2. 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 “แกงเขียวหวาน” 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.
3. 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
4. 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
6. Problems of Translation Thai Food
Names
Informative Translation
Literal Translation
Under Translation
7. Informative Translation
Describe the ingredients or styles of the dish
80% of menus
Examples:
ห่อนึ่งไก่ - steamed chicken with northern style chili in
banana leaves
ไข่เยี่ยวม้ากะเพรากรอบ - deep fried black pearl eggs with
minced pork and crispy basil leaves
9. 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:
ยำำขนุน - young jackfruit salad
ตำำส้มโอ - pomelo salad
ไข่พะโล้ - pork-egg soup
หมูทอดกระเทียม - roast pork
10. 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)
11. 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.
12. 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
13. English as a Lingua Franca (ELF):
a means of cultural identification
L1 interference
Word Order
‣ ผัดหน่อไม้ไก่ - bamboo fried chicken
Word Choice
‣ “แกง” can be referred to soup, stew or curry in English.
14. 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.
15. 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.
