Problems of Translation via an Intermediate Language Case Study : Translation of a Novel Pedro Páramo

Abstract

Translating a literary work via an intermediate language has now become common and acceptable in Thailand, due to the lack of translators who can translate directly from the original language. This may result in damage to the original work and indirectly harm the author. This article aims to highlight linguistic and cultural problems resulting from translating via an intermediate language. Pedro Páramo, a world famous magical realism novel by Juan Rulfo, is used as a case study since the Thai translation from the English version of the novel contains many distortions from the original meaning in Spanish. Hence, the original Spanish text is compared to both the English and the Thai translations to indentify deviations caised by translation via an intermediate language. Examples are illustrated to highlight these deviations.