TYPES OF TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES

(MOLINA & Albir, 2002)

Borrowing
 taking words or expressions from the ST. This technique is divided into two types, pure
borrowing and naturalized borrowing. Pure borrowing occurs when a translator takes the
words or expressions directly without making any changes, while naturalized borrowing applied
when a translator borrows the words or expressions by naturalizing it with the target language.
 Example 1 (pure borrowing)

ST: I use flashdisk to store some important files.

TT: Saya menggunakan flashdisk untuk menyimpan beberapa file penting
 Example 2 (naturalized borrowing)

ST: sam wins the first game.

TT: Sam memenangkan gim pertama.
 literal translation
 Literal translation is used to translate a word or expression literary word-for-word. Literal
translation occurs when form coincides with function and meaning.

Example 1:
 ST: I go to school with Dad.
 TT: Saya pergi ke sekolah bersama dengan Ayah.

Example 2:
 ST: He is a big head boy.
 TT: Dia anak yang besar kepala.
Calque
 Calque is the Literal translation of a foreign word or phrase.
example:
 ST: Karen is the President Director of LEO Department Store.
 TT: Karen adalah Presiden Direktur LEO Department Store.
 Adaptation
 Adaptation is the substitution of unfamiliar cultural terms in the source text (ST)
into more familiar terms in the target text (TT). Both of these terms, in ST and
TT, must have the same concept and effect so that it does not distract the meaning
intended by the writer.

Example:
 ST: Timlo goreng ini sangat enak.
 TT: This fried spring roll is very delicious.
 Amplification
 Amplification technique attempts to provide details explanation of implicit information or terms
found in the ST. This technique includes explicative paraphrasing and addition techniques.
 For example, the translation of Ramadhan into “the month of fasting”.
 Reduction
 Reduction is the technique of simplifying terms or information found in ST. It includes
implicitation and omission techniques. Reduction is also the opposite of amplification technique.

Example 1
 ST: This is the month of fasting for Moslems. TT: Bulan ini adalah Ramadhan bagi kaum
Muslim.
Example 2
 ST: We visited Japan and Korea last holiday. We ate sushi, udon, and kimbab.
 TT: Kami berkunjung ke Jepang dan Korea liburan lalu.
 Generalization
 Generalization is translating particular terms in ST into the more general terms.

Example:
 ST: I want to make pie for the dinner.

 TT: Aku ingin membuat kue untuk dinner

Particularization
 Particularization is the changing of super ordinate terms in the ST into subordinate terms in the
TT. This aims to give more concrete and precise meaning to the readers.
Example:
 ST: Mom buys me fruits.

 TT: Ibu membelikanku jeruk dan apel.

 Compensation
 Compensation technique attempts to convey the meaning and information in the ST, which
contains stylistic elements, into the TT. It is usually used in translating literary works.
Example:
 ST: enter, stranger, but take heed of what awaits the sin of greed
 TT: masuklah, orang asing, tetapi berhati-hatilah terhadap dosa yang harus ditanggung orang
serakah
 Description
 Description technique is used to change ST terms, which is unfamiliar for the target readers, with
its forms of functions.
Example:
 ST: Saya makan ketupat.
 TT: I eat Indonesian traditional food eaten in Idul Fitri.

Discursive Creation
 This technique is used to show temporary equivalence which is unpredictable or out of context. It
is usually applied in translating book or movie title.
Example:
 ST: Shopaholic Ties the Knot
 TT: Si Gila Belanja Akhirnya Kawin juga
 Linguistic Amplification
 This technique is done by adding linguistic elements in the ST, in order to gain equivalence in the
TT. Linguistic amplification is usually applied in consecutive interpreting and dubbing.
Example:
 ST: No, I don’t.
 TT: Tidak. Aku tidak tertarik dengan hal itu.

Linguistic Compression
 This technique is done by simplifying ST linguistic elements. Linguistic compression can be used
in simultaneous interpreting and subtitling.
Example:
 ST: Would you please repeat your statement?
 TT: Tolong diulang.
 Established equivalence
 Established equivalence technique is used by applying establish expressions or daily expression,
which enclosed in dictionaries and known by the target readers. For example: “Your sincerely” is
translated into “Hormat saya”.

Modulation
 Modulation is the changing of point of view of the ST. The changing occurs in lexical and
structural level.
For example:

 ST: I cut my finger.

 TT: Jariku tersayat. (Nababan, 2010: 9)
 Substitution
 Substitution is the changing of linguistic elements (verbal) into paralinguistic (gesture) and vice
versa. It is usually done in interpreting. For example when an Arabian speaker put his hand on
his heart, the interpreter should understand the meaning of that gesture which is used to shows
thankfulness. Then, the interpreter can translate it by saying “Thank you”.

Variation
 Variation technique is the changing of linguistic unit that influences the linguistic variation.

Example:
 ST: I like the way you smile.

 TT: Gue suka sama senyum lu.

 Transposition
 Transposition is done by adjusting the word structures or shifting the word classes. Transposition
technique would result in the shifting of word classes, for example from noun to verb, or vice
versa. Besides, transposition can also be applied in the level of units, such as from word to
phrase, from simple sentence to complex sentence, and vice versa.

 ST: Kebanyakan siswa mematuhi larangan percobaan tersebut selama satu minggu pada awal
bulan dan mereka menemukan, teknologi itu memang dapat mengatur kehidupan mereka.
 TT: Most of them obeyed the rule for a week in the beginning of the month. They found that
technology could regulate their life.
 The above ST consists of a compound sentence and then it is translated into two sentences (one
simple and one complex sentence).