appendix 4, this strategy appears 3 times. This is its typical example:

(90) thong hng thm
in your lips
In the Vietnamese lyric, we dont know that little perfume is on which place:
the hair? The skin? Or the eyes? The translator makes this phrase clearer by
adding information in your lips. Maybe, by the deep understanding about Trinh
Cong Sons songs in which the lips appear many times:
- mi em hng va
- mi no hy cn thm
- cho ti tri cm trn i mi em
The translator decides to add in your lips for the listeners to enjoy the
attraction of the perfume on Sons lovers lips.
- thong
hng thm
Determiner
- in
Noun phrase
your lips
Preposition
Noun phrase
Class-shifts
(Noun phrase Prepositional
phrase)
thong
hng thm
Determiner
Noun phrase
in
your lips
Preposition
Noun phrase
In Appendix 5, this strategy appears 2 times with this typical example:

(91) (t trng ng) bc ra
out of (the bronze drum)

In terms of syntax, the structure between Vietnamese and English is
different. With the Vietnamese lyric, bc ra is a verb phrase which means you
step or get out of something. However, the translator uses a prepositional phrase
to set the English equivalent for bc ra.
-
bc
Verb
ra
+
out
Preposition
of
Preposition +
Preposition
bc
Class-shifts
phrase)
ra
+
out
Prep
Prep
of
Prep
In Appendix 6, this trategy appears 3 times with this typical example:

(92) ting ci
just going
(trong gian nan nn ct ting ci)

(in fatigue just goin just goin)
In terms of syntax, there are two main points in choosing the English
equivalent for Vietnamese lyric ting ci. The first, to get along with the
musical sound beat, the translator uses the Abbreviation to shorten the word
going goin. The second, while Vietnamese is a noun phrase which has the
structure of the combination between a Noun ting and a Verb ci, the English
translational version consists of an Adverb just and a V-ing form going.
-
ting
ci
Noun
-
just
Adverb
Noun
going
V-ing
ting
ci
Class-shifts
Noun
(Noun phrase Gerund phrase)
just
Adverb
Noun
going
V-ing
In Appendix 7, this strategy appears only 1 times.

(94) nm
alone
(nm trong cn gc u hiu)

(alone in my own den)
In terms of syntax, nm is a verb which can get the English equivalent lie.
However, the translator chooses the Adjective alone instead of a Verb to
describe the context in which there is no one else, full of loneliness. The same as
most of the words and phrases translated above, the translator doesnt use
semantic but communicative translation.
Class-shifts
nm = Verb
(Verb Adjective)
alone = Adjective
In Appendix this strategy appears 3 times. This is its typical example:

(95) bin hp tay ngi
narrow in arms
In terms of syntax, the translator uses two different kinds of English

translational version to set the English equivalent. With the first appearing, while
Vietnamese phrase has the structure Noun + Adjective + Noun phrase:
-
Bin
hp
tay ngi
Noun +
Adjective
Noun phrase
The English is an Adjective phrase which is the combination of an

Adjective and a Prepositional phrase:
-
narrow
Adjective
in
arms
Preposition +
Noun
Bin
Class-shifts
(Noun phrase Adjective Phrase)
hp
+
Adj
narrow
Adj
tay ngi
+
NP
in arms
+
Prep.P
In Appendix 9, this strategy appears 3 times. These are 2 of its typical

examples:
(96) cho i mi mt
on tired life
In terms of syntax, this is a Verb phrase which has the structure of a Verb
plus a Noun phrase:
-
cho
Verb +
mi mt
Noun +
Adjective phrase
Noun phrase
However, the translator uses a Prepositional phrase on tired life to set the
English equivalent for the Vietnamese phrase:
-
on
tired
life
Adjective
Preposition
Noun
Noun phrase
cho
Class-shifts
phrase)
i mi mt
Verb
on
Prep
Noun phrase
tired life
Noun phrase
(97) nghe chn nga v chn xa
a horse comes back from far

In terms of syntax, this is a Verb phrase which is the combination of a Verb

and a clause:
-
nghe
chn nga v chn xa
Verb +
Clause
In contrast to the English version, a horse comes back from far, the verb
nghe disappears and it is a Clause, not a Verb phrase like Vietnamese lyric.
nghe
Class-shifts
Verb
chn nga v chn xa

+
Clause
a horse comes back from far

S
Prep
In Appendix 10, this strategy appears 3 times. This is its typical example:
(98) m nghe gi t tnh
I hear whispering
In terms of syntax, while Vietnamese is a phrase which is the combination

of an Adverb and a To-infinitive phrase:
-
nghe
gi
t tnh
Noun +
Verb phrase
Verb +
Adverb +
Clause
Verb phrase (To-infinitive phrase)
the English translational version is a Clause:

-
hear
whispring
Subject +
Verb +
Object
m
Class-shifts
nghe gi t tnh
Adv +
VP
I hear whispring
S+ V +
In Appendix 11, this strategy appears 3 times. This is one of those cases:
(99) lm sng lnh nh
as bobbing waves
The syntactic structure these two phrases are different. With the Vietnamese
version, it is a VP = V + NP:
lm
sng lnh nh
N
+ Adj
NP
With the English translational version, it is a NP = ProN + NP:

as
bobbing
+ N
Adj
ProN +
waves
NP
lm
sng lnh nh
N
Class-shifts
(VP V-ing.P)
as
+ Adj
NP
bobbing
Adj
ProN +
waves
+ N
NP
In Appendix 12, this strategy appears 2 times. This is one of those two cases:
(100) bun b vi nhng mi hn
go sad with kissing lips


of these two versions. With the Vietnamese version, it is an Adjective Phrase =
Adj + Prep.P:
bun b
Adj
vi nhng mi hn
Prep.P
With the English translational version, it is a Verb Phrase = V + Adj + Prep.P:

go
sad
with kissing lips
Adj
Prep.P
bun b
vi nhng mi hn
Class-shifts
Adj
Prep.P
(Adj.P VP)
go
sad
Adj
with kissing lips

Prep.P
In Appendix 13, this strategy appears 2 times. This is one of those two cases:
(101) m cuc sng trong tay
with full love in hands
of these two versions. With the Vietnamese version, it is a Verb Phrase = V + N
+ Prep.P:
m
V
cuc sng
trong tay
Prep.P
With the English translational version, it is a Prepositional Phrase = Prep +

NP + Prep.P:
With
full love
Prep
NP
in hands
Prep.P
m
Class-shifts
(Adj.P VP)
cuc sng
With
Prep
full love
NP
trong tay
Prep.P
in hands
Prep.P
In Appendix 14, this strategy appears 2 times. This is one example of them:
(102) tr n mt thi
I pay my debt

of these two versions. With the Vietnamese version, it is a Verb Phrase = V + N
+ Adv:
Tr
mt thi
Adv
With the English translational version, it is a Clause = SVO:

I
S
paid my debt
V
Class-shifts
Tr
(VP Clause) I
S
mt thi
Adv
paid my debt
V
4.4. FREQUENCY OF SYNTACTIC TRANSLATION TRATEGIES

The frequency of the 4 strategies suggested by Catford in 14 songs
examined above is as follows:
Table 4.2: Tokens and percentage of syntactic strategies
Strategy
Tokens
Percentage
Structural-shifts
17
22%
Class-shifts
39
51%
Unit-shifts
0%
Intra-system-shifts
21
27%
The table above indicates the frequency order of the 4 strategies suggested
by Catford from the highest to the lowest as follows:
Strategy
Class-shifts
Intra-system-shifts
Structural-shifts
Unit-shifts
In the data, the strategy Class-shifts stays on the first rank by appearing
39 times with 51%. Next to this one, the strategy Intra-system-shifts possesses
the second rank with 27% for 21 tokens. The third runner-up is the Structuralshifts strategy for having 17 tokens with 22%. Having no token and 0%, the
strategy Unit-shifts is not used.
The percentage of 4 strategies is illustrated as follows:
Chart 4.2: The percentage of syntactic strategies

4.5. SUMMARY
Examining through the 14 songs of Trinh Cong Son both in Vietnamese
and their English translational versions, we get to the conclusion after findings
features in semantics and syntax that the changes when transferring from
Vietnamese into English are caused by the musical features. To make the words
get along with sound beats to be singable, the meaning of source texts cannot be
conveyed fully. In most of the cases, the translator tries to keep the deep
meaning which the writer wanted to express by using the communicative
approach in translating. Besides, the musical features also cause the differences
in syntactic structure between source texts and target texts. However, there must
be such changes to make the English translational versions singable and as
faithful as possible to the original meaning of source text.
CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION
5.1. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS
Baker and Newmark mention the difference between translation methods
and translation procedures. Employing these methods as a framework, we
investigated the reality and practice of translating word and phrase from
Vietnamese into English as manifested in published translated works. We find all
the methods suggested by Baker and Newmark employed, and they overlapped
each other in translating words and phrases from Vietnamese into English. One
method can be used in one case, but sometimes, more than two methods are
combined in translating.
Moreover, the research alo considers a procedure on translation shifts by
Catford with four types. Employing these four types as a framework in studying
the syntactic features when translating from Vietnamese into English, we find all
the four types suggested by Catford employed, however the frequency and
popularity are different among these types, which we list as follows:
+ Class-shifts
+ Intra-system shifts
+ Structural shifts
+ Unit-shifts
In summary, the study has focused on the answers to the research questions
as follows:
(1) How were the semantic features in Trinh Cong Sons collection of
songs translated into English?
By using the suggested translation strategies of Newmark and Baker, the

semantic features in Trinh Cong Sons collection of songs translated into English
were examined with these typical used strategies in the order of highest to lowest
frequency:
Strategy
Translation by using omission:
+ Full omission
+ Partial omission:
- Omission of adjectives
- Omission of nouns
- Omission of verbs
Translation by using a more neutral/less expressive word
Translation by using a more general word
Translation by using expansion
Translation by using co-hyponym:
+ Volition verbs Cognitive verbs
+ Adjective and Noun in the same group
Translation by paraphrase using unrelated word
Translation by using meronymy:
+ Part - Whole relationships
(2) How were the syntactic features in Trinh Cong Sons collection of
songs translated into English?
By using the suggested translation strategies of Catford, it was found that 3

strategies were used in translating the syntactic features in Trinh Cong Sons
collection of songs into English:
+ Class-shifts:
* Exclaimative Clause
* VP Prep.P/ V-ing.P/ Clause/ N
* NP Adj.P/ Prep.P/ N
* Adj.P VP/ Prep.P
* V Adj/ Adv.P
* Clause VP/ NP
+ Intra-system shifts:
* Vietnamese in singular English in plural
+ Structural shifts:
* VO OV
* N + Adj Adj + N
* QW + S + Aux + V QW + Aux + S + Adj + V
*V+SS+V
* S + V + Adj Adj + S + V
* SVOO OSVO
* SVO SOV
* VOS OSV
*SVAdj AdjSV
* Adj + N + Det Det + Adj + N
5.2. IMPLICATIONS FOR TRANSLATION
According to Peter Newmark, translation is rendering the meaning of a text

into another language in the way that the author intended the text. The purpose
of translation is that the audience in the TL feel and reacts in the same ways as
the audience in SL does. However, to translate a language into another language
effectively and transfer the percific messages into the target is always a very
difficult task. Especially, translating literary works is one of the most complex
fields of translation because the literary works consist of many aspects, not only
the lyrics in songs, the words in poetry, etc. but also the melody, the tone and
rhymth. Therefore, to translate them well requires translators to have suitable
methods. In translation theory, there are two different main approaches: authorcenterd and second reader-centerd in which the latter approach is more likely to
create equivalent effect and is more favored by translators. However, how the
reader-centerd translation is in fact bring translators many big challenges
because it relates to factors such as linguistic context, situational context and
cultural context. Dealing with semantic and syntactic features, it is unacceptable
to render them words by words. Translators need to pay careful attention to
semantic factors such as:
+ The omission: in the example below, to maintain the 6 sound beats like
Vietnamese lyric, the translator omits the phrase lng nghe and the word
nm:
(2) Lng nghe
con sng
nm
The river
tells (its tale)

+ The expansion: sometimes, the translator adds words to support the

meaning:
(45) k
Tell
(con sng nm k)
its tale

+ Meronymy: Instead of using correct English equivalent, the translator

chooses you to describe vai = shoulders; chn em= your feet.
(63) vai
You
(my hn ng qun trn vai)

(angry clouds asleep on you)
, etc. especially to decide which the original meaning of a word is and which is
the transferred meanings created by the way of which methods. Besides
linguistic factors, translators also need to be aware of the influence of music
theory in composing songs. The impact of music theory on choosing the
procedure is shown in the two following cases:
+ The procedure of choosing the word which has the same sound beat in the
song.
+ The procedure of choosing translation methods to convey the writers
ideas to get along with the melody and sound beat of the song.
Prompted by the influence of linguistic aspects and music theory, the choice
of the most suitable strategy in each case requires translators to have careful and
profound thinking, especially the strategies of choosing word to have the same
sound beat and choosing translation methods to get along with the melody and
sound beat of the song but conveying full ideas of the writer. Therefore, it is
necessary for translators not only to grasp linguistic associations but also to
supplement musicial experience. Moreover, translators also need to consider
carefully the culture aspect.
Translation literary works in general and translation musical translation in
particular is not an easy task so it requires the translators to learn and research
carefully with their best efforts to grasp the text in SL and produce a TL text that
bears a close resemblance to the SL text. Thanks to this thesis, both amateur and
professional translators have a chance to enrich their skills of music translation.
Moreover, they may facilitate vocabulary learning as well as develop their
English vocabulary. Simultaneously, they can know how to choose words and
phrases to go with musical melodies and sound beats which help them improve
and develop a great love in music later.
5.3. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
- Because of the lack of time and reference materials, the study only focused
on singable translational versions of Trinh Cong Sons songs.
- Among the kind of semantic features classified by Newmark and Baker,
the thesis only concerntrates on researching the word-classes when translating
words from Vietnamese into English.
- As for syntactic features, the thesis paid attention to the four types of
translation shifts classified by Catford whose suggested strategies only focus on
grammatical structure which prevents us from revealing the transfer of patterns
of experience in translating clauses and sentences if this part of the study had
been conducted from the perspective of the systemic-functional grammar.
5.4. SOME SUGGESTED TRANSLATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR

FURTHER RESEARCH
5.4.1. Suggested translations
Doing this thesis through studying the semantic and syntactic features by
standing on the pointof view of Peter Newmark and Catford, the writer would
like to suggest two English translational versions of two Trinh Cong Sons songs
which are TINH XA and TA ON.
5.4.2. Suggestions for further reseach

Whatever efforts have been made in conducting the research, there is still
room our study. Some notions of these occurred to me in the course of doing this
reseach. However, due to the lack of time I cannot present them all.
- Further reseach should focus on many other songs in the treasure of Trinh
Cong Son with more than 500 songs.
- Further research should focus on the evaluation the English translational
versions.
- Further reseach shouls also focus on translating songs of other famous
Vietnamese musicians.
- Further reseach shouls also focus on comparing translations of singable
versions with other explanatory versions (e.g. versions that are available on the
internet) to identify the Trinh Cong Sons songs.
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CORPORA
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Nhc 1997.
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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

M.A. THESIS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Translating Trinh Cong Sons songs is an attractive trend. Beside that,

1.2. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

1.3. SCOPE OF THE STUDY

1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.5. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

1.6. ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW & THEORETICAL

2.1.1. What is translation?

2.1.2. What is equivalence?

2.1.3. Types of equivalence

2.1.4. What is literary translation?

2.1.5. Vietnam - English translation

2.2. TRANSLATION PROCEDURES/STRATEGIES AND METHODS

2.2.1. Translation procedures

2.2.2. Translation methods

2.2.3. Translation of songs

2.3. TRINH CONG SONS BIOGRAPHY

2.3.1. Writings about Trinh Cong Son and his music

2.3.2. Translations of Trinh Cong Sons songs

CHAPTER 3: METHODS AND PROCEDURES

3.1. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

3.2. RESEARCH DESIGN

3.3. METHODS OF RESEARCH

3.4. DATA COLLECTION AND DESCRIPTION

3.5. RESEARCH PROCEDURES

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

4.1. SEMANTIC FEATURES

4.1.1. Translation by using omission

4.1.1.1. Full omission

4.1.1.2. Partial omission

4.1.2. Translation by using a more neutral/less expressive word

4.1.3. Translation by using a more general word

4.1.4. Translation by using expansion

4.1.5. Translation by using co-hyponym

4.1.6. Translation by paraphrase using unrelated word

4.1.7. Translation by using meronymy

4.2. FREQUENCY OF SEMANTIC TRANSLATION STRATEGIES

4.3. SYNTACTIC FEATURES

4.3.2. Intra-system shifts

4.4. FREQUENCY OF SYNTACTIC TRANSLATION STRATEGIES

5.1. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS

5.2. IMPLICATIONS FOR TRANSLATION

5.3. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

5.4. SAMPLE OF SUGGESTED TRANSLATIONS &

5.4.1. Suggested translations of songs

5.4.2. Suggestions for further study

Table 4.1: The tokens and percentage of semantic strategies

Table 4.2: The tokens and percentage of syntactic strategies

Chart 4.1: The percentage of semantic strategies

Chart 4.2: The percentage of syntactic strategies

1.5. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

in another language (target language TL). The equivalent here is the

With regard to equivalent expressions between language pairs, Vinay and

Intralingual (within one language, i.e. rewording or paraphrase)

Interlingual (between two languages)

Intersemiotic (between sign systems)

Jakobson claims that, in the case of interlingual translation, the translator

translation vs. restricted translation).

translation equivalences are not tied to a particular rank, and we may

match its source text in function, but employ equivalent situational-dimensional

translating from one language into another. Baker acknowledges that, in a

Trinh Cong Son's Songs in Semantic and Syntactic Features

Trinh Cong Son's Songs in Semantic and Syntactic Features