Passage 2019, 7(2), 42-52

The Strategies in Translating Indonesian Cultural Terms in ’s Footsteps

Gina Istiqomah, Wawan Gunawan* English Language and Literature Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia [email protected]

ABSTRACT This study investigated some strategies applied by the translator in translating Indonesian cultural terms found in the novel Footsteps. The data were taken from the original version of the novel entitled Jejak Langkah and its English version entitled Footsteps. By using qualitative method, this study classified and analyzed the data based on Newmark’s (1988) cultural categories and Venuti’s (1995) domestication and foreignization strategies in translation. The result showed that domestication and foreignization strategies were applied by the translator to translate Indonesian cultural terms with the percentage of 26.92% (domesticated) and 73.08% (foreignized). The most frequently used strategy by the translator in translating the cultural terms make the translation result to be less fluent and less transparent. However, it could make the target language readers feel closer to the nuance of the original story of the novel Footsteps and recognize linguistic and cultural differences of other languages, in this case Indonesian.

Keywords: Domestication, Foreignization, Translation Strategy, Cultural Terms.

*Penulis Penanggung Jawab

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Gina Istiqomah, Wawan Gunawan1 The Strategies in Translating Indonesian Cultural Terms in Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Footsteps

INTRODUCTION distance between the source language Translation is a process of and the target language except there is transferring meaning of one language a cultural overlap and appropriate to another language in order that the descriptive-functional equivalent in meaning in the source language can TL text (Newmark, 1988, p. 94). be understood by the receptor in the However, there would always be target language. Newmark (1988) cultural differences between the stated that “translation is rendering source language and the target the meaning of a text into another language. Then, it is possible that language in the way that the author translator finds a cultural term of the intended the text” (p. 5). However, source language during the translating translation is not only about rendering process. Translating a text consisting the meaning or linguistic transference cultural terms can be a dilemma and but also a cultural exchange between challenge for a translator. The the source language and target equivalence of some cultural terms language. Therefore, translation can from the source language may not be used as a bridge in communication exist in the target language. The across culture. Translation can be source language words may express a described as intercultural concept which is unknown by the communication in which the social target language readers. The concept practice is constructed in a certain may be abstract or concrete related to context by certain agents to religious belief, a social customs, or comprehend social categories and even type of foods (Baker, 1992, p. boundaries with reference to the 21). Thus, the translator needs to cultural context that envelope it apply appropriate strategy in (House, 2016, p. 37). In addition, translating them into the target through translation people can language without losing the meaning recognize language and cultural or value of the source language. differences around them. Language is embedded in A translation problem would culture in which the meaning of any happen when there is a cultural gap or linguistic item can only be understood

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with reference to the cultural context introduce the authors and their literary that envelope it (House, 2016, p. 32). works abroad. One of the examples is A cultural term that is found in the Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Jejak source language text can be translated Langkah. There has been the English by using domestication and version of the novel in the title of foreignization strategies proposed by Footsteps. The novel is the third Venuti (1995). By the use of volume of the novel tetralogy or also domestication and foreignization known as the Quartet. The strategies, it can be described how a researcher selects this novel for this translator positions a translated text in research because none of previous the target language and in the textual studies used this novel as the data environment of the target culture (as source of the research regarding cited in Myskja, 2013, p. 3). domestication and foreignization Domestication is a strategy to make strategies. Besides, it contains more unfamiliar terms become intelligible cultural terms regarding Indonesian by the target language reader and to culture. Thus, this study contribute to reduce the foreignness of the source the existing studies on translation language text. Meanwhile, strategies which especially focus on foreignization is a strategy to retain identifying cultural terms and the the foreign term as much as possible strategies to translate them, and also so that the target language readers can the effect of the translator’s strategy feel the original of the source on the translation result, in this case language text. The translator can the novel Footsteps. choose between the two of these strategies to be applied in translating METHODOLOGY cultural terms. This research employed a qualitative There are many Indonesian method because the researcher literary works which have been classified the data into some translated into many languages, categories and analyzed the data to especially in English in order to reach answer the problems being a wide range of reader and as a way to questioned. The data of this study

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Gina Istiqomah, Wawan Gunawan1 The Strategies in Translating Indonesian Cultural Terms in Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Footsteps

were taken from Pramoedya Ananta Venuti (1995) and Judickaite’s (2009) Toer’s Jejak Langkah and its English the continuum of domestication and version of the novel in the title foreignization strategies, calculating Footsteps which was translated by the occurrence of the identified Max Lane. Some of the phrases, strategies in order to identify the most clauses, and sentences which contain frequently used strategy by the cultural terms were transcribed in the translator to translate the cultural form of table due to the analysis of the terms, and then interpreting the data data. There are 78 cultural terms analysis result. found in the English version of the novel Jejak Langkah. The data were FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION analyzed based on Newmark’s (1988) This research collected 78 cultural categories of cultural terms by words from the novel Footsteps. The classifying the cultural terms found in cultural terms were classified based the novel Footsteps, Venuti’s (1995) on cultural category proposed by theory of foreignization and Newmark (1995): (1) ecology, (2) domestication strategies in translation material culture, (3) social culture, (4) and also Judickaite’s (2009) the social organization and (5) gestures continuum of domestication and and habits. foreignization strategies in measuring Table 1 Cultural Term to what extent the cultural terms were Categories domesticated or foreignized by the translator in the translation. Categor N Freque Percent y The steps taken in analyzing the o ncy age (%) data are: categorizing the identified 1 Ecology 8 10.26% cultural terms found in the novel 2 Material 23 29.49% Footsteps based on Newmark’s culture (1995) theory of cultural categories, 3 Social 30 38.46% classifying the data based on culture domestication and foreignization strategies in translation proposed by

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4 Social 12 15.38% Chart 1 Domestication and organiza Foreignization Strategies in tion Translating Cultural Terms 5 Gestures 5 6.41% and habits 26.92% Total 78 100% Domestication Foreignization 73.08% Based on the table above, the categories that appeared the most in the data are social culture with the total percentage of 38.46% and Based on the chart above, material culture with the total foreignization strategy is the most percentage of 29.49%. The next applied strategy with the percentage categories which are mostly found are of 73.08%, while domestication social organization with the strategy is the least with the percentage of 15.38% and ecology percentage of 26.92%. The translator with the percentage of 10.26%. Then, tended to apply foreignization the category that appears the least is strategy in order to keep the gestures and habits with the foreignness of the source language by percentage of 6.41%. representing linguistic and cultural From the data, there are 78 differences from the source language cultural terms found in the novel toward the target language readers in Footsteps. There are 21 cultural terms English due to the importance of the translated by using domestication foreign culture and its value, in this strategy and 57 cultural terms case Indonesian culture. translated by using foreignization The most frequently used strategy. The percentage of the strategy by the translator to translate strategies applied by the translator in the cultural terms in the novel translating cultural terms presented in Footsteps is foreignization. The text a pie chart below. showed that the translator retained

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Gina Istiqomah, Wawan Gunawan1 The Strategies in Translating Indonesian Cultural Terms in Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Footsteps

and introduced the concept of culture memasu regent, and its value of the source language, ki seated in this case Indonesian culture, as pelatara in Venuti (1995) stated that n rocking “foreignization is an ethnodeviant kabupate chairs pressure on those (cultural) values to n, putri- under register the linguistic and cultural putri the difference of foreign text, sending the bupati pendop reader abroad” (p. 15). Then, the text Jepara o, also emphasized that the translator’s telah awaite work tended to be the source menanti d the language-oriented with the use of di arrival some strategies such as preservation, pendopo of addition, naturalization, and literal duduk di Engine translation proposed by Judickaite kursi- er H. (2009). The examples of some goyang van cultural terms that were translated by (p. 88) Kollew using those strategies are as follow. ijn (p.68)

Table 2 The examples of According to KBBI, the term preservation strategy identified in “pendopo” means a wide open the novel Footsteps building (without borders or barriers) Indones Englis at the front of a house which is N ian h provided for reception area or Strategy o Version Versio meeting. The term is also used to refer (SL) n (TL) to a traditional home building in Sebelum The Indonesia, especially in Central . Ir.H.Van daught Preservat The translated text showed that 1 Kollewij ers of ion preservation strategy was used by n the retaining the term “pendopo”. By the

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use of this strategy, the translation From the table above, the text result could be less fluent for the showed that the term “adat pingitan” target language readers because the was translated into the target language term may be unfamiliar for them. by using additional strategy. This Table 3 The examples of addition could make the translation result less strategy identified in the novel fluent for the target language readers Footsteps because it gives the appearance of the N Indonesi English Strate source language culture. o an Version gy Thus, the translated text Version (TL) indicated that it tended to be source (SL) language-oriented. This could affect The the translation result to be less fluent traditio and less transparent. The cultural n of terms which were retained in the keeping novel Footsteps may be unfamiliar for such a the target language readers. Adat daughte According to Larson (1984), each pingitan rs out of society would interpret a message porak sight from the translated text in terms of its poranda until own culture and perspective. The Additi 2 kena she had receptor audience would decode the on terjang a translation result in terms of his own Sekolah partner culture and experience, not the culture Dokter had and experience of the author of the (p. 72) been original text (as cited in Behtazh). destroye Thus, the translation result which d by the presents linguistic and cultural medical differences may be less fluent and less school transparent for the target language (p. 58) readers.

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Gina Istiqomah, Wawan Gunawan1 The Strategies in Translating Indonesian Cultural Terms in Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Footsteps

In contrast, according to In the novel Footsteps, it Venuti (1995) a fluent translation is indicated that the translator tended to written with a language that is widely foreignized the cultural terms in used instead of specialized (jargon) accordance with the concepts and and that is standard instead of cultural values existed in Indonesia. colloquial. Then, the translation result This is in line with Shirinzadeh and is considered to be transparent when Mahadi (2014) who investigated there are no linguistic and stylistic foreignizing or domesticating peculiarities in the translated text. In tendencies in the English translation addition, a transparent and fluent style of Hafez’s lyrics. They conducted the is adopted to minimize the study by analyzing some selected strangeness of the foreign text for the lyrics contained Persian cultural items target language readers by found in the English version of domesticating and limiting the Hafez’s lyrics. The result of their exchange of cultural terms (pp. 1-13). analysis showed that the translator’s However, each language contains tendency in translating Persian elements which are derived from its cultural items was the application of culture such as greetings, or fixed foreignization strategy. The expressions, that every text related to translator’s aims were conveying the a specific culture (Shuttleworth and foreignness sense to the translation Cowie, 1997, p. 35). Thus , translating and moving the readers abroad. Thus, cultural term from the source by the tendency of the translator’s language often involves more than a strategy which is foreignizing the simple selection of what should be cultural terms, the target language translated and what should not; the readers could feel closer to the nuance translator need to consider some of the original from the source aspects influencing it such as the language and they could expand their equivalent, the context of the source knowledge about another language language culture (Kafipour and Soori, and culture. 2016). The findings of this study show speciality especially in

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understanding the effect of the translator’s strategy on the translation CONCLUSION result. As it has been explained Based on the analysis of this research, before, the translator’s work tended to there are some points that can be be source language-oriented by concluded. First, there are 78 cultural retaining the foreignness of the source terms found in the novel Footsteps. language. Thus, the foreignness of the The categories of the cultural terms source language could make the consist of: (1) ecology: 8 cultural translation result to be less fluent and terms, (2) material culture: 23 cultural less transparent for the target terms (3) social culture: 29 cultural language readers regarding unfamiliar terms (4) social organization: 7 terms and cultural differences cultural terms (5) gestures and habits: presented by the translator. According 8 cultural terms. The most appeared to Larson (1984), each society would categories found in the novel are interpret a message from the social culture and material culture. translated text in terms of its own There are 30 terms of social culture culture and perspective. The receptor with the percentage of 29.49% and 23 audience would decode the terms of material culture with the translation result in terms of his own percentage of 38.46%. It can be said culture and experience, not the culture that the terms include in social culture and experience of the author of the and material culture are mostly original text (as cited in Behtazh). appeared because the novel told about However, the translated text indicated the story of indigenous people of that the foreignness of the source Indonesia during the colonial period, language was retained in order to so that there must be many cultural make the target language readers feel terms represented in the story. closer to the nuance of the original story of the novel Footsteps and also Then, there are 58 cultural make them recognize linguistic and terms are translated using cultural differences of other foreignization strategy with the languages, in this case Indonesian. percentage of 75.33% and 17 cultural

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Gina Istiqomah, Wawan Gunawan1 The Strategies in Translating Indonesian Cultural Terms in Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Footsteps

terms are translated using (11.53%), translation by more domestication strategy with the specific words (1.28%), equivalent percentage of 22.67%. Thus, translation (1.28%). The most used foreignization is the most frequently strategy is preservation. used strategy by the translator in Thus, translated text indicated translating the cultural terms. The that it tended to be source language- translator applied foreignization oriented and affects the translation strategy by preserving some cultural result to be less fluent and less terms from the source language to be transparent for the target language presented in the target language. readers due to linguistic and cultural Besides, the cultural terms were also differences that were preserved by the analyzed by Judickaite’s (2009) translator in the novel Footsteps. specific translation strategies in the However, the tendency of process of domestication and foreignization strategy could make foreignization which consist of: the target language readers feel closer preservation (65.38%), addition to the nuance of the original story of (1.28%), naturalization (7.69%), the novel Footsteps. They can also literal translation (1.28%), cultural expand their knowledge about equivalent (1.28%), globalization cultural differences of Indonesian. Catford, J. C. (1965). A linguistic REFERENCES theory of translation. London: Baawaidhan, G. A. (2016). Applying Oxford University Press. foreignization and Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, domestication in translating K. (2007). Research method in Arabic dialectical expressions education. New York: into English. International Routledge. Journal of Linguistics, 8, 4. Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative doi: 10.5296/ijl.v8i4.9665 inquiry and research design. Baker, M. (1992). In other words: A United States of America: Sage courseboook on translation. Publication. London and New York: Elmenfi, F. (2013). Venuti’s Routledge. foreignization: Resistance Bassnett, S. (2000). Translation against the Arabic culture. studies. London and New International Journal of York: Routledge. Comparative Literature & Translation Studies, 2. doi: 10.7575/aiac.ijclts.v.2n.1p.10

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