Subtractions Sub Description of the Techniques
Datum 035seg4708:22Sub.2BA
SE: And I began to say lovely things to him again.
TE: Dan saya mulai mengatakan hal-hal yang baik lagi. In this example,
the expression “…to say lovely things to him again” is
interpreted in Bahasa Indonesia as “…mengatakan hal-hal yang baik lagi”
literary, “…to say lovely things again”. Here, the context is about the speaker
and her grandson, who is only ten months old. Since the participant “him” was
mentioned by the speaker several times in the previous segments, the interpreter omits such participant, in this segment, who refers to the baby in which it is clear
enough to whom the lovely things would be said, who is to the baby. In this case, to omit such participant is optional since the context is clear enough and is not
misleading. 3
Transitionals It is a subtractions
’ type in which the translatorinterpreter omits some transitional words in the source textexpression. The function of transitionals is
just “to mark a translation [or interpreting] from one unit to another” Nida, 1964:
232. In the seminar, the interpreter does not frequently use this type which is only found separately in 2 data or 1.11. The first example is presented as follows.
Datum 103seg19334:14Sub.4AA
SE: Now, this is more than the nice saying, this is divine law.
TE: Ini bukan hanya kata-kata manis saja, ini adalah hukum ilahi. In this example,
the word „now’ functions as a transitional which does not give any significant contribution to the content of message. Therefore, it is
optional whether the interpreter wants to include it in the target expression or not since it is clear enough to the audience. Another example is presented as follows.
Datum 180seg354B63:41Sub.4AA
SE: And thank you for the attention of all viewers all across Indonesia.
TE: Terimakasih kepada jutaan permirsa yang ada di seluruh Indonesia. Similarly,
the word „and’ functions as a transitional which just marks one segment to the previous one so it is optional whether the interpreter wants to
include it in the target expression or not. If the interpreter wants to interpret the source expression faithfully, it is better to include such transitional, but if he does
not do so, it does not distort the meaning content. 4
Formulae It is a type of subtractions in which the translatorinterpreter subtracts
some elements existing in the source expression so then they do not exist in the target expression.
While the additions’ amplification changes some features from implicit to the explicit status,
the subtractions’ formulae changes from explicit to implicit status. From 180 data, the interpreter uses this type separately in 7 data
or 3.89. The example is presented as follows. Datum 008seg901:14Sub.6AA
SE: Notice, there are two lobes at the front of the brain
TE: Perhatikan bahwa di bagian depan ada dua lobus In this example,
the expression “…at the front of the brain” is interpreted
the target expression as “…di bagian depan…” literary, “…at the front…”.
Here, it can be seen that the target expression does not contain any correspond
meaning of the phrase „the brain’, which means that it is omitted by the
interpreter. The reason why he does such thing may clearly be explained by the following figure.
Based on the context illustrated in figure 8, although the interpreter omits the phrase of
„the brain’, he may consider that it would not be misleading since he simultaneously make a gesture by positioning his hands at the front of his
forehead, where the brain especially, the frontal lobe takes place, to represent the meaning of the word „the brain’. Another example, which can be seen in datum
150seg29953:13Sub.6BA, is presented as follows.
Figure 8. The Interpreting Activity in Segment 9
Notice, there are two lobes at the front of the brain
Perhatikan bahwa di bagian depan ada dua lobus
[Notice that at the front there are two lobes]
SE: And, decide to be thankful, they can make a new pathway.
TE: Maka, mereka bisa membuat jalur yang baru. In the example above, the expression
„decide to be thankful’ is omitted by the interpreter. He may consider that such expression was mentioned by the
speaker in the previous segment so to omit such expression in this segment, it is considered not misleading.
5 Combinations of Subtractions’ Types
In the seminar, the interpreter infrequently employs more than one type of subtractions within then same sentence or segment. It can be seen that from 180
data, only 2 data or 1.11 which are considered employing more than one type of subtractions. The example is presented as follows.
Datum 043seg58A10:00Sub.1Sub.6BA
SE: You see
A
, discipline is like this, is like a vine
B
. TE: Disiplin ini adalah seperti suatu tumbuhan yang merayap
B
. There are two types of subtractions in this example above, which are:
formulae and repetitions. First, the subtractions in terms of formulae can be seen in the expression
“You see…” which is omitted by the interpreter. The interpreter may consider that such expression does not contain the main message that the
speaker want to convey since the function of such expression is just to hope the audience will understand what she wants to say. In other words, the function of
the clause „You see’ is just to make the audience pays attention to the next clause
she wants to say.
Secondly, the subtractions in terms of repetitions can be seen in the
expression “…discipline is like this, is like a vine” which is interpreted in Bahasa
Indonesia as “Disiplin ini adalah seperti suatu tumbuhan yang merayap” literary, “Dscipline is like a vine. It can be seen that the expression “…is like this…”
which is then repeated as “…is like a vine…” is omitted by the interpreter and
he only leaves the meaning of the expression “…is like a vine…” which is then
transferred into Bahasa Indonesia as “…adalah seperti suatu tumbuhan yang
merayap. ” The reason why he does such thing is probably because the main
content of the message is more significant than the form. In this case, the expression of “…is like a vine…” is considered important since it contains and
represents the implicit meaning in the expression of “…is like this…” in which
the word „this’ is repeated specifically by the phrase „a vine’. Besides, the expression of “…is like this…” is considered unimportant because it is probably
just the process in which the speaker is organizing some ideas. Datum 002seg200:21Sub.4Sub.6AA
SE: And
A
welcome to the listeners and viewers
B
across Indonesia TE: Selamat berjumpa para pirsawan
B
di seluruh Indonesia In this example, there are two types of subtractions, which are: transitional
and formulae. First, the subtractions in terms of transitional can be seen by comparing the source expression, containing a transitional word „And’, with the
target expression, containing no transitional word. In this case, it is optional whether such transitional word would be transferred in the target expression or not
since its function is just to mark one segment to another.
Secondly, the subtractions in terms of formulae can be seen in phrase of „the listeners and viewers’ which is interpreted in Bahasa Indonesia as „para
pirsawan ’ literary, „the viewers’. The interpreter may consider that while
somebody is watching a TV, normally, she must be listening to it. Besides, the interpreter omits the word „listeners’ since, in Bahasa Indonesia, the term „para
pendengar ’ literary, „listeners’ is closely related to the radio listeners. Therefore,
from the two words of „listeners’ and „viewers’, what remains in the target
expression is the meaning of the word „viewers’ which is transferred into Bahasa
Indonesia as „para pirsawan’.