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ELF in Thailand:Discussion on Translation of Thai Food Names
Significance
Thai food is one of Thai cultural identification. Thai government has been trying to promote Thai food to the world community and now Thai food has successfully become more popular among foreigners. To present Thai food to foreigners, naming or translating food names into English is necessary. However, if we look closely at the translated food names, there are several errors in those names. For instance, the name “แกงเขี�ยวหวาน” is translated into “Green Curry”, which does not clearly define the character of the dish, still it is understandable for foreigners. This will include Thai food name in English as one explanation of ELF as a means of intercultural communication rather than formally by its reference to native-speaker and a means of Thai cultural identification.
Objectives
To reflect problems of translation Thai food names into English
To explain ELF as a means of communication and a means of cultural identification through Thai food names in English
Data Collection
The data is based on the menus of five local restaurants in Thailand.
Tong restaurant
Huen Pen restaurant
The Riverside restaurant
Two street food restaurants
Translation in Intercultural communication
Words that have been changed from one language into a different language (Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary)
Problems of Translation Thai Food Names
Informative Translation
Literal Translation
Under Translation
Informative Translation
Describe the ingredients or styles of the dish
80% of menus
Examples:
ห�อน��งไก� - steamed chicken with northern style chili in banana leaves
ไขี�เย��ยวม้�ากะเพรากรอบ - deep fried black pearl eggs with minced pork and crispy basil leaves
Literal Translation
Word-for-word translation
Examples:
ไก�ผั�ดขี�ง - chicken fried ginger
ก��งผั�ดน��าพร�กเผัา - shrimp cooks chili burns
ปลาหม้�กผั�ดผังกะหร�� - squid cooks whore dust
Under Translation
The information that the target language contains is less than that of the source language
The confusion about the concept of the dish
Examples:
ย�าขีน�น - young jackfruit salad
ตำ�าส้�ม้โอ - pomelo salad
ไขี�พะโล� - pork-egg soup
หม้#ทอดกระเท�ยม้ - roast pork
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF): a means of communication
ELF is ‘a contact language’ between persons who share neither a common native tongue nor a common (national) culture, and for whom English is the chosen language of communication (Firth 1996)
As a consequence of its international use, English is being shaped at least as much by its non-native speakers as by its native speakers. (Seidlhofer 2005)
The new English-speakers are not just passively absorbing the languages, they are shaping it. (Tapia 2010)
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF): a means of communication
Function rather than Form
Thai food names translated into English are aimed to communicate to foreigners and to promote Thai food. Even though there are many errors found in many dishes’ names.
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF): a means of cultural identification
ELF is not merely a language of communication, a neutral code stripped bare of culture and identity. (Fiedler 2011)
Thai food reflects Thai cultures
Ingredients
Styles of cooking
Ways of eating
English as a Lingua Franca (ELF): a means of cultural identification
L1 interference
Word Order
‣ ผั�ดหน�อไม้�ไก� - bamboo fried chicken
Word Choice
‣ “แกง” can be referred to soup, stew or curry in English.
Conclusion
Translating Thai food names into English suggests that ELF is a means of communication rather than a formal English in Thailand reflected from the problems of informative, literal and under translation. Besides, ELF is also a tool of cultural identification supported by features of Thai food names in English.
References
Andres, Tapia. "New America Media." Non-native English Speakers Setting New Standard. N.p., 04 Jul 2010. Web. 01 May 2013. <http://www.newamericamedia.org>.
Barbara, Seidlhofer. "English a Lingua Franca." Key Concepts in ELT. 59/4. (2005): 339-341. Print. <http://people.ufpr.br/~clarissa/pdfs/ELF_Seidlhofer2005.pdf>.
Pairote , Bennui. "A Study of L1 Interference in the Writing of Thai EFL Students." Malaysian Journal of ELT Research. 4. (2008): 72-102. Print.
Sabine, Fiedler. "English as a lingua franca-a native-culture-free code? Language of communication vs. language of identification." Apples-Journal of Applied Language Studies. 5.3 (2011): 79-97. Print.
Thank you very much.
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