The Definition of Translation

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CHAPTER II AN OVERVIEW OF TRANSLATION

2.1 The Definition of Translation

As it is stated in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 2000:1438 Translation is the process of changing something that is written or spoken into another language. Wiratno 2003 says that translation is a process of transferring message from SL into TL. SL or Source Language is an origin language which is translated, while TL or Target Language is a final language which is used to express the result of translation. He states the previous statement in his book: “Penerjemahan ialah proses pengalihan pesan dari bahasa sumber ke dalam bahasa sasaran. Bahasa sumber adalah bahasa asal yang diterjemahkan, sedangkan bahasa sasaran adalah bahasa target yang digunakan untuk mengungkapkan hasil terjemahan.” But the definition of translation is not that simple. There are so many definitions about translation from many experts. They define the definitions about translation in many ways. According to Catford 1965:20, “Translation is the replacement of textual material in one language SL by equivalent textual material in another language TL” and Nida 1969:12 states that translation consists of reproducing in the receptor language the natural equivalent of the source language message, first in terms of meaning and second in terms of style. The definition of translation from the expert is not limited only on Catford’s and Nida’s point of view. There are several definitions stated by some experts. Universitas Sumatera Utara 9 However, translation deals with the meaning. Translation with correct structure is useless without the meaning. Larson 1984:3 states that translation means transferring the meaning of the source language into receptor language. And Newmark states a further view towards the transferring meaning in a translation. As he says 1988:5, Translation is rendering the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author intended the text. Moreover, translation also deals with culture aspects. Kridalaksana, an expert in translation theory states on his book 1983:128, “Terjemahan adalah pengalihan amanat antarbudaya danatau antarbahasa dalam tataran gramatikal dan leksikal dengan maksud, efek atau ujud yang sedapat mungkin tetap dipertahankan.” In brief, his view about translation is a transferring message among cultures and languages.

2.2 Function of Translation