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Journal of Letters

Publication Date

2020-12-28

Abstract

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.

First Page

67

Last Page

97

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