CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
A. Definition of Translation
Translation briefly means transfer of message from one language into another language. This is the simplest definitions of all. Pinhhuck 1977: 38 in
Suryawinata also stated that ―translation is a process of finding a TL equivalent for an SL utterance
”. However, translation is not only about equivalence. It is also about culture. Thus, a complete definition of translation should cover aspects
other than equivalence. Georges Mounin in Bassnet, 1992: 36 stated that: ―Translation may always start with the clearest situations, the most concrete
messages, the most elementary universals. But as it involves the consideration of a language in its entirety, together with its most subjective messages, through an
examination of common situations and a multiplication of contacts that need clarifying
…” Other definition from Nida Nida Taber, 1969 has it that
“Translating consists of reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the
source language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style.
” From this definition, it is not only linguistic meaning that matters in a translation, but also style authors‘ background culture of the original text.
Another definition from John Catford in Suryawinata 1965: 20 says that “Translation is the replacement of textual material in one language by equivalent
textual material in another language. ” Meanwhile Bell 1991: 6 says that
“Translation is the replacement of a representation of a text in one language by a
representation of an equivalent text in a second language.‖ This definition implies that translation also includes textual aspects of the original message.
Larson 1984 covers the aspects in his definitions of translation as: “Translation is basically a change of form. When we speak the form of a
language, we are referring to the actual words, phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs, etc., which are spoken or written… In translation the form of the
source language is replaced by the form of the receptor target language.‖ What this definition defines is that translation is mostly about grammatical change from
source language into target language. Tytler in Bell, 1991: 11 sets his definition as:
“That in which the merit of the original work is so completely transfused into another language, as to be as
distinctly apprehended, and as strongly felt, by a native of the country to which that language belongs, as it is by those who speak the language of the original
work. ” The definition emphasizes on the target readers‘ reactionresponse being
the same as those of the native readers‘. Bell 1991: 8 also explains that register and dialect features are important. It
is based on the opinion that translation is a communicative process; therefore, it has participants, topics, and medium. These three aspects should also be translated
by the translator. It is the description of social relationship in the text. Newmark 1981: 62 comments that:
“…translation is basically a means of communication or a manner of addressing one or more persons in the speaker presence‖.
Concerning social relationship, there must be differences between languages in establishing social relationship, or we can say that the values are different. These
values refer to cultural values. In other words, the culture within the text is as important as the grammar of the text.
B. Translation as a Process
Kategori