Translation Strategies for Japanese to Thai: A Case Study of Keigo Higashino’s Detective Novels

Abstract

This study examines the translation strategies used in rendering the titles of Japanese detective novels into Thai, focusing on the works of Keigo Higashino as a case study. The data were collected from nine publishing houses in Thailand that have translated and distributed his works, including Daifuku Publishing, Namphu Publishing, Biblio Publishing, JClass Publishing, Hummingbooks Publishing, Maxx Publishing, Praew Publishing, Page Publishing, and Nation Books (NB Horror). The dataset consists of 70 translated titles published between 2017 and 2024. The analysis primarily adopts the translation strategy framework proposed by Masae et al. (2018)

The findings reveal that seven translation strategies are employed in translating Japanese novel titles into Thai. Among these, literal translation without additional Thai explanatory elements is the most frequently used strategy, accounting for 21 titles (30%). This finding indicates that literal translation remains the dominant approach.  The prevalence of this strategy may be attributed to the characteristics of novel titles, which are typically short, concise, and reflective of the author’s intended meaning and stylistic identity. This tendency is particularly evident in Higashino’s detective fiction, where titles often employ simple yet evocative expressions that invite curiosity. Such conciseness enables the effective transfer of meaning through literal translation without the need for substantial modification. Moreover, given that novels rely heavily on linguistic interpretation and readers’ imagination, literal translation allows readers to interpret and construct meaning independently.  It also enables readers to experience the source text in close alignment   with the original. Furthermore, contemporary readers have developed a deeper familiarity with Japanese culture, reflecting a significant shift in contemporary audience tendencies. As the result, translators tend to adopt more literal translation strategies in order to meet readers’ expectations for versions that preserve the meaning, aesthetic nuances, and authorial identity of the source of text, while enabling readers to experiences the translated work in close alignment with the original as faithfully as possible.