TECHNIQUES FOR TRANSLATING CULTURAL WORDS IN INDONESIAN SUBTITLES OF FROZEN -
TECHNIQUES FOR TRANSLATING CULTURAL WORDS IN
ENGLISH TO INDONESIAN SUBTITLES OF FROZEN
A THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master’s Degree
in English Language Education
by
Yuni Astuti Dewi Wulandari
0203513055
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION
GRADUATE PROGRAM
SEMARANG STATE UNIVERSITY
2016
APPROVAL
This thesis entitled “TECHNIQUES FOR TRANSLATING CULTURAL
WORDS IN INDONESIAN SUBTITLES OF FROZEN “ written by,
Name
Student Number
Study Program
: Yuni Astuti Dewi Wulandari
: 0203513055
: English Language Education
has been presented in thesis examination on January 12, 2016 and it has been
revised by considering the evaluation of the examiners.
Semarang, April
,2016
The Board of Examiners,
Chairman,
Secretary,
Prof. Dr.rer.nat.Wahyu Hardyanto, M.Si Dr. Januarius Mujiyanto, M.Hum
NIP. 19601124 198403 1 002
NIP. 19531213 198303 1 002
First Examiner,
Second Examiner,
Drs. Ahmad Sofwan, M.A, Ph.D.
NIP. 19620427 198901 1 001
Dr. Dwi Anggani L.B, M. Pd.
NIP. 19590114 198901 2 001
Third Examiner,
Dr. Issy Yuliasri, M.Pd.
NIP. 19620713 199003 2 001
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I would like to express my highest gratitude to Allah
SWT, the almighty for the endless blessing and mercy for every single thing in
my life, I have succeeded in finishing this thesis.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Dwi Anggani LB, M.Pd
as the first advisor, who has given priceless guidance and encouragement as well
in making and completing this thesis. I would like to extend my thanks to Dr. Issy
Yuliasri, M.Pd, as the second advisor, who has looked about and given useful
correction and suggestion in improving my thesis.
Afterwards, I would like to dedicate my deepest love to my belate father
for his last ideas, my beloved mother for her support and contribution in my study
and life, and especially to my brother, sister, and aunt. My special thanks are for
Tyar, all my friends in Rombel I and II of English Studies of UNNES 2013
Graduate Program.
I realize that there are a lot of weaknesses and incompleteness within this
thesis. Suggestion and criticisms are always needed for the best, therefore I hope
this thesis is beneficial for me and the readers.
Semarang, April
,2016
Yuni Astuti Dewi Wulandari
St. No. 0203513055
ii
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY
I hereby declare that this thesis entitled “ Techniques for Translating Cultural
Words in English to Indonesian Subtitles of Frozen “ is completely my own work.
I am fully aware that I have quoted some statements and ideas from other sources
and all quotations are properly acknowledged in the text.
Semarang, April
,2016
Yuni Astuti Dewi Wulandari
St. No. 0203513055
iii
MOTTO AND DEDICATION
“Don‟t forget to be creative, have good understanding and wide
knowledge of both the source and target language in translating or
subtitling to make the subtitle works sounds more natural in the target
language.”
This thesis is dedicated to:
1. English Language Education, Graduate Program
2. Semarang State University
iv
ABSTRACT
Wulandari, Yuni Astuti Dewi. 2016. Techniques for Translating Cultural Words
in English to Indonesian Subtitles of Frozen. Thesis. English Language Education.
Graduate Program of Semarang State University. Supervisors: I. Dr. Dwi Anggani
LB, M.Pd ; II. Dr. Issy Yuliasri, M.Pd.
Keywords: translation techniques, cultural words, Frozen.
The purpose of the study was to find out the techniques of translation used
by the subtitler in translating cultural words,and to explain the results of
implementing the techniques in the English to Indonesian subtitles of Frozen as
the manifestation of foreignization and domestication,loss and gain of the
translation.The method of collecting data in this study was through observing by
note-taking technique. Documentary study guides were used as the instruments.
The collected data were analyzed descriptively using qualitative method. There
were forty three data of cultural words and eleven techniques of translating
cultural words identified in the subtitles.The most tendency application of
ideology of translation in translating the cultural words related to English cultural
words was domestication.The next orientation used in the translation of the
cultural words was followed by foreignization.The last tendency was partial
foreignization and partial domestication.Based on the result of the research, the
factors leading to the applications of foreignization and domestication were
cultural differences,linguistic differences,and the subtitler‟s preference.It is
necessary for the subtitler to be more creative,have good understanding about
politeness and wide knowledge of both the source and target language,and
recommended to realize the effective translation work.
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................
iii
ABSTRACT .....................................................................................................
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................
vii
LIST OF TABLES ..........................................................................................
x
CHAPTER
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background of the Study ..................................................................
1
1.2
Reasons for Choosing the Topic .......................................................
2
1.3
Research Questions ...........................................................................
3
1.4
Objectives of the Study .....................................................................
4
1.5
Significances of the Study ................................................................
4
1.6
Scope of the Study ............................................................................
5
1.7
Definition of the Key Terms .............................................................
6
1.8
Organization of the Thesis ................................................................
9
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
Previous Studies ..............................................................................
10
2.2
Theoretical Review .........................................................................
17
2.2.1
Translation .......................................................................................
18
2.2.2
Concept of Translation ....................................................................
21
2.2.3
Cultural Words ................................................................................
22
2.2.3.1 Culture in Translation .....................................................................
23
2.2.4
The Relationship between Culture and Translation .........................
25
2.2.5
Techniques in Translation ................................................................
29
2.3
Subtitling .........................................................................................
34
vi
2.3.1
Spatial Placement ............................................................................
36
2.3.2
Time Placement ...............................................................................
37
2.3.3
Subtitling in Different Countries .....................................................
38
2.3.4
Code of Good Subtitling Practice Subtitle Spotting and Translation
39
2.4
Ideologies in Translation .................................................................
41
2.4.1
Foreignization and Domestication in Subtitling...............................
46
2.5
An overview of Loss and Gain ........................................................
46
2.5.1
Loss ..................................................................................................
48
2.5.2
Gain ..................................................................................................
49
2.6
Theoretical Framework ....................................................................
51
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1
Research Design ..............................................................................
52
3.2
Object of the Study ..........................................................................
53
3.3
Synopsis of Frozen ...........................................................................
53
3.3.1
Biography of the Subtitler ................................................................
56
3.4
Units of Analysis .............................................................................
57
3.5
Instruments of the Study .................................................................
57
3.6
Method of Collecting the Data ........................................................
58
3.7
Method of Analyzing the Data .........................................................
59
3.8
Triangulation ....................................................................................
60
4. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
4.1
Findings ............................................................................................
63
4.1.1
General Findings ..............................................................................
63
4.1.2
Categories of Cultural Words and the Translation Techniques ......
64
4.1.2.1 Cultural Words of Ecology .............................................................
65
4.1.2.2 Cultural Words of Material Culture .................................................
71
4.1.2.3 Cultural Words of Social Culture.....................................................
76
4.1.2.4 Cultural Words of Social Organization ............................................
78
vii
4.1.2.5 Cultural Words of Gestures and Habits...........................................
80
4.1.2.6
Idiom and Saying ............................................................................
82
4.1.3
Translation Techniques in Translating Cultural Words ..................
86
4.1.3.1 SL- oriented Techniques of Translation ..........................................
88
4.1.3.1.1 Pure Borrowing Technique .............................................................
88
4.1.3.1.2 Calque Technique............................................................................
90
4.1.3.1.3 Literal Translation Technique .........................................................
91
4.1.3.2
TL- oriented Technique ..................................................................
91
4.1.3.2.1 Adaptation Technique .....................................................................
91
4.1.3.2.2 Generalization Technique ...............................................................
92
4.1.3.2.3 Description Technique ....................................................................
92
4.1.3.2.4 Discursive Creation Technique .......................................................
93
4.1.3.2.5 Established Equivalent Technique ..................................................
95
4.1.3.2.6 Linguistic Compression Technique.................................................
96
4.1.3.2.7 Reduction Technique ......................................................................
97
4.1.3.3
SL partially-oriented and TL partially- oriented Techniques of
Translation .......................................................................................
98
4.1.4
Loss and Gain ..................................................................................
101
4.2
Discussion .......................................................................................
109
5. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
5.1
Conclusion ......................................................................................
114
5.2
Suggestion .......................................................................................
116
REFERENCES ..............................................................................................
118
APPENDICES ..............................................................................................
122
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table
Page
Documentary Study Guide of Cultural Words ...............................................
57
Documentary Study Guide of Translation Technique ...................................
58
Occurrences of Cultural Words......................................................................
64
Translation Techniques in Translating Cultural Words .................................
87
ix
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix
Page
Frozen Characters ...................................................................................... 122
Words related to Ecology ........................................................................... 123
Words related to Material Culture.............................................................. 125
Words related to Social Culture ................................................................. 128
Words related to Social Organization ........................................................ 131
Words related to Gestures and Habits ........................................................ 132
Pure Borrowing Technique of Translation ................................................. 133
Linguistic Compression Technique Translation ........................................ 134
Established Equivalent Technique of Translation...................................... 135
Reduction Technique of Translation .......................................................... 136
Linguistic Amplification Technique of Translation ................................... 136
Discursive Creation Technique of Translation .......................................... 137
Generalization Technique of Translation ................................................... 137
Adaptation Technique of Translation......................................................... 137
Description Technique of Translation ........................................................ 138
Calque Technique of Translation ............................................................... 138
Literal Translation of Translation .............................................................. 138
x
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter begins with an overview of the background which the study is based
including reasons for choosing the topic, research questions, objectives of the
study, significances of the study, scope of the study, the definition of the terms,
and organization of the thesis. Each of the issues will be discussed below.
1.1 Background of the Study
Nowadays, translation is becoming a popular thing in many sectors of life, such
as: education, entertainment, economy, and many more. However, in
entertainment, people commonly find difficulty in comprehending the content of
English film, so film translation or subtitling is needed.
Translators play an important role to transfer the idea from the source
language into the target language. Moreover, in transferring the idea, translators
need some strategies to face with a number of translation problems.In translation,
some words in the source language cannot be replaced into the target language as
caused by the cultural background of those words. Those words are called by
cultural words (Newmark,1998:95-103). The cultural words such as: traditional
food, local animal or plant names, and places will be hard to be translated into the
target text. It is because the meaning for the cultural words is not available in the
target language. The cultural word problems in translation mostly cause some
failures of idea delivery in the target language.
1
2
The subject of the research analysis is a film subtitle entitled Frozen. It is a
2013 American 3D CGI-animated musical fantasy comedy-drama film, with a
screenplay written by Jennifer Lee, and both Chris Buck and Lee serving as
directors, created and produced at Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed
by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In Indonesia, IDFL (Indonesian Data
and File Library) is an independent subtitle company in Bandung. It has 43
subtitlers and Fernanda is one of the subtitlers or film translators who translated
the Frozen from English into Indonesian.
As a replication of two theses which discusses domestication and
foreignization, and loss and gain in translating cultural words, the researcher
argues that the analysis of cultural words then must be related to the translation
techniques as the solution for the cultural problems. She uses Cultural Words‟
theory by Newmark (1998:95-105) and The Translator’s Invisibility theory by
Lawrence Venuti (1995: 1-42) in this research. It consists of two main strategies
named domestication and foreignization. Domestication is a strategy which a
transparent and fluent style is adopted in order to minimize the strangeness of the
foreign text for target language readers. Foreignization designates the type of
translation in which a target text deliberately breaks target conventions by
retaining something foreign of the original.
1.2 Reasons for Choosing the Topic
The purpose of translation is to reproduce any kinds of texts; religion, literature,
science,etc. Shortly, subtitling is a film translation to help the audience understand
3
the film easily. The researcher had used a film subtitle as the media in teaching
Narrative text for the 8 grade students of SMP Negeri 23 Semarang. Then, it
became her interest to conduct a study related to a film subtitle.
Taking into consideration the fact that films can also represent foreign
realia, Venuti‟s theories on foreignization and domestication can be easily applied
to all forms of film translation.Films, like other written texts, may contain various
kinds of names (characters‟ names, names of national dishes, festivals, etc),
idioms, slang expressions and the like, all of which can function as culturespecific items that are not always a part of the TL system, and can be either
domesticated or foreignized by a translator.
It is supported by Hatim and Munday (2004:3-4), “Translation is an
incredibly broad nation which can be understood in many different ways. For
example, one may talk of translation as a process or a product, and identify such
sub-types as literary translation, technical translation, subtitling and machine
translations; moreover, while more typically it just refers to the transfer of written
texts, the term sometimes also includes interpreting.”
1.3 Research Questions
In conducting the study, the research questions of this study can be formulated as
follows:
1)
What techniques are used in translating cultural words ofthe English to
Indonesian subtitles of Frozen?
4
2)
How is the implementation of thetranslation techniques in the English to
Indonesian subtitles of Frozen?
3)
How are the results of implementing the techniques in the English to
Indonesian subtitles of Frozen?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
Related to the research questions, the objectives of the study are :
1) to identify the techniques used in translating cultural words of the English to
Indonesian subtitles of Frozen.
2) to describe the implementation of the translation techniques in the English to
Indonesian subtitles of Frozen.
3) to describe the results of implementing the translation techniques in the
English to Indonesian subtitles of Frozen.
1.5 Significances of the Study
Hopefully, the significances of this study give the benefit for the readers and other
researcher to increase the quality of comprehension in Translation Studies. Those
are:
Theoretically, it is expected that the findings of the study will provide information
related to translation techniques used for translating cultural words so that the
translators who have difficulties in translating cultural words will get better
comprehension to overcome the problems of translating specific cultural words,
domestication and foreignization, and also loss and gain as in a film subtitle.
5
Practically, the findings of the study could give review to the researchers so they
could find other translation techniques suitably used to overcome the problem of
translating cultural words,domestication and foreignization, and also loss and gain
in a film subtitle.
Pedagogically, the result of the study is expected to give contribution in the
development of English teaching especially in Translation Studies. By reviewing
the translation techniques dealing with the problems ofcultural words,
domestication and foreignization, and loss and gain of textual meaning, the
teacher could arrange better teaching method to betaken into the class.
1.6 Scope of the Study
Translating cultural words seems to be one of the most challenging tasks to be
performed by a translator, in other words, culture and intercultural awareness, are
far more complex phenomena that it may seem to the translator. The more a
translator is aware of complexities of differences between cultures, the better a
translator she or he will be. From the specific cultural words analysis, the
researcher analyzed the translation techniques, the occurrences of domestication
and foreignization. The last step was finding the loss and gain phenomena in the
English to Indonesian subtitleof Frozen.
In addition, the subject of the research analysis is a film subtitle entitled
Frozen. It is a 2013 American 3D CGI-animated musical fantasy comedy-drama
film, created and produced at Walt Disney Animation Studios. In Indonesia, IDFL
(Indonesian Data and File Library) is an independent subtitle company in
6
Bandung. It has 43 film translators and Fernanda is one of the subtitlers or film
translators who translatedFrozenin English into Indonesian.
1.7 Defininion of the Key Terms
The researcher would define some important key terms frequently used in this
study to make it easy to understand. They are as follows:
1.
Translation
Translation is a process by which the chain of signifiers that constitutes the source
language text is replaced by a chain of signifiers in the target language which the
translator provides on the strength of an interpretation. (Venuti, 1995:17-19).
2.
Techniques of Translation
Translation techniques can be defined as the way used by translators in translating
smaller units of language (words, phrases, or expressions) from the source
language into the target language. Translation techniques have five basic
characteristics: they affect the result of the translation, they are classified by the
comparison with the original, they affect micro-units of text, they are by nature
discursive and contextual, and they are functional. The word “technique“ itself
refers to a way of doing an activity which needs skill and competence. (Molina
and Albir, 2002:509) also explain that technique of translation is tool to analyze
the result of translation. They add that the category of translation technique allows
us to describe the concrete steps taken by the translator in translating a text.
7
3.
Cultural Words
The meaning of cultural terms (or cultural words, culturally-bound items, cultural
items, culture-specific items, etc.) are words, phrases, or expressions used by
members of a certain culture to express their concepts about something closely
related to their culture. Newmark (1988:94-95), refers to cultural terms as cultural
words. He defines culture as the way of life and its manifestations that are
peculiar to a community that uses a particular language as its means of expression.
4.
Subtitling
Subtitling is an exciting area of translation, and is part of a broader field of
audiovisual translation which includes dubbing, voiceover and audiodescription.
Subtitling is divided into two types: subtitling within the same language, for the
deaf and hard of hearing (also called captioning), and subtitling across languages,
for foreign-language film and television.The subtitler‟s task is already difficult
because subtitles are so limited in space (about 37 characters per line, and a
maximum of two lines) and time (subtitles should not stay on the screen longer
than six seconds). The result is that the content of the dialogue has to be cut down
to fit in the subtitles. Not only that, but the content has to be translated, and the
subtitles also have to be „spotted‟ or timed carefully to match the dialogue.
There‟s a real art to this, and it takes lots of training and practice.Subtitling
doesn‟t just translate the dialogue, but also other meaningful language in films
such as signs, letters, captions and other written words. When a film has lots of
written language and dialogue happening together, this can result in some very
difficult choices for the subtitler.
8
5.
Domestication and foreignization
Hatim and and Mason (in Hatim and Munday, 2004) state that the ideology of
translation refers to the basic orientation chosen by the translator operating within
a social and cultural context. Venuti (1997), with regard to translation,
distinguished two types of translating strategy: a) domestication and b)
foreignization. He defines those terms as two relatives terms basically loaded with
ideological stances, as when making the text recognizable and familiar to the
reader in target culture by domesticating method, or when through a foreignizing
technique, under ideology and pressure of ST, translator disturbs the cultural
codes prevailing in TT in the way to take the target reader over to the unknown
world of the author. Domestication is a type of translation which a transparent
and fluent style is adopted in order to minimize the strangeness of the foreign text
for target language readers.
Foreignization designates the type of translation in which a target text deliberately
breaks target conventions by retaining something foreign of the original.
6.
Loss and Gain
Loss is the disappearance of certain features in the target language text which are
present in the source language text. In other word, loss can also be attributed to
the failure by the translator to render an element of meaning such as
expressiveness where the impact, spirit an vividness of the text is lost.Gain is a
concept that relates to translation as a finished product. It is the enrichment or
clarification of the source language text.It can be describedas “ the enrichment or
clarification of the source language text in the process of translation”. In this
9
manner, gain enables a language to change for the better and adapt to meet the
needs of its speakers (Mc Guire , 1980:30).
1.8 Organization of the Thesis
For the sake of comprehending the study, this thesis is presented as follow:
Chapter I is introduction that begins with an overview of the background which
the study is based including reasons for choosing the topic, research questions,
objectives of the study, significances of the study, scope of the study, definition of
the key terms, and organization of the thesis.
Chapter II contains review of the related literature that discusses some
previous studies and some concepts or theories underlying this study. They
include: theoretical review, concept of translation,discuss the terms of translation,
cultural word, subtitle, domestication and foreignization, and an overview of loss
and gain in translation, and the last is theoretical framework.
Chapter III covers research methodology and deals with research design,
object of the study, units of analysis, instrument of the study, method of collecting
and analyzing the data, and triangulation.
Chapter IV contains the results of the analysis, which consists of general
findings and discussion.
Chapter V presents conclusions and suggestions. Finally, the result of the
data analysis in the previous chapter is concluded in this chapter with some
suggestions given to the readers. In addition, bibliography and appendices will be
attached at the end of this report of study.
ENGLISH TO INDONESIAN SUBTITLES OF FROZEN
A THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master’s Degree
in English Language Education
by
Yuni Astuti Dewi Wulandari
0203513055
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION
GRADUATE PROGRAM
SEMARANG STATE UNIVERSITY
2016
APPROVAL
This thesis entitled “TECHNIQUES FOR TRANSLATING CULTURAL
WORDS IN INDONESIAN SUBTITLES OF FROZEN “ written by,
Name
Student Number
Study Program
: Yuni Astuti Dewi Wulandari
: 0203513055
: English Language Education
has been presented in thesis examination on January 12, 2016 and it has been
revised by considering the evaluation of the examiners.
Semarang, April
,2016
The Board of Examiners,
Chairman,
Secretary,
Prof. Dr.rer.nat.Wahyu Hardyanto, M.Si Dr. Januarius Mujiyanto, M.Hum
NIP. 19601124 198403 1 002
NIP. 19531213 198303 1 002
First Examiner,
Second Examiner,
Drs. Ahmad Sofwan, M.A, Ph.D.
NIP. 19620427 198901 1 001
Dr. Dwi Anggani L.B, M. Pd.
NIP. 19590114 198901 2 001
Third Examiner,
Dr. Issy Yuliasri, M.Pd.
NIP. 19620713 199003 2 001
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I would like to express my highest gratitude to Allah
SWT, the almighty for the endless blessing and mercy for every single thing in
my life, I have succeeded in finishing this thesis.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Dwi Anggani LB, M.Pd
as the first advisor, who has given priceless guidance and encouragement as well
in making and completing this thesis. I would like to extend my thanks to Dr. Issy
Yuliasri, M.Pd, as the second advisor, who has looked about and given useful
correction and suggestion in improving my thesis.
Afterwards, I would like to dedicate my deepest love to my belate father
for his last ideas, my beloved mother for her support and contribution in my study
and life, and especially to my brother, sister, and aunt. My special thanks are for
Tyar, all my friends in Rombel I and II of English Studies of UNNES 2013
Graduate Program.
I realize that there are a lot of weaknesses and incompleteness within this
thesis. Suggestion and criticisms are always needed for the best, therefore I hope
this thesis is beneficial for me and the readers.
Semarang, April
,2016
Yuni Astuti Dewi Wulandari
St. No. 0203513055
ii
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY
I hereby declare that this thesis entitled “ Techniques for Translating Cultural
Words in English to Indonesian Subtitles of Frozen “ is completely my own work.
I am fully aware that I have quoted some statements and ideas from other sources
and all quotations are properly acknowledged in the text.
Semarang, April
,2016
Yuni Astuti Dewi Wulandari
St. No. 0203513055
iii
MOTTO AND DEDICATION
“Don‟t forget to be creative, have good understanding and wide
knowledge of both the source and target language in translating or
subtitling to make the subtitle works sounds more natural in the target
language.”
This thesis is dedicated to:
1. English Language Education, Graduate Program
2. Semarang State University
iv
ABSTRACT
Wulandari, Yuni Astuti Dewi. 2016. Techniques for Translating Cultural Words
in English to Indonesian Subtitles of Frozen. Thesis. English Language Education.
Graduate Program of Semarang State University. Supervisors: I. Dr. Dwi Anggani
LB, M.Pd ; II. Dr. Issy Yuliasri, M.Pd.
Keywords: translation techniques, cultural words, Frozen.
The purpose of the study was to find out the techniques of translation used
by the subtitler in translating cultural words,and to explain the results of
implementing the techniques in the English to Indonesian subtitles of Frozen as
the manifestation of foreignization and domestication,loss and gain of the
translation.The method of collecting data in this study was through observing by
note-taking technique. Documentary study guides were used as the instruments.
The collected data were analyzed descriptively using qualitative method. There
were forty three data of cultural words and eleven techniques of translating
cultural words identified in the subtitles.The most tendency application of
ideology of translation in translating the cultural words related to English cultural
words was domestication.The next orientation used in the translation of the
cultural words was followed by foreignization.The last tendency was partial
foreignization and partial domestication.Based on the result of the research, the
factors leading to the applications of foreignization and domestication were
cultural differences,linguistic differences,and the subtitler‟s preference.It is
necessary for the subtitler to be more creative,have good understanding about
politeness and wide knowledge of both the source and target language,and
recommended to realize the effective translation work.
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................................
iii
ABSTRACT .....................................................................................................
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................
vii
LIST OF TABLES ..........................................................................................
x
CHAPTER
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background of the Study ..................................................................
1
1.2
Reasons for Choosing the Topic .......................................................
2
1.3
Research Questions ...........................................................................
3
1.4
Objectives of the Study .....................................................................
4
1.5
Significances of the Study ................................................................
4
1.6
Scope of the Study ............................................................................
5
1.7
Definition of the Key Terms .............................................................
6
1.8
Organization of the Thesis ................................................................
9
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
Previous Studies ..............................................................................
10
2.2
Theoretical Review .........................................................................
17
2.2.1
Translation .......................................................................................
18
2.2.2
Concept of Translation ....................................................................
21
2.2.3
Cultural Words ................................................................................
22
2.2.3.1 Culture in Translation .....................................................................
23
2.2.4
The Relationship between Culture and Translation .........................
25
2.2.5
Techniques in Translation ................................................................
29
2.3
Subtitling .........................................................................................
34
vi
2.3.1
Spatial Placement ............................................................................
36
2.3.2
Time Placement ...............................................................................
37
2.3.3
Subtitling in Different Countries .....................................................
38
2.3.4
Code of Good Subtitling Practice Subtitle Spotting and Translation
39
2.4
Ideologies in Translation .................................................................
41
2.4.1
Foreignization and Domestication in Subtitling...............................
46
2.5
An overview of Loss and Gain ........................................................
46
2.5.1
Loss ..................................................................................................
48
2.5.2
Gain ..................................................................................................
49
2.6
Theoretical Framework ....................................................................
51
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1
Research Design ..............................................................................
52
3.2
Object of the Study ..........................................................................
53
3.3
Synopsis of Frozen ...........................................................................
53
3.3.1
Biography of the Subtitler ................................................................
56
3.4
Units of Analysis .............................................................................
57
3.5
Instruments of the Study .................................................................
57
3.6
Method of Collecting the Data ........................................................
58
3.7
Method of Analyzing the Data .........................................................
59
3.8
Triangulation ....................................................................................
60
4. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
4.1
Findings ............................................................................................
63
4.1.1
General Findings ..............................................................................
63
4.1.2
Categories of Cultural Words and the Translation Techniques ......
64
4.1.2.1 Cultural Words of Ecology .............................................................
65
4.1.2.2 Cultural Words of Material Culture .................................................
71
4.1.2.3 Cultural Words of Social Culture.....................................................
76
4.1.2.4 Cultural Words of Social Organization ............................................
78
vii
4.1.2.5 Cultural Words of Gestures and Habits...........................................
80
4.1.2.6
Idiom and Saying ............................................................................
82
4.1.3
Translation Techniques in Translating Cultural Words ..................
86
4.1.3.1 SL- oriented Techniques of Translation ..........................................
88
4.1.3.1.1 Pure Borrowing Technique .............................................................
88
4.1.3.1.2 Calque Technique............................................................................
90
4.1.3.1.3 Literal Translation Technique .........................................................
91
4.1.3.2
TL- oriented Technique ..................................................................
91
4.1.3.2.1 Adaptation Technique .....................................................................
91
4.1.3.2.2 Generalization Technique ...............................................................
92
4.1.3.2.3 Description Technique ....................................................................
92
4.1.3.2.4 Discursive Creation Technique .......................................................
93
4.1.3.2.5 Established Equivalent Technique ..................................................
95
4.1.3.2.6 Linguistic Compression Technique.................................................
96
4.1.3.2.7 Reduction Technique ......................................................................
97
4.1.3.3
SL partially-oriented and TL partially- oriented Techniques of
Translation .......................................................................................
98
4.1.4
Loss and Gain ..................................................................................
101
4.2
Discussion .......................................................................................
109
5. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
5.1
Conclusion ......................................................................................
114
5.2
Suggestion .......................................................................................
116
REFERENCES ..............................................................................................
118
APPENDICES ..............................................................................................
122
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table
Page
Documentary Study Guide of Cultural Words ...............................................
57
Documentary Study Guide of Translation Technique ...................................
58
Occurrences of Cultural Words......................................................................
64
Translation Techniques in Translating Cultural Words .................................
87
ix
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix
Page
Frozen Characters ...................................................................................... 122
Words related to Ecology ........................................................................... 123
Words related to Material Culture.............................................................. 125
Words related to Social Culture ................................................................. 128
Words related to Social Organization ........................................................ 131
Words related to Gestures and Habits ........................................................ 132
Pure Borrowing Technique of Translation ................................................. 133
Linguistic Compression Technique Translation ........................................ 134
Established Equivalent Technique of Translation...................................... 135
Reduction Technique of Translation .......................................................... 136
Linguistic Amplification Technique of Translation ................................... 136
Discursive Creation Technique of Translation .......................................... 137
Generalization Technique of Translation ................................................... 137
Adaptation Technique of Translation......................................................... 137
Description Technique of Translation ........................................................ 138
Calque Technique of Translation ............................................................... 138
Literal Translation of Translation .............................................................. 138
x
1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
This chapter begins with an overview of the background which the study is based
including reasons for choosing the topic, research questions, objectives of the
study, significances of the study, scope of the study, the definition of the terms,
and organization of the thesis. Each of the issues will be discussed below.
1.1 Background of the Study
Nowadays, translation is becoming a popular thing in many sectors of life, such
as: education, entertainment, economy, and many more. However, in
entertainment, people commonly find difficulty in comprehending the content of
English film, so film translation or subtitling is needed.
Translators play an important role to transfer the idea from the source
language into the target language. Moreover, in transferring the idea, translators
need some strategies to face with a number of translation problems.In translation,
some words in the source language cannot be replaced into the target language as
caused by the cultural background of those words. Those words are called by
cultural words (Newmark,1998:95-103). The cultural words such as: traditional
food, local animal or plant names, and places will be hard to be translated into the
target text. It is because the meaning for the cultural words is not available in the
target language. The cultural word problems in translation mostly cause some
failures of idea delivery in the target language.
1
2
The subject of the research analysis is a film subtitle entitled Frozen. It is a
2013 American 3D CGI-animated musical fantasy comedy-drama film, with a
screenplay written by Jennifer Lee, and both Chris Buck and Lee serving as
directors, created and produced at Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed
by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In Indonesia, IDFL (Indonesian Data
and File Library) is an independent subtitle company in Bandung. It has 43
subtitlers and Fernanda is one of the subtitlers or film translators who translated
the Frozen from English into Indonesian.
As a replication of two theses which discusses domestication and
foreignization, and loss and gain in translating cultural words, the researcher
argues that the analysis of cultural words then must be related to the translation
techniques as the solution for the cultural problems. She uses Cultural Words‟
theory by Newmark (1998:95-105) and The Translator’s Invisibility theory by
Lawrence Venuti (1995: 1-42) in this research. It consists of two main strategies
named domestication and foreignization. Domestication is a strategy which a
transparent and fluent style is adopted in order to minimize the strangeness of the
foreign text for target language readers. Foreignization designates the type of
translation in which a target text deliberately breaks target conventions by
retaining something foreign of the original.
1.2 Reasons for Choosing the Topic
The purpose of translation is to reproduce any kinds of texts; religion, literature,
science,etc. Shortly, subtitling is a film translation to help the audience understand
3
the film easily. The researcher had used a film subtitle as the media in teaching
Narrative text for the 8 grade students of SMP Negeri 23 Semarang. Then, it
became her interest to conduct a study related to a film subtitle.
Taking into consideration the fact that films can also represent foreign
realia, Venuti‟s theories on foreignization and domestication can be easily applied
to all forms of film translation.Films, like other written texts, may contain various
kinds of names (characters‟ names, names of national dishes, festivals, etc),
idioms, slang expressions and the like, all of which can function as culturespecific items that are not always a part of the TL system, and can be either
domesticated or foreignized by a translator.
It is supported by Hatim and Munday (2004:3-4), “Translation is an
incredibly broad nation which can be understood in many different ways. For
example, one may talk of translation as a process or a product, and identify such
sub-types as literary translation, technical translation, subtitling and machine
translations; moreover, while more typically it just refers to the transfer of written
texts, the term sometimes also includes interpreting.”
1.3 Research Questions
In conducting the study, the research questions of this study can be formulated as
follows:
1)
What techniques are used in translating cultural words ofthe English to
Indonesian subtitles of Frozen?
4
2)
How is the implementation of thetranslation techniques in the English to
Indonesian subtitles of Frozen?
3)
How are the results of implementing the techniques in the English to
Indonesian subtitles of Frozen?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
Related to the research questions, the objectives of the study are :
1) to identify the techniques used in translating cultural words of the English to
Indonesian subtitles of Frozen.
2) to describe the implementation of the translation techniques in the English to
Indonesian subtitles of Frozen.
3) to describe the results of implementing the translation techniques in the
English to Indonesian subtitles of Frozen.
1.5 Significances of the Study
Hopefully, the significances of this study give the benefit for the readers and other
researcher to increase the quality of comprehension in Translation Studies. Those
are:
Theoretically, it is expected that the findings of the study will provide information
related to translation techniques used for translating cultural words so that the
translators who have difficulties in translating cultural words will get better
comprehension to overcome the problems of translating specific cultural words,
domestication and foreignization, and also loss and gain as in a film subtitle.
5
Practically, the findings of the study could give review to the researchers so they
could find other translation techniques suitably used to overcome the problem of
translating cultural words,domestication and foreignization, and also loss and gain
in a film subtitle.
Pedagogically, the result of the study is expected to give contribution in the
development of English teaching especially in Translation Studies. By reviewing
the translation techniques dealing with the problems ofcultural words,
domestication and foreignization, and loss and gain of textual meaning, the
teacher could arrange better teaching method to betaken into the class.
1.6 Scope of the Study
Translating cultural words seems to be one of the most challenging tasks to be
performed by a translator, in other words, culture and intercultural awareness, are
far more complex phenomena that it may seem to the translator. The more a
translator is aware of complexities of differences between cultures, the better a
translator she or he will be. From the specific cultural words analysis, the
researcher analyzed the translation techniques, the occurrences of domestication
and foreignization. The last step was finding the loss and gain phenomena in the
English to Indonesian subtitleof Frozen.
In addition, the subject of the research analysis is a film subtitle entitled
Frozen. It is a 2013 American 3D CGI-animated musical fantasy comedy-drama
film, created and produced at Walt Disney Animation Studios. In Indonesia, IDFL
(Indonesian Data and File Library) is an independent subtitle company in
6
Bandung. It has 43 film translators and Fernanda is one of the subtitlers or film
translators who translatedFrozenin English into Indonesian.
1.7 Defininion of the Key Terms
The researcher would define some important key terms frequently used in this
study to make it easy to understand. They are as follows:
1.
Translation
Translation is a process by which the chain of signifiers that constitutes the source
language text is replaced by a chain of signifiers in the target language which the
translator provides on the strength of an interpretation. (Venuti, 1995:17-19).
2.
Techniques of Translation
Translation techniques can be defined as the way used by translators in translating
smaller units of language (words, phrases, or expressions) from the source
language into the target language. Translation techniques have five basic
characteristics: they affect the result of the translation, they are classified by the
comparison with the original, they affect micro-units of text, they are by nature
discursive and contextual, and they are functional. The word “technique“ itself
refers to a way of doing an activity which needs skill and competence. (Molina
and Albir, 2002:509) also explain that technique of translation is tool to analyze
the result of translation. They add that the category of translation technique allows
us to describe the concrete steps taken by the translator in translating a text.
7
3.
Cultural Words
The meaning of cultural terms (or cultural words, culturally-bound items, cultural
items, culture-specific items, etc.) are words, phrases, or expressions used by
members of a certain culture to express their concepts about something closely
related to their culture. Newmark (1988:94-95), refers to cultural terms as cultural
words. He defines culture as the way of life and its manifestations that are
peculiar to a community that uses a particular language as its means of expression.
4.
Subtitling
Subtitling is an exciting area of translation, and is part of a broader field of
audiovisual translation which includes dubbing, voiceover and audiodescription.
Subtitling is divided into two types: subtitling within the same language, for the
deaf and hard of hearing (also called captioning), and subtitling across languages,
for foreign-language film and television.The subtitler‟s task is already difficult
because subtitles are so limited in space (about 37 characters per line, and a
maximum of two lines) and time (subtitles should not stay on the screen longer
than six seconds). The result is that the content of the dialogue has to be cut down
to fit in the subtitles. Not only that, but the content has to be translated, and the
subtitles also have to be „spotted‟ or timed carefully to match the dialogue.
There‟s a real art to this, and it takes lots of training and practice.Subtitling
doesn‟t just translate the dialogue, but also other meaningful language in films
such as signs, letters, captions and other written words. When a film has lots of
written language and dialogue happening together, this can result in some very
difficult choices for the subtitler.
8
5.
Domestication and foreignization
Hatim and and Mason (in Hatim and Munday, 2004) state that the ideology of
translation refers to the basic orientation chosen by the translator operating within
a social and cultural context. Venuti (1997), with regard to translation,
distinguished two types of translating strategy: a) domestication and b)
foreignization. He defines those terms as two relatives terms basically loaded with
ideological stances, as when making the text recognizable and familiar to the
reader in target culture by domesticating method, or when through a foreignizing
technique, under ideology and pressure of ST, translator disturbs the cultural
codes prevailing in TT in the way to take the target reader over to the unknown
world of the author. Domestication is a type of translation which a transparent
and fluent style is adopted in order to minimize the strangeness of the foreign text
for target language readers.
Foreignization designates the type of translation in which a target text deliberately
breaks target conventions by retaining something foreign of the original.
6.
Loss and Gain
Loss is the disappearance of certain features in the target language text which are
present in the source language text. In other word, loss can also be attributed to
the failure by the translator to render an element of meaning such as
expressiveness where the impact, spirit an vividness of the text is lost.Gain is a
concept that relates to translation as a finished product. It is the enrichment or
clarification of the source language text.It can be describedas “ the enrichment or
clarification of the source language text in the process of translation”. In this
9
manner, gain enables a language to change for the better and adapt to meet the
needs of its speakers (Mc Guire , 1980:30).
1.8 Organization of the Thesis
For the sake of comprehending the study, this thesis is presented as follow:
Chapter I is introduction that begins with an overview of the background which
the study is based including reasons for choosing the topic, research questions,
objectives of the study, significances of the study, scope of the study, definition of
the key terms, and organization of the thesis.
Chapter II contains review of the related literature that discusses some
previous studies and some concepts or theories underlying this study. They
include: theoretical review, concept of translation,discuss the terms of translation,
cultural word, subtitle, domestication and foreignization, and an overview of loss
and gain in translation, and the last is theoretical framework.
Chapter III covers research methodology and deals with research design,
object of the study, units of analysis, instrument of the study, method of collecting
and analyzing the data, and triangulation.
Chapter IV contains the results of the analysis, which consists of general
findings and discussion.
Chapter V presents conclusions and suggestions. Finally, the result of the
data analysis in the previous chapter is concluded in this chapter with some
suggestions given to the readers. In addition, bibliography and appendices will be
attached at the end of this report of study.