TRANSLATION SHIFT

CHAPTER I

1.1 The Background

Translation is a target text written as a result of the translator’s comprehension of source text. As a means of communication, the translation should be accurate, clear and natural and also should be there sameness in meaning, parallelism in form. To get a good translation, there are so many factors that should be remembered by translator. The two important factors are linguistics factor that cover words, phrases, clauses and sentence; Nonlinguistic factors cover the cultural knowledge on both source and target language culture (Nababan, 1999:20).

 We know that translation is much needed by someone to transfer one language to another language. By giving this subject, it is hoped that it will give more chance to students to get a job other than to be a teacher as the main purpose of their studying in Faculty of teacher training and education to be a teacher. Besides, the optional subject given to the students are. In translating text, there are so many aspects that should be remembered by translator. One of them is mastering language both source language and target language. It is one of the reasons why we conceive this paper.

The problems usually faced by students are lexical problems and grammatical problems. Grammatical problems cover the problems related to the word in relation to the other word. In getting a good translation, the translators or students have to know the grammar of the two languages. So that is why, according to us, this paper is necessary to be done. By knowing the problems, the teacher will choose the most appropriate the strategy how to solve the problem to get better students’ acquisition.

Based on the previous explanation, we think the paper whose title is “Translation Shifts” is necessary to be done to know the students’ grammatical problems in translating Indonesia into English and the solution taken by students. Knowing the solution done by students is very important because if they can solve their problem appropriately, they will result a good translation. By identifying their problems, the lecturer will identify it and have the solution how to improve the weaknesses. It is hoped that by joining translation class, their ability in translating will be better than before.

1.2 Problems

a. What is the meaning of translation shifts?

b. What are the major types of translation shifts?

c. What are the examples of translation shifts?

1.3 Purposes

a. To improve the knowledge of the readers about what translation shifts is.

b. To give more information about the types of translation shifts so, they know more and really understand about translation shifts.

CHAPTER II

2.1 The Definition of Translation Shifts

Translation is not only the transferring something written in source language into target language. Munday (2000:4) says that the term translation itself has several meanings: it can refer to the product and the process. The product involves the translated text and the process involves the translator changing an original written text (source language) into written text (target language) in different verbal language.

Nida and Taber (1982:12) propose a rather complete definition of translation. According to the two experts, “Translating consisting of reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalence of source language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style.” The definition proposed by Nida and Taber contain some elements that should be taken into account by a translator in performing his/her task: reproducing the message, equivalence, natural equivalence, closest equivalence, priority on meaning and also style.

Difficulty in translation is related to idiomatic expression because each of the language expresses its own culture where it is used (Tarjana, 2000:2). Another one is noun phrase. Soemarno (2000:1) says that the difficulties not only the vocabulary but also the word structure. The other difficulty is in the process of transferring the meaning from source language into the target one.

Due to those difficulties, Larson (1984:22) says that translation is a complicated process. Barnwell (1983:15) says that a good translation should be accurate, clear, and natural so it is not sound foreign. The principle in translation is the sameness meaning in the source language (TL) and the target language (TL).

Shift is something unavoidable in translation. In his attempt to transfer the meaning from one language (SL) to another (TL) by means of the universally known practice of translation, the translator faces a plethora of linguistics, stylistic and even cultural problems. In this case, Popovic (1970;79) says that ‘this transfer is not performed directly and is not without difficulties.’ This means that the act of translation can be analyzed along range possibilities, which bring about a number of shifts in the linguistic, aesthetic and intellectual values of the source text (ST).

2.2 The Major Types of Translation Shifts

As far as translation shifts are concerned, Catford defines them as departures’ from formal correspondence in the process of going from the SL to the TL. Catford argues that there are two main types of translation shifts, namely level shifts, where the SL item at one linguistic level (grammar) has at a different level (e.g. lexis), and category shifts which are divided into four types:

a. Structure shifts, which involve a grammatical change between the structure of ST and that of the TT.

b. Class shifts, when a SL item is translated with a TL item which belongs to a different grammatical class, i.e. a verb may be translated with a noun

.c. Unit shifts, which involve change ranks.

d. Intra system shifts, which occur when ‘SL and TL process system which approximately correspond formally as to their constitution, but when translation involves selection of a no corresponding term in the TL system’. For example, when the SL singular becoming TL plural.



2.3 The Examples of Translation Shifts

• “Just a minute!” I Made Aseman yelled at the woman. Listen to me first,”he said to the police chief. “You have to hear the whole story.”

• “Nanti dulu,” teriak I Made Aseman,”begini ratu, saya akan bta panjang bercerita panjang dulu.”

• Based on the contrastive analysis above, it is known that the translator did the
structural shift. The Translator changes from one sentence becomes two sentences.

• Off to the side of the narrow road that twisted through coconut groves on the way to the village of Bingin Banjah was a hut.

• Di pinggir jalan kecil yang berkelak-kelok, diantara kebun-kebun kelapa menuju ke Bingin Banjah, desa yang belum dapat disebut desa benar, hanya sekumpulan rumah-rumah orang tani saja, adalah sebuah kedai.

• Based on the analysis above, it can be seen that the translator adds and omits the information that causes the changes of the message of the SL sentence. It can be seen in the word desa yang belum dapat disebut desa benar and sekumpulan rumah-rumah orang tani saja. The two information are not found in the SL. She did the structural shift.

• “Get out of there.”

• “Hei.”

• In this translation, the translator did a class shift in translating phrase get out of there. This phrase is translated into hei. There is a change from phrase into noun. So it is categorized in class shift

• I Made Aseman was furious. “This must be Men Negara’s idea, “he muttered grimly. “She’s trying to soften him up.

• I Made Aseman marah dalam hatinya. “Men Negaralah yang punya akal ini untuk melunakkan hati tuannya, “berungutnya.”

• In this translation, the translator did a class shift in translating phrase muttered grimly. This phrase is translated into berungutnya. There is a change from phrase into noun. So it is categorized in class shift.

• The Rape of Sukreni

• Sukreni Gadis Bali

• In this translation, the translator did a class shift in translating noun phrase into of Sukreni . This phrase is translated into Sukreni. There is a change from phrase into noun. So it is categorized in class shift.

CHAPTER III

3.1 Conclusions

a. Knowing about translation shifts in translating is a must because it helps the translators to be able to differentiate about the structure, class, unit, and rank in order to produce translated texts which are accurate, equivalent, clear, and natural.

b. Translation shifts mean the process of transferring meaning from one language (SL) to another (TL) by means of the universally known practice of translation; the translator faces a plethora of linguistics, stylistic and even cultural problems.

3.1 Suggestions

We suggest all of the readers to learn more about translation shifts because it is really important especially for those who want to be a good translator.