The Uncrossable Otherness in the Translation of Action Verbs in the Chinese Version of HRH Princess Sirindhon’s Novel ‘Kaew Jomkaen’

Abstract

          This research article aimed to study the inability to overcome the otherness in the translation of action verbs, which are phrasal verbs (verb + modifier), in the Chinese translation of HRH Princess Sirindhon’s novel ‘Kaew Jomkean’. The study found the translator was unable to overcome four aspects of otherness: 1) literary art and conceptual image aspect-the translator was unable to use equivalent figurative language that expresses image and feeling to the Thai version, resulting in the Chinese readers’ inability to understand the author’s concept; 2) semantic aspect-the translator was unable to equivalently transfer the original Thai meaning, resulting in the different Chinese readers’ understanding of the novel; 3) meaning and conceptual image aspect-the translator was unable to interpret equivalently the original action verbs, resulting in the Chinese readers’ inability to have the same feeling as the Thai readers; and 4) lexical aesthetic quality aspect-the translator was unable to equivalently transfer the original aesthetic quality of the action verbs, resulting in the Chinese readers’ inability to clearly understand the characters’ movements. The reasons for the inability to overcome these four aspects are the translator’s lack of understanding of the socio-cultural context and restriction of word choice to convey the original conceptual image, meaning, and aesthetic quality.