The translation strategy cultural words in Laskar Pelangi

A Thesis

Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

The Degree of Strata One

Rizki Gunawan

107026003815

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT

LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH

JAKARTA

Rizki Gunawan

107026003815

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT

LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF SYARIFHIDAYATULLAH

JAKARTA

i

Islamic University of Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, February 2011.

In this research, the writer concerns with translation study, that is, the translation strategy in the translation of cultural words in Laskar Pelangi novel translated by Angie Kilbane. The objectives of the research are: (1) to describe translation procedures used by the translator to translate the selected cultural words, (2) to find the most frequently translation strategy applied by the translator in translating the selected cultural words.

The writer uses qualitative descriptive method in order to reach the objectives of the research. The writer employs himself to collect data; by reading the novel and its translation, marking the cultural words, classifying, selecting and analyzing them based on the theories of translation procedure and translation strategy which are taken from some relevant references.

Findings of this study show that: first, seven procedures are used to render the selected Indonesian cultural words into English include pure borrowing, naturalized borrowing, notes, cultural equivalent, functional equivalent, descriptive equivalent, and reduction; second, the most frequently translation strategy applied is domesticating; third, based on the result of procedure used, it can be classified that pure borrowing and naturalized borrowing are the implementation of foreignizing; notes is neutralizing strategy; while the use of cultural equivalent, functional equivalent, descriptive equivalent, and reduction are the realization of domesticating.

ii

IN

LASKAR PELANGI

A Thesis

Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

The Degree of Strata One

Rizki Gunawan

NIM. 107026003815

Approved by:

Drs. H. Abdul Hamid, M.Ed

NIP. 150 181 922

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT

LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH

JAKARTA

iii

I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma of the university or other institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement has been made in text.

Jakarta, February 6, 2011

iv

In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful

All praises be to Allah SWT, the Lord of Universe, on the overflow of

graces and mercies to mankind, who amazingly guides the writer in the process of

making this thesis. Peace and Salutation be upon the greatest prophet Muhammad

SAW, his family, companions and adherents, who had changed the world from the

darkness into the lightness.

On this occasion, the writer wants to say many thanks to his beloved

parents (Alm. Adi Sumantri and Maiyah), who have kept, taught, advised and

prayed for his success. “Thanks, I hope you are proud of my graduation”. The writer also wants to give his gratitude to Mr. Drs. H. Abdul Hamid, M. Ed, as the

writer’s advisor for his time, guidance, patience, kindness, contribution in

correcting and helping him in finishing his thesis.

The writer would like to express his appreciation to the following people,

namely:

1. Mr. Dr. H. Abdul Wahid Hasyim, M.Ag, the Dean of Letters and

Humanities Faculty, State Islamic University of Syarif Hidayatullah

Jakarta;

2. Mr. Dr. H. Muhammad Farkhan, M.Pd, the Assistant of Dean of

Letters and Humanities Faculty, State Islamic University of Syarif

v

4. All lecturers of English Letters Department, especially for Mr. Dr.

Frans Sayogie, M.Pd, S.H. and Mrs. Danti Pudjianti, M.Hum who have

influenced and inspired the writer to study about translation science;

5. Student Executive Board of English Letters, “ALWAYS BE FOR

BROTHERHOOD!”;

6. The writer’s friends in English Letters: Anwar, Sangka, Ilham, Thoriq,

Iir, Ichank, Obi, Deden, Nu’man, Yasir, and all of his classmates in the

translation class;

7. Special thanks to the writer’s special friend, for all loves and supports;

8. The employers of some University Libraries, especially Atmajaya

Library employer, who have helped the writer in finding so many

references.

9. To all people and friends that are not mentioned, “Thank you so much”.:-)

May Allah, the all-Hearer and all-Knower, always bless’, protects, and

gives them more than they have given to the writer. Hopefully, this thesis will be

advantageous for all people who read it.

Jakarta, February 6, 2011

vi

APPROVEMENT ... ii

LEGALIZATION ... iii

DECLARATION ... iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

...

vii

LIST OF TABLES ... ix

LIST OF FIGURES ...x

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION...1

A. Background of the Study...1

B. Focus of the Study...8

C. Research Question...8

D. Significance of the Study ...8

E. Research Methodology...9

1. The Objective of the Research ...9

2. The Method of the Research ...9

3. Technique of Data Analysis ...9

4. Instrument of the Research...10

5. Unit of Analysis ...10

6. Time and Place of the Research ...11

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ...12

A. Translation...12

vii

1. Definition ...18

2. Kinds of Translation Procedures...20

C. The Strategy of Translation...26

1. Definition ...26

2. Kinds of Translation strategies ...27

a. Foreignizing ...27

b. Domesticating ...29

c. Neutralizing...33

D. Translation of Novel ...34

E. Cultural Words ...35

1. Definition ...35

2. The Types of Cultural Words ...36

CHAPTER III RESEARCH FINDINGS...38

A. Data Description ...38

B. Data Analysis ...40

C. The General Elaboration ...58

CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION ...65

A. Conclusion ...65

B. Suggestion ...66

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...67

viii

Translation, and the Strategy of Translation ... 38 Table 2 : The Relation of Translation Procedure to Translation Strategy ... 66

ix

Figure 2: The Process of Translation by Nida & Taber...15

Figure 3: The Process of Translation by Larson ...16

Figure 4: The Process of Translation by Machali ...17

Figure 5: The Classification of Functional Equivalent Procedure ...24

Figure 6: The Classification of Descriptive Equivalent Procedure...24

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Language is “the system of communication in speech and writing that is

used by people of a particular country”.1 All people speak to communicate each

other through language, both written and oral. Cartford defines language as a type

of pattern of human behavior that is a way in which human beings interacts each

other in social situation.2

Language is an object in translation. Without language, translation can not

be applied. Translation is a process conducted in language, a process of changing

a text in one language into another language. The change consists of some aspects,

such as phonetic, grammatical, and semantic. Therefore, a translator must use the

theory of language as a footing or the principle that supports him/her.

In globalization era, translation is very useful and needed by human. By

translation, communication between human beings in various parts of the world

can be done effectively. Science and technology which is evolving from many

countries may be accessed easily. Transfer of science, culture, and other social

activities mostly is done through translation. In other words, translation is an

access to the innovation of science, technology, art and culture in order to a media

center of the perspective of global communication. As a result, translator is a very

1

A.S. Hornby, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000), p. 752.

2

J.C. Cartford, A Linguistic Theory of Translation (London: Oxford University Press, 1965), p. 1.

lucrative profession as payment for translation services is quite expensive.

Moreover, if a translator has been a professional translator with specialized

certified, high-speed translation ability and the translation that he/she produces is

good, he/she will get big income.

Based on the Association of Indonesian Translators (HPI), the average

tariff of written translation from Indonesian to English is Rp.75.000, -/1.500

characters (3 pages), and 50,000, -/1.500 characters for translation from English

into Indonesian. As for interpreting, the charge is more expensive. It is

Rp.200.000, -/hour or Rp.2.000.000, - in working day (8 hours). 3 Of course, a

translator is very benefit job.

However, in translating, all of the translators, both amateur and

professional will face some problems. Even, in translating literary texts, such as

translating a novel. Translating a novel is a difficult job for translator. It consists

of figurative language, cultural words, sentences, text coherences and cohesions

that require continuous compromise and readjustment. In addition, there is

no-universality among linguist in deciding the term and the concept of the strategy

will be used. So that, it makes beginner translator confused whether the better

strategy and term which they should use, especially, in translating literary text,

such as novel.

3

Anonymous, Tarif Penerjemahan Himpunan Penerjemah Indonesia. Accessed on November 7th 2010.http://anindyamaharani.blogdetik.com/2010/10/21/tarif-penerjemahan-hpi/, p.1

One of the problems in translating a novel is translating a word or phrase

that is bound by culture, in which a translator must find a direct lexical equivalent

for a thing or event that is unknown (foreign) in receptor language culture. The

word or phrase is mentioned as cultural words. As C. Thriveni declares that “A

transmitting cultural element through literary translation is a complicated

and vital task. (By the reason of) culture is a complex collection of

experiences which condition daily life; it includes history, social structure,

religion, traditional customs, and everyday usage.”4

In other words, a translator has difficulty in finding an equivalent of

cultural words, because there is no direct and right equivalent which is used to

express the messages of source language in word or phrase of receptor language.

The word buku in Indonesian has a direct equivalent in English, that is book, but the cultural word such as golok (a type of Indonesian knife) is not found in English. There is no such knife in England. Otherwise, the word Halloween (The night of October 31th which is believed to be the moment of the emergence of the

people have dead) in English is unknown in the Indonesian language. In this case,

there is non-equivalence in translating. It causes the untranslatability in rendering

the message between two languages.

The untranslatability is due to cultural differences and the nature of

language that is called "sui generis". Cultural differences, like differences in point

4

C. Thriveni, Cultural Elements in Translation (2004). Accessed on November 7th 2010. http://accurapid.com/journal/19culture.htm

of view, customs, beliefs, environment, and others between source language and

receptor language. The nature of language "sui generis” means language has its

own characteristics that are different from other languages.5 Language is unique

or has characteristics in culture. A language, however, has its meaning only in the

culture, as Newmark states that a language is partly the repository and reflection

of a culture. Thus, different language may contain different cultures of different

ways of thinking.6 It causes the difficulty in translating cultural words for

translator. In fact, the translator should be able to translate it even though there is

no equivalent or hard to find it.

Therefore, it is necessary to find a procedure or a certain way to obtain the

equivalent in translating the non-equivalence which is cultural words. Thus, the

translation is acceptable and easily understood by readers who are not familiar

with source language culture. The reader should get the intent of the author as a

form of establishment of communication between writer and foreign reader. For

example, in a novel, there is written phrase panjat pinang which is translated into English to be an Indonesian game like pole climbing. Of course, the translation is acceptable for the readers, because it is comprehensible, and it can communicate

between the writer and the reader. In the translation, the phrase panjat pinang is described. This way is one of the translation procedures, which is mentioned as

descriptive equivalent. Descriptive equivalent is used to produce a natural

translation.

5

J.C. Cartford (1965), op.cit. p. 27. 6

The translation procedure chosen is caused by the translation method that

the translator decides. The method selected is caused by the ideology that

translator believes.7 In other word, first, the ideology that the translator considers,

will decide the method he/she uses. Secondly the method he/she uses will choose

the strategy which is used.

Related to the ideology of translating (Behtash-Firoozkoohi, Munday and

Wenfen Yang mention it as translation strategy)8, another problem that the

translator faces in translating literary text is no universality in translation, As

Savory says that:

“there are no universally accepted principles of translation, because the only people who are qualified to formulate them have agreed among themselves but have so often and for so long contradicted each other that they have bequathed a volume of confused thought which must be hard to parallel in other fields of literature.”9

Every linguist has the term and the notion own self in applying the

translation. For example the translation theories had been in debating if translation

should be literal (word-for-word) or free (sense-for-sense) since Cicero time

(106-43 B.C.) to the twentieth century.10 The central problem of translating has been

going on, that is, the distinction of concept among scholars whether to translate

literally or freely since at least the first century BC. Up to the beginning of the

7

Roswita Silalahi, “Dampak Teknik, Metode, dan Ideologi Penerjemahan pada Kualitas Terjemahan Teks Medical-Surgical Nursing dalam Bahasa Indonesia”, Dissertation (Medan: The Library of North Sumatra University, 2009), pp.4-5. u.p.

8

E.Z. Behtash and Sepideh Firoozkoohi, “A Diachronic Study of Domestication and Foreignization Strategies of Cultural-Specific Items: in English-Persian Translation of Six of Hemingway’s Works”, World Applied Science Journal 7 (December 2009). Accessed on January 2th 2011.http://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj7%2812%29/19.pdf.p. 1576.

9

Theodore Savory, The Art of Translation (London: Jonathan Cape Ltd, 1986), pp. 49-50. 10

Wenfen Yang, “Brief Study on Domestication and Foreignization in Translation”,

Journal of Language Teaching and Research, Vol.1, No.1, pp. 77-80 (January 2010). Accessed on January 2th 2011.http://ojs.academypublisher.com/index.php/jltr/article/view/2413.

nineteenth century, many writers favor some kind of free translation, namely: the

spirit, not the letter; the sense, not the words; the message rather than the form; the

matter, not the manner.11 Lately, the conflict in that concept is going on between

Nida and Venuti. Nida as the representative, favors domesticating as the right

translation strategy. Meanwhile Venuti selects foreignizing as the better strategy.12

He Sanning tries to overcome those debates by introducing the new

strategy. It is neutralizing. This notion is presented in FIT5th Asian Translator

Forum in Bogor, April 11-12th 2007. He states that it may be used to translate

culture specific items to prevent the reader from misunderstanding that uniquely

cultural factor in a certain area becomes a common phenomenon all over the

world.13 Therefore, there are three strategies that are different in conception.

Those differences make student of translation or beginner translator

puzzled in applying the strategy and using term for translating. Terminological

diversity and the overlapping of terms make it difficult to use them and to be

understood. Beside that, those strategies are not specialized in translating cultural

words. Those are not explained to how the translator translates cultural words,

what procedure, method, and strategy that a translator uses.

The transfer of meaning to the word or phrase that requires the procedure

as the implementation of the strategy of translation applied by the translator in

11

Peter Newmark, A Textbook of Translation (Hertfordshire: Prentice Hall International Ltd, 1988), p. 45

12

Wenfen Yang (2010), op.cit. p. 78. 13

He Sanning, “Lost and Found in Translating Tourist Text: Domesticating, Foreignising or Neutralizing Approach”, Translation and Cultural Dialogue, (Bogor: Association of Indonesian Translator, 2007), p. 125.

translating cultural words is included on the popular novel of Indonesia. The title

of novel is Laskar Pelangi which was translated into English to be the Rainbow Troops. In Laskar Pelangi, the writer finds some cultural words of Indonesian which are translated into the Rainbow Troop, for example Dul Muluk is translated into Dul Muluk. The translator still uses the word Dul Muluk without giving the explanation what it means in order to solve the untranslatability in translating

cultural words. Beside that, the cultural word Dul Muluk can be domesticated, foreignized, or neutral. Thus, the writer interested in doing the research.

From the explanation above, there are two main problems; they are

no-equivalence and no-universality in translation. No-no-equivalence is no appropriate

word in changing source language word that is bound by culture into receptor

language word that is caused the untranslatability. No-universality is there is no

uniformity in the term and notion translation strategy. In this study, the writer tries

to analyze the cultural words in Laskar Pelangi which are translated by Angie Kilbane to English version, the Rainbow Troops.

B. Focus of the Study

Based on the background of study above, the research will focus on

finding whether Indonesian cultural words are domesticated, foreignized or

neutral in the translation of Laskar Pelangi by analyzing the result of translation procedures used.

C. Research Question

From the focus of the study above, then the research questions are:

1. What kinds of translation procedures are used by the translator (Angie

Kilbane) to translate the selected cultural words of Laskar Pelangi?

2. What is the most frequently translation strategy applied by the translator

(Angie Kilbane) in translating the selected cultural words of Laskar Pelangi?

D. Significance of the Study

This study will be advantageous to the writer himself and the readers.

Based on the experience of the writer how hard in translating literary text is, the

writer wants to know how translation procedures and translation strategies which

are used by professional translator to solve the untranslatability in translating

cultural words. It can be also a contribution in the development of translation

theory and gives the information to the translators in translating literary text.

E. Research Methodology

1. The Objective of the Research

Based on the research questions above, so the aims of this research are:

a. To describe translation procedures used by the translator (Angie Kilbane)

to translate the selected cultural words of Laskar Pelangi.

b. To find the most frequently translation strategy applied by the translator

(Angie Kilbane) in translating the selected cultural words of Laskar Pelangi.

2. The Method of the Research

The method used in the research is descriptive qualitative method which

tries to find the translation procedures and translation strategies applied by the

translator (Angie Kilbane).

3. Technique of Data Analysis

The writer uses descriptive analysis technique which is supported by the

relevant theories. To analyze the data, the researcher uses the following steps:

a. Reading the novel and its translation;

b. Marking all cultural words in both of versions and making notes about

them in a piece of paper. In Laskar Pelangi, one side of the paper consists of the Indonesian cultural word and the other side has the

translation;

d. Selecting the data by considering the most specific cultural words, that

is the concept of Indonesian cultural words that are not found in

English;

e. Analyzing the selected data, based on Duff’s concept for translation

procedures; while Venuti’s and He Sanning’s notion for translation

strategies;

f. Writing a report of the study.

4. Instrument of the Research

The writer acts as the instrument of the research to get data in the research

by reading, marking, classifying, and selecting the data of the cultural words in

Laskar Pelangi and its translation, the Rainbow Troops.

5. Unit of Analysis

The analysis units of the research are Laskar Pelangi novel by Andrea Hirata (Indonesian Novelist) and its translation, the Rainbow Troops, by Angie Kilbane (English Journalist).

Indonesian _→ English

Title Laskar Pelangi the Rainbow Troops

Author/Translator Andrea Hirata Angie Kilbane Year of Publication 2008 sixteenth edition 2009

Publisher PT Bentang Pustaka PT Bentang Pustaka

Number of Pages 534 470

6. Time and Place of the Research

The writer starts doing the research from December 2010 up to February

2011 in English Letter Department, Letters and Humanities Faculty, State Islamic

University of “Syarif Hidayatullah” Jakarta. The research is located at the English

Letters Department, Library of State Islamic University of “Syarif Hidayatullah”

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Translation

1. Definition of Translation

There are so many views from some scholars on the definition of

translation. Based on Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, translation is “the

process of changing something that is written or spoken into another language”.14

Cartford stressed the notion of translation as the process of substituting a text from

one language into another language.15 Nida and Taber state that the translation

should be the closest natural equivalent of source language, both in the meaning

and the style of receptor language.16 In other words, a translator optimally

attempts to convey the content and the style of source language.

Newmark defines translation as “rendering the meaning of a text into

another language in the way that the author intended the text”.17 According to

Larson, “translation consists of transferring the meaning of the source language

into the receptor language”.18 Thus, they agree that something which is transferred

in a translation is meaning, not form. Besides that, there should be naturalness in

14

A.S. Hornby (2000), op.cit. p. 1438. 15

J.C. Cartford (1965), op.cit. p. 20 16

E.A. Nida and C. Taber, The Theory and Practice of Translation (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1982), p. 12.

17

Peter Newmark (1988), op.cit. p.5 18

Mildred L. Larson, Meaning-Based Translation: A Guide to Cross-Language Equivalence (Lanham: University Press of America, 1984), p. 3.

the meaning as the rules of receptor language.19 Then Machali states that the

translation must be able to communicate or to act as "the bridges of meaning"

between the manufacturer of the source text and receptor text reader. Translation

is an act of communication that conveys messages from authors to readers.20 Wills

argues that the purpose of translation is to get the optimal equivalent and there

must be semantic and pragmatic understanding in receptor language text and there

also must be analytical processing in finding the equivalent. He also pointed that

translation is a written transferring.21

In their book, Hatim and Mason propose the definition of translation

which is suitable to literary translation. It can be used as a foundation for

understanding of literary text translation. They say that translating is looked upon

as “an act of communication which attempts to relay, across cultural and linguistic

boundaries, another act of communication (which may have been intended for

different purposes and different readers/hearers)”22. In this case, a translator is receiver the message of source language then he acts as sender to receptor

language.23 In other words, a translator has two task, first he must be a good

receiver, that is wiling understand what the author mean, secondly he acts as

sender in which he must be able to render the sense what he had got accurately to

19

Maurits. D.S. Simatupang (2000), op.cit. p. 2. 20

Rochayah Machali, Pedoman Bagi Penerjemah (Jakarta: Grasindo, 2000), p. 6. 21

Wolfram Wills, “Translation Equivalence”, Ten Paper on Translation, ed. Richard B.Noss (Singapura: SEAMEO Regional Language Centre, 1982), p. 3.

22

Basil Hatim and Ian Mason, The Translator as Communicator (London: Routledge, 1997), p. 1

23

Benny H. Hoed, Kala dalam Novel: Fungsi dan Penerjemahannya (Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada University Press, 1992), p. 81.

readers.24 A translator also should convey the message whereas there are language

barriers like cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Furthermore, Sumardiono defines translation with orientation approach

that states “Translation is a process of transferring message from one language to

another by considering the aspects of accuracy and acceptability. Accuracy tends

to the source language; while acceptability tends to the target language.”25. It means there are two orientations that the translator considers, namely: source

language oriented by focusing the accuracy of meaning and receptor language

oriented by focusing the acceptability of a translation.

Based on the various ideas about the definition of translation, the writer

concludes that translation is a process of written transferring message or sense that

contains figurative language and aspects related to aesthetic function

compromising among other rhymes, tones, and sound effects in the source that is

equal to receptor language, and the result is the effect of deciding the aspects of

accuracy and acceptability.

2. The Process of Translation

Process is a series of things that are done in order to achieve a particular

result in natural changes.26 In context of translation, the process of translation is a

step that is used in getting the best result of translation. The process is started by a

24

M. Rudolf Nababan, Teori Menerjemah Bahasa Inggris (Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar, 2003), p. 80.

25

Sumardiono, Lokalisasi dalam Penerjemahan. Accessed on January 9th 2011. http://dion-zydion2i.blogspot.com/2009/10/karya-ilmiah-lokalisasi-dalam.html, p. 1.

26

translator to understand source language text, and then he conveys it to reader of

receptor language.

Nida and Taber propose the process of translation and its illustration as

follows:27

a) Analysis, In this step, a translator explores the meaning and the

grammatical relationship of source language word or compound word;

b) Transfer, the transfer of the sense which is in the mind of translator

from language A to language B;

c) Restructuring, the sense that has been transferred is restructured in

order to make the final message fully acceptable in the receptor

language.

Source Language Receptor Language

Figure 2: The Process of Translation by Nida & Taber

There is another opinion about that concept, Larson says that translation

consist of three steps, namely: (1) studying the lexicon, grammatical structure,

communication situation, and cultural context of the source language text; (2)

analyzing the source language text to determine the meaning; and (3)

reconstructuring the same meaning by using the lexicon and grammatical structure

27

E.A. Nida and C. Taber (1982), op.cit. p. 33.

Restructuring Analysis

which are suitable in the receptor language and its cultural context.28 He presents

the diagram as follow:29

Source Language Receptor Language

Text to be translated Translation

MEANING

Discover the meaning Re-express the meaning

Figure 3: The Process of Translation by Larson

Basically, both of the theories have the same in the aim and the step. The

aim of them is to produce the good translation. The Nida’s steps are begun with

analysis, transfer, and restructuring which is same with the step of discovering the

meaning, meaning, and re-expressing the meaning by Larson.

But, the writer thinks that both of models are not clear and not complete.

Actually, in doing translation, we should be back to the first step when the

translation is still unnatural. Then, go to the next step. Go back again if there is

still mistakes and ambiguous. The good process one is like a cycle. Therefore, the

writer agrees with Machali concept as she explained in her book as follow:30

28

Mildred L. Larson (1984), op.cit. pp. 3-4. 29

Ibid. p. 4 30

Analysis 1 → Transfer → Analysis 2 → Transfer Correction 1→ Analysis 3 → Transfer Correction 2 → … etc.

Figure 4: The Process of Translation by Machali

3. Untranslatability

In translating, a translator faces the problem. It is untranslatability.

Untranslatability is caused by the word of source language which can not be

translated or hard to find the direct receptor language word as the equivalent of

source language word. Cartford states that “untranslatability occurs when it is

impossible to build functionally relevant features of the situation into the

contextual meaning of the TL text”.31 Newmark argues that untranslatability

happens if a meaning of word cannot be rendered literally and precisely to another

word.32 There are two types of untranslatability based on the cause. They are:33

1. Linguistic untranslatability. Of course, it is the untranslatability caused the

linguistic side. This untranslatability occurs when an ambiguity which is

strange in the source language text is a functionally relevant feature.

2. Cultural untranslatability. The reason of this untranslatability is a culture

which has characterization itself that has not found in other culture. In

other words, there is the distinction between the culture of source language

and the culture of receptor language.

31

J.C. Cartford (1965), op.cit. p. 94. 32

Peter Newmark (1988), op.cit. p. 79 33

B. The Procedure of Translation 1. Definition

There are distinctions in science of translation. The distinction is in

mentioning the certain way of translator to translate words, phrases, clauses, and

sentences. Newmark states it as translation procedure.34 Baker says this concept as

translation strategy.35 Moreover, Molina and Albir mention this notion as

translation technique.36 Which is the right term whether procedure, strategy, or

technique is?

To make it clear, it’s better to see each definition in dictionary. Based on

Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, procedure is “a way of doing something,

especially the usual or correct way”.37 In Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI), prosedur as an equivalent of procedure refers to “tahap kegiatan untuk menyelesaikan suatu masalah; metode langkah demi langkah secara pasti dalam

memecahkan suatu masalah”.38 (a step of activity to solve the problem or a step by

step method exactly in solving the problem).

The word “strategy” means “a plan that is intended to achieve a particular

purpose.”39 The other definition is “rencana yang cermat mengenai kegiatan untuk

mencapai sasaran khusus”.40(a neatly plan of activity to get a certain goal). While,

34

Peter Newmark (1988), op.cit. pp. 81-91. 35

Mona Baker, In Other Words (Newyork: Routledge, 1992), pp. 26-42 36

Lucia Molina and Amparo. H. Albir, “Translation Techniques Revisited: A Dynamic and Functionalist Approach”, Meta: Translators’ Journal. Vol.47 no.4 (2002), pp. 509-511. Accessed on January 2th 2011.http:/www.erudit.org/revue/meta/2002/v47/n4/008033ar.pdf.

37

A.S. Hornby (2000), op.cit. p. 1050. 38

Departemen Pendidikan Nasional, Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia: Edisi Keempat

(Jakarta: PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2008), p. 1106. 39

A.S. Hornby (2000), op.cit. p. 1336. 40

“a particular way of doing something, especially one in which you have to learn

special skills” is mentioned as technique.41 According to KBBI, technique that refers to teknik, is “cara (kepandaian dsb) membuat atau melakukan sesuatu yang berhubungan dengan seni; metode atau sistem mengerjakan sesuatu”.42(a way or talent in making or doing something which is related to arts; method or system in

doing something)

All of three types states the rather same definition, that is a way in doing

something, but there are little diverse. The procedure is specialized in “usual or

correct way” and “to solve the problem”. The strategy has the particular concept,

which are “a plan” and “to achieve the aim”, while, the certain notion in definition

of technique are “skills” and “talent”.

Based on the translation of cultural words context, something that is

needed is a right way in solving the problem, such as non-equivalence or hard in

finding the equivalence. Therefore, “procedure” is the best term of all. In this

case, procedure is a correct way to cope the problem which is non-equivalence or

hard to find the equivalence between source language and target language both it

is caused by “sui generis” (the characteristic language itself) and the distinction in

culture as an implementation to get the idiomatic translation or adequate

translation.

41

A.S. Hornby (2000), op.cit. p. 1388. 42

2. Kinds of Translation Procedures

There are so many procedures of some linguist to translate various type of

text, both formal text and literary text. Newmark mentions nineteen procedures,43

machali declares “pemadanan berkonteks” (contextual conditioning) as one procedure of five procedures which the rest is adapted from Newmark,44

Vinay-Darbelnet propose seven procedures,45 Baker asserts seven procedures,46 Larson

suggests three procedures and some specific of those procedures,47 Molina-Albir

mention eighteen procedures,48 Moentaha states eleven procedures,49 and Duff

asserts seven procedures.50

As a solution to translate words or phrases that are bound by culture

(cultural words), the translation procedure which is postulated by Duff is the most

appropriate suggestion. The procedures suggested by him are the appropriate

solution in translating the cultural words. As he says that “I should like to recall

some of the commonest solutions for translating words that are culturally bound”. They are as follows:51

a) The word is retained in its original form and no explanation is given. Molina and Albir divide this notion into two kinds, namely:52

43

Peter Newmark (1988), loc.cit. 44

Rochayah Machali (2000), op.cit. pp. 71-73. 45

Jean Paul Vinay and Jean Darbelnet.“A Methodology for Translation.” The Translation Studies Reader.2nd edition, ed. L. Venuti (London and Newyork: Routledge, 2000), pp. 85-93.

46

Mona Baker (1992), loc.cit.

47

Mildred L. Larson (1984), op.cit. pp. 166-172. 48

Lucia Molina and Amparo. H. Albir (2002). loc.cit.

49

Salihen Moentaha, Bahasa dan Terjemahan (Jakarta: Kesaint Blanc, 2006), pp. 48-78. 50

Alan Duff, The Third Language: Recurrent Problems of Translation into English

(Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1981), pp. 26-27. 51

Ibid. 52

1) Pure borrowing. This way is the procedure in using a loan word purely.

It is same with “transliteration” notion by Hervey and Higgins in

which a source language word is taken over unchanged to receptor

language.53 Baker mentions it as “Using loan word”;54 while

Vinay-Darbelnet states this concept as “Borrowing”,55 and Newmark asserts

it as “Transferrence”,56 for example the word manggis is translated into manggis;

2) Naturalized borrowing. This procedure is conducted by using a loan

word that is modified as phonetic and morphological norms of receptor

language. It is the same as what Hervey and Higgins mentioned

“exoticism”,57 that is, the name of source language is adapted to

conform to the phonic/graphic conventions of receptor language; and

this corresponds to Newmark’s “Naturalization”,58 for example

mantera→mantra.

b) The word is retained in its original form, with either:

1) A literal translation in brackets, e.g. batak → batak (an ethnic of

Indonesian);

2) An official or accepted translation in brackets, e.g. balai-balai → balai-balai (the sleeping platform);

3) An explanatory footnote.

53

Sándor Hervey and Ian Higgins, Thinking Translation: A Course in Translation Method: French-English (London and Newyork: Routledge, 1992), p. 29.

54

Mona Baker (1992), op.cit. p. 36. 55

Jean Paul Vinay and Jean Darbelnet (2000), op.cit. p. 85. 56

Peter Newmark (1988), op.cit. p. 81 57

Sándor Hervey and Ian Higgins (1992), loc.cit. 58

Machali mentioned this notion as pemadanan bercatatan (equivalence by using notes).59 Meanwhile, Newmark states this way as

the procedure of notes. He classifies notes into various forms, namely:60

1) Notes within text, includes:

(a) As an alternative to the translated word: abon _→abon, or preserved meat;

(b) As an adjectival clause: selendang_→selendang, which was the scarf for the woman;

(c) As a noun in apposition: ningrat→ a ningrat, noble blood;

(d) As a participial group (using present or past participle): dukun _→ dukun, a man knowing the magic;

(e) In brackets, often for a literal translation of a transferred: batak _→ batak (an Indonesian ethnic). This way is similar with Duff solutions above; however; he differentiates “notes within text and in brackets”

into two kinds: a literal translation in brackets and an official or

accepted translation;

(f) In parentheses: angklung _→ an angklung – traditional musical instrument of Indonesian.

2) Notes at the bottom page. This solution is equal with Duff’s “an

explanatory footnote” above;

3) Notes at the end of chapter;

4) Notes or glossary at the end of book.

59

Rochayah Machali (2000), op.cit. pp. 72-73. 60

c) The word is never mentioned in its original form. It means the translator uses another word which is familiar to RL (Receptor Language) readers’

culture in order to express SL (Source Language) word (cultural

equivalent). This concept is same with Newmark’s “cultural equivalent”,61

Larson’s “cultural substitute”,62 and Baker’s “cultural substitution”,63 for

example: arisan → playing cards, kutu buku → worm-book (kutu is

changed into worm).

d) The word is never mentioned in its original form, but the translator expands the text in order to convey all the associations. It means the

translator doesn’t present the original word without the other words that

relate to it. SL word is described by explaining the component of the word.

Newmark differentiates this way into two procedures, namely:64

1) Functional equivalent. It is an equivalent modified by explaining the

function of the SL word, for example gubuk → a place for living.

Based on Larson’s suggestion, it can be divided into two types of

functional equivalent, they are:65 (1) generic word of source language

equivalent modified by the function, for example langgar _→ a house where Indonesian Muslim pray; and (2) loan word explained by the

function, for example gendang → the traditional musical instrument

called gendang to make the rhyme stable. Here is the illustration:

61

Ibid. pp. 82-83. 62

Mildred L. Larson (1984), op.cit. pp. 170-172. 63

Mona Baker (1992), op.cit. p. 31. 64

Peter Newmark (1988), op.cit. pp. 83-84. 65

Modifying a generic word Functional Equivalent

Modifying a loan word

Figure 5: The Classification of Functional Equivalent Procedure

2) Descriptive equivalent. It is an equivalent modified by describing the

source language word, for example tukang panjat pohon _→ the men who climbed the trees to get money. Based on Larson’s suggestion, it

can be divided into two types, namely:66 modifying a generic word and

modifying a loan word. Modifying a generic word includes modified

with features of form, for example lumbung padi → the rice raised

barn and modified by a comparison, for example gonggo _→ animal like a spider. Meanwile, modifying a loan word consist of two kinds,

they are modified with a description of form, for example keris→ the

knife called keris is small but dangerous to use and modified by a classifier, for example Belitong → the district called Belitong. Here is

the illustration

Modified with feature of form Modifying a generic word

Descriptive Equivalent Modified by a comparison Modified with a description of form Modifying a loan word

Modified by a classifier

Figure 6: The Classification of Descriptive Equivalent Procedure

66

e) Different translations of the same word are used, because the receptor language differentiates more than the source language. It means the

procedure to use the more specific word of original words, e.g. rice →

padi, beras, gabah, or nasi. This concept is same with “chunking down” Kattan proposes.67 Chunking down means the reverse operation from the

general to specific concept, for instance: we → kita, kami and dia → he,

she.

f) Part of the source language expression is reduced, even omitted. This concept is called as reduction as Newmark declares.68 It is used for

suppressing a SLT information item in RLT, thus, there will be change in

semantic field, that is, general to specific concept, for example: ikan sapu-sapu_→ fish.

g) A receptor language expression is given, although it is not derived from anything in the text. It is a procedure to add the implicit meaning of SL

word. It aims to introduce details that are not formulated in SLT. Molina

and Albir mention it as “amplification”.69 For example cocor bebek →

cocor bebek leaves.

From Duff’s notion and some supporting theories by scholars above, it can

be concluded that there are nine translation procedures, namely: pure borrowing,

naturalized borrowing, notes (pemadanan bercatatan), cultural equivalent,

67

David Kattan, Translating Culture: An Introduction for Translators, Interpreters, and Mediators (Manchester: St. Jerome Publishing, 1999), pp. 147-148.

68

Peter Newmark (1988), op.cit. p. 90. 69

descriptive equivalent, functional equivalent, chunking down, reduction, and

amplification.

C. The Strategy of Translation 1. Definition

It should be known that there are two fields of ideology in the science of

translation, namely the ideology of translating and the translation of ideology.70

The ideology of translating refers to the notion of foreignizing (source language

oriented) and domesticating (receptor language oriented). Foreignizing and

domesticating are very broad terms that cover many translation procedures, since

the ideology of translating influences a translator in deciding the procedure will be

used that comprises deciding text will be translated, solving the problem, the role

of translator and how a text will be accepted in literary system of receptor

language.71 Meanwhile, the translation of ideology is the mediation, interference,

and distortion that the translator does when he translates the sensitive text by

inserting his knowledge and beliefs into the translated text.

However in this research, the writer will discuss about the notion of

ideology of translating that will be mentioned as translation strategy adapted from

the concept of Behtash-Firoozkohi. Wenfen Yang also says it is translation

strategy.72As the explanation on the page 19, the particular concepts of strategy

are “a plan” and “to achieve them”. Meanwhile, Kamei and He Sanning say this

70

Basil Hatim and Ian Mason (1997), op.cit. pp. 145-150. 71

Tresnati S. Sholichin, “Penerjemahan Karya Sastra dan Penerjemahan Buku Anak”.

Jurnal Lintas Bahasa No. 23/XI/8/2003 (Depok: Pusat Penerjemahan Fakultas Ilmu Budaya Universitas Indonesia, 2003), p. 3.

72

notion as “approach”.73 Therefore, it is clear that strategy is a plan or approach

that a translator applies on a given text to achieve his/her aims whether he/she

wants to introduce the foreign culture (foreignized), prefers to produce the local

concept (domesticated) or chooses both of them (neutral).

2. Kinds of Translation Strategies

There are three kinds of translation strategies, namely foreignizing,

domesticating and neutralizing. Domesticating and foreignizing are two basic

translation strategies that are postulated firstly by German theologian Friedrich

Schleiermacher in 1813, then the further developed by Italian scholar Lawrence

Venuti.74 Meanwhile, neutralizing is the new strategy that is coined by He

Sanning.75

a. Foreignizing

According to Venuti, foreignizing is “an ethnodeviant pressure on those

(cultural) values to register the linguistic and cultural difference of the foreign

text, sending the reader abroad“.76 It designates the type of translation in which a

receptor text deliberately breaks target conventions by retaining something of the

foreignness of the original.77 This strategy is an effort to keep the source language

73

Chuici Kamei, “Domesticating and Foreignizing Approaches in Japanese-English Translation.” Translation and Cultural Dialogue, (Bogor: Association of Indonesian Translator, 2007), p. 99.

74

Lawrence Venuti, The Translator Invisibility: A History of Translation (London & Newyork: Routledge, 1995), p. 15.

75

He sanning (2007), op.cit. pp. 124-128. 76

Lawrence Venuti (1995), loc.cit.

77

word which sounds foreign for receptor language reader or hearer but it is a

common one for source language.78 Munday says that foreignizing is applied to

make the readers of receptor language feel that translator is “visible” and they will

tell “they are reading a translation.79 That statement means the translation that

looks like a translation is a translation that contains form and element of source

language. It is clear that foreignizing is the strategy that is oriented on source

language.

By using foreignizing strategy, a translator will use the equivalence

concept of Nida’s “Formal Correspondence”; Larson’s “Form-Based Translation”;

and Newmark’s “Semantic Translation” which are the equal concepts. Formal

correspondence is basically oriented on source language which is produced as

much as possible of form and content of the original message.80 Form-based

translation is a notion which is focused on rendering the form of source language

than the meaning.81 Semantic translation is the method which is preferred the

accuracy of the meaning.82

Here is the example of a translator who applies foreignizing:

SLT : …The boy reached out for his father.

“Dad!”

Their eyes locked for one terrifying second.

78

Darja Mazi-Lezkovar, Domestication and Foreignization in Translating American Prose for Slovenian Children (2003). Accessed on January 2th 2011. http://www.erudit.org/revue/meta/2003/v48/n1-2/006972ar.html. p. 1

79

Jeremy Munday, Introducing Translation Studies: Theories and Applications (London and Newyork: Routledge, 2001). p. 147

80

E.A. Nida, Toward Science of Translating (Leiden:E.J.Brill, 1964), p.165 81

Mildred L. Larson (1984), op.cit. p. 10. 82

(Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol, p. 5)

RLT : Bocah itu menjangkau ayahnya.

“Dad!”

Mereka bertatapan selama satu detik yang mengerikan.

(Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol, translated by Ingrid Dwijani, p.26)

From that example, the translator attempts to keep cultural atmosphere of

source language that is American-English culture. The word “Dad” which is

borrowed makes the readers fell that the conversation is in USA. Such translator

choice shows that he/she applies foreignizing strategy.

b. Domesticating

According to Venuti, domesticating is “an ethnocentric reduction of the

foreign text to target-language cultural values, bring the author back home”.83

Domesticating refers to the translation strategy in which a transparent and fluent

style is adopted in order to minimize the strangeness of the foreign text for

receptor language readers.84 This strategy that has the Indonesian cultural

equivalent as lokalisasi means making the text recognizable and familiar and thus bringing the foreign culture closer to that of the readers. It is concerned on

acceptable result translation.

As the concept of transparency by Hoed, the translation must be seen

original (transparent), do not read like translation and become part of the text that

83

Lawrence Venuti (1995), loc.cit. 84

are acceptable and in accordance with receptor language. Therefore, to produce a

good translation, translators are required to create a translation that does not look

like a translation (invisible), as if the translation is like the author's original essay.

However, he also says that the accuracy of message in translation must be

preserved although the principle of transparency is employed.85

Sumardiono states that there are some reasons that make a translator

chooses domesticating strategy, they are:86

1) The acceptability reason. It produces understandable translation for readers;

2) The politeness reason. To make euphemism translation of source language

word which is taboo, it is required domesticating;

3) The political reason. Ideology and political that a translator believes

influences the result of translation.

The first and second reason are based on the purpose of translator, while, the last

is based on the translator’s attitude toward source and receptor culture.

By using domesticating, a translator will choose the notion of Nida

“Dynamic Equivalence” that is based upon the principle of equivalent effect87

which is equal to Larson’s Meaning-Based Translation which is concerned in

conveying the sense, not form88 that is same with Newmark’s Communicative

Translation that is attempted to produce the easy understanding for the readers.89

85

Benny Hoed, “Transparansi dalam Penerjemahan”,PELBBA 18 (Pertemuan Linguistik Pusat Kajian Bahasa dan Budaya Atma Jaya Kedelapan Belas), ed. Yasir Nasanius (Jakarta: Pusat Kajian Bahasa dan Budaya UNIKA ATMA JAYA JAKARTA, 2007), pp. 25-36.

86

Sumardiono (2011), op.cit. p.15. 87

E.A. Nida (1964), op.cit. p.166. 88

Mildred L. Larson (1984), op.cit. p.11. 89

Here is the example of translator that employs domesticating:

SLT : kill two birds with one stone.

RLT : Sambil menyelam minum air.

In that translation, a translator wanted to produce acceptable translation for

readers. He translated the English “Metaphor” kill two birds with one stone by changing the metaphor into Indonesian “Metaphor” Sambil menyelam minum air.

So, it may be said that foreignizing and domesticating are a paradox

concept. The key words of foreignizing are “not transparent” and “visible”. The

word “not transparent” means the translation doesn’t like original, but it seems a

translation. The word “visible” refers to the presence of translator that is visible

by showing the foreign identity of source text up. Meanwhile, the key words of

domesticating are “transparent” and “invisible”. The “transparent” means the

translation does not seem to be translated, it is like original, so the existence of

translator is “invisible”.90

Foreignizing and domesticating are separated into two categories. The first

one is the category which is focused on source language and preferred to the

accuracy of original message, while the second one is concerned on receptor

language and tend to the acceptability and readability of the translation. In other

word, “Foreignizing vs. Domesticating” strategy by Venuti is equal to Nida’s

“Formal Correspondence vs. Dynamic Equivalence” which refers to Larson’s

“Form-Based Translation vs. Meaning-Based Translation”, is also equal to

90

Newmark’s “Semantic Translation vs. Communicative Translation” notion. For

clearer understanding, here is the illustration of their concept:

Venuti’s “Foreignizing vs. Domesticating” =

Nida’s “Formal Correspondence vs. Dynamic Equivalence” = Larson’s “Form-Based Translation vs. Meaning-Based Translation” =

Newmark’s “Semantic Translation vs. Communicative Translation”. Figure 7: The Equality in Conception of Translation Strategy

For example:91

SLT : In our notion the object of a university education is to train intellectual

men for the pursuits of an intellectual life.

RLT 1 : Menurut gagasan kita sasaran dari suatu pendidikan universitas adalah untuk melatih laki-laki intelektual untuk pengejaran suatu kehidupan intelektual.

RLT 2 : Dalam gagasan kita, tujuan pendidikan tinggi adalah untuk melatih manusia intelektual demi mengejar kehidupan intelektual.

From the example above, RLT 1 (Receptor Language Text 1) is oriented

on source language, because the translation is faithful to source language by using

the style and word-order of source language. It indicates that RLT 1 is translated

by using foreignizing strategy. The second translation, RLT 2, is oriented in

receptor language, because it is focused on acceptability by showing the natural

91

translation for readers. Therefore, it can be said that it is translated by using

domesticating strategy.

c. Neutralizing

Neutralizing is the new strategy to overcome the dispute between

foreignizing and domesticating strategy that are debated by scholars (Nida prefers

domesticating and Venuti selects foreignizing as the better strategy). It is

postulated by He Sanning in translating the cultural specific items of tourist text.92

It can be applied to render cultural words that is uniquely cultural factor in a

certain area becomes phenomenon all over the world without make the readers

confuse or misunderstand. He Sanning states that:

“It (the neutralizing) can help promote cultural exchange through translation because, in order to achieve the same effect, the translator should try his/her best to transfer the cultural message from source language to receptor language while retaining readability and acceptability of the translation. It is referred to the act and process that the translator constantly modulates his/her own awareness of what he/she will translate, satisfy all the needs that the readers meets and tries to approach correlative equivalent between the ST and the TT.” 93

Neutralizing is the strategy that has sense of balance that is emphasized on

source language and receptor language in which it shows the foreign nuance and

local taste. It is not only focused on accuracy, but also acceptability, for example

kuda lumping is rendered into kuda lumping - the Indonesian traditional art in which the players act like horse and do the magic attraction. As the example, by using this strategy, we can preserve the cultural word kuda lumping in the

92

He Sanning (2007), loc.cit

93

translation and at the same time ensure acceptability and readability for the reader

by explaining that word after the “hyphen mark”.

D. Translation of Novel

Suryawinata and Hariyanto states that the translation of novel must be

focused on the rendition of the wholly story, it is not the rendition of sentence for

sentence.94 It aims to make the translation which is enjoyable to read and make the

reader keep going on to read the next page. Meanwhile, Hoed states that a

translator of novel has two task, first he must be a good receiver, that is wiling

understand what the author mean, secondly he acts as sender in which he must be

able to render the sense what he had got accurately to readers.95 Hendarto cited in

Ganesha says that a translator of novel should attempt to produce a translation that

makes receptor language readers feel the same experience with source language

readers.96Similarly, Sayogie says that the good novel translation occurs when the

impression of receptor language readers is same with the impression of source

language readers.97 It may be concluded that the translation of novel should be

pay attention in the rendition of wholly story and must gives the same

experience/impression between SL readers and RL readers.

94

Zuchridin Suryawinata and Sugeng Hariyanto, Translation: Bahasan Teori dan Penuntun Praktis Menerjemahkan (Yogyakarta: Kanisius, 2003), pp. 155-156.

95

Benny H. Hoed (1992), op.cit. p. 81. 96

Surjo Ganesha, “Penerjemahan Novel Dalam Diskusi”. Jurnal Lintas Bahasa No.26/XII/8/2004 (Depok: Pusat Penerjemahan Fakultas Ilmu Budaya Universitas Indonesia, 2004). p. 5.

97

Sayogie, 98 who is in line with Hendarto cited in Ganesha,99 suggests some

abilities that a translator of novel has, namely: (1) Literary Sense; (2) Mastery of

Source Language; (3) Mastery of Receptor Language; (4) Familiar with the

Culture of Source Language (5) Familiar with the Culture of Receptor Language;

(6) Good Knowledge, (7) Supporting Reference.

Then he proposes some steps to translate the novel. The first step is a

translator must read the original novel fully to obtain the information about the

character, plot, setting, utterance style, and implicit meaning in the novel. The

second is finding the other information or the extrinsic elements of novel such as

the background and the author of novel. The third is deciding the utterance style

will be used in the translation. The fourth is marking the problem or something

hard to translate. The last is solving it by finding the appropriate equivalent

cyclically.100

E. Cultural Words 1. Definition

Translation is a process which involves two languages, namely source

language and receptor language. It can also be said that translation involving two

different cultures. Translation is the process of finding meaning and conveys the

meaning of a culture into another culture. Therefore, cultural differences between

source language and receptor language makes translator difficult in producing

translation well, because it needs to know and learn the culture of both languages.

98

Ibid. p. 204-206 99

Surjo Ganesha (2004), loc.cit. 100

According to Newmark, definition of culture is “the way of life of

manifestations that are peculiar to a community that uses a particular language as

its means of expressions.”101 Corder describes culture as sets of beliefs, political or ethical and behavior common to the member of community in which they share

to a large extent of the way they see the world around them, interpret events, and

consider what an important to them. Accordingly, culture includes beliefs, norms,

values, assumptions, expectations, and plans of action.102

Related to the words bounded by culture, Newmark says, “most cultural

words are easy to detect, since they are associated with a particular language and

cannot be literally translated … where literal translation would distort the meaning

and a translation may include an appropriate descriptive-functional equivalent”.103

Therefore, it can be concluded that cultural words is as a particular words living

embodiment in a group of people interact or communicate each other in a period

time which can not be literally translated.

2. The Types of Cultural Words

Newmark states, cultural words can be categorized into five, namely:

a. Ecology. It is a geographical feature that can be normally distinguished

from other cultural terms in that they are usually value-free, politically

and commercially. It includes flora, fauna, mountain, river, natural

conditions, for example wedus gembel (a fog), serindit melayu bird, etc;

101

Peter Newmark (1988), op.cit. p. 94. 102

S.Pit Corder, Introducing Applied Lingustics (Great Britain: Hazell Watson 7 Viney, 1973), p. 68.

103

b. Material culture (artefacts). It is the culture specific element that

includes clothing, food, transportation, tools and equipments, etc. For

example getek, pempek, kebaya, etc;

c. Social culture: work and leisure such as the names of music, games or

dance that is typical in certain areas such as keroncong, kuda lumping, malam takbiran, kopi darat, etc;

d. Organization, customs, ideas: political, social, legal, religious, artistic.

The linguistic manifestations of this concept cannot be translated into a

language where the audience is unfamiliar with it, for example SLB (the Special Needs School), kepala desa, sumpah pemuda, and so on;

e. Gestures and habits. In this case, there is a distinction between

description and function which can be made where necessary in

ambiguous cases: thus, if people smile a little when someone dies or give

a thumbs-up to signal OK, all of which occur in some cultures and not in

others. These are activities or actions carried out from generation to

generation, like kerja bakti, bersila, nujuh bulan, aben, lamaran, etc104

104

CHAPTER III RESEARCH FINDINGS

A. Data Description

In data description, the writer tabulates the selected data of cultural words

which are taken from Laskar Pelangi and the Rainbow Troops including the types of cultural words, the procedure of translation, and the strategy of translation that

are used by the translator, Angie Kilbane. The selected data can be tabulated as

follows.

Table 1: The Data of Cultural Words, Their Classification, the Procedure of Translation, and the Strategy of Translation

No Laskar Pelangi the Rainbow Troops

The Types of Cultural Words

The Procedure of Translation

The Strategy of Translation 1

Dul Muluk (2) Dul Muluk (2) Idea: play Pure Borrowing (with wholly italic)

Foreignizing

2 Pamanda Guru (6) Pamanda Guru (6) Idea: traditional address.

Pure Borrowing (with partial italic)

Foreignizing

3 air jeruk sambal (32)

orange juice (49) Material Culture: drinks

Cultural Equivalence Domesticating

4

Dasa Dharma Pramuka (74)

Dasa Dharma Pramuka – the Boy Scout Promise (62)

Idea: Thinking Notes (as noun:

compound noun)

Neutralizing

5 libur lebaran (77) Lebaran school break (63)

Social Culture: leisure

Descriptive Equivalent (using loan word)

Domesticating

6

azan zuhur (133) zuhur call to prayer (115)

Idea: religious Functional Equivalence (using loan word)

No Laskar Pelangi the Rainbow Troops The Types of Cultural Words

The Procedure of Translation

The Strategy of Translation

7

mantri suntik (143)

male hospital orderlies in charge of giving vaccinations (124)

Social Culture: occupation

Functional Equivalence (using generic word)

Domesticating

8 Pangkalan Punai (179)

Pangkalan Punai (149) Ecology:

recreation places Pure Borrowing (without Italic) Foreignizing 9 menata janur (191)

menata janur - a Malay wedding decoration (157)

Idea: arts Notes (as a participial group) Neutralizing 10 pontang-panting memikulnya (193)

scramble back with them on your shoulders (158)

Gestures and Habits: Activities

Descriptive Equivalent + Cultural Equivalent

Domesticating

11 kopiah(219) Traditional Muslim caps (178)

Material Culture: clothes

Descriptive Equivalent (using generic word)

Domesticating

12 tabla(223) a tabla – traditional drum (181)

Material Culture: musical instrument

Notes (as noun: noun phrase)

Neutralizing

13

cinta monyet (251)

cinta monyet –

monkey love, or puppy love (204)

Idea: human relation Notes (as alternative) Neutralizing

14

peneng sepeda (305)

peneng sepeda – the stickers used back in the day to show that the bicycle tax had been paid (263)

Material Culture: equipments

Notes (as parentheses) Neutralizing

15 randu (441) random (421) Ecology: plant Naturalized Borrowing Foreignizing

16

apel Korpri (Page 443)

Indonesia Government Employee Corps flag ceremony (Page 423)

Gestures and Habits: activities

Descriptive Equivalent (explaining the

abbreviation)

Domesticating

17 bungkus rokok Jambu Bol (467)

cigarette packs (440) Material Culture: tools

B. Data Analysis

From the tabulated data above that contains 17 cultural words which are

chosen by consideration whether it is culture-specific item or not, the writer tries

to classify and analyze the selected cultural words by using the relevant theories.

The data can be analyzed as follows:

1. Dul Muluk

…, membuat wajahnya coreng moreng

seperti pemeran emban bagi permaisuri

dalam Dul Muluk, sandiwara kuno kampung kami. (Page 2)

…, streaking her face and making her

look like the queen’s servant in Dul Muluk, an ancient play in our village. (Page 2)

Data (1) shows that the Belitong play Dul Muluk which is cultural word that refers to arts/play (idea) is translated into Dul Muluk. As Newmark says, cultural words consist of ecology, material culture, social culture,

organization-custom-idea, and gesture-habits.105 Behtash and Firoozkohi mention cultural

words as “culture specific items”;106 while He Sanning declares it as “cultural

specific elements”.107

This word is preserved in the translation without any change, therefore it

can be said that the translator uses the procedure of borrowing. Beside that, it can

be identified that she borrows Indonesian cultural word by using italic for each

word, so this procedure can be mentioned as pure borrowing with “wholly italic”.

105

Peter Newmark (1988), loc.cit. 106

He Sanning (2007), op.cit. p. 128. 107

B. BIOGRAPHY

1. Andrea Hirata (The Author)

Andrea Hirata Seman Said Harun was born in

Belitong, October 24th (the year of his birth

was secret for public). He is the fourth son of his parent, Seman Said Harun and N.A. Matsurah. In Belitong, he spent his childhood until senior high school. After graduating from senior high school, he moved to Java to study in University of Indonesia.

He is an intellectual-man and a backpacker. He graduated from University of Indonesia for economic department and then he got scholarship program of Europe for Master of Science study in Universite de Paris, Sorbonne, Perancis and Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom. He earned Cum Laude and his thesis in economic of telecommunication was appreciated by both of universities. That thesis has been adapted in the book of telecommunication economic theory in Indonesian.

Laskar Pelangi is the first book of Laskar Pelangi quartet. It shattered national sales records, making Andrea Hirata the bestselling author in Indonesia to date, reached over 5 million readers, and contributed significantly to the development of modern Indonesian literature. The second, third and fourth book of Laskar Pelangi quartet are Sang Pemimpi, Edensor, and Maryamah Karpov.

Actually, Laskar Pelangi is not the first book of him, it is his second book. The

2. Angie Kilbane (The Translator)

Laskar Pelangi was translated into English to be the Rainbow Troops by Angie Kilbane. Angie Kilbane is a woman journalist from England who certainly is not ordinary translator. She came to Indonesia in 2007 as a Fulbright scholar, then, she picked up a “Darmasiswa” scholarship in 2008. Next thing she knew, she was sitting in lecture halls at the University of Indonesia studying Indonesian literature.

When she visited Belitong, especially to Andrea Hirata brother’s home, she was asked by Andrea Hirata to translate Laskar Pelangi. She began the translation at the end of March 2008. She worked it everywhere, at home, in taxis, at cafes, on airplanes, in airports and during lunch at school. She had finished the translation for seven months.

In Indonesia, she has also taught in elementary and junior high school of the Lazuardi Global Islamic School in Cinere and Cilandak for three year by using Cambridge Curriculum.

C. TRANSLATOR’S NOTE

Translator’s Note

I FIRST heard the name Laskar Pelangi in September 2008. All of a sudden it

was everywhere: the book, the song, the movie. The first book of Andrea Hirata’s

life-inspired quartet, Laskar Pelangi has taken Indonesia by storm since its release

in 2005, selling a record number of copies. Its popularity remains unsurpassed. In 2008, it was adapted to film, and in that medium it has earned awards and gained recognition worldwide.

As both a story and a literary work, Laskar Pelangi is priceless — so

admired that men have proposed to women using this book in place of a ring. It contains a unique, new way of telling a story. Set on the Indonesian island of

Belitong, Laskar Pelangi conveys a sad tale with laughter and lightheartedness. It

tells of oppressed people protesting in admirably good humor, without swearing, without violence, without a divisive political movement, and without anyone to take up their cause. The vicissitudes of growing up are depicted brilliantly; the reader will be touched by an absurd yet pure first love, and one can’t help but smile at the innocence of the children as they earnestly plan their futures. Above

all, Laskar Pelangi tackles serious issues, such as the right to education and

corporate exploitation, while framing them within the tale of a beautiful childhood journey and friendship.

Having been deeply affected by the Belitong I encountered in the book, I had to go there. So my friend Kate and I planned a Christmas trip to Belitong— and by planned, I mean bought tickets and left the rest up to fate. We happened to stay with Andrea Hirata’s brother, Pak Diding, and his family while we were there. We fell in love with Belitong: the people, the landscape, the culture. It felt like a home away from home. A few months later, Andrea asked me to review two drafts of translations for the book. I gave him my opinion, and he eventually asked me if I would translate it. As a student of literature at Universitas Indonesia at the

time, I was both delighted and intimidated by this offer. I accepted, and we began the translation at the end of March 2009.

Translating this masterpiece was no easy task. It took seven months. I worked on it at home, in taxis, at cafés, on airplanes, in airports and during lunch at school. I worked on it on Java, Bali, Sumatera and Belitong; in Singapore, America, Malaysia and South Korea. This translation has seen its fair share of places. Some parts were easier than others, and I had a lot of help along the way.One thing that was very important and difficult to master was conveying the correct emotion in English in the same way Andrea conveyed it in the Indonesian version. Along with trying to tap into universal emotions, the overall construction of irony in the book was one of the biggest challenges in taking on this translation,

as was trying to figure out how we wanted to translate the words Laskar Pelangi.

The film has had a number of international debuts, and in those debuts they used “Rainbow Troops,” we decided to stick with that for consistency. I am not crazy about the phrase in English and have already heard many criticisms of it, and for

those reasons, after the phrase Laskar Pelangi is used in the book and defined in

English, the Indonesian phrase is used for the duration.

Cultural translation and its attendant quandaries—knowing when to explain something and when to just leave it as is—were our constant concern. One

of our goals in translating Laskar Pelangi into English is to share it with the

world—not just Southeast Asian Studies libraries and classes. In the hope that Laskar Pelangi will appeal to a wider audience, we decided to stay away from glossaries and footnotes.

Another goal in translating Laskar Pelangi was to provide Indonesian

students of English with a study reference written by someone from their own country. Indonesian students are often given assignments with English novels— what better inspiration and motivation for them than a book by one of their countrymen about their country.

The epic journey that is Laskar Pelangi, the character of the book itself

and the central theme of education (from any angle: the way people value their existence, in the community, amongst each other) all contribute to making this

book a universally touching experience. Education is a basic human right, and all over the world there are children and teachers who are still struggling to secure this right. I recently had a discussion with a teacher in Central Java who sometimes loses junior high students due to their need to work. Not unlike Bu Mus and Pak Harfan, he makes less than $25 USD/month, and often goes above and beyond his teaching duties, making house calls to check up on students who have been absent more than three days in a row. For reasons of poverty, marriage, lack of teachers, lack of students, not to mention natural and social disasters,

many children do not have access to education. Laskar Pelangi is a product of and

a medium for the inspiration to overcome these circumstances. This is one of the reasons the book has been so popular in Indonesia.

I am honored to have had the opportunity to translate this book. Many

people have helped me, and this is part where I write my elongated Thank Yous. I

would like to thank Andrea Hirata for entrusting me with translating his masterpiece. Andrea himself has had a very active role in the translation. We have had many ups and downs while working on this project, and it would not be anywhere near as good as it is without him. I recruited some very intelligent friends to help with the project. My editors, Emily Hanna Mayock and John Colombo, have spent countless hours reviewing the work. Their input and corrections have been invaluable. Jewel Aldea has been kind enough to be the final proofreader (aside from Andrea), and her contributions have really given the translation a polished finish.

I would like to thank Pak Haidar Bagir and Pak Putut Widjanarko from Mizan Publishing, and also Pak Salman Faridi from Bentang Publishing for their support and patience throughout this process. Thanks to Azmil Tayeb for his comments, Lindsey Frick for being my coffeeshop working companion while I was in the States, Intan for sharing his experiences, and my friends in Belitong for welcoming me into their lives.

I would like to also thank SMK Muhammadiyah 3, Singosari-Malang and Lazuardi Global Islamic School (SD SMP Cinere and SMP Cilandak) for giving me the opportunity to teach at their schools and providing me with precious life

experiences. Thank you to Bonang and Menteng Jaya communities for studying with me and showing me the value of informal education and community togetherness (made possible by Nurani Dunia Foundation).

Of course a big terima kasih to my Bahasa Indonesia teachers from my days at Ohio University: Ibu Suharni and Ibu Maryani.

Thanks to Nidji for their inspirational song Laskar Pelangi, which has the power to pick anyone up when they are down, and to Mira Lesmana and Riri Riza for adapting the book into such a powerful film?

I owe many thanks to Bu Gita and Pak Imam Prasodjo for their advice and encouragement, to all of my ETA friends from our grant period 2007-2008, and those who came after us—you are all great. And last but not least, to my family, for tolerating my absence and their constant support and love.

I hope everyone loves this story as much as I do. Selamat membaca.

Angie Kilbane

Jakarta, October 4th, 2009