Thai translator works on fantasies
By Suwitcha Chaiyong
Photos by Varuth Hirunyatheb
Did you know
The characters in the book of The Maze Runner are much younger than in the film version.
The post-apocalyptic science fiction book The Maze Runner is so popular that it has been made into a Hollywood movie, which was due to be released in Thailand on September 18. The book, written by James Dashner, was translated into Thai by Potjanee Chatchaiwiwatana (Potjy), better known by her pen-name Sangtawan.
Potjy, who specialises in fantasy and detective fiction, began her career as a translator in 2002 when Jamsai Publishing was founded. Aside from The Maze Runner series, Potjy created Thai editions of all seven books in Garth Nix’s fantasy adventure series, The Keys to the Kingdom.
Student Weekly recently met up with Potjy at a café to chat about The Maze Runner and her translating job, and to get some tips for aspiring translators.
Student Weekly: Why did you decide to become a translator?
Potjy: I love reading, so it’s a perfect job for me. My first book was The Magical Worlds of the Lord of the Rings by David Colbert, which is a side story of The Lord of the Rings. I like Lord of the Rings, so it was fun to work on.
Student Weekly: How did you develop your English language skills?
Potjy: I was good at English in junior high school. After reading Thai editions of detective novels by Agatha Christie, I was confident that I could read the English versions, so I gave it a try. I also enjoyed reading books by Ken Follett and Stephen King. There were some books by other authors that I had trouble understanding, but it didn’t make me feel like a failure.
Student Weekly: What qualifications should translators have?
Potjy: You must always try to improve your Thai language skills. If you don’t have great skills in Thai language, you won’t be able to translate the original contents accurately.
A translator must also be able to tell a story smoothly. Novelists sometimes intend to give some hints in their story, and the translator must keep those hints rather than spelling everything out and spoiling the story.
Student Weekly: How do you feel about The Maze Runner being made into a movie?
Potjy: I’m excited to see if the scriptwriter and director kept the original story. After seeing the movie trailer, I have to admit that the production designers created spectacular scenes that were beyond my imagination.
Student Weekly: Are you a fan of the book?
Potjy: I like the way the author created the characters. They’re young characters, but they’re complex and act like grown-ups.
Student Weekly: Did you have any difficulties working on The Maze Runner?
Potjy: The book is about a fantasy world, and the characters use words that they created themselves. I found that the word “shank,” which they use to mean buddy, came from an old slang word, so I decided to use the old Thai slang word piak. Some readers thought that sounded too weird.
Student Weekly: What advice would you give to aspiring translators?
Potjy: Read a lot in both Thai and English. You should read different kinds of books from different eras so that you can learn about various styles and uses of language. Then, try to translate a piece that you like. Let your friends read your work so that you can find out what you need to improve.
Student Weekly: What is the most recent book that you translated?
Potjy: The last book in The Maze Runner series, called The Kill Order. It’s a side story that explains what happened to the world and how it became a dystopia. It’s a fun book that makes readers understand more about the series.
Vocabulary
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post-apocalyptic (n): sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of human civilisation
maze (n): a system of paths separated by walls of hedges built in a park or garden that is designed so that it is difficult to find your way through
pen-name (n): a name used by a writer instead of their real name
hint (n): something that you say or do in an indirect way in order to show somebody what you are thinking
spell something out (phrasal v): to explain something in a simple, clear way
spectacular (adj): very impressive
era (n): a period of time, usually in history, that is different from other periods because of particular characteristics or events
dystopia (n): a community or society that is undesirable or frightening, usually because of a totalitarian government, environmental disaster, etc.
