Problem in Translation

Problem Incorrigible in Translation

In this article, the writer tries to discuss some problems that usually be faced by the translator. There are doubts which were created by literally translating all words from the original version of source language. One of the most difficult problems in translating is found in the differences between cultures. Larson (1980:137) stated that the people of a given culture look at things from their own perspective. Many words which look like they are equivalent are not. Different cultures have different focuses. Some societies are more technical and less technical. If the source language text originates from a highly technical society, it may be much more difficult to translate it into the language of a nontechnical society.

When translate the text, the translator will face basic problems in translation. They are lexical, gramatical, and cultural. Lexical meaning is the first problem that faces by a translator when translates the text. In lexical change, polysemy planys an impotant role. Polysemy means the word not only has one meaning, always appear in doing translation especially in such a text. When a translator tries to transfer the message, he/she has to more pay attention in such words. http://www.articlesbase.com/science-articles/all-new-theories-and-concepts-about-translation-in-new-century-1774052.html. For example “bisa” in Indonesian word can be translate to English with much meaning. It can be “can, ability to do something” or “poison, a substance that when introduced into or absorbed by a living organism causes illness or death”. It depends on what the word is used as.

When translating the text, the translator  sometimes also found defficultes in translation. They are singular-plural nouns, aspects, gender. In Indonesian language there is no the indicator of singular or plural nouns.  For example “mobil” in Indonesia word means “car”, it is a singular noun. And then “mobil-mobil” as a plural noun can not be “car-car”, but it becomes “cars”. In English there is no meaning of “car-car”. So, the translator has to know grammatical structure of source language text. If the translators wrongly put a word in their translation, it will make their translation has wrong meaning.

The next problem is culture. As said by Larson (1989:3) that translation is the study of lexical aspects of the language, and its communicative and cultural context and Julian House (2009:11) in his book “Translation” said that translation is not only a linguistic act; it is also a cultural one, an act of communication across culture. A translator has to consider not only the two languages but also the two cultures. When the translator  translates the text that each has two different language structure, the translator must understand the social and cultural aspects of the source language and the receptor language. When the translator found a word that can not be translated into English, the translator will describe about that word. For example “rendang”, there is no meaning in Indonesian-English dictionary. So, the translate will describe about “rendang”. The description of “rendang” is traditional food made ​​of meat cooked with coconut milk and spices. The translator have to know more about tranditional thing. It will make the translator  easy to get the meaning of word.

 Astri Puji Lestari
4 SA 03
14609862