VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE

COURSE SYLLABUS
I. General information

1. Course title BASIC TRANSLATION

2. Course code NVA029

3. Type of course (compulsory, optional) Compulsory

4. Level of course Bachelor

5. Year of study (if applicable) 3

6. Semester when the course is delivered 5

7. Number of course credits allocated 3 (2 theoretical credits and 1 practical credit)

Independent study: 90 hours
8. Name of lecturer(s) N/A

9. Mode of delivery (face-to-face, distance Face-to-face, distance learning

learning)

10. Prerequisites Learners are supposed to have completed the following

courses: Language skills 1A & 1B, Language skills 2A
& 2B, Language skills 3A & 3B, and Advanced
grammar.
11. Language of instruction English & Vietnamese

12. Work placement(s) N/A

II. Course overview

This is the very first course of the translation-interpreting specialization. Learners are introduced with
some basic concepts and techniques in order to systematically get familiar with the translation
profession. The course is designed to provide them with:
● An introduction of various common methods of translation;
● An application of some basic translation techniques;
● Practice related to topics: (a) Individual and family, (b) Education, (c) Health, and (d) Social
issues.
III. Course learning outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Define levels of translation (word-for-word, literal, and free).

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2. Apply different translation methods and techniques for a task.
3. Synthesize the strengths and weaknesses of translation methods and techniques
4. Use critical thinking skills and creativity to practice translation.
5. Use teamwork skills to deal with translation problems in practice.
6. Respond to the assigned tasks actively and positively.

IV. Recommended or required readings

● Reading 1: NGUYEN THANH CHƯƠNG & TRƯƠNG TRÁC BẠT, Phương pháp dịch Anh –
Việt, Youth Publisher, 2002.
● Reading 2: TRƯƠNG QUANG PHÚ, Giáo Khoa Căn Bản Môn Dịch Anh – Việt & Việt –
Anh, VNU_HCMC Publisher, 2001.
● Reading 3: Practice texts provided by the lecturer(s). They are extracted from books, the
internet, newspapers with structure and vocabulary difficulty appropriate with the students’ level
(Suggested level: pre-intermediate and intermediate).
V. Course contents and schedules

Sessions Course contents Required Planned learning activities and

readings teaching methods
1. Introduction to translation Reading 1: - Lecture
Basic methods of translation (1) Part 1, - Practice: Analyze and
Grammar translation pp. 7-23 translate sentences from English
- Word-for-word translation into Vietnamese and vice versa,
- Literal translation applying appropriate basic
- Free translation translation techniques.
2. Basic methods of translation (2) Reading 1: - Lecture
Sentence pattern translation Part 1, - Practice: Analyze and
(Appendix) pp. 24-47 translate sentences from English
1. Subject + be + (pro)noun/ adj/ into Vietnamese and vice versa,
adverbial adjunct/ prepositional Reading 3 applying appropriate basic
phrases … translation techniques.
2. There be …
3. It be…/ It + linking verb
4. Subject + intransitive verb...
5. Subject + transitive verb...
6. Others
3. Two basic steps in sentence Reading 2: - Lecture
translation Chapter 2, - Practice 1: Exercises 1, 2, 3,
- Finding the main idea pp. 27-46 4 pp. 41- 46
- Identify the nature of supporting - Practice 2: Supplementary
ideas Reading 3 exercises
Translating compound & - Questions and answers
complex sentences in Vietnamese - Discussion
Emphasis in English
- It was Tom that phoned me
yesterday.
- What I need is some advice.
- It’s been 3 years since his return.

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 - Hardly have we talked to each
other.
- Others …
4. Accuracy in translation Reading 2: - Lecture
- Word meaning Chapter 8, - Practice 1: Exercises pp.
- Structure pp. 185, 120 -126.
- Language function 117-134 - Practice 2: Supplementary
Translation techniques (1) exercises
Structural transformation Reading 1: - Questions and answers
- Transposition Part 2, - Discussion
- Replacement pp. 48-50
- Addition
- Omission
5. Translation techniques (2) Reading 1: - Lecture
Lexical transformation Part 2, - Practice: Supplementary
- Concretization p.p. 51-61 exercises
- Generalization - Questions and answers
- Antonymic translation; Reading 3 - Discussion
- Metonymy
- Euphemism
- Simile
- Metaphor
- Hyperbole
- Synecdoche
- Personification
- Zoosemy
6. Topic translation: Individual & Reading 2: - Lecture
Family Chapter 8, - Practice 1: Exercises pp. 175,
- Word and expression pp. 176, 183-184
- Translation practice 173-202 - Practice 2: Exercise 2 p.
Group presentation (A1): Reading 3 177-8
Individual and Family - Questions and answers
- Discussion: Comment,
discuss translated sentences and
excerpts; Analyze and correct
mistakes
7. Topic translation: Education Reading 2: - Lecture
- Word and expression Chapter - Practice: Exercises pp. 206,
- Translation practice 14, pp. 220-221
Group presentation: Education 203-226 - Questions and answers
(A1) Reading 3 - Discussion: Comment,
discuss translated sentences and
excerpts; Analyze and correct
mistakes
8. Progress test (A3) Reading 2 - Correction
Practice (A2) - Practice: Supplementary
exercises
- Questions and answers
- Discussion
9. Conversion Reading 2: - Lecture
- Cause - Effect Chapter 1, - Practice 1: Exercise 1,2 & 3
- Time pp. 17-26 pp. 24-25

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 - Purpose - Practice 2: Exercises pp.
- Condition Reading 2: 52-57
Verbs in Vietnamese Chapter 3, - Questions and answers
Verbal groups of 3 or 4 words pp. 47-58 - Discussion
- Passive or active
- Some special passive forms
10. Topic translation: Health Reading 2:- Lecture
- Word and expression Chapter - Practice: Exercise 1& 2 pp.
- Translation practice 16, pp. 263-267
Group presentation: Health (A1) 243-268 - Questions and answers
Reading 3 - Discussion: Comment,
discuss translated sentences and
excerpts; Analyze and correct
mistakes
11. Topic translation: Social issues Reading 2: - Lecture
- Word and expression Chapter - Practice: Exercises pp. 289,
- Translation practice 18, pp. 299
Group presentation: Social issues 287-298 - Questions and answers
Reading 3 - Discussion: Comment,
discuss translated sentences and
excerpts; Analyze and correct
mistakes
12. Consolidation (A2) Reading 3 - Practice
- Questions and answers
- Discussion
13. Final examination (A4)
* Note: The Schedule is subject to revision.
VI. Assessment scheme

Assessment tasks Percent Score Weighting

A1. Group presentation 30 pts Midterm 30%
& Assignments 20 pts score
A2. Progress test 50 pts
100 pts
A3. Project 30 pts Final score 70%
A4. Final test 70 pts
100 pts
100% (Passing Grade: 5/10)

(See detailed rubrics attached: A1 – Rubric DTI 01; A2, A3, A4 – Rubric DTI 03)

VII. Course alignment matrix

Course learning outcomes (CLOs) Programme Teaching and Assessment

learning learning tasks
activities
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 outcomes
(PLOs)
CLO1 - Define levels of translation PLO2 – Level 1 L, P A1, A2
(word-for-word, literal, and free).
CLO2 - Apply different translation methods PLO2 – Level 1 L, P A1, A2
and techniques for a task
CLO3 - Synthesize the strengths and PLO2 – Level 1 L, P, D, GP A1, A2
weaknesses of translation methods and
techniques
CLO4 - Use critical thinking skills and PLO4 - Level 2 L, P, D, GP A1, A2, A3, A4
creativity to practice translation.
CLO5 - Use teamwork skills to deal with PLO3 – Level 2 L, P, D, GP A1, A2, A3
translation problems in practice.
CLO6 – Respond to the assigned tasks PLO6 – Level 1 L, P, D, GP A1, A2, A3, A4
actively and positively.
(Note: L = Lecture, D = Discussion, GP = Group presentation, and P = Practice)
VIII. Course policies
1. The course will be conducted in different modes including lecturing, discussion, practice, and
group presentation.
2. Attendance in all sessions is strongly recommended. Participants are required to give advance
notice of their absence in case of illness or any other situations. However, 80% is the minimum
attendance required for a student to take the final exam.
3. Participants are expected to be well prepared and take an active role in class discussions and
work collaboratively with their peers.
4. Forms of plagiarism and cheating will lead to a failing grade or zero on the assignment or test.
5. For late submitted work, 10% of the component grades will be deducted per day.

Date of approval: January 2021

Approved by Designed by
Department of English Translation and
Interpreting

Nguyen Dang Nguyen, Ph.D.

Dean, Faculty of English Linguistics and Literature

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