The The Problems of the Translation of the First- and Second-Person Pronouns Representing the Narrator and the Listeners in Thai Versions of the French Novel Le Petit Prince

Abstract

The French novel Le Petit Prince has been translated into Thai in many versions. The choice of Thai personal pronouns for the first and second person varies significantly and reflects the translator’s interpretation. This research aims to study the choice of first and second personal pronouns in each version of the Thai translation. The methodology is based on a comparison of these choices, relying on the communication process and the use of Thai personal pronouns. Furthermore, it is founded on the hypothesis that errors in the use of the studied pronouns likely stem from an interpretation of the overlapping levels of the communication process in this novel. Additionally, the Thai pronouns for the first and second person, representing the writer and the reader or the narrator and the listeners, involve nuances of childhood or adulthood, and whether the book is intended for children or adults.