TRANSLATION OF HUMOR IN ENGLISH TV SITUATION COMEDIES INTO THAI Miss Valaikorn Viriyanansiri A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Program in English as an International Language (Interdisciplinary Program) Graduate School Chulalongkorn University Academic Year 2009 Copyright of Chulalongkorn University การแปลมุขตลกในละครโทรทัศนประเภทตลกสถานการณจากภาษาอังกฤษเปนภาษาไทย นางสาววลัยกร วิริยะนันตศิริ วิทยานิพนธนี้เปนสวนหนึ่งของการศึกษาตามหลักสูตรปริญญาศิลปศาสตรดุษฎีบัณฑิต สาขาวิชา ภาษาอังกฤษเปนภาษานานาชาติ (สหสาขาวิชา) บัณฑิตวิทยาลัย จุฬาลงกรณมหาวิทยาลัย ปการศึกษา 2552 ลิขสิทธิ์ของจุฬาลงกรณมหาวิทยาลัย vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation could not have been completed without the guidance, advice, and support from many people. My first and deepest gratitude goes to my advisor, Asst. Prof. Dr. Suda Rangkupan, who devoted her time supervising and guiding me through the whole process of research. She gave me advice not only on how to analyze the data from a linguistic perspective but also on how to see research as part of the whole learning experience that would contribute to my own personal growth as well as the growth in the field of the study. It was therefore really a privilege to work under her supervision. I also would like to express my profound gratitude to the entire dissertation committee, Asst. Prof. Dr. Sudaporn Luksaneeyanawin, Asst. Prof. Dr. Peansiri Vongvipanond, Asst. Prof. Dr. Chansongklod Gajaseni, and Dr. Preena Kangkun, for devoting their time to critically reading my work and giving me valuable advice, which has certainly brought significant improvements to this dissertation. Moreover, I am grateful to Dr. Carmen Rosa Caldas-Coulthard at the Department of English, School of Humanities, University of Birmingham for her supervision and support during the time of my study at the University of Birmingham. I owe a particular debt to True Visions Company for granting me the permission to use the copyright materials of both English scripts and Thai subtitles. I would like to give special thanks to Ms. Rachanok Kosaipat, Ms. Yuppayao Boontanjai, and especially Ms. Anotai Aruntana at True Visions Company for their useful information on working with subtitles. Next, I am greatly indebted to all the Thai and American sample of sitcom viewers in this study. Without their cooperation, it would have been impossible for me to work on the part of perlocutionary equivalence in the Thai subtitles. I am grateful to Ms. Wan Wangmana and Ms. Sopida Teangsat, the EIL program staff who have been very kind to me and always offer me prompt assistance. I also would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all my EIL friends who have always been there for me and given me support and encouragement. Lastly, I am deeply indebted to my parents for their love, support, and understanding. vii CONTENTS Page Abstract (in English)…………………………………………………………..… iv Abstract (in Thai).……………………………………………………………..… v Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………… vi Contents……………………..…………………………………………………... vii List of Tables……………………………………………………………………. xii List of Figures…………………………………………………………………… xiii Chapter 1. Introduction………………………………………………………………….. 1 1.1 Background of the Study………………………………………………. 1 1.2 Research Questions…………………………………………………….. 6 1.3 Objectives of the Study………………………………………………… 6 1.4 Statement of Hypotheses………………………………………………. 6 1.5 Scope of the Study……………………………………………………… 6 1.6 Limitations of the Study………………………………………………... 7 1.7 Definition of Key Terms……………………………………………….. 7 1.8 Significance of the Study………………………………………………. 10 2. Literature Review……………………………………………………………. 11 2.1 Humor Studies………………………………………………………….. 11 2.1.1 Definition of Humor………………………………..………….. 11 2.1.2 Theories of Humor…………………………………………….. 13 2.1.2.1 Superiority Theories…………………………………… 13 2.1.2.2 Incongruity Theories…………………………………… 14 2.1.2.3 Release Theories…………………..…………………… 17 2.1.3 Sitcoms as Humor in Television………………………………. 19 2.1.3.1 Characteristics of Situation Comedies……………….. 20 2.1.3.2 Laugh Tracks………………………...……………….. 22 viii 2.1.3.3 Types of Situation Comedies………………...……….. 23 2.1.4 Humor Techniques in Sitcoms…………………………………. 25 2.2 Translation Studies……………………………………………………... 30 2.2.1 Definitions of Translation……………………………………… 31 2.2.2 Methods of Translation….…………………………………….. 32 2.2.3 Translation Shifts…….………………………………………… 39 2.2.4 Equivalence in Translation…………………………………….. 42 2.2.5 Audiovisual Translation……………………………………….. 46 2.2.5.1 Types of Subtitling…………………………………… 47 2.2.5.2 Process of Subtitling…………………….…………… 48 2.2.5.3 Constraints of Subtitling……………………………… 48 2.2.5.4 Advantages & Disadvantages of Subtitling………….. 51 2.3 Translation and Humor………………………………………………… 52 2.3.1 Translation of Humor………………………………………….. 52 2.3.1.1 The (Un)translatability of Humor…………………….. 53 2.3.1.2 Equivalence in Humor Translation…………………… 54 2.3.2 Perception of Translated Humor……………………………….. 56 3. Research Methodology...…………………………………………………….. 60 3.1 Research Samples……………………………………………………… 60 3.1.1 The Sitcoms……………………..…….………………………... 65 3.1.2 The Viewers……………………….……………………………. 65 3.1.2.1 The Thai Viewers……………………………………… 65 3.1.2.2 The American Viewers………………………………… 65 3.2 Research Instruments…………………………………………………… 65 3.3 Data Collection…………………………………………………………. 66 3.3.1 The Sitcoms……………….…………………………………….. 66 3.3.2 The Questionnaires for the Thai Viewers………..……………... 67 3.3.3 The Questionnaires for the American Viewers………..………... 68 3.4 Data Analysis…………………………………………………………… 69 4. Characteristics of Sitcom Humor…………………………………………….. 85 4.1 Superiority……………………………………………………………… 89 ix 4.1.1 Aggression……………………………………………………… 90 4.1.2 Anger………………………………………………………… 91 4.1.3 Difficulties…………………………………………………… 91 4.1.4 Disappointment……………………………………………… 92 4.1.5 Embarrassment……………………………………………… 93 4.1.6 Irritation………………………………………………………. 94 4.1.7 Knowing Another’s Game……………………………………. 94 4.1.8 Lame Excuse………………………………………………… 95 4.1.9 Repartee……………………………………………………… 96 4.1.10 Repetition…………………………………………………….. 97 4.1.11 Retaliation……………………………………………………. 97 4.1.12 Stereotype……………………………………………………. 98 4.1.13 Stupidity……………………………………………………… 99 4.2 Incongruity…………………………………………………………… 99 4.2.1 Language Incongruity………………………………………… 100 4.2.1.1 Linguistic Incongruity……………………………… 100 4.2.1.2 Pragmatic Incongruity……………………………… 106 4.2.2 Non-language Incongruity…………………………………… 117 4.2.2.1 Intertextual Incongruity…………………………… 117 4.2.2.2 Natural Incongruity………………………………… 119 4.2.2.3 Character Incongruity……………………………… 125 4.2.2.4 Social Incongruity………………………………….. 128 4.2.2.5 Cross-modal Incongruity……………………………. 129 5. Translation Methods of Sitcom Humor……………………….…………….. 134 5.1 The Three Translation Methods as Defined in this Study……………. 134 5.2 The Criteria to Distinguish between the Three Translation Methods… 137 5.3 The Unit of Translation as Defined in this Study……….……………. 138 5.4 The Findings………………………………………………………….. 138 5.4.1 The Faithful Translation (FAT)……………………………….. 139 5.4.2 The Communicative Translation (COT)……………………… 143 5.4.3 The Mix of the FAT and the COT………….………..………... 148 x 6. Translation Problems of Sitcom Humor…………………………………….. 153 6.1 The Quantitative Results of the Questionnaire Data………………….. 155 6.2 The Remaining Humor Characteristics of the Humor-retained Items… 156 6.3 The Translation Problems of the Humor-lost items…………………... 163 6.3.1 The Loss of Humor Characteristics in the TT………………… 163 6.3.1.1 The Linguistic Iincongruity…………………..……... 164 6.3.1.2 The Pragmatic Incongruity……………….………….. 167 6.3.1.3 The Natural Incongruity…………………………..….. 170 6.3.1.4 The Cross-modal Incongruity………………………… 172 6.3.1.4 Mistranslation………………………………..………. 173 6.3.1.5 The Subtitles’ Space Constraint……………..………. 174 6.3.2 The Downgrading of Humor Characteristics in the TT………... 176 6.3.2.1 The Subtitles’ Oral/written Mode Constraint………… 176 6.3.2.2 The Subtitles’ Space Constraint………………………. 180 6.3.2.3 The FAT Translation Method’s Constraint…………… 181 6.3.3 The inoperative humor characteristics.……………………….... 185 7. Discussion and Conclusion.………………………………………………….. 189 7.1 The Characteristics of Sitcom Humor……..…………………………. 190 7.2 The Translation Methods of Sitcom Humor.…………………………. 194 7.3 The Translation Problems of Sitcom Humor…………………………. 196 7.4 Implications of the Study……………………………………………… 212 7.4.1 The theoretical implications…………………………………… 212 7.4.1.1 Humor studies………………………………………… 212 7.4.1.2 Translation studies…………………………………… 214 7.4.2 The pedagogical implications…………………………………. 215 7.4.2.1 Translation studies…………………………………… 215 7.4.2.2 Cultural studies………………………………………. 216 7.4.2.3 Pragmatics…………………………………………… 217 7.4.3 The practical implications……………………………………… 217 7.5 Recommendations for Further Research………………………………. 218 References………………………………………………………………….…….. 221 xi Appendices.………………….....………………………………………………… 234 Appendix A: An example of the questionnaires for the Thai viewers …..…. 235 Appendix B: An example of the questionnaires for the American viewers…. 239 Appendix C: The LRU transcription for Thai…………………………….…. 241 Appendix D: Examples of humorous items……………………………….…. 243 Biography………………………………………………………………….……... 298 xii LIST OF TABLES Page Table 2.1: Berger’s categories and techniques of humor…………………….. 26 Table 2.2: Comparison of translation methods………………………………... 37 Table 2.3: Advantages and disadvantages of subtitling and dubbing………… 51 Table 3.1: Information about the original sitcoms………………………..…… 61 Table 3.2: Ten episodes selected as samples of the study…………………..…… 61 Table 3.3: Translators