Sentence Boundaries

เนื่องจากภาษาอังกฤษ เป็นภาษาที่มีขอบเขตของประโยคให้เห็นอย่างชัดเจน กล่าวคือ คำแรกของประโยคต้องขึ้นต้นด้วยตัวใหญ่ และท้ายประโยคต้องมีมหัพภาคหรือ "." ในขณะที่ภาษาไทยไม่มี ทำให้เกิดปัญหาในการแปลบ่อยครั้ง โดยเฉพาะ เวลาที่แปลภาษาไทยเป็นภาษาอังกฤษ

There are several ways you could say this in English.  Below are some possibilities:

• Unlike Thai, English has a clear sentence boundary: a capital letter at the beginning and a period or "." at the end of the sentence. This often poses problems, especially in Thai-English translation.

• Since English is a language with clear sentence boundaries, that is, the first word of the sentence must begin with a capital letter and the end of a sentence must have a period or “.” while Thai does not, it has often caused problems in translation, especially when translating Thai into English.

• Since English is a language with clearly visible sentence boundaries...

• Since English is a language with clearly observable sentence boundaries...

• Whereas the English language has a clear sentence boundary, i.e. a capital letter at the beginning and a period at the end of the sentence, Thai does not. This often causes problems when Thai sentences are translated into English.

• Since the English language has a clear boundary for sentences, i.e. a capital letter at the beginning and a period at the end of the sentence, while Thai does not, problems frequently arise when Thai sentences are translated into English.

Omitted Subjects

(Thai-English)

ชอบวิชาแปลจังเลย

Here the omitted subject is the first person pronoun.

• I really like Translation. (= I like the course called "Translation")

• I love Translation. (= I like the course called "Translation.")
  

• I so like translation class. (= I like the translation class I'm currently taking.)

• I like translation courses a lot. (= I like any course on translation.)

ตามทันมั้ย

The subject can be omitted in Thai questions as well as in statements, as is the case here. The object is also implied. Therefore, this question can be translated several ways, as you fiddle around with various tenses:

• Are you following?

• Are you following me?

• Do you follow me?

• (Are you) Following this so far? [Here is a possible English omission of subject.]

• Can you follow what I've just said? / just been saying?

• Are you with me?

• Are you still with me?
  

Topic-Comment

(Thai-English)

#1:  หนังสือเล่มนี้อ่านสนุกดีจังเลย

• This is such a fun book (to read).

• This book was so much fun (to read).

• This book is great fun.

• This is an exciting read.

• This was a great read.
  

#2: ห้องนี้นักเรียนเก่ง ๆ ทั้งนั้น
Note potential ambiguity: In English, "class" also means students in the same year/graduating class, not just classroom.

• This is a formidable class.

• This is such a good class.

• Students in this class are all very bright.

• This class has such smart kids.

• You are such a proficient class.
  

#1: มารีเขียนนิยาย

• Marie writes novels.

• Marie is writing a novel.

• Marie is a novelist.

#2: The car was getting worse all the time. One of the headlights was gradually falling off, and the engine was making more and more funny noises.

• รถสภาพแย่หนักขึ้นทุกที   ไฟหน้าข้างหนึ่งทำท่าจะหลุด  เครื่องยนต์ก็ส่งเสียงประหลาดมากขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ
  

• รถสภาพแย่ลงเรื่อย ๆ  ไฟหน้าข้างหนึ่งใกล้จะหลุดเต็มที และเครื่องยนต์ก็เสียงประหลาดหนักขึ้นทุกวัน
  

• รถอาการไม่ดีหนักขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ ไฟหน้าข้างหนึ่งจะหลุดไม่หลุดแหล่  เสียงเครื่องก็ดังแปลกขึ้นทุกที
  

• รถมันแย่ลงทุกวัน ไฟหน้าข้างหนึ่ง...

• สภาพรถแย่ลงเรื่อย ๆ ...

• รถชักจะโปเกหนักขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ ไฟหน้าดวงหนึ่งทำท่าจะหลุด เครื่องยนต์ก็ส่งเสียงประหลาด ๆ ขึ้นทุกที

#3: Unfortunately, the robber broke into the house while we were all watching TV.

• เคราะห์ไม่ดี โจรขึ้นบ้านตอนเรากำลังดูทีวีกันอยู่

• โชคไม่ดี ขโมยงัดเข้ามาในบ้านตอนที่ทุกคนกำลังดูทีวีกัน
  

#4: The gap between the rich and the poor in Japan is getting wider, and the governing party isn't doing enough about it.

• ช่องว่างระหว่างคนรวยกับคนจนในประเทศญี่ปุ่น กว้างขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ แต่พรรครัฐบาลไม่ดำเนินการอะไรเพื่อแก้ไขปัญหานี้เท่าที่ควร

• ช่องว่างระหว่างคนรวยกับคนจนในประเทศญี่ปุ่น กว้างขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ พรรคในรัฐบาลยังไม่ดำเนินการอะไรในเรื่องนี้เท่าที่ควร

• ช่องว่างระหว่างคนรวยกับคนจนในญี่ปุ่น กว้างขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ และรัฐบาลยังไม่ทำอะไรมากพอเพื่อแก้ปัญหานี้

#5: Rescue workers have been searching the building room-by-room, pulling bodies out of the debris.

• เจ้าหน้าที่กู้ภัยอยู่ระหว่างค้นอาคาร และนำศพออกมาจากซากปรักหักพัง ทีละห้อง
  
• เจ้าหน้าที่กู้ภัยค้นอาคารไปทีละห้อง ๆ และลากศพออกมาจากซากอาคาร

• เจ้าหน้าที่กู้ภัยค้นอาคารทีละห้อง และลากร่างผู้เสียชีวิตออกมาจากซากปรักหักพัง

#6: เขาบอกกับเจ้านายว่าถ้าเขาตกงาน เขาจะเลี้ยงลูก ๆ สามคนไม่ได้

• He told his boss that should he be without a job, he would not be able to take care of his three children.

• He informed his boss that if he lost the job, he would not be able to afford caring for his three children.
• He said to his boss that if he were let go, he won't be able to support three children.
  

#7: เมื่อตอนเด็ก ครอบครัวฉันจะไปเที่ยวเชียงใหม่กันทุกปี

• When I was young, my family would go to Chiang Mai every year.

• When I was a kid, the family would go every year to Chiang Mai.

• When I was little, we'd visit Chiang Mai every year.

• When we were little, my family went to Chiang Mai every year.

• Saraswati: When I was young, my family went to Chiang Mai every year.
  

• Jeanne: When I was a kid, my family went to Chiang Mai every year. ["kid" is too casual compared to the Thai?]
  

• Collette: When I was younger, my family would go to Chiang Mai every year.

• Ellie : My family went to Chiangmai every year when I was young. [Reordering the sentence changes the information priority of the original text from childhood to family.]
  

• Abella : When I was young, my family went to Chiang Mai every year.
  

• Minerva: When I was little, my family would go to Chiang Mai every year.

• Alisha: When I was a kid, my family would travel to Chiang Mai every year.

• Char: When I was little, my family went to Chiangmai every year. [You can check official Romanized spelling of Thai province names at the Office of the Royal Society Directory]

• Susanna: When I was a kid, my family went to Chiang Mai every year.
  

• Ivy: When I was little, my family would go every year to Chiang Mai. [Reordering the sentence changes the information priority of the original text from the destination Chiang Mai to the frequency every year.]

• Phoebe: When I was a kid, my family took a trip to Chiangmai every year.
  

#8: ฉันบอกเธอแล้วไง ว่าฉันจะทำงานนี้ให้เสร็จวันนี้

• I told you that I would finish this job today.

• I'd told you that I would get this work done today.
• I've told you; I'm going to finish this today.
  

#9: เราคงจะเอาร่มมาด้วย ถ้ารู้ว่าฝนตกหลังจากแดดจัดมาตั้งหลายวัน

• We would have brought an umbrella if we'd known it would rain after so many days of sun.

• I would've brought along an umbrella if I'd known it'd rain after such sunny days.
  

#10:  วันก่อนตอนรอรถแท็กซี่หน้ามาบุญครอง ฉันเห็นแฟนเธอเดินอยู่กับผู้หญิงอื่น

Check usage whether there is a difference between "The other day" and "The day before."

• The other day, while I was waiting for a taxi in front of Mah Boon Krong, I saw your boyfriend walking with another girl.

• The other day, while I was waiting for a taxi in front of Mah Boon Krong, I saw your boyfriend walking with another woman.

• The day before, while waiting for a taxi in front of Mah Boon Krong, I saw your girlfriend walking with another woman.

Serial Verb Construction

(Thai-English)

In all these cases with serial verb construction, you need to decide on a main verb for the English translation.

• He went out to get something for him and his friends to eat at home.

• He went out to get something to eat at home with his friends. [ambiguous: Did he go out with his friends or is he going to eat at home with his friends?]

#12:  ผมขอโทษที่ต้องรบกวน แต่คุณบอกให้โทรหาได้ถ้าผมมีเรื่องเดือดร้อน

• I'm sorry to bother you but you said I could call if I had trouble.

• So sorry to trouble you, but you told me I could call with problems.

• Sorry to bother you, but you said I could call if I was in trouble.
• Sorry if I'm bothering you, but you told me to ring if I had a problem.

Passive Voice

(Thai-English)

The Thai ถูก which many take to be automatic cues for using the passive voice when translating into English actually requires contextual consideration: oftentimes it's better to use the active voice or complex sentence structures instead of the passive voice.

• My sister's notebook was lifted in the library while she went to look for a book.

• My little sister's laptop was stolen in the library while she was looking for books.

• My little sister's notebook computer was stolen in the library while she was searching for a book.

• My sister's laptop computer was stolen in the library when she was looking for some books.

• My sister's laptop was taken while she was looking for books at the library. [ambiguous: Was the laptop left at home where it was stolen while she was at the library?]
  

#14: เป็นที่รู้กันว่าบุหรี่เป็นอันตรายร้ายแรงต่อสุขภาพของเรา

• It is known that cigarettes pose a serious danger to our health.

• It's known that cigarettes are very dangerous to our health

• It is known that cigarettes are extremely harmful to our health.

• Cigarettes are known to be terrible for one's health. [Too colloquial, informal?]
• We all know that cigarettes are terribly detrimental to our health.

#15: ตอนแรกเขาถูกสงสัยว่าลักพาตัวเด็กสาว แล้วก็ถูกกล่าวหาว่าฆ่าเธอตาย

• At first he was suspected of kidnapping the girl, then he was accused of murdering her.
  

• Initially he was suspected of the girl's kidnapping, then accused of her murder.
  

Passive Voice

(English-Thai)

Similarly, the passive voice in English needn't always be translated with ถูก.

• กฎหมายใหม่ห้ามสูบบุหรี่ในที่สาธารณะ

#17: Our natural resources should be carefully preserved, as they cannot easily be replaced.

• ทรัพยากรธรรมชาติควรอนุรักษ์ไว้อย่างดี เพราะทดแทนได้ยาก

• ทรัพยากรธรรมชาติควรถนอมไว้ให้ดี เพราะหาใช้ทดแทนได้ไม่ง่ายเลย

#18: It is said that the Prime Minister is about to resign.

• กล่าวกันว่านายกรัฐมนตรีจะลาออก

• ลือกันว่านายกรัฐมนตรีจะลาออก

• ว่ากันว่านายกรัฐมนตรีจะลา ออก

• มีคนว่า นายกรัฐมนตรีจะลาออก
• เขาว่ากันว่านายกรัฐมนตรีจะลาออก

Meanings and Uses of It: Dummy It or Empty It, Donkey Anaphora, Pronoun

(English-Thai)

• ตกลงกันว่าจะเลื่อนประชุม ไปเป็นสัปดาห์ถัดไป

• ที่ประชุมตกลงจะเลื่อนประชุมไปอาทิตย์หน้า
  
  

#20: In today's competitive world, many families find it necessary for both parents to go out to work.

• ในโลกการแข่งขันสูงอย่างทุกวันนี้ หลายครอบครัวจำเป็นต้องออกไปทำงานกัน ทั้งพ่อและแม่

• ในชีวิตที่แข่งขันกันสูงเช่นปัจจุบัน ครอบครัวจำนวนมากทั้งพ่อทั้งแม่ต้องออกไปทำงานทั้งคู่
  

• ตามธรรมดาอาหารกลางวันเราจะกินแซนวิช ชอบแบบใส่มะเขือเทศ ชีส กับแฮม

• ปกติมื้อกลางวันผมจะกินแซนวิช ผมชอบกินใส่แฮม ชีส กับมะเขือเทศ

• อาหารกลางวันเรามักจะเป็นแซนวิช  ชอบกินใส่มะเขือเทศ แฮมกับชีส
• มื้อเที่ยงผมชอบกินแซนวิช ใส่แฮม ชีสกับมะเขือเทศ

Articles and Demonstratives

(English-Thai)

• He thought he'd take me to a nice restaurant for my birthday but in the end it was a place near his office.

• He planned to take me to a nice restaurant for my birthday but we ended up at the one close by his work place.

• He was planning to take me to a nice restaurant for my birthday but we ended up at a place by his office.
• He was going to...
• He planned to take me to a nice restaurant to celebrate my birthday, but eventually, we ended up at a restaurant near his workplace. [Redundant: eventually and ended up mean the same thing]
• He was about to take me to excellent restaurant for my birthday celebration, but we ended up going to the restaurant nearby his workplace. [Degree: How good is "ดี ๆ" on the quality scale?]
  

#23: แม้ว่าสมศักดิ์จะพยายามอย่างเต็มที่แล้ว แต่เขาก็สอบตก

• Even though Somsak tried his best, he did not pass the exam.
  

• Though Somsak tried his hardest, he still failed the exam.
• Although Somsak gave it his best effort, he still flunked the test.
  

Diction

False friends are pairs of words in different languages that look or sound similar, misleading unsuspecting language learners to think that they have the same meaning when that may not be the case. In the case of Thai, it is not so much a matter of looking or sounding similar to a word in English or in another language but having a close meaning to that word, or the literal translation of the word is not the same as the sense or meaning of that word. A common example of this is mistaking "study" to mean "เรียน." If an American says "I'm going to study now," she most likely means that she is going to study on her own (that is, to read, review her lesson, write papers, research, do homework), but the Thai student might understand the sentence to mean that the person is about to go to class.

Links: False Friends | False Friends between Spanish and English | False friends

แต่งงาน

Students are familiar with "to marry" as meaning แต่งงาน, but often don't realize that there are several ways that this verb can be used as well as multiple ways of saying "getting married."

• to marry + N sing.
  Ex. Somlim is marrying Surapong tomorrow.
  

• to marry + N + N or to marry + N pl. (= someone is performing the ceremony for the two people getting married)
  Ex. Friar Laurence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet.
  

• to get married.
  Ex. Ted got married over the weekend..
  Ex. Susan and Penny got married in an old chapel.

• to get married to + N.
  Ex. Ellen Page just got married to Emma Portner.

• to be married.
  Ex. Yim and Yam are married.
  Ex. Jill is married.

• to wed
  Ex. A Commonwealth Games sprinter and his athlete fiancé were among the first to wed as same sex-marriage became legal in Australia. (The Telegraph)

• to get hitched
  Ex. I heard you got hitched.
  Ex. The two straight men who announced their decision to marry in order to avoid inheritance tax got hitched this afternoon

• to tie the knot
  Ex. Mazel tov to Jessica Chastain and her partner Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, who tied the knot today! (InStyle)

เศร้า

• sad, sorrowful, down, blue, depressed, gloomy, unhappy, dejected

นอน

• sleep, lay, lie down, recline

• go to sleep, go to bed, hit the sack, turn in

• nap, doze, rest, a shut-eye

หลับ

• asleep, sleeping, out

เบื่อ

• bored (with) vs. boring

• tired of, weary of

• fed up with
• have enough of

กลัว

• afraid (of), scared (of), fear, fearful

• frightened (of)

• frightening

เรียน

• study, read, work
  

• to go to class; to be in class; to attend class