Why do CS techniques become useful strategies used in oral translating tasks of electronic terms in the electronic textbook “Basic English for electronics and telecommunication





  
1. Rationale Nowadays codeswitching has become a common phenomenon occurring in periodicals, advertisements, or reports on TVs and daily newspapers in multimedia, etc. For students of technology, this phenomenon has popularly applied for their conversations when they discuss a topic relevant to functions, features or the operation of an electronic device. Codeswitching refers to the alternate use of two or more than two languages in the same utterance or a conversation, (Gumper, 1982). The exchange of information with CS terms has become favourite, because it is a two- way process of thinking directly used in the utterances to express the contents quickly, and accurately. Moreover, almost all-electronic terms codeswitched into Vietnamese utterances are English terms. These characteristics have a remarkable effect on the students’ attitude towards learning English for electronics with language skills, even in the oral translation skill. Observations from my collected data in teaching materials and in lessons of English for electronics have shown that CS is explored by students in various aspects because of three main reasons as follows. Firstly, the tendency of using CS terms in the daily utterances in multimedia encourages them to insert English terms into Vietnamese. Secondly, most of the second-year students of electronics at the level of pre- inter of English want to express their knowledge of English for electronics and professional knowledge by using directly CS terms in their utterances to explain a definition or functions of an electronic device. Thirdly, most of them are bilingual students and know how to practise computing instructions in English everywhere and every time they meet. Accordingly, inserting CS terms in Vietnamese utterances becomes a habit and does not make them misunderstand the content of electronic terms in a particular context. From these reasons, students of electronics apply CS to develop their language learning activities through language skills i.e. speaking and presentation. This habit of using CS even occurs in the oral translation tasks because applying directly knowledge of English and of electronics in Vietnamese versions in a short time requires students to have an in-time reaction in thought when producing equivalents adequately. Donal (2004) shows that CS in translations takes place at a syntactic or semantic level with the use of inserting points to represent electronic concepts familiar to the participant. For many, translation is an art, which is only done by





exceptionally skilled people who are professionals at it. However, in this thesis, my investigation is only seen translation as the fifth language skill in language learning activities and practiced by untrained people who are bilingual students of electronics. Thus, CS is studied to understand why electronic students, who are competent in two languages, alternate languages in particular translation tasks. Most of the early researches on translations of English terms for electronics only focus on analyzing forms of equivalents and ways of conveying semantic meanings into the target language or even looking at them as borrowed words. These studies do not describe how students apply CS to extent their communicative competence for achieving conversations goals during translation. This thesis will concentrate on this phenomenon “CS in the oral translation”. However, it must be stressed that this thesis neither is an analysis of electronic terms applying CS techniques for professional translators nor guides for ESP teachers how to teach CS techniques in translation. It is only a reference for teachers who wish to use translation as a language learning activity for the language learning practice and improvement. The major concern of this thesis is to give the answer to the question: “Why do CS techniques become useful strategies used in oral translating tasks of electronic terms in the electronic textbook “Basic English for electronics and telecommunication”? As a result, some suggestions are also given to show the availability, implications of using CS techniques in the oral translation of electronic terms. For all of these, it is hoped that this study contributes some efforts to ESP teaching when applying CS techniques in the oral translation to help students develop their fifth language skill much more effectively. 2. Aims of the study Within the framework of a minor thesis, this study is aimed at: • Presenting fundamental factors affecting the inserting process of CS terms in oral translation of electronic terminology • Finding out the translation strategies adequate to CS techniques applied for inserting CS terms in the oral translation tasks • Spotting problems while applying CS techniques for electronic terms, thus giving some suggestions for such problematic translations that can gain benefit for ESP teaching and learning process





3. Scope of the study Within the limited time and references, the study mainly focuses on analyzing how CS techniques are applied for inserting English terms in the oral translating tasks in the course book “Basic English for Electronics and Telecommunications”, compiled by teachers of ESP, VNUH, which have been used as a main course book of COTECH, VNUH. Its major subjects are bilingual students of English at the level of pre-intermediate at the electronic department at COTECH, who are learning English as a compulsory subject and using the translation skill as a language learning activity. Narrowly, my investigation focuses on what CS techniques are applied to codeswitch single terms of electronics in the form of CS nouns and CS verbs when inserted into Vietnamese versions. 4. Methods of the study The strategic methods used in this descriptive study are the quantitative and qualitative ones. By virtue of quantitative research, a number of single terms of electronics in the form of nouns and verbs from the textbook Basic English for Electronics and Telecommunications” and its materials are collected to observe and analyze. Again, a questionnaire is carried out to find out the teacher’s opinions on roles of CS terms in developing the fifth skill in oral translation process. To study the effectiveness of these CS techniques, the following steps are implemented: • Collecting single terms of electronics in the CS forms in the textbook and its supplementary materials • Classifying collected English terms inserted in the oral translation according to CS techniques • Analyzing specific terms of electronics in the form of English nouns and verbs to find out the convenience of applying CS techniques in oral translating tasks 5. The research question To achieve the aims within the scope the research question below is addressed: “Why do CS techniques become useful strategies used in the oral translation of electronic terms in the electronic textbook Basic English for electronics and telecommunication?” 6. Design of the study This thesis is divided into three parts, references and appendices.





The first part “introduction” gives the rationale, the scope and aims of the study, and the design of the study. The second part “development” consists of three chapters. Chapter I “theoretical background” provides an overview on theories of translations, codeswitching and other relevant definitions, strategies, as well as roles of CS techniques in inserting electronic terms in Vietnamese versions. Chapter II “Classifications of electronic terminologies according to CS parser” discusses linguistic features of CS together with translation techniques when shifting English substitutions in Vietnamese utterances. At the same time, my collected data and statistic figures of electronic terms is particularly analyzed to show effectiveness of linguistic patterns of CS while inserting single terms in the CS form into Vietnamese utterances. Problems of selecting terms in the oral translation while applying CS techniques are also recommended with practical situations to find out some appropriate solutions to teaching and learning oral translation practice. The third part “conclusion” is to bring about a more insightful look into doing tasks of translation patterns with the choice of CS techniques in conveying electronic terminologies in particular situations.





 


 
 
In this section, the first part is issues relating to translation theories i.e. concepts of translations, equivalents, translation techniques, and technical translation; whereas the second one with general ideas on concepts of codeswitching, codemixing, borrowing etc. will be presented. I.1. Theory of translation I.1.1. Definitions of translation Translation is a process of thought and afterthought (Duff, 1989:15). Tudor (cited in Duff, 1989: 5) says that translation, as the process of conveying messages across linguistic and cultural barriers, is an eminently communicative activity, one whose use could well-be considered in a wider range of teaching situations than may currently be the case. According to him, all of us have mother tongue that shapes our way of thinking and of applying semantic meanings of terms into practice. Accordingly, the translating skill helps us apply linguistic features to create influences of one language on the other. Also, his view expresses specific remarks on general principles needed to have a good selection. It means that an acceptable translation must attain three main principles called meaning, form and register to make it natural and loyal to the SL. According to Hoang Van Van (2006:9), “Translation has been the subject of interest not only to linguists, professional and amateur translators, and language teachers, but also to electronic engineers and mathematicians”. In the long history of translation, concepts of translation have been mentioned by a great numbers of scholars around the world with different perspectives. “Translation consists of reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source language message of the source language, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style” (Nida & Taber 1974: 12, cited in Hoang Van Van 2006: 10). As well, Catford (1965:20, cited in Hoang Van Van 2006:10) defines “translation as the replacement of textual material in one language (source language- SL) by the equivalent textual material in another language (target language- TL)”. Herein, general idea involved translation equivalent can be clarified. It is regarded as a precondition for the faithful and a proper reproduction of the SL text. Also, Catford (1965:20) shows the “textual material” and “equivalent” as a closed





attachment requiring translators to have knowledge combining with observations to produce an equivalent term selectively. Bell (1991: XIII) proposes that translation is the transformation of a text originally in one language into an equivalent text in a different language retaining, as far as possible, the content of the message, formal features and roles of the original text. Herein, a combination of principles retaining original meanings affirms that translation is a process as well as a product. In general, translation renders meanings of a text into another language in a way the author expresses in the text (Newmark 1989:5). In other words, it is a process of problem solving of lexical and sentential structures levels which requires participants to have a combination of cognitive activities with adequate vocabulary (Donald 2004. http: CS: 38). Taking concepts of translation into consideration, this part only collects different definitions from scholars to show an interactive relation between SL and TL. Thus, translation is not only understood as a linguistic phenomenon or a process of transcoding between SL and TL, but also a relationship of equivalence between the two languages (SL & TL) while taking into account various constraints. This complicated process requires researchers and translators to have a rather comprehensive knowledge of both linguistic competence and relevant sciences. I.1.2. Translation equivalence The concept of equivalence involves both linguistic and text-linguistic approaches that are much concerned with using methods of translation and techniques while conveying terms. When translators solve matters relevant to relationships between SL and TL texts in terms of professional terminology, this means equivalence to be clarified (Newmark 1989). Moreover, when a target term is expected to be a faithful reproduction of the source text, the equivalence is defined as identity (of meaning and of form), and created in a sense of equal value or correspondence (Christina 1998:3). Still, types of equivalents are also presented with different aspects from scholars. For instance, Nida’s formal equivalence and dynamic equivalence (Nida 1964); or Koller’s denotative, connotative, text normative, pragmatic and formal- aesthetic equivalence (Koller 1979:215 cited in Chesterman 1989: 100), or Newmark’s equivalence response and equivalence effect (Newmark 1995). Arguably, translation needs to be set apart from other kinds of derived texts as reflection in the opposition of translation and adaptation (Koller. 1979, cited in Chesterman 1989: 87), semantic translation and communicative translation (Newmark 1989), or overt and covert translation (House





1977:194). Even in contrast, Baker’s notions of non- equivalence: at word level, above word level, grammatical equivalence, textual equivalence and pragmatic equivalence (Baker 1992). Therefore, the researcher as well as untrained translators should consider this concept intensively before choosing a solution to a particular term in practice. I.1.3. Translation techniques According to Newmark (1988), translation techniques are applied for all types of texts in the translation process. The major issue of translation involved in this theme is that the translator has to decide what techniques used to convert terms adequately. In theory, fifty techniques mentioned in Newmark’s book (1988) in which the shift of scale, translation shift, paraphrase, phonological translation, unfamiliar abbreviation, unfamiliar acronyms, transcription, equivalent frequency of usage, proper names in communicative translation, etc. are most popularly used. However, depending on specific purposes of my thesis, the following techniques are directly applied when inserting CS terms in the oral translation. I.1.3.1. Transcription Newmark (1988:155) indicates transcription as a technique concerning loanwords, transferred words and adopted ones. This technique is used to translate proper nouns, addresses, names of private firms, national public and private institutions etc. Accordingly, the process of transferring a SL word into a TL one in the oral translation tasks will use morphemes (stem, prefix, and suffix) with English phonemes to call out names of electronic products. Things normally transferred are electronic concepts or devices related to titles of yet translated literally works, products, names of particular objects, even functions of one tools or institutions and so on. Most of the CS terms analyzed in this part are in the form of English phonemes with verbs and nouns occurring in the oral translation tasks in such situations to dominate the functions of electronic devices. However, it must be stressed that names of electronic companies and its brand names of electronic devices do not belong to the field of CS studies.
       Newmark (1988:157) guides an unfamiliar abbreviation as a technique to help a translator examine abbreviated terms in a particular context before consulting meanings from a professional dictionary. As well, a translator can approach acronyms in two ways i.e. by searching abbreviations in dictionaries or by considering them in a particular context. This





refers to conventionally recognized terms or a combination of Vietnamese single terms and English phonemes in the form of CS acronyms and eponyms. For instance,




 






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RAM so on. I.1.4. Technical translation Technical translation is related to specific knowledge of a field with specific terms. In terms of English for IT, technical translation involves the language of science and technology with its own characteristic vocabulary. Newmark (1995:151) defines “technical translation as one part of specialized translation, and primarily distinguished from other forms of translation by terminology, although terminology usually only makes up about 5-10% of a text”. Whereas, Sofer (1999) gives another view on technical terms in comparison with a literal translation as a remarkable division in translation field called literary and technical translation. In addition, one way of defining technical translation is by asking the question: does the subject being translated require a specialized vocabulary, or a language of non- specialized? If the text being translated includes specialized terms in a given field, then the translation is technical”. Furthermore, Newmark suggests some useful steps for translation as well as gives ten categories handled by different types such as old words with non-sense; derived words; acronyms; collocations; abbreviations; eponyms; phrasal words; transferred words etc. In English for electronics, this process particularly involves translation of electronic objects for many reasons i.e. an object is newly imported and not yet has a name. A descriptive term is being used as a familiar alternative to avoid repetition; or to make a contrast with another one etc. In technical styles, terms for electronics have fallen into four aspects of technical languages as scientific; workshop level; everyday usage level; and publicity and sales (Newmark 1995:152). Accordingly, English terms for electronics are analyzed in the oral translation tasks in English classes in are analyzed. This is an overview on concepts of translation used to analyze techniques for translating electronic terminologies in Vietnamese utterances. I.2. Theory of code switching I.2.1. Definitions of CS It is the fact that English becomes a “salad bowl” of all languages in general and in Vietnamese utterances in particular. It can often be heard and seen everywhere: on TV reports,



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on a radio, in films, in periodical journals, or in advertisements etc. This language contact at some point allows English to be mixed in both spoken and written form in the TL. Accordingly, it becomes a students’ favor when combining two languages of different grammar systems in a same speech. This phenomenon is codeswitching, a by-product of bilingualism. Thus, what is so called CS? Is it a mixing of language free of grammatical structures and syntax? According to Nguyen Van Khang (1999:224), CS is the usage of two or more than two variants of linguistics in a conversation. Besides that, a numbers of CS definitions from different scholars also show various aspects of this CS phenomenon. At the grammatical level, CS is analyzed with its constituents and inserted at unconscious points in a sentence without having effect on grammatical structures as well as natural fluency in the utterance. Poplack (1980: