CHAPTER 4

TRANSLATING TEXTS OF CONSTRUCTIONS AND PLANNING

4.1 Introduction

As a high-stakes industry, Construction and Planning can involve many other people
than just those who do physical parts of a building. It includes people who create plans and
designs, get legal permission, invest the finance, and many more. These people, in a
globalized working environment, may come from different parts of the world and need a
translator for accurate and informative communication. Therefore, the translation of
construction and planning documents is a crucial part of the translation world.
Construction and Planning documents are difficult to handle as this is a broad topic
with the sheer amounts of information: traffic routes, urban planning, infrastructure, energy
and water supply and construction, just to name a few. Translating texts of Construction
and Planning is challenging as the translator needs to facilitate terminology specific to the
area and subareas in the industry. Developing vocabulary and understanding in the field is
of great importance for successful translation in the field.
4.2 Building vocabulary for ‘Constructions and Planning’

As they are complex, documents in Constructions and Planning need handling

carefully. A good command of vocabulary and terminology in the field makes it easier for
translators to cope with these specialized documents.
In the following tasks, you will be familiarized with the vocabulary ranging from
general vocabulary (of a building, a construction project, etc.) to specific terms (of
materials, building instruments, or urban planning) before you are exposed to texts related
to Constructions and Planning.
Task 1: Provide the Vietnamese equivalents to the terms of a building components

Task 2: Choose the word that matches the definition given in each item, then provide a
Vietnamese equivalent.
What is the meaning of the following definition?
1. An area where wild animals are kept and where people come to look at them
A. Stationery store B. Travel agent
C. Zoo D. Synagogue
2. A large covered building that contains a group of shops
A. Shopping mall B. Playground
C. Repair shop D. Stadium
3. A place where parents have their children taken care of while they are working
A. Museum B. Neighborhood
C. Nursery D. Park
4. An area on the edge of a city which is designed for factories
A. Housing estate B. High-rise
C. Slum D. Industrial zone
5. A market where people can buy old or used goods
 A. supermarket B. Flea market
C. Black market D. Open market
Task 3: Choose the correct definition for the vocabulary related to city infrastructure.
What is the definition of ……………?
1. an Art gallery
A. A shop where people can buy meat
B. An organization where people can save or borrow money and that provides other
financial services.
C. A large park which offer entertaining activities and has big machines to ride on,
such as roller coasters and merry-go-rounds
D. A building where paintings and other art works are shown to the public.
2. Congested
A. An area of a country or town that has official borders
B. To be too crowded, which causes difficulties
C. A small structure with a roof, where people wait for buses
D. Any illegal activities that can be punished by law
3. a Gas station
A. A store that sells objects such as rings and necklaces that people wear as
decoration.
B. A modern building that is very tall and has many floors.
C. A place that sells fuel for road vehicles
D. A place where people go to do physical exercise, for example by lifting weights
or using other equipment.
4. a Motorway
A. A wide road where vehicles travel fast for long distance
B. A building where people pay to stay for a short time
C. The central part of a city where most people live in a poor condition
D. A building where people do religious activities
5. a Pavement
 A. A place where people get on and off trains
B. A path with a hard surface on the side of a road
C. A large building that is designed for working in
D. A store that sells animals that can be kept in the home
(Source: Excellent ESL4U)
Task 4: Search for the vocabulary related to the people working in the field of construction,
and then provide the Vietnamese terms equivalent to them.

(Source: The Word Search)

4.3 Practice

Text 7
Activity 1: Read the guide and answer the questions.
1. What is the text about?
2. What is the purpose of the text?
3. What kind of language should the target text be written in?
4. Are there any terms that you need more research before translating?
Language Notes
The dash and translating the phrases between the dashes
A dash (–) signals an abrupt break in thought. The phrases between the dashes can
be seen as an explanation of the phrase before the dash. This break in a sentence can be
challenging if we keep following the structure of the source sentence when we translate
because it may affect the flow of the target sentence. To avoid the break in the flow of the
target sentence, we can treat the phrase in between two dashes as a separated piece of
information, and thus, bringing it towards the end of the sentence, or making it an extra
sentence in the target text.
Activity 2: Translate the text into Vietnamese. Take into consideration the issues discussed
in Activity 1.

CITY PLANS TO PLANT 3 MILLION TREES

The city of Manchester in England has embarked on an ambitious plan to plant
three million trees. The project is called the City of Trees. Project director, Tony
Hothersall, explained that the green venture had three main aims. He said: “One is to plant
three million trees – a tree for every man, woman and child – over the next 25 years. Next,
we are very much focused on bringing existing woodland into management because there
is no point in planting new woodland if you can’t manage what you’ve got already.
Finally, we want to engage people a lot more in their natural environment – in planting
trees, in managing areas, and in understanding more about the benefits that trees and
woodlands bring to our society.”
Mr. Hothersall further outlined the
rationale behind the recently-launched
environmental project. He said: “Manchester
wants to be a world-class city region. We have a
lot of fantastic development going on, but the
natural environment needs to keep up with that.”
He believes the initiative will reconnect people
with trees and the natural world, provide benefits to health and reduce stress. He said:
“Woodlands can do great things in terms of air pollution reduction and can help to screen
for noise pollution. They can also help cities and towns become more resilient to climate
change both in terms of things like reducing the urban heat island effect and also reducing
flooding.”
(Source: Breaking News English, January 24, 2017)
Text 8
Activity 1: Read the guide and answer the questions.
1. What is the text about?
2. What is the purpose of the text?
3. What is the relationship between the writer and the recipient?
4. What is the tone of the text?
Activity 2: Translate the text into English. Take into consideration the issues discussed in
Activity 1.

HƯỚNG DẪN QUY TRÌNH XÂY DỰNG NHÀ DÀNH CHO GIA CHỦ
Xây nhà có thể là một giai đoạn căng thẳng cho
những gia chủ lần đầu sở hữu nhà, vì thế chúng tôi
muốn giới thiệu đến quý vị hướng dẫn này.
Thủ tục giấy tờ
Trong giai đoạn này, các nhà thầu sẽ thực hiện
đấu thầu cho công trình. Hãy nhớ thuê một luật sư xem
xét tất cả các hợp đồng của quý vị. Khi hồ sơ công trình được hoàn thiện, giai đoạn xây
dựng bắt đầu.
Phần xây dựng chính
Quý vị sẽ thấy hồi hộp khi nhà thầu động thổ ngôi nhà mới của mình. Đào móng
sẽ là bước đầu tiên trong việc xây dựng ngôi nhà của quý vị. Tiếp theo, nhà thầu sẽ san
lấp công trường để tạo mặt bằng. Sau khi nền đổ xong, quá trình dựng khung sẽ bắt đầu.
Lắp đặt và hoàn thiện
Khi các bức tường xây lên, quá trình lắp đặt bắt đầu. Các nhà thầu sẽ lắp đặt hệ
thống ống nước, hệ thống dây điện và các đồ đạc khác. Họ sẽ hoàn thiện các bức tường,
sàn nhà và trần nhà.
Giám định xây dựng
Giám định viên sẽ kiểm tra để đảm bảo rằng ngôi nhà đạt chuẩn. Sau khi giám định
hoàn tất, quý vị có thể đi quanh xem ngôi nhà của mình. Xin chúc mừng, lúc này ngôi
nhà mới đã sẵn sàng để quý vị chuyển đến!
(Synthesized from different sources)
Text 9
Activity 1: Read the guide and answer the questions.
1. What is the text about?
2. What is the purpose of the text?
3. Are there any particular terms or expressions that need further research before
translation?
Activity 2: Translate the text into English. Take into consideration the issues discussed in
Activity 1.

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE: AN AUSTRALIAN ICON

Resting prominently on Sydney’s historic Bennelong Point, the Sydney Opera
House is a masterpiece of late modern architecture. It is internationally admired and
proudly treasured by the people of Australia. It was created by a young architect who
understood and recognized the potential provided by the site against the stunning
backdrop of Sydney Harbor.

Denmark’s Jørn Utzon, selected as sole architect in 1956 through an international

design competition, gave Australia a challenging, graceful piece of urban sculpture in
patterned tiles, glistening in the sunlight and invitingly aglow at night. Today, the halls at
the Sydney Opera House attract over 8 million visitors each year.
Design and Construction
Constructed between 1959 and 1973, the Opera House was built in three stages.
Stage I (1959-1963) consisted of building the upper podium. Stage II (1963-1967) was
the construction of the outer shells. Stage III (1967-1973) involved the interior design and
construction.
 Today, the Sydney Opera House stands out with its distinctive roof set in the
remarkable waterscape of the Sydney Harbour. Known for his radical approach, Utzon
envisioned a design solution of interlocking vaulted “shells,” each of which is composed
of pre-cast rib segments rising from a concrete pedestal to the ridge beam. The
construction of these shells took eight years to complete and the development of a special
ceramic tile for the shells took over three years.
A National Treasure
When the Sydney Opera House was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List
in 2007, architect Utzon said, “it is a gift to the city of Sydney.” He added that the listing
was a tribute to all who worked on the building. The expert evaluation report to the World
Heritage Committee stated: “It stands by itself as one of the indisputable masterpieces of
human creativity, not only in the 20th century but in the history of humankind.” Being
the youngest site of UNESCO’s list, the Sydney Opera House is also one of only two
cultural sites to be inscribed through UNESCO during the lifetime of its architect.
(Source: Cyark Organization)

Text 10
Activity 1: Read the guide and answer the questions.
1. What is the text about?
2. What is the purpose of the text?
3. Are there any particular terms or expressions that need further research before
translation?
Language Notes
Translating names of governmental agencies and organizations
The political system of each country has its own features and governmental agencies
and organizations in a system have their regulated functions, responsibilities and
hierarchies and the translation of these bodies are prescribed by law. In Vietnam, the
English names of governmental agencies and organizations must adhere to the
prescriptions issued in the Circular 03/2009/TT-BNG by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The following is a list of some translations of state and provincial agencies in
Vietnam.
 Official National Name The Socialist Republic of Vietnam
(quốc hiệu) Independence – Freedom – Happiness
Ministerial level “The Ministry of” (+ name)
(cấp bộ)
Departmental level “The Department of” (+ name),
(cấp vụ) “Ministry of” (+ name)
Ministerial agencies The Agency of + name, Ministry of +
(các cục thuộc bộ) name
Provincial Agencies Name of the province + “Department
(cơ quan cấp tỉnh = Sở) of” + name of agency
In text 10, there are also vocabulary related to different administrative units that you
need to consider.
Phường/xã: ward
Quận/huyện: district
Thị xã: town
Thành phố: city
Tỉnh: province
Activity 2: Translate the text into English. Take into consideration the issues discussed in
Activity 1.

PHÁT TRIỂN HUẾ THÀNH ĐÔ THỊ DI SẢN

Ngày 27/4/2021, Ủy ban Thường vụ Quốc hội đã biểu quyết thông qua nghị quyết
điều chỉnh địa giới để mở rộng thành phố Huế và sắp xếp lại các phường thuộc thành phố.
Bộ trưởng Bộ Nội vụ cho biết: “TP Huế hiện có diện tích quá nhỏ so với tốc độ phát triển
đô thị. Mật độ dân số toàn đô thị cao (7.222 người/km2) đã làm cho hạ tầng xã hội khu
vực trung tâm quá tải. Hạ tầng kỹ thuật chưa đáp ứng nhu cầu phát triển đô thị, trong khi
một số tiêu chí của đô thị đạt vượt trội so với chuẩn quy định.”
Chính phủ khẳng định việc mở rộng TP Huế là một bước cụ thể hóa đồ án quy
hoạch xây dựng vùng tỉnh Thừa Thiên Huế và đồ án điều chỉnh quy hoạch chung TP Huế
đến năm 2030, tầm nhìn 2050. Theo đó, thành phố Huế sẽ được chia ra thành các khu vực
đặc thù.
 Khu bảo tồn bao gồm 4 phường nội thành sẽ là trung tâm du lịch, thương mại và
dịch vụ. Theo dự án quy hoạch đô thị, khu vực này bảo tồn và nâng cấp hệ thống đường
sá, phục hồi hệ thống thoát nước và vỉa hè, tôn tạo cảnh quan và các di sản văn hóa. Thành
phố cũng sẽ mở rộng các không gian văn hóa truyền thống như nhà vườn, nhà rường, hay
các không gian xanh dọc hai bờ sông Hương.

A master planning for Hue City

Khu hành chính bao gồm các phường Xuân Phú, Phú Hội, Phú Nhuận và Vĩnh
Ninh, là trung tâm hành chính có trụ sở của các cơ quan ban ngành. Khu vực này sẽ được
cải tạo, nâng cấp cơ sở hạ tầng đô thị, chỉnh trang khu phố kiến trúc Pháp.
Ngoài ra, các khu vực đặc thù khác bao gồm khu đô thị mới phía đông nam, khu
lấp đầy ở phía bắc và phía tây nam, khu tái phát triển ở phía đông bắc của thành phố.
(Synthesized from different sources)

4.4 Further Practice

The following texts are for further practice to enhance the vocabulary and sharpen
skills in translating texts related to the theme of Construction and Planning.
Text 11
Translate the following text into Vietnamese

DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AROUND THE GLOBE

Building materials vary across the globe. They are familiar to not only architects
but also ordinary people because they are commonly used and can be noted from a tiny
builder house to a multi-use skyscraper from Tokyo to Mumbai to Cape Town to London
to San Francisco. Here are 10 most used materials.
Steel is considered to be one of the strongest and hence used as a primary structural
material for skyscrapers and large buildings. They are used as reinforcement bars when
setting up concrete to provide extensional strength to the structure. Lately, steel can also
be observed as an aesthetical façade material as well as decorative roof material in some
of the regions.
As the most common
structural materials, concrete has a
number of attires and functions.
Concrete production has one of the
highest carbon footprints which later
pollutes the environment. But
because of the latest technology and
our scientist’s continuous struggle to
explore the new, concrete has
emerged into a more sustainable and aesthetical element.
Glass, which is the king of contemporary architecture, is widely used in the present
era to create lightweight transparent buildings that are see-through and provide
daylighting. A more advanced technological electrochromic glass is now experimented
with which reduces the transmissivity by 90% resulting in lesser glare and higher energy
savings. Apart from building façade material, it also contributes to interior partitions,
furniture, and wall openings.
Brick is a building material found in various sizes, materials, and shapes. Apart
from being used as a structure material, some aesthetical bricks can be used as a façade
material for the building finishes. Lately, certain patterns have been created with the walls
as partitions or boundaries casting shadow patterns.
Wood is one of the oldest and most sustainable materials in the construction
industry. Scientists and researchers have been successful in exploring more sustainable
and high-tech options in wood-like translucent wood and Cross Laminated Timber.
Stone is one of the most diverse materials, found in natural ways or treated in
artificial ways. Natural forms are mostly limestone and naturally occurring rock stones
whereas artificial ones mainly include Onyx, Cement stone, etc. Stone can be found in
various textures, colors, and patterns.
Plastics has been widely used to form façade structures, furniture, and industrial
materials. Fabrics is mostly used in tensile structures and provide options for temporary
structures, tents, inflatable chairs, and many more.
Bamboo is known for its strength, sustainability, and flexibility. This material is
widely used on the basis of geographical location, where locally available. Similarly,
 straw is one of the most natural building materials used traditionally as thatch in rural
areas and in areas with local availability. It is lightweight, eco-efficient, and inexpensive
material.
(Adapted from Rethinking The Future)

Text 12
Translate the following text into English

SÂN BAY LONG THÀNH

Khi dòng khách du lịch đổ về phía nam Việt Nam gia tăng từ 15-20% mỗi năm,
sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất – sân bay quốc tế duy nhất ở thành phố Hồ Chí Minh – trở nên
quá tải. Thúc đẩy thị trường trong nước bằng việc xây dựng một sân bay mới có thể thích
ứng với các nhu cầu trong tương lai là cần thiết. Vì thế, dự án xây dựng sân bay Long
Thành đã được đề xuất.

Sân bay Long Thành là một sân bay quốc tế được xây dựng tại huyện Long Thành,
tỉnh Đồng Nai, Việt Nam. Nằm cách Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh khoảng 40km về hướng
Đông, sân bay được chính phủ Việt Nam phê duyệt thi công ngày 4/1/2021 và dự án khởi
công vào ngay ngày hôm sau. Sân bay Long Thành được xây dựng với công suất thiết
kế 100 triệu hành khách và 5 triệu tấn hàng hóa mỗi năm. Đây là một dự án cơ sở hạ tầng
có chi phí cao trong lịch sử xây dựng Việt Nam. Việc xây dựng sẽ chia làm 3 giai đoạn.
Giai đoạn 1 của dự án, dự kiến hoàn thành vào năm 2025, được chia thành 3 giai
đoạn nhỏ. Từ năm 2021 đến 2023 xây dựng một nhà ga hành khách cùng với một đường
băng. Khi hoàn thành, sân bay sẽ phục vụ 25 triệu hành khách và 1,2 triệu tấn hàng hóa
mỗi năm. Từ năm 2023 đến 2025 sẽ xây thêm một đường băng nữa. Vào năm 2025, các
cơ sở vật chất cần thiết còn lại được xây dựng và việc giải phóng mặt bằng cho các giai
đoạn tiếp theo được thực hiện. Sân bay cũng bắt đầu hoạt động trong năm này.
 Giai đoạn 2 diễn ra từ 2025 đến 2035. Công suất tăng lên đến 50 triệu hành khách
và 1,5 triệu tấn hàng hóa mỗi năm. Đường băng thứ ba sẽ được xây thêm vào cuối giai
đoạn này.
Giai đoạn 3 (sau năm 2035), sân bay dự kiến đạt công suất được thiết kế tối đa
80-100 triệu khách và 5 triệu tấn hàng hóa. Sau giai đoạn 3 này, sẽ có bốn đường băng
hoạt động.
(Synthesized from Vietnamese media)
 CHAPTER 5
TRANSLATING TEXTS OF POLITICS AND DIPLOMACY

5.1 Introduction

One of the most challenging areas in translation is related to texts of politics and
diplomacy due to cultural and ideological differences between languages. The translators
must be familiar with terminology in both the source language (SL) and the target language
(TL) as well as with the subject itself to perform the translation successfully. Another
challenge is that both translation and politics as academic disciplines have been initiated in
the West, and thus being Eurocentric. This results in the unavailability of the terms in the
language pair, especially those between the West and the East.
The language of politics and diplomacy is considered a special language. It is text-
oriented. This means that we cannot analyze words or phrases in isolation, but we need to
consider the text as a whole while we translate it for the sake of coherence. This is a
challenging task for translators. Thus, preparing some terminology is essential.
5.2 Building vocabulary for ‘Politics and Diplomacy’

The broad theme of “Politics and Diplomacy” has in itself a divergence. The two
subcategories are different in terms of scope and intent. Political language, according to
Sározi-Márdirosz (2014), is related to political ideas (doctrines, ideologies, policy, etc.)
while diplomatic language “is actually the language of international relations, and its
character is closely related to the function it performs in the international arena” (Sározi-
Márdirosz, 2014, p. 164). Therefore, the politics vocabulary might seem to require the
translator an understanding about additional issues such as history, the diplomacy
vocabulary requires the translator a good command of words and their appropriate uses.
The following vocabulary exercises were designed to help you learn some words
related to the field so you can use them properly.
Task 1: The following are acronyms of names of international organizations. Spell them
out and provide the Vietnamese equivalents.

Acronyms Full names of the Vietnamese equivalents

organizations
UN
UNICEF
 WHO
WEF
WTO
UNWTO
UNESCO
ASEAN
OECD
WWF
EFTA
FAO
(Synthesized from different sources)
Task 2: Fill in each of the blanks in the text below with one of the following words/phrases.
There are two items that you do not need. After you finish gap-filling, find the Vietnamese
equivalents of these items

vice-consul diplomat spy ambassador

diplomacy legate IMF World Bank
economic sanction state secretary
embassy attaché non-aggression pact
1. A(n) ………… is a diplomat of the highest rank who acts as a spokesperson for his
country while residing in another nation.
2. My uncle works in London as a(n) …………; he isn’t the ambassador.
3. ………… is the management of relationships between countries.
4. The Pope often appoints a Cardinal as his official ………….
5. In violation of the …………, Hitler invaded the USSR in1941.
6. The Swedish minister of Foreign Affairs has appointed a ………… in my town.
7. This economic report on Africa was written by a top-ranking ………….
8. The ………… is an international organization working to foster global monetary
cooperation.
9. Mata Hari was convicted of being a ………… for Germany during WW1.
10. ………… are commercial penalties applied by one or more countries against a targeted
state for political or military issues.
(Adapted from ‘To Learn English’)
Task 3: Choose the word that matches the definition given in each of the five questions in
this quiz.
What is the meaning of each of the following definitions?
1. The person who leads and ensures the functioning of a body of politicians
A. regime B. Speaker C. turn-out D. Senate
2. A group of people with the same political beliefs
A. whip B. PM C. Party D. Queen
3. To have more than half of something, such as votes or seats
A. majority B. Parliament C. Minister D. left-wing
4. The person that currently holds a (political) office
A. election B. King C. Federal D. incumbent
5. A gathering of the members of a political party
A. Elect B. Delegate C. Constituent D. Convention
(Source: Excellent ESL4U)
Task 4: Fill in each of the blanks in the text below with one of the following items and find
the Vietnamese equivalents of these items

electorate referendum propaganda opinion polls

parliament policies to vote campaign ad
majority ballot boxes polling stations
1. I would like ………… for your party but I disagree with your ………… on free trade.
2. The election was thrown into chaos when two of the ………… were destroyed in fires
and several ………… went missing at the close of voting.
3. The opposition party won a large ………… in the new ………… and the government
accepted defeat.
4. The government lost the election because it had lost the trust of the ………… after more
than a decade in power.
5. Despite being more than 5% behind in most of the latest …………, we are still optimistic
of winning the election next month.
6. The Prime Minister was heavily criticized last month for giving the go ahead to broadcast
a ………… which personally attacked the leader of the opposition.
7. In the UK, any constitutional changes made by the government need to be approved in
a …………
8. ………… is usually used most frequently during a time of war as enemies use radio, TV
and newsprint to attack each other's actions and ideology.
(Source: ESL Lounge)
5.3 Practice

Text 13
Activity 1: Read the text and discuss these questions.
1. What is the text about?
2. What is the purpose of this text?
3. Are there any particular terms or expressions that need further research before
translation?
Activity 2: Translate the text into Vietnamese. Take into consideration the issues discussed
in Activity 1.

WORLD FOOD PROGRAM WINS NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) is the winner of the 2020 Nobel
Peace Prize. It was awarded the prize by the Nobel Committee in Norway on Friday. The
Nobel judges spoke about why they gave the award to the WFP. The WFP was awarded
the prize for its efforts to combat hunger and for its contribution to bettering conditions
for peace in conflict-affected areas. Another reason was that the WFP acted as a driving
force to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict. The WFP tweeted:
“We are deeply humbled to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. This is an incredible
recognition of the dedication of the WFP family, working to end hunger every day in 80-
plus countries.”
 The World Food Program is the largest humanitarian organization in the world.
Last year, it gave help to more than 97 million people in 88 countries. Its workers and
volunteers often work in extremely dangerous conditions. These
can be in remote, hard-to-access areas of the world. Over two-thirds
of its work is in conflict-affected countries. People in war zones are
three times more likely to be undernourished than those in countries
without conflict. The COVID-19 pandemic has added to global
food insecurity. The WFP said: “There will likely be 265 million
starving people within a year.” The UN Secretary-General, Antonio
Guterres, called the WFP “the world’s first responder on the
frontlines of food insecurity.”
(Source: Breaking News English)

Text 14
Activity 1: Read the text and discuss these questions.
1. What is the text about?
2. What is the purpose of the author in this text?
3. Are there any particular terms or expressions that need further research before
translation?
Language Notes
Translating Chinese names or terms
Whether the translation is from English to Vietnamese or from Vietnamese to
English, translating Chinese is quite difficult.
The most common ways to present Chinese in an English text is the romanized
Chinese called Hanyu Pinyin, while in a Vietnamese text, the words are phonetically
assimilated into Vietnamese, called Sino-Vietnamese. This is particularly complicated for
Vietnamese to do translation about Chinese into another different language. The name “Tứ
Xuyên” in text 14 is an example.
Sometimes, it takes you much time to look for a reference. One easy way is to use
a combination between Google and Wikipedia. When you search a word/phrase either in
Vietnamese or in Hanyu Pinyin, there will be alternative links for you to track down. For
example, in text 14, the word ‘pao-cai’ is written with a hyphen in between the two
elements of the word, indicating that it is a loan word with Pinyin pronunciation. In this
case, it remains in the target text without the hyphen. However, the name ‘Tứ Xuyên’ is
Sino-Vietnamese, and thus it needs a Romanized presentation of Pinyin. A Google search
will give you this result:

The Romanized word for ‘Tứ Xuyên’ in the target text will be Sichuan as it is
pronounced in Chinese, accordingly.
Activity 2: Translate the text into English. Take into consideration the issues discussed in
Activity 1.

HÀN QUỐC VÀ TRUNG QUỐC TRANH CÃI TRÊN MẠNG XÃ HỘI VÌ

KIM CHI
Trung Quốc và Hàn Quốc đang tranh cãi về một loại thực phẩm lên men. Hai nước
đang tranh chấp về món bắp cải muối chua mặn. Trung Quốc đang nỗ lực xin chứng chỉ
quốc tế cho món pao-cai, một món rau muối của tỉnh Tứ Xuyên. Tuy nhiên, giới chức
Hàn Quốc tỏ ra tức giận vì điều này. Họ nói rằng món ăn này quá giống kim chi – món
ăn nổi tiếng nhất ở Hàn Quốc. Kim chi là một món ăn chính trong ẩm thực Hàn Quốc.
Đây là một món ăn truyền thống gồm các loại rau muối và lên men, như bắp cải và củ cải
Hàn Quốc. Nó được làm từ nhiều loại gia vị, bao gồm ớt bột, hành lá, tỏi, gừng và hải sản
muối. Pao-cai là một loại dưa chua, thường được làm bằng bắp cải, mù tạt, ớt và gừng.
Hàn Quốc tức giận khi Trung Quốc
cho biết họ đã xin được chứng nhận của Tổ
chức Tiêu chuẩn hóa Quốc tế (ISO) cho quy
trình làm kim chi của mình. Các quan chức
Hàn Quốc nói rằng pao-cai “không liên quan
gì đến kim chi.” Họ nói thêm: “Chúng ta cần
hiểu rằng pao-cai khác với kim chi.” Người
dân Hàn Quốc tức giận vì Trung Quốc đang
cố gắng tiêu chuẩn hóa cho quy trình làm kim
chi. Một giáo sư ở Hàn Quốc nói: “Trung
 Quốc thiếu nỗ lực tìm hiểu văn hóa và lịch sử của các quốc gia xung quanh.” Trên mạng
xã hội ở Trung Quốc, mọi người cho biết hầu hết kim chi được ăn ở Hàn Quốc đều được
sản xuất tại Trung Quốc. Một người viết: “Ngay cả cách phát âm của kim chi cũng bắt
nguồn từ tiếng Trung Quốc.”
(Synthesized from world media)

Text 15
Activity 1: Read the text and discuss these questions.
1. What is the text about?
2. What is the purpose of the author in this text?
3. Are there any particular terms or expressions that need further research before
translation?
Language Notes
Coping with differences political and diplomatic issues in translating
For the sake of emotional equilibrium, it is imperative that translators remain neutral
in translating news reports related to political or diplomatic issues. Any imposition of
personal attitude and feeling towards a political or diplomatic issue in the target text is
against the translation ethics. Therefore, in translating news reports, translators should pay
special attention to this behavior.
Activity 2: Translate the text into Vietnamese. Take into consideration the issues discussed
in Activity 1.

THAI PROTESTS CONTINUE DESPITE STATE OF EMERGENCY

Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in Thailand’s capital Bangkok,
despite the government declaring a state of emergency.
Police arrested dozens of pro-democracy demonstrators. They have been
protesting in cities across Thailand and online for over three months. Many of the
protestors are students, but they are being joined by a wider cross-section of society.
They are calling for a new constitution to ensure a true constitutional monarch under a
democratic system. They are also demanding the dissolution of parliament, the
resignation of Thailand’s Prime Minister, and an end to the intimidation of government
critics.
 The government said the protests have affected the government’s stability, safety,
property and staff. It said the protests were a threat to national security. The government
announced a ban on gatherings of more than five people and prohibited the publication
of online messages that could harm national security. Police also photographed the
crowds and warned demonstrators they could be prosecuted for violating the emergency
decree.
(Synthesized from different sources)

Text 16
Activity 1: Read the text and discuss these questions.
1. What is the text about?
2. What is the purpose of the author in this text?
3. Are there any particular terms or expressions that need further research before
translation?
Activity 2: Translate the text into English. Take into consideration the issues discussed in
Activity 1.

NHÀ NGOẠI GIAO HOA KỲ HÁT BỤI PHẤN CHÚC MỪNG THẦY CÔ GIÁO
VIỆT NAM
Ngày 18/11/2021, Facebook của Đại sứ quán Hoa Kỳ tại Việt Nam đăng video một
phụ nữ nước ngoài hát bài Bụi phấn. “Ca sĩ” này là cô Kate Bartlett, nhà ngoại giao Mỹ
đến từ bang Florida.

Để chúc mừng các thầy cô giáo nhân Ngày Nhà giáo Việt Nam 20/11, cô Kate
Barlett đã hát Bụi phấn bằng tiếng Việt để gửi tặng các thầy cô.
Cô Kate Bartlett là tùy viên văn hóa thuộc phòng văn hóa - thông tin, Đại sứ quán
Hoa Kỳ tại Hà Nội. Cô mới học tiếng Việt được 6 tháng và bắt đầu công tác tại Việt Nam
 từ hai tháng trước. Cô chia sẻ dù thời gian học còn ngắn ngủi, cô vô cùng yêu thích ngôn
ngữ và văn hóa Việt Nam. Cô nhận thấy việc học tiếng Việt qua bài hát là phương pháp
tạo cảm hứng và hiệu quả để cải thiện năng lực ngôn ngữ, đồng thời giúp cô hiểu hơn về
ngôn ngữ của Việt Nam. Cô mong muốn được tham gia nhiều hơn những hoạt động văn
hóa để hiểu thêm về tiếng Việt và những người bạn Việt Nam.
Cô Kate Barlett là người có năng khiếu đặc biệt về ngôn ngữ. Cô có thể sử dụng
thành thạo 5 ngoại ngữ, bao gồm: tiếng Tây Ban Nha, Indonesia, Rumani, Iran, và tiếng
Việt.
(Synthesized from Vietnamese media)

5.4 Further Practice

The following texts are for further practice to enhance the vocabulary and sharpen
skills in translating texts related to the theme of Politics and Diplomacy.
Text 17
Read the following text and translate it into Vietnamese. Notice the translation of terms
related to the Japanese Royal Family.
Japan’s Emperor Nhật Hoàng
Monarch vị quân chủ
Chrysanthemum Throne Ngai vàng
Crown Prince thái tử
Emperor Emeritus thái thượng hoàng
Heisei era thời kỳ Bình Thành
Reiwa era thời kỳ Lệnh Hòa

EMPEROR AKIHITO BECOMES FIRST JAPANESE MONARCH TO

ABDICATE IN 200 YEARS
Japan’s Emperor Akihito formally abdicated during a historic ceremony in Tokyo
on 30 April, 2019, becoming the country’s first monarch to step down from the
Chrysanthemum Throne in two centuries. His son, Crown Prince Naruhito, 59, was
inaugurated as the 126th emperor the following day, ushering in the Reiwa era.
Akihito’s reign with the Heisei era officially ended, and thereafter the 85-year-old
was known as Emperor Emeritus Akihito.
 Akihito, along with Empress Michiko, and the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo
Abe, attended a short ceremony at 5 p.m. local time in the Matsu-no-Ma state room of the
Imperial Palace. Outside, throngs of well-wishers, both
Japanese and visitors from overseas, waited in the rain-
soaked grounds. In a rare instance of speaking live on
television, the ruler said that he had performed his duties as
the emperor with a “deep sense of trust and respect” for the
Japanese people. “I consider myself most fortunate to have
been able to do so,” he said at the small abdication ceremony.
I sincerely wish, together with the Empress, that the Reiwa
era, which begins tomorrow, will be a stable and fruitful
one.”
(Adapted from CNN World News)

Text 18
Read the text and translate it into English.
Language Notes
1. Honorifics
Notice the expression of “quý” in the text. The context and content tells us that the
character in the text is an important person. In Vietnamese, when respect is paid to a
particular person in a formal context, the word “quý” is often added to the term of address.
In English, however, there is no such word. English has word forms that embed the
honorific nuances. For example, in the case of Quý bà in text 18, the word “Madam” is
used. In some cases, the second person “you” is still used, but the language is written at the
high level of formality displayed in the use of formal content words or idiomatic
expressions.
2. Dealing with another a foreign language other than the source/target language
Notice that in text 18, there are concepts of French language and culture. In
translating texts like this into English, you have to deal with more than the source and the
target languages. In this case, there are two situations:
If the target audience is from the European Union, the original expression in French
is used in the translated text with the English annotation. This is due to the EU policy of
multilingualism. The reader has no difficulty reading a text in English (a lingua franca in
EU) that is mixed with common languages in EU (German, French or Spanish). In this
situation, L’Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur, Commandeur can be borrowed as an
equivalent for Huân chương Bắc đẩu bội tinh in the target text, together with the English
version “The National Order of the Legion of Honour, Commander” as annotation.
If the audience is anglophone or non-EU, the original expression in French should
be used as annotation coming along with the English expression. This means that the
French expression comes in the brackets as it is presented in the source text.

QUÝ BÀ TÔN NỮ THỊ NINH

Được đào tạo tại Việt Nam và Châu Âu, Quý bà Tôn Nữ Thị Ninh ban đầu gắn
với nghiệp học thuật tại Đại học Sorbonne, Paris, Pháp. Sau đó, bà đã phục vụ Việt Nam
với tư cách là nhà ngoại giao trong hơn hai thập niên, chuyên về các vấn đề toàn cầu và
các thể chế đa phương.
Trên cương vị là một nhà ngoại giao, một quan chức
dân cử, và hiện là một đại sứ và hỗ trợ viên giáo dục và văn
hóa xã hội, Quý bà Tôn Nữ Thị Ninh đã không ngừng nỗ lực
xây dựng những nhịp cầu hiểu biết và hợp tác giữa Việt Nam
và các nước trên thế giới.
Với cam kết trọn đời đối với sự phát triển của Việt Nam
và kinh nghiệm quốc tế phong phú của mình, Quý bà Tôn Nữ
Thị Ninh thường xuyên được mời tham dự các cuộc họp quốc
“Tôi tự hào là người Việt Nam”
tế trong và ngoài Việt Nam. Thông qua Quỹ Hòa bình và Phát (“I am proud to be Vietnamese”)
triển Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh và Trung tâm Trí Việt, bà tích
cực tham gia vào việc nâng cao nhận thức cộng đồng về phát triển bền
vững, tiến bộ giới, trao quyền cho thanh niên, và xây dựng thương hiệu
quốc gia cũng như về các vấn đề sau chiến tranh và ảnh hưởng của di sản
chiến tranh như chất độc da cam/dioxin ở Việt Nam.
Quý bà Tôn Nữ Thị Ninh được biết đến là một trong những nhân
vật công chúng có tiếng nói có ý nghĩa tại Việt Nam. Bà đã được tặng
thưởng Huân chương Bắc đẩu bội tinh (L’Ordre National de la Legion
d’Honneur, Commandeur) của Pháp, Huân chương Leopold II của Bỉ và
Huân chương Lao động hạng Nhất của Việt Nam.
(Synthesized from different sources)