An Error Analysis of the Clearly Stated and Unclearly Stated Time Markers Concerning the Use of Verbs and Tenses in Translation from Thai into English by Second-Year English Major Students

Abstract

The objectives of this study were divided into two issues: examining if time markers clearly stated in Thai contexts reduce the errors of using wrong tenses when doing translation from Thai into English and investigating the types of errors concerning the use of verbs and tenses made by the English major students in two versions of translation tests. The subjects of this study were 33 second-year English major students of Kasetsart University enrolling in the 2011 academic year. The instruments were two versions of Thai into English translation tests: the test version I consists of 20 sentences in Thai without clearly stated time markers and the test version II consists of the same 20 sentences with clearly stated time markers. The results of the study were as followed: first, the results from the tests showed that the mean score of the test version II was higher than that of the test Version I. The existence of clearly stated Thai time markers helped the students use certain English tenses accurately but they did not efficiently help the students use all the tenses proficiently due to the different concept of time between Thai and English. Second, the most problematic aspect concerning the use of verbs with preposition; the simple addition of prepositions to certain verbs was most frequently found in the study and using the wrong prepositions with particular verbs was the second mostly found. The Thai students used English based on their native language structure when translating, the errors namely the use of verb with preposition were resulted. Consequently, it is necessary for translation or EFL instructors to raise the students’ awareness of how to use certain verbs correctly and to help them distinguish the differences between the Thai and English structures.