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.

Q&A