Best-Selling Youth Literature Titles: Cross-Cultural Translation from English to Thai Through Linguistic and Cognitive Perspectives
Abstract
This study investigates the translation methods employed in best-selling youth literature titles translated from English to Thai. The study adopts a descriptive-qualitative approach. The analysis is based on 173 pairs of original and translated titles collected from Thai online bookstores. Using Newmark’s global translation approach, functional-typological grammar, cognitive semantics, and prototype theory as analytical frameworks, the findings suggest that communicative translation is the most prevalent method, followed by free and semantic translation. Other methods identified include faithful and idiomatic translation, with the latter being the least frequently observed. Additionally, certain methods go beyond Newmark's criteria, namely, transliteration and the retention of English components alongside Thai translation. By incorporating both linguistic and cognitive perspectives, this study presents findings on translation practices within the context of youth literature. These insights may be useful for translation pedagogy and for enhancing intercultural adaptation strategies.
Keywords: Youth Literature Titles; Cross-Cultural Translation; English–Thai Translation; Linguistic and Cognitive Perspectives
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