Handling Difficulty in Translating English Business E-Mail From Chinese Companies At PT Mondave International.
ABSTRACT
Tugas Akhir ini memaparkan analisis permasalahan yang saya hadapi
ketika saya melakukan kegiatan magang di PT. Mondave International
pada bulan Juli 2012 yaitu kesulitan dalam menerjemahkan e-mail bisnis
dalam bahasa Inggris yang dikirim oleh perusahaan RRC (Republik
Rakyat China). Objek yang diteliti adalah e-mail yang dikirim oleh
perusahaan asing, khususnya e-mail yang dikirim oleh perusahaan RRC
(Republik Rakyat China).
Berdasarkan analisis, masalah ini terjadi karena kurangnya kosa kata
bisnis yang saya miliki, kesulitan dalam memahami e-mail yang dikirim
oleh perusahaan RRC (Republik Rakyat China) yang tidak menggunakan
struktur bahasa Inggris yang benar, serta kurangnya pengalaman saya
dalam menerjemahkan bisnis e-mail. Masalah ini berdampak negatif bagi
hasil terjemahan yang dihasilkan. Selain itu, kesulitan saya dalam
menerjemahkan berdampak pada waktu yang dipergunakan untuk
menyelesaikan pekerjaan, serta teguran yang saya dapatkan secara
langsung dari pimpinan. Saya memaparkan tiga solusi yang berpotensi
untuk menangani kesulitan saya dalam menerjemahkan e-mail bisnis
dalam bahasa Inggris yang dikirim oleh perusahaan RRC (Republik
Rakyat China), beserta dampak positif dan negatif yang mungkin terjadi
ketika solusi tersebut diterapkan. Solusi pertama adalah meningkatkan
pengetahuan kosa kata bisnis yang saya miliki dengan cara membaca
buku tentang bisnis. Solusi kedua yaitu mengambil kursus bahasa
Mandarin. Solusi yang ketiga adalah belajar dari orang yang ahli dalam
bidang penerjemahan.
Setelah melakukan analisis, saya menentukan solusi gabungan untuk
menangani kesulitan saya, yaitu menambah pengetahuan bisnis saya,
mengambil kursus bahasa Mandarin, serta belajar dari seorang ahli
penerjemahan.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT...................................................................................................i
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY..............................................................ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...........................................................................iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS...............................................................................v
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION....................................................................1
A. Background of the Study
B. Indentification of the Problem
C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study
D. Description of the Institution
E. Method of the Study
F. Limitaion of the Study
G. Organization of the Term Paper
CHAPTER II. PROBLEM ANALYSIS..........................................................7
CHAPTER III. POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS..................................................11
CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSIONS.................................................................17
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDICES:
A.
B.
C.
FLOWCHART
THE TRANSCRIPTION OF THE INTERVIEW
AN EXAMPLE OF A BUSINESS E-MAIL
v
Maranatha Christian University
APPENDIX : A
Cause 1: I have lack of
business vocabulary.
Cause 2: People
coming from nonEnglish speaking
countries often use
English with the
influence of their first
language..
Cause 3: I have a lack
of practical experience
in translating English
business e-mails.
FLOWCHART
Problem:
I have difficulty in
translating English
business e-mails from
Chinese companies when I
was doing an internship at
PT. Mondave International.
2.
It will take time to
read and
comprehend
business books
especially when
the vocabulary is
not familiar.
I will spend much
money to buy
books.
Potential
Solution I :
I have to develop my
business vocabulary by
reading business books.
Potential Negative
Effects :
1.
2.
I will have to
spend some time
and money to
take a Chinese
course.
It will require me
to have an extra
hard work.
Potential Negative
Effects :
1.
I might get
confused when
consulting
different experts.
Effect 2: It took me a
long time to translate an
e-mail.
Effect 3: My supervisor
scolded me.
Potential Positive
Effects:
Potential Negative
Effects:
1.
Effect 1: I made
inaccurate translations.
1.
2.
It will be easy for
me in
understanding
English business
e-mails.
I will get a lot of
knowledge about
business.
Potential Negative
Effects :
Potential
Solution II :
1.
I have to take a
Mandarin grammar
course.
Potential
Solution III :
I have to learn from
people who are experts
in translating business
e-mails.
Chosen Solution:
The combination of the
three potential solutions.
I can understand
the e-mails sent
by Chinese
companies.
Potential Negative
Effects :
1.
2.
I can learn how to
do things
correctly.
I can learn from
the experts’
experiences.
APPENDIX : B
TRANSCRIPTION OF THE INTERVIEW
Name of interviewer
: Helena Griselda
Name of respondent
: Hidayat Saleh
Day & date of interview
: Wednesday, November 1, 2012
Place of interview
: Maranatha Christian University, Language Laboratory
Helena : Selamat siang pak, bisa minta waktunya sebentar?
Hidayat : Oh, boleh. Kamu mau tanya apa?
Helena : Begini pak, saya lagi mengerjakan TA tentang translating email dari foreign
company. Di dalam TA tersebut, saya memberikan solusi untuk memecahkan
problem tersebut dengan belajar dari seorang expert. Menurut bapak, apa efek
negatif dari belajar dari seorang expert?
Hidayat : Jadi, masalah translating itu sebetulnya masalah yang masih “abu-abu”.
Helena : Oh, jadi translating itu bukan sesuatu yang baku, begitu pak?
Hidayat : Iya betul. Jadi walaupun kita sudah menerjemahkan sesuatu yang menurut ilmu
linguistik itu benar, belum tentu dalam bidang seni atau art itu bisa dianggap benar.
Jadi menerjemahkan itu tergantung dari segi apa kita menerjemahkannya. Seperti
halnya menerjemahkan sebuah kitab, itu dibutuhkan ilmu khusus yang disebut ilmu
tafsir. Terjemahan saya pun belum tentu bisa terpakai dalam menerjemahkan
sebuah kitab, saya masih belum mampu untuk menerjemahkan sebuah kitab.
selama ini saya hanya menerjemahkan berdasarkan sudut lingusitiknya.
Helena : Jadi seorang expert itu tergantung bidangnya ya pak?
Hidayat : Iya betul, jadi kita akan sulit menemukan seorang yang ahli untuk memberikan
ilmunya, pandangan yang tepat dengan apa yang kita butuhkan.
Helena : Baik pak, saya mengerti. Terus, apa, Pak efek negatif lain selain yang Bapak
sebutkan tadi?
Hidayat : Tidak ada ukuran yang pasti bagaimana seseorang itu dikatakan seorang yang
expert dalam bidang tertentu. Seorang yang expert itu yang bagaimana sih?
Helena : Jadi tidak ada ukuran yang pasti yah, Pak seseorang itu bisa dikatakan expert.
Hidayat : Benar.
Helena : Lalu pak, apakah ada seorang expert yang tidak mudah untuk berbagi ilmunya?
Hidayat : Ya, sebagian begitu.
Helena : Ya, saya mengerti pak. Terima kasih atas waktunya pak.
Hidayat : Sama – sama.
APPENDIX : C
EXAMPLE OF BUSINESS E-MAILS
From: amanda.ddn@ddnchina.com
To: mondave international
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2012 2:26 PM
Subject: Re: process of nonwoven fabric
Dear Sir,
We like to follow-up our offer of our nonwoven fabric and give you explain regarding your
question about the process of our nonwoven material.
This information I convey you is from our technical departemen.
Please take notice to the following instruction of treating nonwoven fabric:
Since the fabric is not hairy so you don’t need to pass the fabric through Singing Machine
for hair removal.
If you want to die the fabric it must not use exhaustion process in haspel or jigger with long
liquor ratio or vlot.
You may color the fabric with pigment dying system by padding method.
For finishing you can stiffen the fabric by using PVAC or coating with binder.
I hop you the above explain is understand by you.
If you have any more question please contact us
By the way if you ordered your order will arrive this next October. We shipping your order
early next month.
Thank you & best regards,
王阿曼达
Amanda Wang
Sales Department
Tel: +8610-69802775 ext 887
Fax: +8610-69802776
MSN: amanda.ddn@hotmail.com
Website:
Add: 6 Longyuan Road. Mentougou Shilong Industrial Zone, Beijing, China (102308)
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Nowadays, most business companies have partnerships with foreign
companies. To communicate with foreign companies, they use English as
the language of instruction. As an article entitled “Business English
Communcation Skills” states, “Business English communication
undoubtedly is the global language of communication which has gained
importance especially in the commercial world” (par. 1). Along with the
growing use of information technology and the Internet, companies use emails to communicate with foreign companies to facilitate cooperation
without having to meet each other.
Even though English is commonly used in business communication,
not everyone who works in the company can speak English well.
Therefore, to understand foreign language texts, such as e-mails, a
translation is needed. Haltim and Munday state in their book that
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Maranatha Christian University
translating is “the process of transferring written text from source language
into target language” (6). Translation is not mere transferring one
language into another language, but it should use the equivalent words,
approaching the original text, without changing the meaning of the text.
On July 2, 2012 - 31 July 2012, I had the opportunity to do an
internship as a secretary in PT. Mondave International, which is located in
Jalan Cisurung KM 2.2 Desa Cangkuang Kulon, Bandung. I chose to do
my internship in the business field because there are many opportunities
to apply the knowledge that I have acquired during my study in the D3
English Programme.
During the internship, my duty was to make reports of the incoming
business e-mails from Chinese companies to my supervisor. I had to
translate the e-mails because all of the reports that I had to give to my
supervisor should be in Indonesian. I got many experiences and lessons
from the internship. I learned the lesson from the problems that I faced
when doing my duties. One of the most problematic things that I faced is
my difficulty in translating English business e-mails sent by people of nonEnglish speaking countries especially China.
In this term paper, I analyze my problem in translating English business
e-mails. The analysis will be written systematically and critically to define
the causes, effects, and potential solutions of the problem.
2
Maranatha Christian University
B. Identification of the Problem
In this term paper, the problem will be analyzed to find out the answers
to the following questions :
1. Why do I have problem in translating English business e-mails?
2. How does the problem affect my working performance during my
internship?
3. What is the best solution to resolve my problem in translating
English business e-mails from Chinese companies?
C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study
The aim of this study is to explain the causes and the effects of the
difficulty in translating English business e-mails from Chinese companies.
This study also aims to find some effective ways of translating English
business e-mails.
This term paper is useful for the new employees who do not have any
previous working experience in a company before because it can give
them the information about translating English business e-mails problem in
the working situation and its solution. For the institution, PT. Mondave
International, this term paper will be useful for the employees who have
the same problem as I do. For the readers, it is expected that this term
paper can explain how to handle business English e-mails sent by
3
Maranatha Christian University
Chinese companies. For me, this term paper will be useful to overcome
my problems in the company next time I have to work.
D. Description of the Institution
Based on the company profile, PT. Mondave International was
established in 2006 and located in Bandung, one of the centers of the
textile industry. The company was founded by Mr. David Kurniadi who
served as the head and assisted by Mr. Andreas Tjitrabudi as the director.
The company is a manufacturer and distributor of medical disposable
textile products which are made from non-woven materials.
The company produces a range of products, which are: wet cleaning
towels, bedding, surgical garments, sterile dry towels, and non-woven
bandages. All products are intended for medical use and can only be used
once. The products have been patented under the trademark
GOODHEALTH.
PT. Mondave International is concerned about customer satisfaction.
Thus, they pay attention to the quality of the products and good service.
The products offered have normal prices and are delivered on time.
PT. Mondave International is an export import company. It imports the
raw material from China. Besides the domestic market, PT. Mondave
International is also doing a comissioning job for a company in New
Zealand and exporting its products to Japan.
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Maranatha Christian University
E. Method of the Study
In doing this term paper, I used library research. Data collection was
done by finding information from books, articles, and Internet resources.
Data contained in this thesis was also based on my journal during the
internship at PT Mondave International.
The other method that I used is interview. I did an interview to gain
information about the effects of the solution. The interview data are
accompanied by the transcript of interview in appendix B.
F. Limitation of the Study
In this term paper, the study will focus on my difficulty of translating
English business e-mails from Chinese companies that I experienced
during my internship in PT. Mondave International in July 2012. I become
the subject of the research as the term paper is based on my personal
experience.
G. Organization of the Term Paper
This term paper consists of four chapters. Chapter One contains the
Background of the Study, Identification of the Problem, Obejctives and
Benefits of the Study, Description of the Instituion, Method of the Study,
Limitation of the Study, and Organization of the Term Paper. Chapter Two
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Maranatha Christian University
contains the Problem Analysis, which consists of causes and effects of the
problem. Chapter Three contains Potential Solutions of the problem. The
last chapter is Chapter Four, which contains the Conclusion of the
problem. The next part is Bibliography which contains publication
information from all the sources cited in the term paper. The last part
appendix which contains the flowchart and the interview transcript.
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Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION
Based on the analysis on the previous chapters, I find out that my
difficulties in translating English business e-mails from Chinese companies
is caused by my having a lack of business vocabulary, not being able to
fully comprehend some e-mails from Chinese companies that used nonstandard English grammar, and having a lack of practical experiences.
Realizing the causes, I try to find some potential solutions such as
developing my ability in business vocabulary by reading business books,
take a Mandarin course, and learning from the expert to deal with the
problem. In order to eliminate the causes, having analyzed the potential
solutions in the previous chapter, in this chapter, I am going to state and
explain the chosen solution from the three potential solutions mentioned
above.
In my opinion, the best potential solution to overcome my difficulty in
translating English business e-mails from foreign companies is the
combination of the three potential solutions. By doing these, it will be easy
for me to understand English business e-mails. Besides, I get much
17
Maranatha Christian University
knowledge about business and I can translate English business e-mails
well. Therefore, I have to read many books about business, take a
Mandarin course, and learn from the experiences of an expert.
I need to combine all of the three solutions that I have described in the
previous chapter because nowadays, most business companies have
partnership with foreign companies. One of the most common is Chinese
companies, as, at the moment, China dominates the business world.
Therefore, having a good command of Chinese will be an advantage.
Even when the Chinese communicate in English, they use non-standard
English grammar. They often use English with the influennce of their first
language. Learning Mandarin grammar will make it easy to understand
their aims and objectives when communicating, especially through emails.
Then, the business world also has its own terms that not everyone
understands. Based on the results of my research, in order that
communication with foreign companies can run well, first I need to read
books about business so that my business vocabularies can evolve.
Reading is an effective way to increase our vocabulary. Learning from an
expert is also helpful in the business field. I can learn from their mistakes
and success to reduce my mistakes.
I suggest to those who want to work at a companies which do business
with foreign companies as a translator of business e-mails, to read many
books about business, ask some people who are experienced in the
18
Maranatha Christian University
business field, and take a Mandarin course in order to have enough
provision to work in a company. Moreover, it is also important to have
more pratices to become familiar with business terms which are often
found in business e-mails to reduce time in translating business e-mails
and avoid misunderstanding. By applying the solutions given, it is
expected that the difficulty in translating English business e-mails from
Chinese companies can be treated well.
19
Maranatha Christian University
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Printed Sources
Basil, Haltim and Jeremy Munday. An Advanced Resource Book. London:
Routledge, 2005.
Electronic Sources
“About Personal Experience inTranslation : Shanghai.” Transhorsa
Translation. 1 August 2009. 16 September 2012
Augustine, Ron. “What Are the Advantages of Reading Books?” eHow
Education. 17 October 2012
Beare, Kenneth. “How To Improve Your Vocabulary. About.com. 5
October 2012
Maranatha Christian University
“Books and Bookstores in Indonesia.” Living in Indonesia. 17 October
2012
Breen, John. “Free Rice.” World Food Programme. 2007. 2 October 2012
“Business English Communication Skills.” Persada RAY. 25 April 2011. 7
January 2013
< http://persadaray.com.my/training/25-business-englishcommunication-skills>
“Business Vocabulary Building: Grow A Successful Career.” Write Better
English. 2012. 27 September 2012
“Expert.” BusinessDictionary.com. 15 October 2012
Ferlic, K. “What is Lessons Learned.” Releasing Your Unlimitied Creativity.
19 October 2012
“Grammar for Speaking.” Center of Language Education, HKUST. 9
October 2012
“Grammar Tools For English.” Your Dictionary. 1996. 9 October 2012
Maranatha Christian University
Hamilton, Bill A. “How to Become an Expert? - Top 6 Exclusive Tips to
Outshine Your Competition.” EzineArticles.com. 16 February 2012. 15
October 2012
Hilton, T. Marie. “Sticks & Stones; Are Your Own Words Hurting Your
Business?” Clerical Advantage. 2012. 5 October 2012
“Mandarin for Everyone.” Mandarin Expert. 9 November 2012
“National Network for Translation: England.” Routes Into Languages.
2009. 10 September 2012
Razmjou, Leila. “To Be a Good Translator.” TranslationDirectory.com. 12
October 2012
Rosenberg, Marjorie. “Teaching Vocabulary in Business English Classes.”
Developing Teachers.com. 15 September 2012
Sherman, Jeremy. “One Last Question: Tips for Asking Enough; Not Too
Much.” Psychology Today. 6 March 2012. 28 September 2012
Maranatha Christian University
Shoebottom, Paul. “The Differences Between English and Chinese.”
Frankfurt International School. 16 September 2012
“Speak to Improve Your Word Power.” Vocabulary.co.il. 2006. 3 October
2012
Su, Qiu Gui. “Learn Chinese: The Advantage of Learning Chinese.”
About.com. 3 October 2012
“Vocabulary.” National Centre of Literacy and Numeracy for Adults. 7 May
2010. 2 October 2012
Interview
Saleh, Hidayat. Personal interview. 1 November 2012
Maranatha Christian University
Tugas Akhir ini memaparkan analisis permasalahan yang saya hadapi
ketika saya melakukan kegiatan magang di PT. Mondave International
pada bulan Juli 2012 yaitu kesulitan dalam menerjemahkan e-mail bisnis
dalam bahasa Inggris yang dikirim oleh perusahaan RRC (Republik
Rakyat China). Objek yang diteliti adalah e-mail yang dikirim oleh
perusahaan asing, khususnya e-mail yang dikirim oleh perusahaan RRC
(Republik Rakyat China).
Berdasarkan analisis, masalah ini terjadi karena kurangnya kosa kata
bisnis yang saya miliki, kesulitan dalam memahami e-mail yang dikirim
oleh perusahaan RRC (Republik Rakyat China) yang tidak menggunakan
struktur bahasa Inggris yang benar, serta kurangnya pengalaman saya
dalam menerjemahkan bisnis e-mail. Masalah ini berdampak negatif bagi
hasil terjemahan yang dihasilkan. Selain itu, kesulitan saya dalam
menerjemahkan berdampak pada waktu yang dipergunakan untuk
menyelesaikan pekerjaan, serta teguran yang saya dapatkan secara
langsung dari pimpinan. Saya memaparkan tiga solusi yang berpotensi
untuk menangani kesulitan saya dalam menerjemahkan e-mail bisnis
dalam bahasa Inggris yang dikirim oleh perusahaan RRC (Republik
Rakyat China), beserta dampak positif dan negatif yang mungkin terjadi
ketika solusi tersebut diterapkan. Solusi pertama adalah meningkatkan
pengetahuan kosa kata bisnis yang saya miliki dengan cara membaca
buku tentang bisnis. Solusi kedua yaitu mengambil kursus bahasa
Mandarin. Solusi yang ketiga adalah belajar dari orang yang ahli dalam
bidang penerjemahan.
Setelah melakukan analisis, saya menentukan solusi gabungan untuk
menangani kesulitan saya, yaitu menambah pengetahuan bisnis saya,
mengambil kursus bahasa Mandarin, serta belajar dari seorang ahli
penerjemahan.
i
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT...................................................................................................i
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY..............................................................ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...........................................................................iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS...............................................................................v
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION....................................................................1
A. Background of the Study
B. Indentification of the Problem
C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study
D. Description of the Institution
E. Method of the Study
F. Limitaion of the Study
G. Organization of the Term Paper
CHAPTER II. PROBLEM ANALYSIS..........................................................7
CHAPTER III. POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS..................................................11
CHAPTER IV. CONCLUSIONS.................................................................17
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDICES:
A.
B.
C.
FLOWCHART
THE TRANSCRIPTION OF THE INTERVIEW
AN EXAMPLE OF A BUSINESS E-MAIL
v
Maranatha Christian University
APPENDIX : A
Cause 1: I have lack of
business vocabulary.
Cause 2: People
coming from nonEnglish speaking
countries often use
English with the
influence of their first
language..
Cause 3: I have a lack
of practical experience
in translating English
business e-mails.
FLOWCHART
Problem:
I have difficulty in
translating English
business e-mails from
Chinese companies when I
was doing an internship at
PT. Mondave International.
2.
It will take time to
read and
comprehend
business books
especially when
the vocabulary is
not familiar.
I will spend much
money to buy
books.
Potential
Solution I :
I have to develop my
business vocabulary by
reading business books.
Potential Negative
Effects :
1.
2.
I will have to
spend some time
and money to
take a Chinese
course.
It will require me
to have an extra
hard work.
Potential Negative
Effects :
1.
I might get
confused when
consulting
different experts.
Effect 2: It took me a
long time to translate an
e-mail.
Effect 3: My supervisor
scolded me.
Potential Positive
Effects:
Potential Negative
Effects:
1.
Effect 1: I made
inaccurate translations.
1.
2.
It will be easy for
me in
understanding
English business
e-mails.
I will get a lot of
knowledge about
business.
Potential Negative
Effects :
Potential
Solution II :
1.
I have to take a
Mandarin grammar
course.
Potential
Solution III :
I have to learn from
people who are experts
in translating business
e-mails.
Chosen Solution:
The combination of the
three potential solutions.
I can understand
the e-mails sent
by Chinese
companies.
Potential Negative
Effects :
1.
2.
I can learn how to
do things
correctly.
I can learn from
the experts’
experiences.
APPENDIX : B
TRANSCRIPTION OF THE INTERVIEW
Name of interviewer
: Helena Griselda
Name of respondent
: Hidayat Saleh
Day & date of interview
: Wednesday, November 1, 2012
Place of interview
: Maranatha Christian University, Language Laboratory
Helena : Selamat siang pak, bisa minta waktunya sebentar?
Hidayat : Oh, boleh. Kamu mau tanya apa?
Helena : Begini pak, saya lagi mengerjakan TA tentang translating email dari foreign
company. Di dalam TA tersebut, saya memberikan solusi untuk memecahkan
problem tersebut dengan belajar dari seorang expert. Menurut bapak, apa efek
negatif dari belajar dari seorang expert?
Hidayat : Jadi, masalah translating itu sebetulnya masalah yang masih “abu-abu”.
Helena : Oh, jadi translating itu bukan sesuatu yang baku, begitu pak?
Hidayat : Iya betul. Jadi walaupun kita sudah menerjemahkan sesuatu yang menurut ilmu
linguistik itu benar, belum tentu dalam bidang seni atau art itu bisa dianggap benar.
Jadi menerjemahkan itu tergantung dari segi apa kita menerjemahkannya. Seperti
halnya menerjemahkan sebuah kitab, itu dibutuhkan ilmu khusus yang disebut ilmu
tafsir. Terjemahan saya pun belum tentu bisa terpakai dalam menerjemahkan
sebuah kitab, saya masih belum mampu untuk menerjemahkan sebuah kitab.
selama ini saya hanya menerjemahkan berdasarkan sudut lingusitiknya.
Helena : Jadi seorang expert itu tergantung bidangnya ya pak?
Hidayat : Iya betul, jadi kita akan sulit menemukan seorang yang ahli untuk memberikan
ilmunya, pandangan yang tepat dengan apa yang kita butuhkan.
Helena : Baik pak, saya mengerti. Terus, apa, Pak efek negatif lain selain yang Bapak
sebutkan tadi?
Hidayat : Tidak ada ukuran yang pasti bagaimana seseorang itu dikatakan seorang yang
expert dalam bidang tertentu. Seorang yang expert itu yang bagaimana sih?
Helena : Jadi tidak ada ukuran yang pasti yah, Pak seseorang itu bisa dikatakan expert.
Hidayat : Benar.
Helena : Lalu pak, apakah ada seorang expert yang tidak mudah untuk berbagi ilmunya?
Hidayat : Ya, sebagian begitu.
Helena : Ya, saya mengerti pak. Terima kasih atas waktunya pak.
Hidayat : Sama – sama.
APPENDIX : C
EXAMPLE OF BUSINESS E-MAILS
From: amanda.ddn@ddnchina.com
To: mondave international
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2012 2:26 PM
Subject: Re: process of nonwoven fabric
Dear Sir,
We like to follow-up our offer of our nonwoven fabric and give you explain regarding your
question about the process of our nonwoven material.
This information I convey you is from our technical departemen.
Please take notice to the following instruction of treating nonwoven fabric:
Since the fabric is not hairy so you don’t need to pass the fabric through Singing Machine
for hair removal.
If you want to die the fabric it must not use exhaustion process in haspel or jigger with long
liquor ratio or vlot.
You may color the fabric with pigment dying system by padding method.
For finishing you can stiffen the fabric by using PVAC or coating with binder.
I hop you the above explain is understand by you.
If you have any more question please contact us
By the way if you ordered your order will arrive this next October. We shipping your order
early next month.
Thank you & best regards,
王阿曼达
Amanda Wang
Sales Department
Tel: +8610-69802775 ext 887
Fax: +8610-69802776
MSN: amanda.ddn@hotmail.com
Website:
Add: 6 Longyuan Road. Mentougou Shilong Industrial Zone, Beijing, China (102308)
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Nowadays, most business companies have partnerships with foreign
companies. To communicate with foreign companies, they use English as
the language of instruction. As an article entitled “Business English
Communcation Skills” states, “Business English communication
undoubtedly is the global language of communication which has gained
importance especially in the commercial world” (par. 1). Along with the
growing use of information technology and the Internet, companies use emails to communicate with foreign companies to facilitate cooperation
without having to meet each other.
Even though English is commonly used in business communication,
not everyone who works in the company can speak English well.
Therefore, to understand foreign language texts, such as e-mails, a
translation is needed. Haltim and Munday state in their book that
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translating is “the process of transferring written text from source language
into target language” (6). Translation is not mere transferring one
language into another language, but it should use the equivalent words,
approaching the original text, without changing the meaning of the text.
On July 2, 2012 - 31 July 2012, I had the opportunity to do an
internship as a secretary in PT. Mondave International, which is located in
Jalan Cisurung KM 2.2 Desa Cangkuang Kulon, Bandung. I chose to do
my internship in the business field because there are many opportunities
to apply the knowledge that I have acquired during my study in the D3
English Programme.
During the internship, my duty was to make reports of the incoming
business e-mails from Chinese companies to my supervisor. I had to
translate the e-mails because all of the reports that I had to give to my
supervisor should be in Indonesian. I got many experiences and lessons
from the internship. I learned the lesson from the problems that I faced
when doing my duties. One of the most problematic things that I faced is
my difficulty in translating English business e-mails sent by people of nonEnglish speaking countries especially China.
In this term paper, I analyze my problem in translating English business
e-mails. The analysis will be written systematically and critically to define
the causes, effects, and potential solutions of the problem.
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B. Identification of the Problem
In this term paper, the problem will be analyzed to find out the answers
to the following questions :
1. Why do I have problem in translating English business e-mails?
2. How does the problem affect my working performance during my
internship?
3. What is the best solution to resolve my problem in translating
English business e-mails from Chinese companies?
C. Objectives and Benefits of the Study
The aim of this study is to explain the causes and the effects of the
difficulty in translating English business e-mails from Chinese companies.
This study also aims to find some effective ways of translating English
business e-mails.
This term paper is useful for the new employees who do not have any
previous working experience in a company before because it can give
them the information about translating English business e-mails problem in
the working situation and its solution. For the institution, PT. Mondave
International, this term paper will be useful for the employees who have
the same problem as I do. For the readers, it is expected that this term
paper can explain how to handle business English e-mails sent by
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Chinese companies. For me, this term paper will be useful to overcome
my problems in the company next time I have to work.
D. Description of the Institution
Based on the company profile, PT. Mondave International was
established in 2006 and located in Bandung, one of the centers of the
textile industry. The company was founded by Mr. David Kurniadi who
served as the head and assisted by Mr. Andreas Tjitrabudi as the director.
The company is a manufacturer and distributor of medical disposable
textile products which are made from non-woven materials.
The company produces a range of products, which are: wet cleaning
towels, bedding, surgical garments, sterile dry towels, and non-woven
bandages. All products are intended for medical use and can only be used
once. The products have been patented under the trademark
GOODHEALTH.
PT. Mondave International is concerned about customer satisfaction.
Thus, they pay attention to the quality of the products and good service.
The products offered have normal prices and are delivered on time.
PT. Mondave International is an export import company. It imports the
raw material from China. Besides the domestic market, PT. Mondave
International is also doing a comissioning job for a company in New
Zealand and exporting its products to Japan.
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E. Method of the Study
In doing this term paper, I used library research. Data collection was
done by finding information from books, articles, and Internet resources.
Data contained in this thesis was also based on my journal during the
internship at PT Mondave International.
The other method that I used is interview. I did an interview to gain
information about the effects of the solution. The interview data are
accompanied by the transcript of interview in appendix B.
F. Limitation of the Study
In this term paper, the study will focus on my difficulty of translating
English business e-mails from Chinese companies that I experienced
during my internship in PT. Mondave International in July 2012. I become
the subject of the research as the term paper is based on my personal
experience.
G. Organization of the Term Paper
This term paper consists of four chapters. Chapter One contains the
Background of the Study, Identification of the Problem, Obejctives and
Benefits of the Study, Description of the Instituion, Method of the Study,
Limitation of the Study, and Organization of the Term Paper. Chapter Two
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contains the Problem Analysis, which consists of causes and effects of the
problem. Chapter Three contains Potential Solutions of the problem. The
last chapter is Chapter Four, which contains the Conclusion of the
problem. The next part is Bibliography which contains publication
information from all the sources cited in the term paper. The last part
appendix which contains the flowchart and the interview transcript.
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CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION
Based on the analysis on the previous chapters, I find out that my
difficulties in translating English business e-mails from Chinese companies
is caused by my having a lack of business vocabulary, not being able to
fully comprehend some e-mails from Chinese companies that used nonstandard English grammar, and having a lack of practical experiences.
Realizing the causes, I try to find some potential solutions such as
developing my ability in business vocabulary by reading business books,
take a Mandarin course, and learning from the expert to deal with the
problem. In order to eliminate the causes, having analyzed the potential
solutions in the previous chapter, in this chapter, I am going to state and
explain the chosen solution from the three potential solutions mentioned
above.
In my opinion, the best potential solution to overcome my difficulty in
translating English business e-mails from foreign companies is the
combination of the three potential solutions. By doing these, it will be easy
for me to understand English business e-mails. Besides, I get much
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knowledge about business and I can translate English business e-mails
well. Therefore, I have to read many books about business, take a
Mandarin course, and learn from the experiences of an expert.
I need to combine all of the three solutions that I have described in the
previous chapter because nowadays, most business companies have
partnership with foreign companies. One of the most common is Chinese
companies, as, at the moment, China dominates the business world.
Therefore, having a good command of Chinese will be an advantage.
Even when the Chinese communicate in English, they use non-standard
English grammar. They often use English with the influennce of their first
language. Learning Mandarin grammar will make it easy to understand
their aims and objectives when communicating, especially through emails.
Then, the business world also has its own terms that not everyone
understands. Based on the results of my research, in order that
communication with foreign companies can run well, first I need to read
books about business so that my business vocabularies can evolve.
Reading is an effective way to increase our vocabulary. Learning from an
expert is also helpful in the business field. I can learn from their mistakes
and success to reduce my mistakes.
I suggest to those who want to work at a companies which do business
with foreign companies as a translator of business e-mails, to read many
books about business, ask some people who are experienced in the
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business field, and take a Mandarin course in order to have enough
provision to work in a company. Moreover, it is also important to have
more pratices to become familiar with business terms which are often
found in business e-mails to reduce time in translating business e-mails
and avoid misunderstanding. By applying the solutions given, it is
expected that the difficulty in translating English business e-mails from
Chinese companies can be treated well.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Printed Sources
Basil, Haltim and Jeremy Munday. An Advanced Resource Book. London:
Routledge, 2005.
Electronic Sources
“About Personal Experience inTranslation : Shanghai.” Transhorsa
Translation. 1 August 2009. 16 September 2012
Augustine, Ron. “What Are the Advantages of Reading Books?” eHow
Education. 17 October 2012
Beare, Kenneth. “How To Improve Your Vocabulary. About.com. 5
October 2012
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“Books and Bookstores in Indonesia.” Living in Indonesia. 17 October
2012
Breen, John. “Free Rice.” World Food Programme. 2007. 2 October 2012
“Business English Communication Skills.” Persada RAY. 25 April 2011. 7
January 2013
< http://persadaray.com.my/training/25-business-englishcommunication-skills>
“Business Vocabulary Building: Grow A Successful Career.” Write Better
English. 2012. 27 September 2012
“Expert.” BusinessDictionary.com. 15 October 2012
Ferlic, K. “What is Lessons Learned.” Releasing Your Unlimitied Creativity.
19 October 2012
“Grammar for Speaking.” Center of Language Education, HKUST. 9
October 2012
“Grammar Tools For English.” Your Dictionary. 1996. 9 October 2012
Maranatha Christian University
Hamilton, Bill A. “How to Become an Expert? - Top 6 Exclusive Tips to
Outshine Your Competition.” EzineArticles.com. 16 February 2012. 15
October 2012
Hilton, T. Marie. “Sticks & Stones; Are Your Own Words Hurting Your
Business?” Clerical Advantage. 2012. 5 October 2012
“Mandarin for Everyone.” Mandarin Expert. 9 November 2012
“National Network for Translation: England.” Routes Into Languages.
2009. 10 September 2012
Razmjou, Leila. “To Be a Good Translator.” TranslationDirectory.com. 12
October 2012
Rosenberg, Marjorie. “Teaching Vocabulary in Business English Classes.”
Developing Teachers.com. 15 September 2012
Sherman, Jeremy. “One Last Question: Tips for Asking Enough; Not Too
Much.” Psychology Today. 6 March 2012. 28 September 2012
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Shoebottom, Paul. “The Differences Between English and Chinese.”
Frankfurt International School. 16 September 2012
“Speak to Improve Your Word Power.” Vocabulary.co.il. 2006. 3 October
2012
Su, Qiu Gui. “Learn Chinese: The Advantage of Learning Chinese.”
About.com. 3 October 2012
“Vocabulary.” National Centre of Literacy and Numeracy for Adults. 7 May
2010. 2 October 2012
Interview
Saleh, Hidayat. Personal interview. 1 November 2012
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