Translation Strategies Used in Translating Slang Expressions from English into Thai in Netflix American Teen Movie Subtitles

Abstract

This study aims to analyze translation strategies and translation procedures used in translating English slang expressions into Thai in nine Netflix American teen movie subtitles during the years 2017 - 2022. Translation strategies proposed by Newmark (1988) and translation procedures in translating slang expressions proposed by Pinmanee (2006), Saibua (1982) and Baker (1992) were used to analyze the data. There were 335 English slang expressions found in the study. The results showed that the translators used six translation strategies: faithful translation (74%), communicative translation (14%), semantic translation (7%), non-translation (4%), free translation (1%) and idiomatic translation (1%) respectively. Besides, six translation procedures used by the translators were found in the study: slang for slang (57%), referential meaning equivalence (19%), slang reprimanding with euphemism (16%), omission (4%), euphemism (4%) and transliteration (1%). The results of the study indicate that the translators try to maintain the meaning of slang expressions as well as the context of using those slang expressions by applying faithful translation and using slang for slang in order to make an equivalent effect on target language readers. In addition, the translators normally use more polite words or omit to translate when they encounter offensive slang expressions.