NATIONAL ECONOMICS UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES BUSINESS ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE DIFFICULTIES AFFECTING THE TRANSLATION COMEPETENCE OF BUSINESS ENGLISH STUDENTS AT NATIONAL ECONOMICS UNIVERSITY Hanoi, April, 2023 NATIONAL ECONOMICS UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES BUSINESS ENGLISH DEPARTMENT HOANG YEN NHI AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE DIFFICULTIES AFFECTING THE TRANSLATION COMEPETENCE OF BUSINESS ENGLISH STUDENTS AT NATIONAL ECONOMICS UNIVERSITY Hanoi, April, 2023 Hoàng Yến Nhi — 11193972 — Business English 61A ACKNOWLEDGEMENT No one can reach success on their own without the support and encouragement of others. Similarly, this paper would not have been completed if I had not received the assistance and support from teachers, family and friends during that time since I started studying at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, National Economics University. First of all, with all my admiration and respect, I would like to express my profound gratitude to my supervisor, Ms Le Thuy Linh who is directly in charge of teaching me during the translation courses at NEU. Her dedication in lectures along with her comments and suggestions for our performance have provided me with a lot of useful knowledge to apply in writing this study.
Secondly, I also sincerely thank the teachers from the Faculty of Foreign Language, National Economics University, who have taught me subjects in the English major in the past 7 semesters, as well as other teachers who are responsible for general subjects. The knowledge and experience I learned from the teachers during my time studying at the university played an important role in the fulfillment of this essay. Thirdly, I would like to convey my warmest and kindest appreciation to my friends who gave me a lot of advice and recommendations. Specifically, it is vital for me to give special thanks to my classmates of BE program at NEU intake 100 who played an important part in providing me with their beneficial research materials and the great assistance in performing the survey questionnaire.
I would like to express my deep gratefulness for the teachers who spent time being interviewed, which helps me alot on the way of completing my study. Last but not least, I desire to express my great admiration to my parents from the bottom of my heart for their wholehearted and unconditional support to me. Without the unlimited love and encouragement that they have been offering, it could be merely challenging for me to drive my motivation for the purpose of sharpening myself and broadening my horizon with the enormous knowledge treasure throughout not only these four years at NEU but my journey of maturity and success. Hoàng Yến Nhi — 11193972 — Business English 61A EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This study aims to identify a number of considerable problems that the fourth-year students at National Economics University frequently happen to in the process of translation during three courses at the university.
As can be seen, translation is becoming important in every aspect of human life. In other words, the translation field increasingly opens more career paths for university students. Thus, it is virtually essential to draw more attention to the competence of BE students with regard to the translation aspect. The ability to identify what translation is or how it processes is of superior importance because only when they are aware of these, could they realize the problems in their work.
Additionally, this research suggests numerous practical approaches which were gathered from reliable sources, BE teachers and personal experience to tackle students’ issues. A number of 10 detailed survey questions were proposed together with 4 direct interview questions were distributed with the responses of 100 senior BE students and 2 translation teachers to illustrate whether they have awareness of translation aspects such as definitions, types and process of translation. The questionnaire was also in charge of describing obstacles and problems in the translation process of BE students. The results of teacher interview would be used to depict some causes and recommendations given by the teachers, which helps solidify the academic aspect and clarity of the study.
The data processing was thoroughly carried out and the outcomes were displayed in the forms of diagrams and tables. According to the results of the study, it can be easily described that there were different hindrances when BE students do their translations, including some common difficulties which are lexical factor, phonological factor, custom and tradition factor or personal competence. After figuring out the problems, students would be provided with valuable solutions by famous authors and BE teachers. Moreover, it is noteworthy that most BE students are fully aware of general information about translation such as definition, classification, or the process of translation.
With all the statistics that were processed, analyzed and depicted along with the potential solutions which are proactively proposed, this thesis is expected to become the effective learning materials for not only fourth-year students but also all the students of the Faculty of Foreign Languages and the teachers as well. Hoàng Yến Nhi — 11193972 — Business English 61A LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviation Original BE Business English CAT Computer Assisted Tools NEU National Economics University SL Source language TL Target language il Hoàng Yến Nhi — 11193972 — Business English 61A TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARYY. 5 << < HH HH 00 0806 i LIST OF ABBREVHIA THONS.s- << HH HH CC HH ngu g0” ii TABLE OF COINTIETN TYS. HH HH HC 0008900 iii LIST OF FIGURES.
0 00 000900096 vi LIST OF TA BILEES. 0 00096006 vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION. Scope of the SÍUICỈY. Significance of the SẦUỈY.
Design of the Study. The setting of the StUdy. -- 5 s1 HH HH ng ng re 4 1.-- -- -c c 1v HH ng HH rrg 4 1. Data collection techniques.
Data Collection Process .- G1 HH ng rey 5 1. Data analysis Process. 5 Ăn ng HH ng nưệt 6 CHAPTER 2:THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK. Definition of Translation.
Features Of TTannSÏ4aẨÏOHA. The importance of Translation. The role of Translation 1n eCOROTNV. The role of Translation in educat1OI.
---5- 5s ++sss++ssx++sexsssss 11 2. The role of Translation as a mean of communIcafion. Types of TTa'nSÏ2AÏOTT. Word-for-word transÏatÏOTI.-- -- + 119 3112111911901 1 HH ng ng 14 2.
Translation Techniques Classification .o- <5 ss°s se SsSeSeSssse 17 2.- -- <1 TH HH kg 17 1H Hoàng Yến Nhi — 11193972 — Business English 61A 2. 18 Anh f©uUuioi oi nh “33. 18 PA NJP vào 0n. DISCUTSIV€ CT€AfIOH.
- Q5 HH TH HH H 19 2. Established equ1VaÏ€nit.- --- --- + kh nh HH HH ng ni, 19 2. Linguistic AmplIÍTCafIOT.-- c1 v vn ng kg 19 2. c1 SH HH HH kg 20 2.c- 5 1 1 nh ng TH ng 20 2.- - G c1 TH ng 20 Phaon .-- Gà LH TH TH TH HH HH 20 2.
- HH HH gu TH HH Hi Hà 20 2.- Q9 HT HH HH HH Ha 21 2. Factors affecting Translation PFOC€SS.c bi cinvo gNẠỌIẠỌDaiaiddida). 26 CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION. The self-evaluation of BE students on their understanding about the definition of Translation.
BE’s perception on the features of a good translation. Student’s self- evaluation of the importance of translation in four different aspects: education, culture, communication and economy. BE’s perception on types of transÏatiOn.----ccS-csss+sssersss 34 3. BE’s perception of the process of translation.
BE students’ perception on translation techniques. Factors affecting Translation competence of BE students.ccscccssccssscseccrsccscccscccscssscssssssessscesscesscesesssccscsssecssssscssssssessoeses 48 CHAPTER 4: RECOMMENDA TIONN. Recommendation for students. Recommendation for teachers.
G0 Họ cọ nọ TH HH. 0000010006000 00908 55 iv Hoàng Yến Nhi — 11193972 — Business English 61A 1. Summary Of the SẦUCỈY. Suggestions for further Studies.
cọ HO HH.- << cụ HC II 0000100010004 890 Hoàng Yến Nhi — 11193972 — Business English 61A LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1: Average Language Translator SaÏary.- --- 555cc s+sseeserses 1 Figure 2.1: Economic translation Specificity .2: Diagram of translation Process .1: BE Students’ self-evaluation of Translation definitions .2: Student’s self- evaluation of the importance of translation in four different aspects: education, culture, communication and economy .3: BE’s perception on types of transÏaf1OH.- -- «+ =<sx+x+s+srs 36 Figure 3.4: BE’s perception of the process of transÏation.5: : BE students’ assessment of the frequency of translation types.6: Factors affecting translation that BE students have known .7: BE students’ assessment of the importance of each factor.8: Factors that BE students find the most difficult to deal with. 47 vi Hoàng Yến Nhi — 11193972 — Business English 61A LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1: Example of establish equ1VaÏ€T(.1: BE’s perception on the features of a good translation.2: Examples of types of translation and the correct answWers.3: Translation techniques that BE students have known. 38 vii Hoàng Yến Nhi — 11193972 — Business English 61A CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION (This chapter presents rationale, purposes, research questions, research methodology scope and design of the study) 1. Rationale Translation is one of the professions that plays an important role in socio- economic sector because the needs of business and international cooperation will constantly increase.
Although the popularity of many softwares and tools supporting translation makes many people uncertain about the development ability of this industry in the future. However, in some respects, machines cannot completely replace the human role. According to Global Market Insights, the translation industry will be worth 1.5 billion USD by 2024. This is really a good news for those who are passionate and eager to pursue this industry.
The General Department of Labor Statistics has also forecast that the employment rate of translators and interpreters will increase by 17% in 2026 due to the demand for foreign travel and business expansion to other regions in the world. This rate is much higher than the growth rate of other occupations. Translator is considered a profession with stable to high income. The following figure illustrates the salary range of a translator in The United States.
LANGUAGE TRANSLATOR Average Salary Junior Level 25th Percentile $45,000 yearly $36,000 $17.31 Yearly Salary Hourly Salary $21.87 hourly Mid Level 50th Percentile $45,490 $21.87 Yearly Salary Hourly Salary $29,000 $45,000 $70,000 10% Median 90% Senior Level 7sthPercentie $57,000 $27.40 ZIPPIA Updated August 18, 2021 Yearly Salary Hourly Salary Figure 1.1: Average Language Translator Salary (Source: ZIPPIA, The Career Expert, Language Translator Salary) Hoàng Yến Nhi — 11193972 — Business English 61A According to the figure, language translators make $45,490 per year on average, or $21.87 per hour, in the United States. Language translators with lower expertise, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $29,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $70,000. In Vietnam, there has a great deal of universities providing translation courses in their education programs, and NEU is one of those. However, the scores in Translation I, II and HI courses of many Business English students are not high, especially in Translation I.
The reason explaning for this is that Translating I - the first course in the whole Translation program, is a new subject, many students cannot adapt immediately, so their learning results are not really good. In addition, the poor results of students may be due to the fact that the students themselves have not proactively studied and improved their knowledge and experience, or they have not studied well the subjects that are prerequisites to the Translation courses, therefore, BE students usually feel bored with any translation courses. Additionally, students of BE seem to lack of cultural background in both native language and foreign language which causes certain obstacles during translation process. In addition, complex sentence structures and specialized words are also a big problem for students, they tend to find it difficult to look for equivalent terms for each language when translating texts.
Through this study, the writer hopes that BE students would have general information about the importance of translation in the job market. Moreover, the author conducted this comprehensive analysis with the aim of figuring out some of the main issues in studying Translation of Business English students.