Translating Themes of Rebu Texts in Karonese Society into English

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TRANSLATING THEMES OF REBU TEXTS IN

KARONESE SOCIETY INTO ENGLISH

A DISSERTATION

By

MILISI SEMBIRING

Reg. Number 098107011

Doctor Program (S3) Linguistics

FACULTY OF CULTURAL SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA

MEDAN

2014

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TRANSLATING THEMES OF REBU TEXTS IN

KARONESE SOCIETY INTO ENGLISH

A DISSERTATION

Submitted to the Postgraduate Studies of Linguistics, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of Sumatera Utara, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

the Degree of Doctor in Linguistics under the Authority of the Rector Prof. Dr. dr. Syahril Pasaribu, DTM&H., M.Sc. (CTM)., Sp.A(K).

By

MILISI SEMBIRING

Reg. Number 098107011

Doctor Program (S3) Linguistics

FACULTY OF CULTURAL SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA

MEDAN

2014

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Title of the Dissertation :Translating Themes of

Rebu

Texts in

Karonese Society into English

Name of the Student : Milisi Sembiring Reg. Number : 098107011 Study Program : Linguistics

Approved and Accepted by Promotor Commision

Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd Promotor

Dr. Syahron Lubis, MA Dr. Matius C.A Sembiring, M.A

Co-Promotor Co-Promotor

Chairperson of Linguistics Study Program Dean of Cultural Science Faculty

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THE RESULT OF THIS DISSERTATION RESEARCH HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE FINAL EXAMINING COMMITTEE AND ACCEPTED BY LINGUISTICS STUDY PROGRAM OF THE FACULTY

OF CULTURAL SCIENCES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA

FOR THE PROMOTION

Approved by Promotor

Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd Co-Promotors

Dr. Syahron Lubis, MA Dr. Matius C.A Sembiring, M.A

Legalized

Chairperson of Linguistics Study Program

The Faculty of Cultural Sciences of the University of Sumatera Utara

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Examined in the Promotion EXAMINATION COMMITTEE

Chairperson : Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd

Members : 1. Dr. Syahron Lubis, MA

2. Dr. Matius C.A Sembiring, M.A

3. Prof. T. Silvana Sinar, MA.,Ph.D

4. Assoc. Prof. Hasuria Che Omar, M.A, Ph.D

5. Dr. Eddy Setia, M.Ed. TESP

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With the Rector Decree of the University of Sumatera Utara Number :02/UN5.1.R/SK/SSA/2014

Date : January 4, 2014

TEAM OF PROMOTORS

Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd

Dr. Syahron Lubis, MA

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BOARD OF EXAMINERS

Prof. T. Silvana Sinar, MA.,Ph.D

Assoc. Prof. Hasuria Che Omar, M.A, Ph.D

Dr. Eddy Setia, M.Ed. TESP

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First examination (closed) December 16, 2013 Examination Committee

Chairperson : Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd Unimed Medan

Members : 1. Dr. Syahron Lubis, MA USU Medan

2. Dr. Matius C.A Sembiring, M.A USU Medan 3. Prof. T. Silvana Sinar, MA.,Ph.D USU Medan 4. Assoc. Prof. Hasuria Che Omar, M.A, Ph.D USM Penang 5. Dr. Eddy Setia, M.Ed. TESP USU Medan 6. Dr. Roswita Silalahi, Dip. TESOL, M.Hum USU Medan

Rector’s Decree

Number :1591/UN5.1R/SK/SSA/2013

Date

:29 October 2013

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Second examination (Promotion) January 29, 2014

Examination Committee

Chairperson : Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning, M.Pd Unimed Medan

Members : 1. Dr. Syahron Lubis, MA USU Medan

Rector’s Decree

Number

:

02/UN5.1.R/SK/SSA/2014

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CERTIFICATION

The title of the dissertation

TRANSLATING THEMES OF

REBU

TEXTS IN

KARONESE SOCIETY INTO ENGLISH

I certify that the dissertation I wrote as one of the requirements to obtain the degree of Doctor from the Study Program of Linguistics, the Faculty of Cultural Science of the University of Sumatera Utara is exactly my own work.

I certify that I clearly mention the references of the citations I use in some specific parts of this dissertation base on the norm, rule, and etiquette of the technique of the scientific writing.

I certify, in the future, that I am willing to accept the sanction of revocation of my academic degree which I received and other sanctions in accordance with the applicable rules and laws, provided some parts or all of this dissertation are invented not my own work or to commit plagiarism.

Medan, January 29, 2014

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ABSTRACT

The aims of this study are to find out the translation of themes of rebu clauses, politeness and specific culture- bound terms in source language into the target language and to analyze them systematically.

This study is also aimed at identifying the problems arising while translating source language into target language and applied the translation methods and procedures to resolve the problems. The Karonese language of Singalorlau region is chosen as the focus of participation observation. The data of this study are cultural texts in Karonese society and the data are purposively selected. The research is conducted using the qualitative method. The data obtained is analyzed by using interdiciplinary approach. The data for this study consists of three texts, the first text is the text of mukul which consists of the beginning of rebu in a Karonese family. The second text consists of rebu in Karonese society and kinds of rebu. Thirdly is the text of participation observation. Rebu clauses are analyzed and described regarding to each category. All 121 clauses are translated and examined in this study. The overall areas of analysis are carried out,

representing Halliday’s three metafunctions: the ideational, the interpersonal and

the textual. The focus of the analysis is the ideational or topical themes of rebu texts. Newmark’s model of translation methods and translation procedures are selected to resolve the problems to translate the themes of rebu clauses and the specific culture bound terms in the source language. Four models of analysis are used to interpret the results ; systemic functional linguistics, cultural, politeness and translation analyses are applied to translate rebu texts in Karonese society. The themes, culture-bound terms and politeness problems arising while translating source text into target text are identified to be the center of the analysis. The systemic functional linguistics analysis of the topical themes in source language show the themes in declarative and non declarative sentences. Overall, the results certain marked and unmarked themes , specific bound culture terms and politeness are the constraints in the process of translation. The translation methods and procedures are applied to resolve these problems. The results reveal two translation methods and seven translation procedures are applied in translating the themes of rebu texts in Karonese society. They are literal and semantic translation methods. For the translation procedures, they are descriptive equivalence, transference, paraphrase, transposition/shift, couplets , notes and cultural equivalence.

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ABSTRAK

Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk memperoleh penerjemahan tema, istilah-istilah budaya yang spesifik dan kesopan-santunan pada klausa rebu dari bahasa sumber ke bahasa Inggeris serta menganalisisnya secara sistematis. Tujuan lain penelitian ini adalah untuk mengidentifikasi masalah yang muncul saat menerjemahkan bahasa sumber ke bahasa sasaran, sekaligus menerapkan metode dan prosedur penerjemahan untuk menyelesaikan masalah tersebut. Bahasa Karo Singalorlau dipilih sebagai fokus observasi partisipatif. Data penelitian ini adalah teks budaya dalam masyarakat Karo dan data dipilih sesuai dengan kecukupan maupun cakupannya. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode kualitatif, kemudian data yang diperoleh dianalisis secara pendekatan interdisipliner. Ada tiga teks data penelitian ini yaitu pertama teks mukul, awal rebu dalam suatu keluarga masyarakat Karo. Teks kedua terdiri dari rebu dan jenis rebu dalam masyarakat Karo, sedangkan yang ketiga merupakan teks observasi partisipatif. Klausa rebu dianalisis sekaligus dijelaskan sesuai masing-masing kategori. Ada 121 klausa yang diterjemahkan dan diteliti dalam penelitian ini. Keseluruhan analisis dilakukan, mengacu pada tiga metafungsi Halliday yaitu: tema ideasional, interpersonal serta tekstual. Analisis berfokus pada tema ideasional atau topikal teks rebu. Prosedur penerjemahan model Newmark, dipilih untuk menyelesaikan masalah dalam menerjemahkan tema dari klausa teks rebu serta budaya yang ada pada teks rebu dalam bahasa sumber. Ada empat model analisis yang digunakan untuk menginterpretasikan hasil penelitian ini, yaitu analisis linguistik sistemik funsional , cultural analysis, politeness analysis serta translation analysis yang diterapkan untuk menerjemahkan teks rebu dalam masyarakat Karo ke dalam bahasa Inggris. Secara keseluruhan, dalam proses penerjemahan ditemukan masalah penerjemahan berupa tema tidak lazim, tema lazim, istilah budaya yang spesifik dan kesopan santunan yang merupakan fokus analisis pada penelitian ini.Analisis secara linguistik sistemik funfsional terhadap tema topical pada bahasa sumber menunjukkan tema pada kalimat deklaratif dan non-deklaratif.Secara keseluruhan, tema lazim, tema tidak lazim, istilah budaya yang spesifik adalah merupakan hambatan dalam proses penerjemahan ini.Metode and prosedur penerjemahan digunakan untuk mengatasi masalah tersebut.Hasil penelitian menunjukkan dua metode penerjemahan dan tujuh prosedur penerjemahan digunakan dalam penerjemahan tema teks rebu dalam bahasa sumber ke bahasa sasaran. Kedua metode penerjemahan tersebut adalah metode penerjemahan harafiah dan semantik. Ke tujuh prosedur penerjemahan yang digunakan adalah descriptive equivalence, transference, paraphrase, transposition/shift, couplets , notes serta cultural equivalence.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The idea of conducting a dissertation research on translating rebu texts in

Karonese society into English came to the researcher’s mind three years ago when

he was presenting a paper in International Conference on Translation and Multiculturalism held by University of Malay in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The title of his paper was Translating rebu in Karo Society into English : Problems and Procedures, which was funded by The Directorate General of Higher Education (Dikti) on the program of Bantuan Seminar Luar Negeri Tahun 2010. The insightful advice was given by Prof. Roger T. Bell, PhD, who was his translation lecturer.

The researcher’s deepest thanks go to the rector of the University of

Sumatera Utara, Prof. Dr. dr. Syahril Pasaribu, DTM&H., M.Sc. (CTM)., Sp.A(K) who provided him the opportunity to continue his study at the Linguistics Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of Sumatra Utara (USU).

During the dissertation research at the Linguistics Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Postgraduate Studies at the University of Sumatra Utara (USU), Medan, he has really been fortunate to have Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning, MPd as his promotor, who wisely counseled him not to attempt a broader analysis of all aspects of the data from multiple source texts, but limit himself to analyze several representative strong data. On this occasion the researcher would like to express his sincerest gratitude to his promotor Prof. Dr. Busmin Gurning, MPd who gave him guidance to do the research in detailed, critical, and deeply insightful and the co-promotors of this dissertation Dr. Syahron Lubis, MA for his valuable comments have offered great help to the improvement of the

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researcher’s work and Dr. Matius CA Sembiring, MA who also suggested him to

read articles on translating cultures in addition to the translation studies books. The articles on translating cultures provided him important information to resolve the problems in his dissertation research.

His truthfully gratefulness also given to Dr. Syahron Lubis, MA, as the Dean of Cultural Science Faculty of Graduate Program of University of Sumatera Utara, Medan, thanks for his invaluable guidance both in academic and administrative matters.

. Furthermore, he also indebted to his board examiners Prof. T. Silvana Sinar, MA, Ph.D, Assoc. Prof. Hasuria Che Omar, PhD, Dr. Eddy Setia, M.Ed. TESP, and Dr. Roswita Silalahi, Dip. TESOL, M. Hum for their constructive comments and suggestions in enriching the quality of this dissertation.

The Linguistics Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of Sumatra Utara is a good place for a PhD student studying, and he would like to thank all the other the linguistics department members with whom he has had the opportunity to interact in the last four years.

The researcher is deeply indebted to the chairperson of Linguistics Study Program, Postgraduate Studies, University of Sumatra Utara Medan, to Prof. Tengku Silvana Sinar, MA, Ph.D for her contribution of knowledge, time, encouragement, including the arrangement of the Sandwich-like Program 2011, he attended at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Hong Kong.

He would like to express his gratitude to the following people, who have provided so much help and support during his Sandwich-like Program 2011: Prof. Christian M.I.M. Matthiessen Phil.Cand., MA, PhD as the researcher’s Sandwich-like Program 2011 advisor for his helping with consultation during the

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researcher’s Sandwich-like Program and taught him Systemic Functional Linguistics. Assoc. Prof. Stephen Evans, BA, MA, PGCE, PhD who taught him Writing Researach Articles at Hong Kong Polytecnic University.

His special thanks also go to PhD research students namely Miss Nancy Guo, Mr Winfred Xuen and Constance for their perceptive discussion and comments, and for helping make his stays at Hong Kong Polytecnic University that much more pleasant. Carmen Tsang, Administrative Manager, Department of English The Hong Kong Polytechnic University who spent a lot of time to arrange the schedule of his sandwich-like program.

He is also grateful to Dr. Ali R. Al-Hassnawi, Assoc. Prof. of Linguistics & Translation, Director of Centre of Foundation Studies in Al Buraimi, Sultanate of Oman who encouraged and inspired him considerably to do this study.

BPPS (Beasiswa Program Pasca Sarjana) has enabled the researcher to study at the Postgraduate Studies of Linguistics, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of Sumatra Utara for granting him the three-year studentship.

He would like to express his sincere thanks to Direktorat Diktendik members for giving him financial Dana Bantuan Penyelesaian Studi Program Doktor in 2012.

The researcher also feels really grateful to the members of committee of Penelitian Disertasi Doktor Tahun 2013 who gave him financial support to finish his dissertation.

A special word of gratitude also goes to Drs. Paham Ginting, M.Hum for editing the Karonese language of the manuscript and to Ms Wendy Lewis of Accent Ed Indonesia for editing the English of his dissertation. I am also grateful

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to Basmi Sembiring and Usaha Tarigan, the Karonese Adat experts for their information, particularly for their explanation concerning Karonese culture.

Finally, he also wants to thank his wife, Surita Br Ginting, SKM, M.Kes who usually encourages , loves and helps him so much to finish his study. His children – Sri Martha Hizkhi Br Sembiring, SE, Samuel Pola Karta Sembiring and Endang Yoanna Br Sembiring who inspired and fully supported him in every trial that came his way.

The researcher realizes that this dissertation still has many weaknesses and it is far from being perfect, but hopefully this dissertation has benefits for all readers. May God Almighty bless us all. Amen.

Medan, January 29, 2014

Milisi Sembiring 098107011

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CURRICULUM VITAE

Milisi Sembiring was born in Kuta Buara, on June 13, 1960. He is the first son of his late father, Tammat Sembiring and his mother Terima br Karo. He is a lecturer at Universitas Quality, Medan and regular visiting lecturer for Translation and Language Research at Darma Agung University, Medan and he teaches Syntax at Islamic University of Sumatera Utara , Medan and English at Nursing Academy at Herna Hospital.

He did his BA at University of Sumatera Utara, Medan and his MA at University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta . He is a PhD student of University of Sumatera Utara concentrating on translation.

In 2004, he was awarded Dosen Teladan (1st Model Lecturer) of Universitas Karo, Kabanjahe. At the same year he was also awarded as Dosen Berprestasi Harapan II, Kopertis Wilayah I in 2004.

After studying at University of Sumatera Utara for two semesters, he was a paper presenter in International Conference on Translation and Multiculturalism held by University of Malay in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 23-25 July 2010. The title of his paper was Translating rebu in Karo Society into English : Problems and Procedures, which was funded by The Directorate General of Higher Education (Dikti) on the program of Bantuan Seminar Luar Negeri Tahun 2010.

He attended Sandwich – like Program 2011 in Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. His recent publication is : Translating Rebu in Karonese Society into English Published in IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 17, Issue 1, November -December 2013.

He has been as a member of Association of Indonesian Translators since 2013. He has just finished his research “Penelitian Disertasi Doktor, 2013” supported by Dikti. Its title is “ Translating Daliken si telu in Karonese Society into English” .

His wife , Surita Br Ginting, SKM, M.Kes, is a lecturer at Poltekkes Medan. He has three children, his eldest daughter, Sri Martha Hizkhi Br Sembiring is a civil servant at Diklat PU, Medan and now she is an MA student at Institute of Technology, Bandung and his son Samuel Pola Karta Sembiring, S.Ked is a medical faculty student at University of Sumatera Utara, Medan and his youngest daughter Endang Yoanna Br Sembiring is a student of STIS Jakarta.

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LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 2.1 : Holmes’s and Toury’s conception of translation studies 12

Figure 2.2 : Translation process 16

Figure 2.3 : Arbogast’s phases ofTranslation Process (LCS =

Language and Cultural 17

Figure 2.4 : The flattened V diagram 18

Figure 2.5 : System of Theme 19

Figure 2.6 : Halliday’s model figure of theme 21

Figure 2.7 : Halliday’s system of themes. 23

Figure 2.8 : A functional theory of language 28 Figure 2.9 : Fawcett, Garcia and Parker ‘s figure of translation 39 Figure 2.10 : Framework of translating SL into TL 46 Figure 3.1 : Larson ‘s (1998) diagram of translation process 50

Figure 3.2 : Text sources relationship 51

Figure 3.3 : Components of data Analysis : interactive model 57 Figure 4.1 : Perkade-kaden 12 in Karonesesociety 77 Figure 4.2 : Dalikan si telu/rakut si telu 87

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LIST OF TABLES

Page Table 2.1 : The relationships of register variables and meanings 37

Table 3.1 : Data selection 62

Table 4.1 : Number of Population by Sub District, Type of Sex and 71 Population Distribution 2009

Table 4.2 : Number of Village, Total Area and Population by

Sub District 2009 72

Table 4.3 : Sub-clans in Karonesesociety 75 Table 4.4 : Perkade-kaden sepuluh dua tambah sada 78

“The twelve relatives and plus one”

Table 4.5 : Classification of geonological kindship 78 Table 4.6 : Classification of wide kindship 78 Table 4.7 : Personal Pronouns in Karonese language 91 Table 4.8 : Possessive pronoun in Karonese language 96 Table 4.9 : Interrogative pronouns in Karonese language and 99 Table 4.10 : Pronoun of person, object and possessive in Karonese

language 102

Table 4.11 : Polite Pronoun in Karonese language 106 Table 4.12 : Imperative politeness in Karonesesociety 107 Table 5.1 : Overall distribution of themes in the data of 176

Karonese language

Table 5.2 : Overall distribution of themes in the data of English 177 Table 5.3 : Halliday’s model analysis of theme in declarative

clauses in Karonese language 179

Table 5.4 : Halliday’s model analysis of theme in declarative

clauses in English 180

Table 5.5 : The unmarked themes of SL in declarative clause, a polar 183 interrogative clause, WH-element in a WH-interrogative, imperative and, dependent clause.

Table 5.6 : The unmarked themes of TL in declarative clause, a polar 184 interrogative clause, WH-element in a WH-interrogative , imperative, and dependent clause.

Table 5.7 : Karonese specific cultural bound terms ……… 188 Table 5.8 : Social culture in Karonese society……… 193 Table 5.9 : Material culture in Karonesesociety 199 Table 5.10 : The linguistic politeness in Karonese language 202 Table 5.11 : The differences between the Linguistic politeness 224

in SL and TL

Table 5.12 : The differences of cultural politeness in SL and TL 225 Table 5.13 : The Number of themes of rebu clauses in SL and TL 228 Table 5.14 : The number of translation methods and procedures 228

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List of Abbreviations

Abbreviations Terms

AB = anakberu

ABTS = anak beru tua sinereh

BKL = bengkila

BSW = brothers’ son wife

CBT = culture bound term

CSIs = culture specific item

DH = daughter’s husband

husband’s sister’s daughter’s husband wife’s sister’s daughter’s husband

DTS = Descriptive Translation Studies

HF = husband’s father

HFSH = husband’s father’s sister’s husband

IT = interpersonal theme

KL = Karonese language

KA = kela

KLB = kalimbubu

MI = mami

MBW = mother’s’ brother’s wife

MMBSW. = mother’s mother’s brother’s son’s wife

MMBD = mother’s mother’s brother’s daughter

wife’s mother’s mother’s brother’s sister

MT = marked theme

SFL = Systemic-Functional Linguistics

SL = source language

ST = source text

SW = son’s wife

TL = target language

TS = translation studies

TTH = textual theme

TT = target text

UMT = unmarked theme

RB = rebu

SB = sembuyak

SN = senina

SCBT = specific cultural bound term

WBW = wife’s brother’s wife

WM = wife’s mother

WMZ = wife’s mother’s sister

WMBW = wife’s mother’s brother’s wife

WFBW = wife’s father’s brother’s wife

ZDH = sister’s daughter’s husband

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MAP

Page

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LIST OF PICTURES

Page

1. Appendix 6 : Picture of Traditional Karonese house…. 25 2. Appendix 7 : Picture of mukul……… 25

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ABSTRACT ……… i

ABSTRAK ……….. ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………. iii CURRICULUM VITAE ……….. vii

LIST OF FIGURES ... viii LIST OF TABLES ... ix LIST OF ABBREVIATION ... x

LIST OF MAPS ……… xi LIST OF PICTURES………. xii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ... xiii

CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION ……… 1

1.1 Background of the Study……… 1 1.2 The Problems of the Study ……… 7 1.3 The Objectives of the Study……… 7 1.4 Scope of the Study ……… 8 1.5 The Significance of the Study…… 8 1.6 Definition of Key Terms ……… 9

CHAPTER II : REVIEW OF LITERATURE 11

2.1 Translation ………. 11

2.2 Contribution of SFL to Translation…… 18

2.3 Functions of Language……….. 28

2.4 Ideology in Translation……….. 29

2.5 Methods of Translation……… 29 2.6 Procedures of Translation 31

2.7 Translation Techniques ………… 34

2.8 Politeness Strategies……… 40 2.9 Previous Studies on the English Translation

of RebuTexts in Karonese Society…… 41 2.10 Conceptual Framework for Translating

in this Study ……… 44 CHAPTER III : THE RESEARCH METHOD………….. 47

3.1 Research Design ………..… 47

3.2 Method of Translating ………. 52

3.3 Data and Data Sources ……… 54

3.4 The Technique of Collecting the Data … 55

3.5 Data Analysis ………. 57 3.6 Methods for Verification or Trustworthiness 61

3.7 Selecting Source Texts ……… 62

CHAPTER IV : KARONESE SOCIETY 70

4.1 KaroneseCulture ……… 70

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4.1.2 Kinship Terms in Karonese Society 76 4.1.3 Marriage in Karonese Society ….. 80 4.1.3.1The steps of wedding ceremony in

Karonese society …….. 81 4.1.3.2 The phase in maba belo selambar 82 4.1.4 Daliken si Telu/Rakut si Telu 84 4.1.4.1 Categories of kalimbubu…… 85 4.1.4.2 Categories of senina/sembuyak 86 4.1.4.3 Categories of anakberu 86

4.1.5 Tutur Siwaluh ……… 87

4.1.6 Orat Tutur Merga Silima……… 88

4.2 Karonese Language ……… 89

4.2.1 Pronouns in Karonese Language …….. 90 4.2.2 Interrogative Sentences in Karonese

Language………. 102

4.2.3 Politeness in Practicing Rebu in 104 Karonese Society ……….

CHAPTER V : DATA AND DATA ANALYSIS…….. 108

5.1 Data 108

5.2 Data Analysis 108

5.2.1 Themes in Source Texts and Target Texts108 5.2.2 Problems in Translating Rebu

Texts in Karonese Society into English 212 5.2.6 Translation Methods and Procedures 221

Used in Translating Problems in Rebu texts in Karonese Society

CHAPTER VI : FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ……… 229 6.1 Findings……….. 229 6.2 Discussions………. 235 CHAPTER VII : CONLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 257

7. 1 Conclusions………… 244

7.2 Suggestions ……… 245

7.3 Implication of the Study.. 247

REFERRENCES ……… 1

APPENDICES ……… 1

Appendix 1 : Text of Mukul / mecah-mecah tinaroh/

persadaan tendi, (Ginting, 2008)……….. 1 Appendix 2 : Text of Rebu Pada Masyarakat Karo,

(Tarigan, 1988)………. 5

Appendix 3 : Text of Data Participation Observations………… 10

Appendix 4 : Data of the overall texts ………. 12

Appendix 5 : Letter of recommendations……….. 21

Appendix 6 : Picture of Traditional House……… 25 Appendix 7 : Picture of mukul……… 25

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ABSTRACT

representing Halliday’s three metafunctions: the ideational, the interpersonal and

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ABSTRAK

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

1.1Background of the Study

The district of the Karo highlands with a population of no more than two million people has unique kinship characteristics. Their kinship system occurs through parentage, sibling relationships and marriage. A man may not marry a woman from his own clan, so Karonese men have to search for wives from other clans. If a Karo marries someone from another ethnic group, the future spouse is adopted into an appropriate Karo clan. Marriage among ethnic groups has influenced the Karonese culture. These factors have caused the participants of rebu in Karonese society to decrease, especially with young couples.

Rebu refers to something that must be avoided in social interactions among Karonese. This includes restrictions on communication and physical interaction, for example, touching, sitting near each other or face to face without being separated by another person, as well as not talking directly to each other.

Special cultural terms are used to negotiate communications under the custom of rebu, which is practiced when someone gets married. Rebu applies to three relationships among six people: between mami (mother-in-law) and kela (son-in-law), between bengkila (father-in-law) and permen (daughter-in-law), and between turangku and turangku (people connected by being in different ‘in-law’

relationships, for example, a man’s wife’s brothers’ wives are turangku). The special words, nina and ningen, are used in communications between rebu.

Karonese family members, who were born outside the Karo highlands seldom see rebu practiced. Many of them do not know the Karonese language and

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they lack an understanding of rebu in Karonese society. The Karonese are not being exposed to the cultural terms, practices and kinship systems of Karonese society and they do not understand, and therefore cannot be proud of, the norms that define their cultural identity. There is also a lack of older generation Karonese to promote the practice of rebu for the younger generations to follow.

Karonese society is hard working, firm, honest, and respectful, in line with their principles of Mehamat man Kalimbubu, Metenget man Senina, ras Metami man Anakberu. This can be translated literally as Honor the wife givers, respect the elders of the clan, and understand and encourage the wife takers, using the specific cultural bond terms ofKaronesesociety.

There has been a rapid increase in the Karonese younger generation being educated in other provinces. Many young Karonese have a good education, and they work outside the Karo highlands. These factors influence the marriage of the younger generation of Karonese society and there has been an increase in Karonese marrying with other ethnic groups. On the other hand, many young Karonese people do not know their customs. They do not understand Karonese culture, especially the existence of rebu practices.

The development of religion has also influenced Karonese culture, and we can see thatmany participants of rebu shake hands at certain celebrations, such as Idul Fitri Day and Christmas, by saying labo ceda sisalamen, which means that it is not a problem to shake hands and give these greetings to one another.

Problems also happen in regard to transportation, when sometimes there is no space between the participants of rebu in the same car or in the same aircraft. So the customary norms of rebu are breached and practiced imperfectly. Those who have a strict interpretation of rebu are frustrated to see how some participants

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of rebu behave in their daily life. And Karonese people who want to have a good future due to the development of technology think rebu violates their human rights.

The researcher is of the opinion that rebu will not be practiced perfectly by future Karonese generations, especially by those participants who live in cities. The researcher and his family still practice rebu even though they live in the city,

but he is worried about his grandchildren’s practice of rebu because his children have a good education and they have little interaction with their relatives who live in villages. The existence of rebu in Karonese society is familiar to them as the researcher practices rebu, but he would appreciate it if his children also practiced rebu in their daily life.

The researcher, as translator, would like to see the documentation of rebu texts in English as the product of his translation, so that English speaking people understand this culture, before the participants of rebu decrease to a point where this culture disappears. Translation plays an important role in bridging two different languages and cultures. Without translation, the two different circumstances of languages and cultures are never transferred. A text which is translated from one language into another language changes linguistically and culturally. The process of translation has a relationship with linguistics, syntax, semantics, culture and sociolinguistics. The linguistic, syntactical and cultural differences between the source and target languages make the process of translation difficult.

To solve these difficulties in the translation process, from the source text into the target text translation strategies were applied. In this study the process of translation only focused on translation strategies, which consist of global

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translation and local translation. ‘Global translation’ refers to the method of translation and ‘local translation’ refers to the translation procedures. When

practicing translation both the source and target texts should be known linguistically and culturally by a translator, who should also be familiar with the subject matter.

The subject matter in this dissertation is the cultural text of rebu in Karonese society translated into English. Rebu exists especially between mami1 (mother in

law, wife’s mother) and kela(daughter’s husband), between turangku (husband’s sister’s husband) and turangku (wife’s brother’s wife ), and between bengkila (husband’s father) and permen (son’s wife). Such relatives may not speak face -to-face with each other. They are not supposed to stay in the same house without the presence of a third person. It is also forbidden to sit on the same floor board

with one’s wife’s mother or wife’s brother’s wife.

Rebu starts when Karonese get married. After the wedding ceremony there is a ceremony called the mukul marriage rite, held in the groom’s parents’ house. This is when the bride and groom have dinner from the same plate and the menu

has been determined by the groom’s parents. Belo pengkapuri (betel leaf which has been filled with areca nut, lime, tobacco and gamber (ingredient used in betel

chewing) is given to the bride’s rebu and cigarettes are given by the groom to his rebu. He shakes hands with his mother-in-law and his sisters-in-law as they are introduced to their rebu and it is explained that they cannot speak directly to their rebu from that time. We know that a mat is the main seat used by the Karo people in everyday life and at a party or traditional ceremonies, the participants of rebu avoid sitting on the same mat without a third person between them. The Karonese

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custom of rebu is considered when mami and kela sit together on a mat, unless there are other people who sit between them, who function as the third person in communication between them.

The researcher is a native speaker of Karonese and he practices the dialog of rebu in his communication with his mami, turangku, and permain, although he lives in a big city. He can comprehend the texts of rebu in Karonese society and he understands the connections among family members in Karonese society.

A chapter of the book entitled “Rebu Pada Masyarakat Karo” in Percikan Budaya Karo written by Tarigan (1988) has been translated into English by the researcher. Yunus (1995) also did research on the same text, which focused on Makna Pemakaian Rebu Dalam Kehidupan Kekerabatan Orang Batak Karo. In this study, the researcher described the cultural and syntactic frames dealing with those who use rebu in Karonese society. The Karo are one of the so-called Batak, a collective name for several linguistically and culturally related peoples – the Toba, Karo, Simalungun, Pakpak, Angkola and Mandailing – of North Sumatera (Singarimbun, 1975).

There are two areas of Karo; they are the Karo highlands and the Karo lowlands. The Karo lowlands lie at an altitude of approximately 20 to 700 meters and the highland villages are at an altitude of 700 to 1,700 meters. The seven highest peaks in the Karo highlands range from 1,815 to 2,417 meters. Two of these, Sibayak (2,070m) and Sinabung (2,417m) are active volcanoes. Karolands stretch from the northern shore of Lake Toba through the Bukit Barisan Mountains and to the southern border of Aceh, to east Pakpak.

The main town of the Karo district is Kabanjahe. It has 17 subdistricts and 258 villages. The total population is about 276,763. Most of the Karonese use

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Karonese language and practice rebu in their daily communication. A few Karonese families still live in traditional houses, with as many as eight families living in such houses. Today there are only a few Karonese traditional houses. Those houses can be found in Lingga, Dokan, and Juhar villages. This type of house is unique, and requires social regulations to determine who lives in each part of the house and how they interact. They were Kalimbubu2, sembuyak3 and anak beru4. There were so many rules accompanying the house, and all the families who lived in a traditional house practiced rebu in their communication.

Translating Karonese society kinships and culture is unique and these types of texts are difficult to translate. The names for relatives in Karonese society do not exist in English. The form and content of the cultural texts of rebu in Karonese society are very different from English. The difference between Karonese language as a source language (SL) and English as a target language (TL), and the variation in their cultures, make the process of translating themes of rebu texts in Karonese society into English a real challenge. There are some pronoun politeness and cultural terms in Karonese language that do not exist in English. Equivalence was needed in the process of translating them into English. Finding equivalents of form and meaning is a problematic stage of translating specific culture-bound terms of rebu texts in Karonese society into English.

Kalimbubu means wife givers 3

Sembuyak means agnate which relates to members of the same lineage or subclan 4

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1.2 The Problems of the Study

In the process of translating rebu texts in Karonese society into English, the form and content of the texts are very hard to transfer into English. Therefore, the research questions underlying this study are:

(1) What themes occur in rebu texts in Karonese society?

(2) What methods and procedures are available to resolve the problems that arise in translating themes used in the rebu texts of Karonese society into English?

1.3 The Objectives of the Study

The objectives of this study are to :

(1) describe the unmarked and marked themes in the rebu texts of Karonese language and English

(2) explore the problems that arise in translating themes used in the rebu texts of Karonese society into English

(3) examine the translation methods and procedures that can be applied in order to solve the problems in translating themes of rebu texts into English

(4) analyze the similarities and differences of linguistic politeness and cultural politeness in the cultural texts of rebu in Karonese society and English.

1.4 Scope of the Study

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(1) themes of rebu clauses in Karonese society from the book entitled Percikan Budaya Karo written by Tarigan (1988), the text of a mukul written by Ginting (2008) and the text of participant observation on the dialog of rebu. (2) the culture-bound terms and politeness of rebu clauses in Karonese society. (3) translation problems in translating themes of rebu texts in Karonese society

into English.

(4) translation methods and procedures used in translating rebu clauses in Karonese society.

(5) the text which deals with kinds of rebu between mami and kela, between bengkila and permain, and between turangku and turangku.

1.5 The Significances of the Study

This research has significance, theoretically and practically, for translators, researchers, students, lecturers, and English-speaking people who are interested in Karoneseculture and society.

a. Theoretically the findings can be used as:

(1) documentation of Karonese society and culture globally

(2) enrichment of research on methods and procedures in the process of translating.

b. Practically the findings can be used as:

(2) a tool for translators to find out the appropriate equivalents and thus be able to produce a correct translation of cultural terms into English

(3) useful information for English-speaking people about strategies for translating rebu in Karonese society

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1.6 Definition of Key Terms

To avoid the ambiguous terminology and to understand some terminologies easily which are found in translating rebu texts in Karonese society , they are needed to be explained as follows :

Anakberu ‘literally means wife takers’, they are the relatives occur from the relationship of grandmother, mother, or wives lineages.

Daliken si telu is a culture-bound term as a standard of kinship in Karonese

society. Daliken si telu is translated literally with three furnaces. It is also known

as ‘rakut si telu or sangkep si telu . It is a system of relationship which preserve the honor of one group to another in Karonese society which consists of kalimbubu, sembuyak, and anak beru

Kalimbubu is a group of wife givers to grandfathers, fathers and sons. Their

kinship system occurs through parentage, sibling relationships and marriage.

Karonese society is a group of people who are characterized by patterns of the same social way of living, culture, custom, attitudes and behaviors.

Marked themes are the terms of prepositional phrase and adverbs used at the front position of a clause.

Mukul is the forth phase of wedding ceremony to start rebu for a new family and

their relatives.

Rebu literally meant avoidances in social interactions among participants of rebu

in Karonese society. In this context family members practice rebu as to honor each other. This includes restrictions on touching, sitting near one another or face to face without being separated by another person, as well as not talking directly to one another.

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Sangkep si telu etymologically means a complete kinship in Karonese culture. It

is also known as sangkep nggeluh, daliken si telu, or rakut sitelu. Karonese society believes that their ceremonies do not run well without the presence of rakut sitelu.

Sembuyak is brothers who have the same parents , men who have the same

clan but they have different sub-clan. Sembuyak are people whose mothers, grandmothers or wives are sisters.

Translation method is the process of translating used to emphasize the oriented direction of whole ST into TT. There are two opposites alternatives, they are source text oriented and target texts oriented.

Translation procedures are the process of translating ST into TT which focus on the elements of the clause.

Translation strategies cover a global and a local process of translating ST into TT. The global translation point outs the oriented direction in transferring the source text messages into target text. While local translation strategy covers the elements analysis of a clause in transferring the SL message into TL.

Unmarked themes refer to the words order and their position in a clause.

Theme indicates the focus of the message in a clause. The unmarked themes are used in the front position of a clause, they are nominal group, noun, and nominalization. The unmarked themes are usual arrangements applied syntactically and semantically.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2.1 Translation

Translation is the process of transferring the message and form of a written source language (SL) text into an equivalent target language (TL) text. This requires linguistic and cultural understanding and the analytical processing of both the languages and cultures of the SL and the TL. Recently, there has been growing interest in translating cultural texts. Sun (2011: 164), emphasizes that proper understanding and rendering of a text is more likely to be a problem of cultural diversity than linguistic differences. She adds that to explore cultural differences and then decide how to deal with them most appropriately has become one essential issue with which current translation studies should deal.

Davaninezhad (2009), argues that culture is a set of beliefs, ideas, attitudes, customs, behaviors, festivals, cuisine and clothes styles that differ from country to country. She recommends translation as a reasonable way of communicating between different cultures and languages, and introduces two translation procedures. But there are only a few scholars who have written about rebu in Karonese society and translating rebu texts in Karonese society into English has not yet been done.

Maasoum, (2011: 1767) uses translation strategies based on Newmark’s model (1988) in an analysis of culture-specific items in the Persian translation of

“Dubliners”. It is used because the texts consist of culture specific item (CSI). Newmark’s model of translation methods and translation procedures which is

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applied by Maasoum is also appropriate and suitable to the researcher’s study since rebu texts consist of specific culture bound terms.

According to Holmes's and Toury's conception of translation studies (TS) in: theory and practice in dialogue, there are two central guiding points, which are pure and applied translation (Fig. 2.1).

Figure 2.1. Holmes’ and Toury’s conception of translation studies

Holmes, (2000 : 176-177) in Venuti divides TS into pure and applied research, then pure research is divided into theoretical and descriptive research. His diagram shows that descriptive research has three orientations, which are product oriented, process oriented and function oriented. His diagram was applied to serve as a point of orientation to translate the ST into the TT.

Due to the research questions in this study, the researcher focused on one of Holmes' and Toury's concepts of translation studies, i.e. process oriented. In the process of translating rebu texts in Karonese society into English, the researcher

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as the translator translated them equivalently, based on the reference and the cultural semantic equivalences. If a translator aims to introduce to readers foreign customs, exotic culture or different expressions in another language, foreignizing methods are used to largely keep the original expressions. Readers of such a version can get vivid pictures of the foreign expressions and a better understanding about how the people with the original language think.

Jakobson (1987 : 429), categorizes three different kinds of translation, namely : 1) Intralingual translation or rewording: an interpretation of verbal signs by

means of other signs of the same language;

2) Interlingual translation or translation proper: an interpretation of verbal signs by means of some other language;

3) Intersemiotic translation or transmutation: an interpretation of verbal signs by means of signs from non-verbal sign systems.

Interlingual translation was reflected on when translating the cultural texts of rebu in Karonese society into English. The texts cover material and social culture ,politeness, dialog among the participants who are rebu in Karonese society and they use many cultural terms in their communication. Rebu is a heritage of Karonese culture which has been used for more than a hundred years. There are many polite pronouns in Karonese language and the structure is very different from English.

Brown and Levinson, 1994:101 explain positive politeness is redress

directed to the addressee’s positive face, his perennial desire that his wants should

be thought of as desirable. Furthermore, Brown and Levinson, 1994:101-129 prove 15 strategies of positive politeness. Two of them are strategy 1: notice,

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attend to H (his interests , wants, needs, goods). Strategy 2 : exaggerate (interest, approval, sympathy with H).

The meaning of cultural texts of rebu and their moral values are very hard to transfer into English. Rebu text possesses unique linguistic characteristics. Translation theories were needed in the process of translating rebu. They are translation strategies and they cannot be separated from linguistics, because both languages have the same objects as the center of analysis. The process of translation between two different written languages involves the translator changing an original written text (ST) into the original verbal language (the SL) into a written text (the TT) in a different verbal language (the TL) (Munday, 2001:5).

According to Catford (1965: 20-21)translation is the replacement of textual material in one language, the SL, by equivalent textual material in another language, the TL. Hatim and Mason (1990:30) confirm that translation itself is regarded as an activity in which each meaningful SL text item has to be represented by an equivalent TL text item and vice versa. Munday (2001:4) says that the term ‘translation’ itself has several meanings; it can refer to the general subject field, the product and the process. The product involves the translated text and the process involves the translator changing an original written text or SL into written text in different verbal language or TL.

According to Temple and Young (2004: 168) the researcher can use the experience of translating to discuss points in the text, to think about meaning, and also act as translator regarding the discussion of the translation processes as a check on the validity of interpretations. They explain that the researcher as translator has significant opportunities to pay close attention to cross cultural

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meanings and interpretations and is potentially close to the problems of meaning equivalence within the research process.

The central problem of translation practice is finding TL equivalence and the central task of translation theory is defining the nature and condition equivalence. The linguists such as Nida and Taber (1982:12) consider

“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”. Nida and Taber’s thinking show the guidance to reproduce the equivalence of ST in other words in TT. Catford or Nida and Taber have the same notions in the process of translation. They focus on equivalences in transferring a message from an SL to a TL. The definition proposed by Nida and Taber contains some elements that should be taken into account by a translator in performing the task: reproducing the message, equivalence rather than identity, natural equivalence, closest equivalence, priority of meaning and also style. To get equivalent messages, many grammatical and lexical adjustments should be made.

Baker (1992:10-258) proposes six types of equivalence : (1) equivalence at word level,

(2) equivalence above word level, (3) grammatical equivalence,

(4) textual equivalence : thematic and information structures (5) textual equivalence : cohesion

(6) pragmatic equivalence.

Nida and Taber (1982:33) explain that the system of translation consists of three stages:

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(1) analysis: the surface structure, (i.e. the message, as given in the SL) is analyzed in terms of : (a) the grammatical relationships and (b) the meanings of the words and combinations of words.

(2) transfer: the analyzed material is transferred in the mind of the translator from the SL to the TL.

(3) restructuring: the transferred material is restructured in order to make the final message fully acceptable in the TL.

This approach is seen as follows :

A (Source) B (Receptor)

( Analysis) (Restructuring)

X (Transfer) Y

Figure 2.2. Translation process

In this study Nida and Taber’s concepts of translation process is applied from the SL into the TL.

Arbogast, (2008:7) describes three translation phases. He adapts Nida and

Taber’s translation process to involve three phases: analysis, transfer and restructuring to partially interrelated reception, transfer and (re) production phases ( Fig. 2.3).

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Figure: 2.3.Arbogast’s phases of translation process (LCS = Language and Cultural Systems)

In the process of translation the context of the language in the ST should be understood to avoid the misunderstanding of the text before contextualizing into the TT. Context of culture, is necessary for the understanding of the language. Different cultures are interpreted differently by different people.

Manca, (2012: 23) generalizes context of culture, context of situation and co-text play a fundamental role in the process of translation. Some concepts may exist in one culture but not in another.

Newmark (1988 : 95) believes most cultural words are easy to detect, since they are associated with particular language and can not be literally translated, but many cultural customs are described in ordinary language, e.g. ‘topping out a

building’, ‘time, gentlemen, please’, ‘here’s mud in your eye’, where literal translation would distort the meaning and a translation may include an appropriate descriptive-functional equivalent.

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Newmark (1988:45) divides translation into eight methods in the process of translating, four of the eight methods oriented to the SL, and four others oriented to the TL. The eight methods are put in the form of a flattened V diagram (Fig. 2.4).

SL emphasis TL emphasis

Word-for-word translation Adaptation Literal translation Free translation Faithful translation Idiomatic translation

Semantic translation Communicative translation

Figure 2.4. The flattened V diagram

2.2 Contribution of Systemic Functional Linguistics to Translation

Eggins (2004: 3) maintains four main theoretical claims about language, i.e : a. Language use is functional.

b. Its function is to make meaning.

c. These meanings are influenced by the social and cultural context in which they are exchanged.

d. The process of using language is a semiotic process, a process of making meaning by choosing.

Language in systemic functional linguistics (SFL) is treated as a realization of its social context. This is done through three metafunctions of language – ideational, interpersonal and textual. According to theoretical aspects, translating rebu texts were held into English and the results could be seen in the analysis of unmarked and marked themes and their explanations. To find the themes of the rebu texts, the researcher applied Eggin’s and Halliday’s theories.

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Clause

Single

+ topical theme Multiple Conjuntive +textual Theme Textual^topical Both +textual Theme; +interpersonel theme extual^interpersonel^topical Unmarked Subject/Theme [declarative] WH/Theme[WH-interrog.] Finite/Theme[interrog.] Process/Theme[imperative] Marked Other/Theme Predicated

Theme : it + be + ….. Rheme : that/who ….. Not predicated

Eggins (2004 : 299) describes the clause in its textual constituents

Attitudinal + topical theme ; +interpersonel theme Interpersonel ^topical

Figure 2.5. System of theme

Figure 2.5 shows that the theme consists of topical theme, textual theme and interpersonal theme. Eggins (1994: 284) emphasizes that it is really the choice of position of the topical elements which is considered to be ‘the most significant choice in terms of the clause’s thematic potential’ and in ensuring the internal cohesion of the text. She (1994: 300-3) gives four important areas to examine when analyzing theme:

a. the elements that get to be themes (textual, interpersonal, topical) b. the choice of topical theme (pronouns, nominal groups, adjuncts, etc). c. the markedness of theme choices

d. the thematic progression of the text

Halliday (2004:30-31) explains the three metafunctions of language, i.e. the ideational, the interpersonal and the textual, and there are also different types of

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theme, which are topical, interpersonal and textual. A topical theme, or some experiential elements, is found in all clauses: either as a participant, a circumstance or a process. Sinar, (2008 : 52) explains a topical theme creates a selective topic by a speaker as a starting point of the message.

The themes of rebu texts in Karonese society were analyzed by identifying ideational, the interpersonal and the textual themes in the clauses. Theme is the point of departure as the main idea of the clause, considered as the message to be talked about and known by the reader or listener. It is the part that comes first in a clause. The position of theme is usually in the initial position of a clause in English. Thompson (1996: 119) states, ‘Theme is the first constituent of the clause.’ The forms of rebu text are analyzed, focusing on their themes. Halliday’s and Eggins’ models are relevant as frames to answer the first research question of this study. The themes of the affirmative sentences and dialogues of rebu text are the center of analysis.

The applied themes, which are relevant to this study, are ideation theme or topical theme. The researcher analyzed the form of the ST and TT by applying

Halliday’s model, of unmarked and marked themes. The following figure of theme is adapted from the work of Halliday. There are three types of theme, which are textual theme, interpersonal theme and topical theme.

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Figure 2.6 : Halliday’s Model of Theme

Wignell and Gerot, (2001: 104) explain that an ideational or topical theme is usually, but not always, the first nominal group in the clause. Topical themes may also be nominal group complexes, adverbial groups, prepositional phrases or embedded clauses. In the unmarked case the topical theme is also the subject. A topical theme, which is not the subject, is called a marked topical theme.

Halliday and Matthiessen (2004: 64-65) define the theme as the element which serves as the point of departure of the message, that which locates and

Theme

Interpersonal Theme Textual

Theme

Topical Theme

Continuatives

Conjunctions

Conjunctive Adjuncts

Wh-relatives

Vocatives

Modal Adjuncts

Wh-question words Finite Elements

Participant

Circumstance

Process

Wh-relatives

Wh-question words

Unmarked Theme

Marked Theme

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orients the clause in its context. They add as a message structure, therefore, a clause consists of a theme accompanied by a rheme, and the structure is expressed by the order – whatever is chosen as the theme is put first. In accordance with their concepts, the initial part of a clause is theme, it can be an interpersonal theme, a textual theme or a topical theme. If the initial part of a clause is a nominal group, it is the topical theme as a subject. It is known as the unmarked theme. A Topical theme which is presented by a prepositional phrase , or an adverbial group is known as the marked theme.

Baker (1992:121) clearly points out two functions of the theme. Firstly, the theme acts as a point of orientation by connecting back to previous stretches of discourse, thereby maintaining a coherent point of view. Secondly, the theme acts as a point of departure by connecting forward and contributing to the development of later stretches.

Bell (1991:149) states that the theme system is operated by two systems. Firstly, it is concerned with the placing of information units in the structure of the clause. Secondly, it provides a range of providing a range of options which allow clause structure to be manipulated, so that varying degrees of prominence can be achieved by the information contained in the clause. The two systems are related to one another and focus on the message emphasis as the starting point of a clause. They consist of theme and rheme. The theme itself contains topical, interpersonal and textual themes. The topical theme can found as an unmarked or marked theme.

According to Bell (1991), a marked theme in English is signaled by predicating, preposing, clefting or fronting the theme or a combination of these options. (Other languages have, of course, different ways of marking theme).

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To know more about the theme, Halliday (2004:80) shows the diagram of theme in English.

Figure: 2.7. Halliday’s system of theme

The researcher applied Halliday’s system of the unmarked and marked

themes in an effort to find out the theme of clauses in the ST and its theme in the TT to solve the first research question in this study. Language has three metafunctions, which are ideational, interpersonal and textual. The notion of the ideational metafunction center analysis gave the frame for the researcher regard to

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solve the first research question of his study. The elements of ideational themes in rebu clauses are classified, described and analyzed.

Without support from linguistics theory, it is very difficult to have an analysis of meaning or organization of words, phrases or sentences in the text. Several scholars, such as Halliday in the 1960s, Baker (1992), Catford (1965), Newmark (1991) and Munday (2001) developed SFL, which has had an important influence on translation studies. SFL has been used to explore the theoretical problems of translation in this study.

Catford (1965 : 73) asserts that ‘shift’ means departures from formal correspondence in the process of going from the SL to the TL. Two major types of shift occur: level shifts and category shifts. Translation is a process of a transforming a text originally in one language into an equivalent text in another language.

According to Bell (1991: 13), the aim of translation is to reproduce as accurately as possible all grammatical and lexical features of the SL original by finding equivalents in the TL. At the same time all the factual information contained in the original text must be retained in the translation. In using the theory of translation, it is necessary to manage the rules of grammar and how the SL text is transferred to another, and also deal with the issue of not adding anything, and not leaving out anything. Some words of rebu text which are related to cultural terms and syntactic rules are untranslatable and a logical theory about untranslatability is needed.

Catford (1965:94) contends thattranslation fails, or untranslatability occurs, when it is impossible to build functionally relevant features of the situation into the contextual meaning of the TL text. Broadly speaking, the cases where this

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happens fall into two categories, those where the difficulty is linguistic, and those where it is cultural. Firstly, linguistic untranslatability is a failure to find an equivalent for a TL item in view of the difference between two language systems. Secondly, cultural untranslatability: is a kind of failure which comes from the lack of situational and functional absence in the target culture. Ricoeur, (2006:30 ) reveals that untranslatability occurs because of diversity and affects all the operating levels of language: the phonetic and articulatory division at the root of phonetic systems; the lexical division that separates languages, not word for word, but from lexical system to lexical system; verbal meanings within a lexicon consisting of a network of differences and synonyms; the syntactic division linguistic untranslatability.

Linguistic and cultural differences and translator’s preferences have led to the application of particular techniques and strategies, methods, procedures and ideology for the translation of rebu in Karonese society into English. In defining culture, Newmark (1988: 94) has a different notion. He asserts that culture is “the way of life and its manifestation that are peculiar to a community that uses a particular language as its means of expression.” A peculiar culture and a peculiar language in a society are problems in the translation process.

Without the guidance of linguistic theory it would be difficult for translation theory to be systematized and theorized, even though the process of translation is influenced by non-verbal aspects, such as esthetics and culture loaded by different languages. Ming (2007: 75) states translation is a process of transforming a text originally in one language into an equivalent text in another language. To understand the nature and the using law of language is essential to the translation,

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so the theory of linguistics plays a quite important role in the developing of the translation theory.

A researcher as translator is not familiar with specific cultural terms in English. They are found in Karonese but not in English. In his opinion, it is more difficult for him to translate his mother tongue language into English than translating it into his mother tongue language. It is not enough for him to recognize and understand a different language, social and cultural source context, but also he should be able to reproduce the meaning in target language. To overcome these situations he needs to understand how the ST is translated into the TT. Therefore the description and the explanation of specific culture and kinship terms are essential element in translation.

Considering that they are problems in non-equivalence at theme level of rebu, kinship terms and cultural specific terms in translating the source text. The translator needs solution. To make the translation work well accepted by the readers the researcher as translator applied some translation strategies in translating the SL. Most of the translation strategies which relate to the translation

procedures are taken from Newmark’s model. Maasoum and Davtalab, ( 2011 : 1769) apply Newmark’s theory of translation to analyze the Culture-specific Items in the Persian Translation of “Dubliners”. They use the 14 translation procedures of Newmark in the process of translation. According to Maasoum and Davtalab, ( 2011 : 1769) the translator sometimes cannot find a completely corresponding equivalent for CSIs in the TT.

Ordudari, (2007) on Translation Journal Volume 11, No. 3, applies

Newmark’s translation procedures and it seems that the procedures 'functional

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underlying the CSCs embedded in a text. Halliday’s theory of linguistics and

Newmark’s theory of translation were applied to transfer messages of the specific

culture bound terms in rebu texts into English. Newmark’s (1988) translation procedures such as descriptive equivalent, paraphrase, couplets, notes, transference and shifts or transposition procedures proposed by Newmark (1988) were applied in discussing the process of the translation of the rebu of Karonese society. Descriptive equivalent : is the procedure the meaning of the CBT is explained in several words (p.83).

Shifts or transpositions: involve a change in the grammar from the SL to the TL, for instance,

a. change from singular to plural,

b. the change required when a specific SL structure does not exist in the TL,

c. change of an SL verb to a TL word, change of an SL noun group to a TL noun and so forth.

Larson (1984:22) states “translation is a complicated process. However, a translator who is concerned with transferring the meaning will find that the receptor language has a way in which the desired meaning can be expressed, even though it may be very different from the source language form”. Nida and Taber (1982:12) explain : "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." Translation is an effort to produce an equivalence of an ST in the TT, both in its meaning and style. In this case a translator is a receptor in the ST and whilst translating acts as a sender of a message.

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In the process of translation, the message cannot be separated from the culture and context of the language. For example, in rebu there is a message of harmony of communication. Translating a sentence from the Karonese language into English, should be cared context of a TL. Newmark (1988:9) defines what translation theory does: first, identifies a translation problem (no problem – no translation theory); second, indicates all the factors that have to be taken into account in solving the problem; third, lists all the possible translation procedures or methods; and finally, recommends the most suitable procedures, plus the appropriate translation

2.3Functions of Language

Newmark (1988) classifies six functions of language, which are expressive, informative, vocative, aesthetic, phatic and metalingual functions. The researcher applied the vocative and the metalingual functions for his study.

Newmark (1988) proposes using functional theory in the process of translating (Fig. 2.8).

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Three language functions

Expressive (authoritative) informative Vocative (directive or

persuasive)

Translation theory

Semantic communicative

Translation theory frame of reference

Problems Contextual factors Translation procedures

Theory of translating Textual

Referential Cohesive

Natural levels

A Functional theory of language , Newmark (1988 : 20)

Figure 2. 8. A functional theory of language 2.4 Ideology in Translation

There are two ideologies in the process of transferring the meaning of an ST to a TT, i.e. foreignization and domestication. The researcher determined the ideology of foreignization in the process of translating rebu texts in Karonese society into English. The style of foreignization in the process of translating is aimed to preserve the original source texts in terms of cultural specifics.

Venuti (2004: 24) proposes that the notion of foreignization can alter the ways translations are read as well as produced, because it assumes a concept of human subjectivity that is very different from the humanist assumptions underlying domestication. To avoid a confusing message in the ST or text production in the TL in the process of translating, the foreignizing method was

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applied to restrain the cultural values of Karonese language. Foreignization is a basic translation strategy which provides both linguistic and cultural guidance.

Yang (2010: 77) emphasizes that foreignness in language or culture can serve as a standard to judge whether a translation is domesticated or foreignized. Literal and liberal translations are techniques to tackle the linguistic form and they are two ways to transcode language. Only when there are differences in both linguistic presentation and cultural connotation, do domestication and foreignization exist.

2.5 Methods of Translation

Newmark (1988: 81) classifies the difference between translation methods and translation procedures. He writes “translation methods relate to whole texts, translation procedures are used for sentences and the smaller units of language." Newmark (1988: 45-47) goes on to refer to the following methods of translation: a. Word-for-word translation: the SL word order is preserved and the words are

translated singly by their most common meanings, out of context.

b. Literal translation: the SL grammatical constructions are converted to their nearest TL equivalents, but the lexical words are again translated singly, out of context.

c. Faithful translation: attempts to produce the precise contextual meaning of the original within the constraints of the TL grammatical structures.

d. Semantic translation: differs from 'faithful translation' only in as far as it must take more account of the aesthetic value of the SL text.

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e. Adaptation: is the freest form of translation, and is used mainly for plays (comedies) and poetry; the themes, characters, and plots are usually preserved; the SL culture is converted to the TL culture and the text is rewritten.

f. Free translation: produces the TL text without the style, form or content of the original.

g. Idiomatic translation: reproduces the 'message' of the original but tends to distort nuances of meaning by preferring colloquialisms and idioms where these do not exist in the original.

Communicative translation: attempts to render the exact contextual meaning of the original in such a way that both content and language are readily acceptable and comprehensible to the readership.

The researcher applied two of Newmark’s methods of translation, which are literal translation and semantic translation.

2.6 Procedures of Translation

Translation procedures are focused on sentences and smaller units of language within the text. They were applied by the researcher as efforts to formulate an equivalence for the purposes of transferring elements of meaning from the ST to the TT. According to Vinay and Darbelnet in Venuti (2004 : 84-90) there are seven methods or procedures, which are loan, calque, literal translation, transposition, modulation, equivalence and adaptation. They describe the first three procedures are direct and the others are oblique.

Of all Newmark’s procedures, in translating ST to TT, the researcher

applied seven, which are descriptive procedure, transference, paraphrase, couplets, notes and transposition. The reasons for choosing these procedures are

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that many specific culture bound terms are found in themes of rebu texts and they are hard to translate into English.

2.6.1 Procedures for translating culture-specific concepts (CSCs)

Sharififar, (2010:188) finds that there are some problems in translating religious cultural elements from English into Persian and the greater problems are posed by lexical items referring to objects that are forbidden in target language. The findings showed that procedures suggested by Newmark have accounted well for the transfer of cultural as well as religious elements; it was

observed that Newmark’s range of procedures was comprehensive and worked well. (Sharififar, 2010:169)

Specific culture bound terms in ST do not specific terms are usually as have any equivalences in the TL. These situations make difficult for the researcher in the process of translation. To overcome these problems, the translation procedures are needed. In rebu texts there are some cultural and politeness problems to be solved. They are classified, described and analyzed in the data analysis by translation methods and translation procedures. Newmark (1988:81-91) contends some translation procedures as the follows:

a. Transference is the process of transferring an SL word to a TL text. It includes transliteration and loan word.

b. Naturalization adapts the SL word, first to the normal pronunciation, then to the normal morphology of the TL.

c. Cultural equivalent means replacing a cultural word in the SL with a TL one. however, "they are not accurate"

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e. Descriptive equivalent occurs when the meaning of the CBT is explained in several words.

f. Componential analysis means "comparing an SL word with a TL word which has a similar meaning but is not an obvious one-to-one equivalent, by demonstrating first their common and then their differing sense components." g. Synonymy is a "near TL equivalent" to an SL word in a context.

h. Through-translation is the literal translation of common collocations, names of organizations and components of compounds. It can also be called: calque or loan translation.

i. Shifts or transpositions involve a change in the grammar from SL to TL, for instance, (i) change from singular to plural, (ii) the change required when a specific SL structure does not exist in the TL, (iii) change of an SL verb to a TL word, change of an SL noun group to a TL noun and so forth.

j. Modulation occurs when the translator reproduces the message of the original text in the TL text in conformity with the current norms of the TL, since the SL and the TL may appear dissimilar in terms of perspective.

k. Recognized translation occurs when the translator "normally uses the official or the generally accepted translation of any institutional term."

l. Compensation occurs when loss of meaning in one part of a sentence is compensated in another part.

m. Paraphrase explains the meaning of the CBT. Here the explanation is much more detailed than that of descriptive equivalent.

n. Couplets occur when the translator combines two different procedures. o. Notes are additional information in a translation.

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Appendix 5 : Letters of Recommendation Surat Pernyataan 1

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Appendix 6 : Picture of Traditional Karonese house

Appendix 7 : Picture of mukul

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Appendix 8 : Starting of rebu in ngobah tutur

The bride was introduced to some of her participants of rebu

Translating Themes of Rebu Texts in Karonese Society into English

TRANSLATING THEMES OF REBU TEXTS IN

KARONESE SOCIETY INTO ENGLISH

A DISSERTATION

By

MILISI SEMBIRING

Reg. Number 098107011

Doctor Program (S3) Linguistics

FACULTY OF CULTURAL SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA

MEDAN

2014

TRANSLATING THEMES OF REBU TEXTS IN

KARONESE SOCIETY INTO ENGLISH

A DISSERTATION

By

MILISI SEMBIRING

Reg. Number 098107011

Doctor Program (S3) Linguistics

FACULTY OF CULTURAL SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA

MEDAN

2014

Title of the Dissertation :Translating Themes of

Rebu

Texts in

Karonese Society into English

BOARD OF EXAMINERS

Rector’s Decree

Number :1591/UN5.1R/SK/SSA/2013

Date

:29 October 2013

Rector’s Decree

Number

:

02/UN5.1.R/SK/SSA/2014

CERTIFICATION

TRANSLATING THEMES OF

REBU

TEXTS IN

KARONESE SOCIETY INTO ENGLISH

ABSTRACT

ABSTRAK

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CURRICULUM VITAE

List of Abbreviations

ABSTRACT

ABSTRAK

Parts

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