A Study of Conveying Thai Serial Verb Constructions into English:
Case Study of The Sweet Scent of Hay
Keywords:
Translation, Simultaneous serial verb construction, Interpretive Approach, Thinking for Speaking, Scene and Frame SemanticsAbstract
This article examines the strategies used in translating Thai serial verb constructions (SCVs) into English. The data used in this research is from a 64,879-word parallel corpus of Klin Fang The Sweet Scent of Hay, a collection of 10 short stories. The scope of the study is limited to SVCs containing 2 verbs that describe simultaneous events. Quantitative analysis reveals that out of 61 samples, including those that occur more than once but are translated differently, 50 constructions or 81.97% show the same equivalent effects between the original text and the target text, while 11 constructions or 18.03% do not. In the former case, a variety of translation methods have been used to convey the meaning of the Thai SVCs. The most common methods are the use of verb phrases and, interestingly, phrases embedded in the context, especially the portions of the texts that precede the SVCs in question. In the latter case where there is no connotative equivalence, the most frequently used method is deletion of one of the two verbs. Based on a qualitative analysis, the various translation methods used to convey the meanings of Thai SCVs appropriately and naturally in English resulted from the application of the Interpretive Approach and can be explained through the principles of Thinking for Speaking as well as Scenes-and-Frames Semantics.
References
ภาษาไทย
Amara Prasithrarthsint อมรา ประสิทธิ์รัฐสินธุ์. 2002. Khwam taektang thang khrongsang khong phasa Thai kap phasa Angkrit thi mi phon tor karn plae ความแตกต่างทางโครงสร้างของภาษาไทยกับภาษาอังกฤษที่มีผลต่อการแปล [Differences between Thai and English syntactic structures that affect translation]. Warasarn Ramkhamhaeng วารสารรามคำแหง [Ramkhamhaeng University Journal] 19(3): 68-82.
Charasdao Intratat จรัสดาว อินทรทัศน์. 1996. “Krabuankarn thi kham kriya klaipen kham bupphabot nai phasa Thai” กระบวนการที่คำกริยากลายเป็นคำบุพบทในภาษาไทย [Grammaticalization of verbs into prepositions in Thai]. Doctoral Dissertation, Chulalongkorn University.
Kanit Chinsin, & Prima Mallikamas กนิษฐ์ ฉินสินและปรีมา มัลลิกะมาส. 2017. Karn sueksa priapthiap konlawithi karn plae nuai sang kriya riang phasa Thai pen phasa Angkrit: korani sueksa rueang khanglang phap การศึกษาเปรียบเทียบกลวิธีการแปลหน่วยสร้างกริยาเรียงภาษาไทยเป็นภาษาอังกฤษ: กรณีศึกษา เรื่อง ข้างหลังภาพ [A comparative study of strategies for the translation of serial verb constructions in Thai into English: a case study of the novel Behind the Painting] Warasarn Karn Plae Lae Karn Lam วารสารการแปลและการล่าม [Journal of Translation and Interpretation Thailand] 2(1): 1-42.
Kingkarn Thepkanjana กิ่งกาญจน์ เทพกาญจนา. 2010. Nuai sang kriya riang tonbaep nai phasa Thai หน่วยสร้างกริยาเรียงต้นแบบในภาษาไทย [Prototypical serial verb constructions in Thai]. In Nuai sang thi mi khokhatyaeng nai waiyakorn Thai หน่วยสร้างที่มีข้อขัดแย้งในไวยากรณ์ไทย [Controversial Construction in Thai Grammar] (2nd ed.), ed. Amara Prasithrathsint, 66-173. Bangkok: Chulalongkorn University Press.
Kingkarn Thepkanjana กิ่งกาญจน์ เทพกาญจนา. 2016. krabuankarn klaipen rup waiyakorn กระบวนการกลายเป็นรูปไวยากรณ์ [Grammaticalization]. Bangkok: Research and publication division, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University.
Kritsana Asoksin กฤษณา อโศกสิน. 2006. Klinfang กลิ่นฟาง [The Sweet Scent of Hay] (Wasana Cholasueks Kenman, Trans.). Bangkok: Chulalongkorn University Press.
Lederer, Marianne เลเดแรร์, มารีอานน์. 1997. Karn plae khue karn thaithot khwammai michai karn thai phasa การแปลคือการถ่ายทอดความหมาย มิใช่การถ่ายภาษา [Translation is transfer of meaning not transcoding] (Jirapun Boonyakiat, Trans.). In Sat karn plae: ruam botkhwam choeng thruesadi lae patibat ศาสตร์การแปล: รวมบทความเชิงทฤษฎีและปฏิบัติ [Translation Studies: collection of articles on theory and practice], ed. Nopporn Prachakul, 1-43. Bangkok: Translation center program, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University.
Methinee Singhavejsakul, & Prima Mallikamas เมทินี สิงห์เวชสกุลและปรีมา มัลลิกะมาส. 2014. Karn plae mano that thi sue doi nuai sang kriya riang thi mi kham wa “ao” chak phasa Thai pen phasa Angkrit: korani sueksa rueang lai chiwit. การแปลมโนทัศน์ที่สื่อโดยหน่วยสร้างกริยาเรียงที่มีคำว่า “เอา” จากภาษาไทยเป็นภาษาอังกฤษ: กรณีศึกษา เรื่อง หลายชีวิต [A study of conveying Thai serial verb constructions with the word /?au/ into English: a case study of Many Lives]. Warasarn nida phasa lae karn suesan วารสารนิด้าภาษาและการสื่อสาร [NIDA Journal of Language and Communication] 19(23): 38-62.
Punya Borisuth ปัญญา บริสุทธ์. 1999. Thritsadi lae withi patibat nai karn plae ทฤษฎีและวิธีปฏิบัติในการแปล [Theory and practice in translation]. Bangkok: The Royal Institute.
Somjit Jirananthiporn, & Prima Mallikamas สมจิต จิระนันทิพร และปรีมา มัลลิกะมาส. 2016. Panha karn plae nuai sang kriya riang phasa Thai pen phasa Angkrit khong phurian chao Thai ปัญหาการแปลหน่วยสร้างกริยาเรียงภาษาไทยเป็นภาษาอังกฤษของผู้เรียนชาวไทย [Thai learners’ problems in translating Thai serial verb constructions into English]. Warasan Aksorasart วารสารอักษรศาสตร์ [Journal of Letters] 45(2): 204-262.
Suphanee Pinmanee สุพรรณี ปิ่นมณี. 2012. Plae dai plae di แปลได้ แปลดี [Good and accurate translation] (3rd ed.). Bangkok: Chulalongkorn University Press.
Wanna Saengaramruang วรรณา แสงอร่ามเรือง. 2009. Thritsadi lae lakkarn plae ทฤษฎีและหลักการแปล [Translation theory and principle] (3rd ed.). Bangkok: Research and publication division, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University.
Yajai Chuvicha ยาใจ ชูวิชา. 1993. “Khwam pen prayok khong nuai sang kriya riang nai phasa Thai”
ความเป็นประโยคของหน่วยสร้างกริยาเรียงในภาษาไทย [Serial Verb, Clausehood, Construction]. Doctoral Dissertation, Chulalongkorn University.
ภาษาอังกฤษ
Aikhenvald, Alexandra Y. 2007. Serial Verb Construction in Typological Perspective. In Serial Verb Constructions: A Cross-linguistic Typology, Alexandra Y. Aikenvald, and R. M. W. Dixon, eds., 1-68 New York: Oxford University Press.
Bybee, J., Perkins, R., & Pagliuca, W. 1994. The Evolution of Grammar: Tense, Aspect, and Modality in the Language of the World. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Delisle, Jean. 1988. Translation: An Interpretive Approach (P. Logan, & M. Creery, Trans.). Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press. (Original work published 1980).
Dixon, R. M. W. 2007. Serial Verb Constructions: Conspectus and Coda. In Serial Verb Constructions: A Cross-Linguistic Typology, Alexandra Y. Aikenvald, and R. M. W. Dixon, eds., 338-350. New York: Oxford University Press.
Iwasaki, S., & Ingkaphirom, P. 2009. A Reference Grammar of Thai. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Kroeger, Paul R. 2004. Analyzing Syntax: A Lexical-Functional Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Levelt, Willem J. M. 1989. Speaking: From Intention to Articulation. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Liswahyuningsih, Ni Luh Gede. 2011. “Indonesian V-V Constructions in ‘Laskar Pelangi’ and Their Translations in ‘The Rainbow Troops’”. Master Thesis, Udayana University, Denparsar. http://www.pps.unud.ac.id/thesis/pdf_thesis/unud-139-190662839-cover%20lis.pdf
Slobin, Dan I. 1987. Thinking for Speaking. In Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society, Jon Aske, Natasha Beery, Laura Michaelis, and Hana Filip, eds., 435-445. Berkeley, California: Berkeley Linguistics Society.
Slobin, Dan I. 1996. From “Thought and Language” to “Thinking for Speaking”. In Rethinking Linguistic Relativity, John. J. Gumperz, and Stephen C. Levinson, eds., 70-96. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Slobin, Dan I. 2003. Language and Thought Online: Cognitive Consequences of Linguistic Relativity. In Language in Mind: Advances in the Study of Language and Thought, Dedre Gentner, and Susan Glodin-Meadow, eds., 157-192. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Sutthichatchawanwong, Wanlee. 2007. “A Study of the Translation of Thai Serial Verb Constructions with Directional Verbs and Their Semantic and Syntactic Equivalence in English.” Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok.
Talmy, Leonard. 1991. Path to Realization: A Typology of Event Conflation. In Proceedings of the Seventeenth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society, Laurel A. Sutton, Christopher Johnson, and Ruth Shields, eds., 480-519. Berkeley, California: Berkeley Linguistics Society.
Wehmeier, S. (Ed.). 2010. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English (7th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright and plagiarism
Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to use copyrighted materials from copyright owners. Authors are responsible for observing requisite copyright law when quoting or reproducing copyrighted materials. Quotations and reproductions of content from other published sources must be accompanied by a reference and all sources should be clearly listed in the references section. Quotations and reproductions of content from external sources without due attribution could be considered a severe infringement of academic conduct and may constitute a legal offence under the Copyright Act of B.E. 2537. Any legal ramifications arising from the infringement of copyright regulations would be the sole responsibility of the author(s).
