Department of English

Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University

2202124  Introduction to Translation

Expressive Text (English-Thai) Discussion

จงแปลเรื่องแต่งต่อไปนี้เป็นภาษาไทย

Claire is in a hurry, running for the bus. As usual. The day care-center had asked, since it’s Christmas Eve, if everyone could pick up by four today, and Claire’s boss had assured her that she could leave early, but then at the last minute one of his research assistants discovered that the lab would be completely out of some very important enzyme preparation by Monday, and it had to be recorded at once, and now Claire doesn’t think she’ll make it by four. So she’ll be late again to pick up her daughter, and on Christmas Eve. She hurries out of the lab building and takes the shortcut through the hospital, even though it means going in a door marked Do Not Enter and then racing through the lobby, where homeless people are already gathering for the night, taking their places among the sick.

It seems to Claire that her life is made of apologies and excuses. I’m sorry, Dr. Fergus, I wish I could stay and finish typing this, but I do have to pick up my three-year-old at her day-care center. I’m sorry, Lynnette, I know I’m late to pick up Thea, but the bus didn’t come. I’m sorry, Thea, I know I’m the very last mommy.

Discussion

-         translating nouns or noun phrases (especially those with constructions that sound unnatural in Thai)

·        day-care center; in Thai we tend to use the name of the place ex. Chula says

·        Christmas Eve

·        one of his [Dr. Fergus’] research assistants

·        enzyme preparation

o       Do we respect the convention of the scientific field in translating science terms?

o       enzyme - เอนซัยม์ (บัญญัติวิทยาศาสตร์)  เอนไซม์

o       preparation

Note that in this case preparation in the first meaning is not used.  Preparation in "very important enzyme preparation" does not mean "the action or process of making enzyme" but rather the "prepared enzyme (concoction, formula, etc.)."

(Merriam-Webster)

1: the action or process of making something ready for use or service or of getting ready for some occasion, test, or duty

2: a state of being prepared: readiness

3: a preparatory act or measure

4: something that is prepared; specifically: a medicinal substance made ready for use <a preparation for colds>

o       some

This is a good chance to review "some" as well.  We have encountered some in various meanings.  Here, it is an unspecified enzyme preparation.

(Merriam-Webster)

1: being an unknown, undetermined, or unspecified unit or thing <some person knocked>

2 a: being one, a part, or an unspecified number of something (as a class or group) named or implied <some gems are hard> b: being of an unspecified amount or number <give me some water> <have some apples>

3: remarkable, striking <that was some party>

4: being at least one—used to indicate that a logical proposition is asserted only of a subclass or certain members of the class denoted by the term which it modifies

·        lobby

·        homeless people

·        my three-year-old

·        apologies

·        excuses

-         repetitions

·        hurry – 

·        I’m sorry – 

-  running for the bus –  

-  assure – ยืน ยัน รับคำ

-  at once – ทันที  เดี๋ยวนั้น  เดี๋ยวนี้   

-  racing through the lobby

·        race – ห้อ  วิ่ง  รีบวิ่ง  พุ่ง  บึ่ง  ตะบึง  ควบ

-  gathering (v. ing)

• รวมตัวกัน เกาะกลุ่ม มาอยู่รวม ๆ กัน  ชุมนุม

-  taking their places for the night –  

• homeless people – คนไร้บ้าน คนไร้ที่อยู่ คนจรจัด

• จับ จองที่อยู่

-  made of – 

Vocabulary

Reference

Klass, Perri.  "City Sidewalks."  Love and Modern Medicine: Stories.  NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2001.  68–84.

Source

City Sidewalks

Claire is in a hurry, running for the bus. As usual. The day-care center asked, since it's Christmas Eve, if everyone could pick up by four today, and Claire's boss assured her that she could leave early, but then at the last minute one of his research assistants discovered that the lab would be completely out of some very important enzyme preparation by Monday and more had to be ordered at once, and now Claire doesn't think she'll make it by four. So she'll be late again to pick up her daughter, and on Christmas Eve. She hurries out of the lab building and takes the shortcut through the hospital, even though it means going through a door marked do not enter and then racing through the lobby, where the homeless people are already gathering for the night, taking their places among the sick.

It seems to Claire that her life is made of apologies and excuses. I'm sorry, Dr. Fergus, I wish I could stay and finish typing this, but I do have to pick up my three-year-old at her day-care center. I'm sorry, Lynnette, I know I'm late to pick up Thea, but the bus didn't come. I'm sorry, Thea, I know I'm the very last mommy.

Out the automatic sliding doors and then only half a block more, and maybe if the bus comes right away she'll be on time. And Thea will be glad to see her, not woebegone and worried at being left till last, and Lynnette will smile, and everyone will wish each other Merry Christmas. Merry cold snowless New England Christmas.

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Last updated March 30, 2015