Shifts, Traces, and Translator’s Visibility: A Deconstructive Analysis of an English Translation of The Brotherhood of Kaeng Khoi
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Abstract
Contemporary deconstructive translation studies are significantly influenced by Jacques Derrida’s deconstruction theory. Generally, deconstruction challenges traditional notions of meaning, language, and interpretation by emphasising the fluidity and multiplicity of meaning within texts. When applied to translation, deconstruction goes beyond the conventional aim of rendering a text from one language to another as faithfully as possible; instead, it prioritises the exploration of diverse interpretations and the creative potential of translation as well as seeking to expose the ambiguities and tensions inherent in both the source and target texts. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a deconstructive analysis of the English translation of Uthis Haemamool’s The Brotherhood of Kaeng Khoi (2012). The primary focus is on an analysis of translation shifts that reveal the translator’s agency. Another key point of discussion is non-standard language translation that requires the translator’s creative intervention and results in the translator’s traces. Ultimately, this paper aims to argue that, with an act of deconstructive translation, the translator also takes on the role of a creative collaborator.
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