Abstract:
This special research is to study how to translate Joy Kogawas historical novel Obasan from English into Thai, emphasizing the dialogue with the different levels of language ability conveying the difference of the three Japanese-Canadian generations. Here, various theories and concepts are used to comprehend the source text, to set up the guidelines and to solve the translation problems including Interpretive Approach, Discourse Analysis, Literary Translation, Sociolinguistic, Japanese Phonology affecting English and Thai speaking ability, and levels in Japanese language. Also, to be used in the translation text, the literary style from Thai sociolinguistic novels portraying life during and after World War II is scanned from the three selected novels: Tommayantis Koo Karma (Karma Mates), Mom Rajawongse (M.R.) Kukrit Pramojs Si Pandin (Four Reigns , and Chullada Pakdibhumintras Khamin Kub Poon (Cat and Dog Life) The research found that in translating Canadian Japanese characters dialogues in Obasan, the translator should integrate those theories and concepts, including the Japanese Phonology and the literary style scanned from those sociolinguistic novels portraying life during and after World War II as the sin ne qua non, and try several approaches to contribute the most appropriate translation text conveying the generation difference as it is carried in the source text.