Translation Help On An Eating Questionnaire

[kokesaat]

Anyone willing to take a stab at translating the following into English?

ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด

One translation has it: I intentionally take small helpings as a measure to control my weight.

But, I'm thinking it's more along the lines of: I carefully use (employ) methods to keep my weight down.

Any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks from Udon

[DavidHouston]

"ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด"

A. I am very careful in the methods I use to control my weight and to keep it as low as possible.

B. I am careful to use whatever methods I can to control my weight and to keep it as low as possible.

Seems to me that the Thai sentence is ambiguous; but I would guess that the writer intends meaning closer to B than A.

[aanon]

"ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด"

A. I am very careful in the methods I use to control my weight and to keep it as low as possible.

B. I am careful to use whatever methods I can to control my weight and to keep it as low as possible.

Seems to me that the Thai sentence is ambiguous; but I would guess that the writer intends meaning closer to B than A.

agree with david's thoughts. another reading is that the น้อยที่สุด refers to ใช้วิธีการ, ie.

' i take care to use as few weight control procedures as possible '

all the best.

[tgeezer]

"ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด"

A. I am very careful in the methods I use to control my weight and to keep it as low as possible.

B. I am careful to use whatever methods I can to control my weight and to keep it as low as possible.

Seems to me that the Thai sentence is ambiguous; but I would guess that the writer intends meaning closer to B than A.

agree with david's thoughts. another reading is that the น้อยที่สุด refers to ใช้วิธีการ, ie.

' i take care to use as few weight control procedures as possible '

all the best.

Is that how you spell นัก? EDIT: No, just looked it up should be น้ำหนัก

Edited February 13, 2008 by meadish_sweetball
Fixed formatting and typo. /Meadish :jap:

[tgeezer]

"ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด"

A. I am very careful in the methods I use to control my weight and to keep it as low as possible.

B. I am careful to use whatever methods I can to control my weight and to keep it as low as possible.

Seems to me that the Thai sentence is ambiguous; but I would guess that the writer intends meaning closer to B than A.

agree with david's thoughts. another reading is that the น้อยที่สุด refers to ใช้วิธีการ, ie.

' I take care to use as few weight control procedures as possible. or 'I possibly can.' if you think it is good English I am not sure.

all the best.

Is that how you spell นัก? EDIT: No, just looked it up should be น้ำหนัก

Thanks Meadish. I think it is clearly; I am careful to use as few 'weight control methods' as possible.

Edited February 13, 2008 by tgeezer

[kokesaat]

Thanks for the quick assist and the correction on the knock in น้ำ knock!

[DavidHouston]

Technical question for you folks:

"ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด"

If the referent to "ให้น้อยที่สุด" were "วิธ", rather than "น้ำหนัก", would not the speaker use the word "อย่าง" in place of "ให้"?

Thanks.

[tgeezer]

Technical question for you folks:

"ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด"

If the referent to "ให้น้อยที่สุด" were "วิธ", rather than "น้ำหนัก", would not the speaker use the word "อย่าง" in place of "ให้"?

Thanks.

The reason I thought it was the method rather than the weight was that น้อยทีสุด means 'least' well if you controlled that extent you would be anorexic. I think it is a questionaire which askes how would you describe yourself and this is one of the choices isn't it? to see the others would be good. Pretty weighty question really isn't it? Presumably they are asking about pills and fad diets, because the way to control weight is to balance diet and exercise; no exercise, no food. It seems to me that the verb should be 'use' not 'care' ie. I take care to use weight control methods as little as little as I can. would this be ไช้ความระมัดระวัง ใน(ทาง)จะใช้วิธี...etc. I can't think of why ให้ On second thoughts it probably just says do you take care to control your weight. Yes I will go with that. Although I stick to my feeling that that I don't get น้อยทีสุด as regards weight. Fingers crossed, give us the other choices.

[tgeezer]

Technical question for you folks:

"ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด"

If the referent to "ให้น้อยที่สุด" were "วิธ", rather than "น้ำหนัก", would not the speaker use the word "อย่าง" in place of "ให้"?

Thanks.

I am not far into grammer yet but I think you are right อย่างน้อยที่สุด would be the adverb to ใข้ wouldn't it? The more times I read it I lean toward saying that I (subject)take care(verb) to use (another verb?) but then the whole of the rest is the (object) weight control methods which keep the weight down. There are methods of keeping the weight up if you were a Sumo Wrestler you would use control measures which keep it up. someone answer or are we not discussing it?

[Briggsy]

Tricky sentence. Somebody has added the point about อย่างน้อย which is usually translated as "at least" and wouldn't really fit either construction. But I'll need to stand aside here because my Thai is nowhere near good enough to be certain here.

[aanon]

Technical question for you folks:

"ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด"

If the referent to "ให้น้อยที่สุด" were "วิธ", rather than "น้ำหนัก", would not the speaker use the word "อย่าง" in place of "ให้"?

Thanks.

ใช้วิธีการให้น้อยที่สุด actually could mean either (1) "use as few...methods as possible" or (2) "use...methods as little as possible"

ใช้วิธีการอย่างน้อยที่สุด would mean the same as (2), with the additional benefit that the น้อยที่สุด could no longer refer to weight.

however, ให้ does have a role:

ใช้น้อย = to use little, to use few

ใช้ให้น้อย = to make sure to use a little (or a few)

all the best.

ps. i agree with most of tgeezers thoughts, including wavering between the two interpretations.

[siamesekitty]

Agree with most of the comments stated already, i.e. the sentence referring to "using as few weight control/loss methods as possible"

by the way, nobody caught the ระมัดระวัง typo?

[tgeezer]

Agree with most of the comments stated already, i.e. the sentence referring to "using as few weight control/loss methods as possible"

by the way, nobody caught the ระมัดระวัง typo?

I suspect that this has been transated from English and we are trying to put it back again. Does anyone else wonder why it is so difficult? Why would you put "control/loss", bing too thin is not the current problem I suppose.

[siamesekitty]

Why would you put "control/loss", bing too thin is not the current problem I suppose.

Well, seeing that few of these people are concerned with "controlling" it not to fall.

Edited February 15, 2008 by siamesekitty

[tgeezer]

Why would you put "control/loss", bing too thin is not the current problem I suppose.

Well, seeing that few of these people are concerned with "controlling" it not to fall.

Yes, I get that bit but don't you think it is badly written? I tried it on golf partners, the caddy and a Thai fluent in English, and all were puzzled by it. The modifier being close to weight should refer to weight should it not. Then it would be in terms of ลง or ลด or someting. Should ใช้อย่างน้อยที่สุด not be there. Just a flier, I need to getback to my books I am at คำสรรพนาม! now so should not really be doing this yet.

[tgeezer]

Why would you put "control/loss", bing too thin is not the current problem I suppose.

Well, seeing that few of these people are concerned with "controlling" it not to fall.

Yes, I get that bit but don't you think it is badly written? I tried it on golf partners, the caddy and a Thai fluent in English, and all were puzzled by it. The modifier being close to weight should refer to weight should it not. Then it would be in terms of ลง or ลด or someting. Should ใช้อย่างน้อยที่สุด not be there. Just a flier, I need to getback to my books I am at คำสรรพนาม! now so should not really be doing this yet.

I guess we will never know the answer to this, people are easily bored!

[kokesaat]

Anyone willing to take a stab at translating the following into English?

ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด

One translation has it: I intentionally take small helpings as a measure to control my weight.

But, I'm thinking it's more along the lines of: I carefully use (employ) methods to keep my weight down.

Any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks from Udon

To all who responded, thanks. My daughter works back in Texas for a company that produces, among other things, psychological tests. Occasionally, researchers around the world will ask to use one of the tests in their own native language. The researchers are supposed to provide a translated copy of the test, along with a back-translated-to-english copy of the test, back to the company. The back-translated version is supposed to allow the company to see if the translated copy follows the original test design. In this particular case, the back-translated copy was the exact duplicate of the original......and suspicions arose that 'maybe' the researcher didn't really provide a back-translated copy of the test.

The original question/statement (in English) was:

I intentionally take small helpings as a measure to control my weight.

The researcher's Thai version was: ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด

The researcher's back-translated version was: I intentially take small helpings as a measure to control my weight.

Thanks again for everyone's input.

[aanon]

Anyone willing to take a stab at translating the following into English?

ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด

One translation has it: I intentionally take small helpings as a measure to control my weight.

But, I'm thinking it's more along the lines of: I carefully use (employ) methods to keep my weight down.

Any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks from Udon

To all who responded, thanks. My daughter works back in Texas for a company that produces, among other things, psychological tests. Occasionally, researchers around the world will ask to use one of the tests in their own native language. The researchers are supposed to provide a translated copy of the test, along with a back-translated-to-english copy of the test, back to the company. The back-translated version is supposed to allow the company to see if the translated copy follows the original test design. In this particular case, the back-translated copy was the exact duplicate of the original......and suspicions arose that 'maybe' the researcher didn't really provide a back-translated copy of the test.

The original question/statement (in English) was:

I intentionally take small helpings as a measure to control my weight.

The researcher's Thai version was: ฉันระมัคระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด

The researcher's back-translated version was: I intentially take small helpings as a measure to control my weight.

Thanks again for everyone's input.

those suspicions seem well-founded. there's no mention of small helpings in the thai version.

all the best.

[siamesekitty]

They should have hired me

[tgeezer]

They should have hired me

I suggest that since you know Thais maybe you would translate it to round off the thread.

[siamesekitty]

Which one? Nevermind I'll do both

Ok, so "ฉันระมัดระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด" is more or less = "I'm careful to use as few weight control methods as possible."

The original sentence of "I intentionally take small helpings as a measure to control my weight." can be translated in quite a few ways, depending on the how strictly you want to stick to the original meaning vs. natural flow of the Thai:

ฉันจงใจทานครั้งละน้อยๆ โดยเป็นมาตรการหนึ่งในการควบคุมน้ำหนัก = I intentionally eat little each time, as one method in controlling my weight.

ฉันจงใจทาน[ข้าว]แต่น้อยในแต่ละมื้อ เพื่อควบคุมน้ำหนัก = I intentionally eat little (food) in each meal, in order to control my weight.

หนึ่งในมาตรการควบคุมน้ำหนักของฉันคือ ทานแต่น้อยในแต่ละครั้ง = One of the methods in my weight control methods is eating little each time.

หนึ่งในวิธีการควบคุมน้ำหนักของฉันคือ ทานแต่น้อยในแต่ละมื้อ = One of the ways I control my weight is to eat little at each meal.

แต่ละมื้อฉันจะทานแต่น้อย เพื่อควบคุมน้ำหนัก = In each meal would I eat little, in order to control my weight.

(in order of most literal -> most natural)

[mangkorn]

Good stuff, kitty. This demonstrates the complexity and pitfalls of translating - which is an art, not a science. Translating without having a strong grasp of how ideas are expressed in the other language/culture will be awkward, and maybe make little or no sense. The final sentence sounds like what an average Thai person would say. But he or she might not understand those first ones, especially if spoken by a farang.

Cheers for your generous assistance here, especially as regards Thai syntax - which is ultimately the most difficult part of the language for foreign learners.

[tgeezer]

Which one? Nevermind I'll do both

Ok, so "ฉันระมัดระวังที่จะใช้วิธีการช่วยควบคุมน้ำนักตัวให้น้อยที่สุด" is more or less = "I'm careful to use as few weight control methods as possible."

The original sentence of "I intentionally take small helpings as a measure to control my weight." can be translated in quite a few ways, depending on the how strictly you want to stick to the original meaning vs. natural flow of the Thai:

ฉันจงใจทานครั้งละน้อยๆ โดยเป็นมาตรการหนึ่งในการควบคุมน้ำหนัก = I intentionally eat little each time, as one method in controlling my weight.

ฉันจงใจทาน[ข้าว]แต่น้อยในแต่ละมื้อ เพื่อควบคุมน้ำหนัก = I intentionally eat little (food) in each meal, in order to control my weight.

หนึ่งในมาตรการควบคุมน้ำหนักของฉันคือ ทานแต่น้อยในแต่ละครั้ง = One of the methods in my weight control methods is eating little each time.

หนึ่งในวิธีการควบคุมน้ำหนักของฉันคือ ทานแต่น้อยในแต่ละมื้อ = One of the ways I control my weight is to eat little at each meal.

แต่ละมื้อฉันจะทานแต่น้อย เพื่อควบคุมน้ำหนัก = In each meal would I eat little, in order to control my weight.

(in order of most literal -> most natural)

Jolly good, thanks.