CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES REFLECTED IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF CHINESE DISHES’ NAMES INTO THAI

Abstract

This paper presents Cultural Perspectives Reflected in the Transformation of
Chinese Dishes’ Names into Thai. Difference speech group of people have their distinctive
language and cookery, Food naming is well reflect the different of the culture, based on
different cultural background. This paper discussed about how different of Chinese and Thai
culture reflect on the transformation of the dish names, which collected from 10 popular and
well-known Chinese dish names among Thai people which always appears in Chinese
restaurants’ menu and always be rating on the internet and social media. The Research found
that there are 5 major phenomena and changes when Chinese dish names are transformed into
Thai: 1) Reduction and addition of the lexemes referred to cooking process, 2) Implication of
Thai name implying various raw materials, 3) Loss of historical values and important cultural
implications, 4) Common name different dish, 5) Differences of spiciness implied in Chinese and
Thai names. When the traditional dish names are transformed into Thai. The dish does not
effectively convey cultural identity of the original one, and might affect the understanding of
people on Chinese food and Chinese food culture. To maintain its cultural information and
historical values, it is necessary to gain deeper insight into Chinese culture, and find the proper
way to interweave both during the transformation process.