DavidHouston Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 Lexitron shows the following entry for ผู้ชุบเลี้ยง: ผู้ชุบเลี้ยง [N] patron; benefactor; supporter; sponsor Class. คน Syn. ผู้อุปถัมภ์, ผู้เลี้ยงดู, ผู้โอบอุ้ม, ผู้อุปการะเลี้ยง The sample sentence is as follows: เขาไม่เคยลืมบุญคุณของผู้ชุบเลี้ยงเขามาตลอดชีวิต Question: How is the sentence best translated: 1. "For his entire life, he never forgot the kindness (shown to him) by his benefactor." or, 2. "He never forgot the kindness that his benefactor (showed to him) his whole life." In other words, does the phrase "มาตลอดชีวิต" modify "ไม่เคยลืม" or "ชุบเลี้ยงเขา"? Or, is the meaning truly ambiguous? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoot Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 The answer is No.2 You can consider it from this phrase "มาตลอดชีวิต" The word 'มา' shows that it was the action from the past to the present time, not from the present time to the future. So, the phrase "มาตลอดชีวิต" modify "ชุบเลี้ยงเขา" as it shows in the sentence, ผู้ชุบเลี้ยงเขามาตลอดชีวิต. For your No.1 question, the sentence should be เขาจะไม่ลืมบุญคุณของผู้ที่ชุบเลี้ยงเขามาไปชั่วชีวิต(ตลอดชีวิต). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoot Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 For your No.1 question, the sentence should be เขาจะไม่ลืมบุญคุณของผู้ที่ชุบเลี้ยงเขามาไปชั่วชีวิต(ตลอดชีวิต). Sorry, this example might not fit with the No.1 question since it changes the meaning of it. So, it should be 'ตลอดชีวิตของเขา เขาไม่เคยลืมบุญคุณของผู้ที่ชุบเลี้ยงเขามา'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johpa Posted May 4, 2008 Share Posted May 4, 2008 The answer is No.2 I am relieved as I was going to post last night that no 2 was the correct answer as that was my immediate response, but then I got thinking about it and began to have doubts. Sometimes thinking too much is counter productive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidHouston Posted May 4, 2008 Author Share Posted May 4, 2008 Thank you both, Khun Yoot and Khun Johpa. Khun Yoot's reconstitution of the first sentence, "ตลอดชีวิตของเขา เขาไม่เคยลืมบุญคุณของผู้ที่ชุบเลี้ยงเขามา" is very helpful because it uses only one pronoun, "เขา" and that pronoun refers only to to the person being supported. One more question: in Thai sentences, is juxtaposition relevant in determining meaning? Thus, in the original Lexitron sentence, "เขาไม่เคยลืมบุญคุณของผู้ชุบเลี้ยงเขามาตลอดชีวิต" the phrase "มาตลอดชีวิต" is placed next to "ผู้ชุบเลี้ยง"; does the close placement tend to indicate a modifier relationship? Thanks again to you both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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