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Article published In: Babel
Vol. 70:6 (2024) ► pp.825–851

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Pronoun shifts in political discourse

The English translations of the Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s statements on the international stage

 | Mahidol University
 | University of Leeds
Published online: 2 April 2024
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00388.pha
Abstract
This article examines the English translations of former Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s statements on the international stage and the shifts in the first-person pronoun. Looking at interpersonal positioning through a systemic functional linguistic lens, we found that the translations underline the explicitness of agency, highlighting the variation of stylistic choices and interplay with source-text politics. The shifts come with a modified degree of willingness, a more active agency, an increase in the modality of inclination, and more force in attitude. These interpersonal overtones largely contribute to recasting the image of the Thai government to ensure its legitimacy, promote national unity, and appeal to the international community. These crafted translated texts seem to hone the leader’s public persona in front of global audiences by continuing to enhance the country’s reputation, thereby maintaining the speaker’s dignity and prestige–an essential for the national leader’s image.
Résumé
Cet article porte sur l’analyse de la traduction anglaise des déclarations sur la scène internationale de l'ancien Premier ministre Prayut Chan-o-cha et, en particulier, sur les changements dans le pronom de la première personne. En examinant le positionnement interpersonnel depuis la perspective de la linguistique systémique fonctionnelle, nous avons constaté que les traductions soulignent l’explicitation de l’agentivité, en mettant en évidence la variation des choix stylistiques et l’interaction avec la politique du texte source. Les changements s’accompagnent d’un degré modifié de volonté, d’une agentivité plus active, d’une augmentation de la modalité de l’inclination et d’une plus grande force dans l’attitude. Ces connotations interpersonnelles contribuent largement à la refonte de l’image du gouvernement thaïlandais afin d’assurer sa légitimité, de promouvoir l’unité nationale et d’attirer l’attention de la communauté internationale. Ces textes traduits de manière artisanale semblent affiner la personnalité publique du dirigeant pour les publics internationaux en continuant à améliorer la réputation du pays, préservant ainsi la dignité et le prestige du locuteur, ce qui est essentiel pour l’image du dirigeant national.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Function of pronoun we
    • 2.1Potential shift of modality
    • 2.2Relations between agency, engagement, and graduation
  • 3.Research design
  • 4.Pronoun shifts and their relation to the interpersonal positioning
    • 4.1Shift in modality to show willingness
    • 4.2Shift in agency to show more active role
    • 4.3Shift in engagement to show devotion
    • 4.4Shift in graduation to show stronger evaluation
  • 5.Concluding discussion
  • Notes
  • References
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