Abstract:
This thematic paper aims to apply the concepts and theories of translation to childrens literature translation for children aged between 6-8 years old to The Enormous Crocodile, written by Roald Dahl. The translation is from English into Thai and this paper includes a study of problems and methods used to solve problems in the translation process employed by the researcher. The translation process includes selection of the childrens literature, a study of related concepts and theories, a study and analysis of source text, the translation into the target text, adaptation, and a test of the translation. The study shows that the translator has to be cautious and very careful to use proper words for young readers, avoiding words that may convey violence, but, at the same time, retaining the aim of the writer with his style. Problems were found in the translation process, namely, translation of the title and characters names, content intensity, translation of words expressing image and gesture, translation of interjection, verse and pun, and translation of the word said and cried. The translation methods used included literal translation, free translation, transliteration, and equivalence. Another method of translation was to adjust the intensity of the content by avoiding some words expressing violence in the perception of children. With regard to the translation of verses, the researcher employed a translation into blank verse, added alliteration, assonance, and rhythm splitting similar to Thai verse that young readers are familiar with. Phonemic translation was used for the translation of puns. Besides that, translation techniques were adapted to the Thai structure; adapting phrases to words and words to phrases, adding compound words and final particles, helped make the translation more tuneful and natural in the Thai language. The researcher, in addition, aligned the target text with illustration in the same format as the source text book to retain the reading flavour of the source text.