Hearing but not understanding: The study of meaning loss during translation process in the translation of Protagonist’ name in S.E.A. Write’s novel “The Immortal”

Abstract

          This paper aims to investigate the loss of meaning during the translation process from Thai to Chinese of the protagonist’s name in Wimon Sainimnuan’s S.E.A. Write Award-winning novel “Amata” (Immortal) due to the otherness in the source text (ST) and target text (TT). According to a study of the three characters’ names, Bhrammin Thanabodin, Aorajun Bhagavad, and Shivan, the writer used allusion referencing these protagonists’ names to convey the meaning of life and existence. The study found that the translator failed to interpret the meaning of the protagonists’ names in the source text (ST) by using the transliteration method in interpretation in the target text (TT). This failure to convey the connotation of the protagonist’s names that the author portrayed in the allusion to life and existence. As a result, the explanation in a footnote of the translated version directly interpreted the dictionary meaning. The causal relationship, in this case, is between the variables X1 and X2, with the former being the misinterpretation of the source text (ST) causing latter to be X2, the Chinese characters' inability to express the connotation meaning. When using the interpretation concept of Burin Srisomtawin, Wanlaya Wiwatsorn, Kanokporn Numtong, and Pei Xiaorui in the translation process, they will be able to modify the value of variables X1 and X2 in this micro-context. And this model could resolve the translation problems of beingunable to cross the otherness of language in the macro-context of Thai-Chinese translation.