




































September

1 

 

 ELT FORUM 2 (2) (2013) 

 

Journal of English Language Teaching 
 

http://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/index.php/elt 

 

 

TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES OF THE COMPLEX SENTENCES IN 

BILINGUAL TEXTBOOK BIOLOGY 1 FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL 

YEAR X PUBLISHED BY YUDHISTIRA 

 

Ikma Qurrota A’yun  

 

Department of English, Faculty Language and Arts, Semarang State University, Indonesia 

 

Info Artikel 

________________ 
Sejarah Artikel: 

Diterima  2013 

Disetujui Oktober 2013 

Dipublikasikan  

November 2013 

________________ 
Keywords: 

translation techniques, 

bilingual textbook, Biology 

____________________ 

 

Abstract 
___________________________________________________________________ 

This final project was a study which analyzed the use of translation techniques in the bilingual 

textbook BIOLOGY 1 for Senior High School Year X Published by Yudhistira. The study was 

done qualitatively. The data were collected by selecting the complex sentences found in chapter five 

and six. After that, I analyzed and classified the translation techniques used based on Molina and 

Albir’s classification (2002). Next, the data were counted in order to find the dominant translation 

techniques. At last, based on the experts, the rendering of meaning from each complex sentence 

were counted. The result of the study showed that there were 113 complex sentences found in 

chapter five and six. There were only nine translation techniques, they were literal translation, 

borrowing, adaptation, reduction, particularization, amplification, generalization, transposition, 

and description. The rendering of meaning of the 113 sentences was mostly good. 90 sentences 

(79.64 %) were categorized as good by both experts. From the result, it can be concluded that literal 

translation dominated the translation techniques used by the translator. Although only 90 

sentences (79.64 %) were categorized as good by both experts, the whole sentences can be 

understood easily because there were no deviated meaning. 

 

© 2013 Universitas Negeri Semarang 

 
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   Kampus Sekaran, Gunungpati, Semarang, 50229 

   E-mail: Yuna_rief@yahoo.com 

 

 

 

ISSN 2252-6706 

 

 

 

 

 

mailto:Yuna_rief@yahoo.com


 

Ikma Qurrota A’yun / Journal of English Language Teaching 2 (2) (2013) 

2 

 

INTRODUCTION 

 

In this era, the role of international 

language becomes very important, especially 

English. People’s need of English ability is 

growing bigger since English is used to access 

knowledge and information which are more 

easily accessible now through the internet. 

Indonesia, which in fact is a developing country, 

in this case, does not want to miss any chance to 

go forward and actively participate in this era. 

Therefore, the government has done several 

things to improve our educational quality. One 

of them is by establishing the bilingual program 

for a number of educational institutions in 

Indonesia. 

Due to facilitate the bilingual program, 

the learning resources which can support 

bilingual instruction programs must be provided. 

Establishing textbooks which use two languages 

in delivering the materials is necessary. Thus, 

the bilingual textbooks have been made. The 

books are designed in two languages, 

Indonesian-English. Those books are supposed 

to make the students easier to understand the 

materials and master the English at the same 

time. Those books are Biology, Geography, 

History, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, etc. 

It is interesting to discover whether the 

book which is written in two language versions 

is translated properly or not. In this study I focus 

on analyzing a book entitled BIOLOGY 1 for 

Senior High School Year X published by 

Yudhishtira. I limit my focus on the use of 

translation techniques used in the book. To 

assess the translation technique, I use the 

translation techniques classification introduced 

by Molina and Albir. 

Bilingual textbook BIOLOGY 1 for Senior 

High School Year X published by Yudhistira 

used English and Indonesian language to deliver 

the materials. Explanation in the book present 

description of a certain object which is contains 

many words, phrases, sentences and paragraphs. 

Moreover, Biology deals with many specialized 

terminologies which relatively much more 

difficult to be translated because the target 

language sometimes does not have the 

equivalence of those terminologies. The 

appearance of the complex sentences also make 

Biology text more complicated to be translated. 

Thus, the editor of this bilingual textbook should 

use certain techniques in their translating 

process. 

Bilingual textbook BIOLOGY 1 for Senior 

High School Year X Published by Yudhistira 

was chosen because it is relevant and has been 

used in some Senior High Schools in Magelang. 

This research is concerned with the 

translation techniques which are used in 

bilingual textbook BIOLOGY 1 for Senior High 

School Year X Published by Yudhistira. The 

analysis of translation techniques is based on 

Molina and Albir’s classification. Not all of the 

materials or components in the book become the 

object of analysis.  

This study is aimed:to discuss the 

translation techniques used in bilingual textbook 

BIOLOGY 1 for Senior High School Year X 

Published by Yudhistira in delivering the 

materials and to analyze how the complex 

sentences render the meaning. 

The analysis in this research only focuses 

on the complex sentences found in core 

materials in the book, especially in chapter five 

and six. While definition of a complex sentence 

is sentence that contains an independent clause 

and at least one dependent clause 

(http://grammar.about.com/od/c/g/complexse

ntence.htm). Therefore, other components of the 

material such as introduction picture and its 

note, learning objectives, concept map, 

keywords, info, task, investigation, summary, 

and competence test are not analyzed 

. 

Translation 

There are many definitions of translation 

that are proposed by linguists, ranging from the 

simplest and growing in complexity by widening 

their focus.  Larson (1984: 3) states that 

“translation is basically a change of form”. In 

translation, the form of the source language is 

replaced by the form of the target language. 

Larson (1984:3) also defines “translation 

consists of transferring meaning of the source 

language into the target language. This is done 

http://grammar.about.com/od/c/g/complexsentence.htm
http://grammar.about.com/od/c/g/complexsentence.htm


 

Ikma Qurrota A’yun / Journal of English Language Teaching 2 (2) (2013) 

3 

 

by going from the form of the first language to 

the form of second language by way of semantic 

structure. It is meaning which is being 

transferred and must be held constant.” 

Newmark (1988:5) explains “it is 

rendering the meaning of a text into other 

language in the way that author intended the 

text”. The temptation is to transfer as many SL 

(Source Language) words to the TL (Target 

Language) as possible.  

Hartono (2009:6), otherwise, defines 

“translation is reading the author’s will and 

purpose in the form of message which contains 

both denotative and connotative meanings that 

exists in the source text that must be reproduced 

by translators into the target’s language. This 

process runs in a simultaneous cycle. 

The basic purpose of translation is to 

reproduce various types of texts, comprising 

literary, religious, scientific, philosophical texts 

etc. in another language. Thus, it makes them 

available to wider readers to a greater number of 

target audiences and to bring the world closer. 

From those definitions of translation, it 

can be concluded that translation is an activity 

of finding out the equivalent words of SL in TL 

so that the TL text contains the closest natural 

and accurate message to the SL text. From the 

definitions of translation above, it is obvious that 

every translator should be able to convey the 

message of source text accurately in the target 

text. 

 

Translation Method 

Translation method refers to the way a 

particular translation process is carried out in 

terms of the translator’s objective, i.e., a global 

option that affects the whole text (Molina and 

Albir, 2002: 507). Each solution the translator 

chooses when translating a text responds to the 

global option that affects the whole text (the 

translation method) and depends on the aim of 

the translation. Thus, translation method 

influences the translation product. It means that 

the translation product depends on the 

translation method chosen by the translator 

because his purposes and/or desires will have an 

effect on the whole translation product. 

Translation Techniques 

The difference between translation 

method and translation technique is that 

translation method affects the whole text; 

meanwhile translation technique affects micro-

units of the text. Molina and Albir (2002: 509) 

define translation techniques as procedures to 

analyze and classify how translation equivalence 

works. They have five basic characteristics: 

1) They affect the result of the translation 

2) They are classified by comparison with 

the original 

3) They affect micro-units of text 

4) They are by nature discursive and 

contextual 

5) They are functional 

Obviously, translation techniques are not 

the only categories available to analyze a 

translated text. Coherence, cohesion, thematic 

progression and contextual dimensions also 

intervene in the analysis. According to them, 

there are eighteen translation techniques as 

follows: 

1. Adaptation. To replace a ST cultural 

element with one from the target culture, 

e.g., to change baseball, for fútbol in a 

translation into Spanish. 

2. Amplification. To introduce details that are 

not formulated in the ST: information, 

explicative paraphrasing, e.g., when 

translating from Arabic (to Spanish) to add 

the Muslim month of fasting to the noun 

Ramadan. Footnotes are a type of 

amplification. Amplification is in opposition 

to reduction. 

3. Borrowing. To take a word or expression 

straight from another language. It can be 

pure(without any change), e.g., to use the 

English word lobby in a Spanish text, or it 

can be naturalized (to fit the spelling rules in 

the TL), e.g., gol, fútbol, líder, mitin.  

4. Calque. Literal translation of a foreign word 

or phrase; it can be lexical or structural, e.g., 

the English translation Normal School for the 

French Écolenormale. 

5. Compensation. To introduce a ST element 

of information or stylistic effect in another 



 

Ikma Qurrota A’yun / Journal of English Language Teaching 2 (2) (2013) 

4 

 

place in the TT because it cannot be 

reflected in the same place as in the ST. 

6. Description. To replace a term or expression 

with a description of its form or/and 

function, e.g., to translate the Italian 

panettone as traditional Italian cake eaten on 

New Year’s Eve. 

7. Discursive creation. To establish a 

temporary equivalence that is totally 

unpredictable out of context, e.g., the 

Spanish translation of the film Rumble fish as 

La ley de la calle. 

8. Established equivalent. To use a term or 

expression recognized (by dictionaries or 

language in use) as an equivalent in the TL, 

e.g., to translate the English expression They 

are as like as two peas as Se parecencomo dos 

gotas de aguain Spanish.  

9. Generalization. To use a more general or 

neutral term, e.g., to translate the French 

guichet, fenêtreor devanture, as window in 

English. It is in opposition to 

particularization. 

10. Linguistic amplification. To add linguistic 

elements. This is often used in consecutive 

interpreting and dubbing, e.g., to translate 

the English expression No way into Spanish 

as De ninguna de lasmaneras instead of using 

an expression with the same number of 

words, En absoluto. It is in opposition to 

linguistic compression. 

11. Linguistic compression. To synthesize 

linguistic elements in the TT. This is often 

used in simultaneous interpreting and in 

sub-titling, e.g., to translate the English 

question Yes, so what? With ¿Y?, in Spanish, 

instead of using a phrase with the same 

number of words, ¿Sí, y qué?. It is in 

opposition to linguistic amplification. 

12. Literal translation. To translate a word or an 

expression word for word, e.g., They are as 

like as two peas as Se parecencomo dos guisante, 

or, She is reading as Ella estáleyendo. 

13. Modulation. To change the point of view, 

focus or cognitive category in relation to the 

ST; it can be lexical or structural, e.g., to 

translate as you are going to have a child, 

instead of, you are going to be a father. 

14. Particularization. To use a more precise or 

concrete term, e.g., to translate window in 

English as guichet in French. It is in 

opposition to generalization. 

15. Reduction. To suppress a ST information 

item in the TT, e.g., the month of fasting in 

opposition to Ramadan when translating 

into Arabic. It is in opposition to 

amplification. 

16. Substitution (linguistic, paralinguistic). To 

change linguistic elements for paralinguistic 

elements (intonation, gestures) or vice versa, 

e.g., to translate the Arab gesture of putting 

your hand on your heart as Thank you. It is 

used above all in interpreting. 

17. Transposition. To change a grammatical 

category, e.g., He will soon be back translated 

into Spanish as No tardará en venir, changing 

the adverb soon for the verb tardar, instead of 

keeping the adverb and writing: Estará de 

vuelta pronto. 

18. Variation. To change linguistic or 

paralinguistic elements (intonation, 

gestures) that affect aspects of linguistic 

variation: changes of textual tone, style, 

social dialect, geographical dialect, etc., e.g., 

to introduce or change dialectal indicators 

for characters when translating for the 

theater, changes in tone when adapting 

novels for children, etc. 

The analysis on this study was focused on 

the complex sentences found in the core 

materials. There were 113 complex sentences 

found in this study. They became the object of 

the study and had been analyzed qualitatively 

based on Molina and Albir classification (2002).  

The theory suggested by Molina and Albir 

(2002) comprises the eighten translation 

techniques which are usually used by the 

translator/s. Those are adaptation, 

amplification, borrowing, calque, compensation, 

description, discursive creation, established 

equivalent, generalization, linguistic 

amplification, linguistic compression, literal 

translation, modulation, particularization, 

reduction, substitution (linguistic, 

paralinguistic), transposition, and variation. The 

study found that the translators of the book used 



 

Ikma Qurrota A’yun / Journal of English Language Teaching 2 (2) (2013) 

5 

 

some of those translation techniques in 

delivering the materials. From those translation 

techniques, there were nine translation 

techniques found in the analysis. 

The findings were summed up in the 

following table. The table was formulated to 

make the readers easier to get information about 

the results of the study. 

 Table 4.1 Data Tabulation 

No  Translation techniques Frequency  Percentage 

1. Literal translation  109 42.25 % 

2. Borrowing  94 36.43 % 

3. Adaptation 22 8.53 % 

4. Reduction 10 3.87 % 

5. Particularization 9 3.49 % 

6. Amplification 8 3.10 % 

7. Generalization 3 1.16 % 

8. Transposition 2 0.78 % 

9. Description 1 0.39 % 

Total 258 100.00 % 

There were 113 sentences analyzed and 

based on the table 4.1, there were nine 

translation techniques were found with the total 

frequency is 258 times because most of the 

sentences used not only one translation 

technique, but the combination between two 

until four techniques. From those data 

tabulation table, the most occurrence was literal 

translation with the frequency 109 times (42.25 

%). Another translation techniques occurred; 

those were borrowing as the second with the 

frequency 94 times (36.43 %), the third was 

adaptation with the frequency 22 times (8.53 %), 

the fourth was reduction with the frequency 10 

times (3.87 %), the fifth was particularization 

with the frequency 9 times (3.49 %), the sixth 

was amplification with the frequency 8 times 

(3.10 %), the seventh was generalization with 

the frequency 3 times (1.16 %), the next was 

transposition with the frequency 2 times (0.78 

%), and the smallest number was description 

with the frequency 1 times (0.39 %).  

 

Literal Translation 

Literal translation were the most used 

translation technique in Bilingual Textbook 

BIOLOGY 1 for Senior High School Year X 

published by Yudhistira. The frequency of this 

technique was 109 times (42.25 %). 

Literal translation is a technique where 

translate a word or an expression word for word 

based on the function and meaning in the 

sentence. It does not mean translating one word 

for another. Some examples of this translation 

technique are presented as follows: 

(1) No. 34 page 164 

ST:  Di daerah beriklim sedang, batang 

biasanya berada di dalam tanah sehingga yang 

tampak dominan adalah daunnya yang tipis dan 

lebar. 

TT:  In the temperate zone, stem is 

usually underground, so that its dominant 

appearance is a thin and large leaf. 

 

(2) No. 40 page 168 

ST:  Bentuk daunnya bermacam-

macam, biasanya kaku dan selalu berwarna hijau 

sepanjang tahun. 

TT:  The shape of its leaf is various, 

usually stiff and evergreen throughout the year. 

 

Borrowing  

From the data analyzed, borrowing 

occurred for 94 times (36.43 %). Borrowing is a 

technique where take a word or expression 

straight from another language. It can be pure 

(without any change), or it can be naturalized 

(to fit the spelling rules in the TL). Usually, this 



 

Ikma Qurrota A’yun / Journal of English Language Teaching 2 (2) (2013) 

6 

 

technique used when translating word or phrase. 

Here the examples of this technique: 

(3) No. 1 page 154 

ST:  Tumbuhan (kingdom Plantae) 

merupakan eukariota multiseluler yang memiliki 

kemampuan untuk membuat makanan sendiri 

(autotrof). 

BT:  The kingdom Plantae is a 

multicelluler eukaryote which has the ability to 

produce their own food (autotrophic). 

TT:  The kingdom Plantae is a 

multicelluler eukaryote which are able to 

produce their own food (autotrophic). 

Beside used borrowing technique on the 

words which were typed in bold font in those 

sentence, the translator/s also used another two 

translation techniques, they were reduction and 

transposition. 

(4) No. 2 page 154 

ST:   Tumbuhan memiliki kloroplas yang 

mengandung pigmen klorofil. 

BT:  Plant has chloroplast which 

contains chlorophyll pigment. 

TT:   Plant has chloroplast, which 

contains chlorophyll pigment. 

The translator/s also used literal 

translation beside borrowing technique on the 

words which were typed in bold font in those 

sentence,. 

 

Adaptation 

Among 113 data (sentences), this kind of 

technique occurred for 22 times (8.53 %). This 

technique replace a ST cultural element with one 

from the target culture. Here are some examples 

for this technique: 

(5) No. 19 page 160 

ST: Tumbuhan paku juga disebut tumbuhan 

berkomus, yaitu tumbuhan yang memiliki akar, 

batang, dan daun sebenarnya. 

BT:  Ferns are also called as 

Cormophyta, the plant which have true root, 

stem, and leaf.  

TT:  Ferns are also called as 

Cormophyta, the plant which have true root, 

stem, and leaf.  

Beside used adaptation technique on the 

words which were typed in bold font in those 

sentence, the translator/s also used 

particularization, and literal translation.  

 

(6) No. 20 page 160 

ST:  Berbeda dengan tumbuhan lumut, 

tumbuhan paku dikenali melalui generasi sporofit. 

BT: Different from moss, fern is 

recognized through the sporophyte generation. 

TT:   Different from moss, fern is 

recognized as sporophyte generation. 

The translator/s also used borrowing and 

literal translation beside used adaptation 

technique on the words which were typed in 

bold font. 

 

Reduction 

Reduction is a technique which suppress a 

ST information item in TT. In a simple way, this 

technique omit the unimportant words. This 

technique occurred for 10 times (3.87 %). The 

examples of this technique are elaborated as 

follows: 

(7) No. 1 page 154 

ST: Tumbuhan (kingdom Plantae) 

merupakan eukariota multiseluler yang memiliki 

kemampuan untuk membuat makanan sendiri 

(autotrof). 

BT: Plant (the kingdom Plantae) is 

a multicelluler eukaryote which has the ability to 

produce their own food (autotrophic). 

TT: The kingdom Plantae is a 

multicelluler eukaryote which are able to 

produce their own food (autotrophic). 

Instead of translated into the word plant, 

the word tumbuhan was omitted; thus, the 

translation technique used in those sentence was 

reduction. 

Beside used reduction technique on the 

phrase which was typed in bold font in those 

sentence, the translator/s also used another two 

translation techniques, they were borrowing and 

transposition. 

 

(8) No. 6 page 156 

ST:  Reproduksi secara seksual dapat 

terjadi melalui peleburan gamet jantan dan betina, 



 

Ikma Qurrota A’yun / Journal of English Language Teaching 2 (2) (2013) 

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sedangkan aseksualnya antara lain melalui 

fragmentasi dan pembentukan gema (kuncup tunas). 

BT:  Sexual reproduction occurs by 

fertilization of male and female gametes, 

whereas asexual reproduction occurs by 

fragmentation and gemmae (sprout bud) 

formation. 

TT:  Sexual reproduction occurs by 

fertilization of male and female gametes, 

whereas asexual reproduction occurs by 

fragmentation and gemmae formation. 

 The phrase kuncup tunas was omitted; 

this was the evidence that reduction was applied 

in those sentence. 

 The translator/s also used borrowing 

and literal translation. 

 

Particularization 

This translation technique was found in the 

data analysis with the frequency 9 of 258 times 

(3.49 %). This technique try to use a more 

precise or concrete term. There were some 

examples of sentences using this kind of 

technique. Those examples are provided as 

follow: 

(9) No. 7 page 156  

ST:  Pada beberapa spesies lainnya, 

anteridium dan arkegonium ditemukan pada 

tumbuhan yang terpisah, disebut lumut berumah dua 

atau heterotalus. 

BT: In some other species, the 

antheridium and archegonium are found at 

different plants, they are called dioecious or 

heterothallus. 

TT:  In some other species, the 

antheridium and archegonium are found at 

different plants, they are called dioecious or 

heterothallus. 

 The phrase berumah dua was translated 

into the word dioecious; so this sentenced used 

particularization since dioecious was the precise 

term for berumah dua.  

Beside used particularization technique 

on the phrase which was typed in bold font in 

those sentence, the translator/s also used literal 

translation and borrowing technique. 

 

(10) No. 15 page 158 

ST:  Jika spora jatuh di tempat yang 

sesuai, maka akan tumbuh menjadi protonema. 

BT:  If the spore falls into an 

appropriate place, it will grow into a protonema. 

TT:  If the spore falls into an 

appropriate place, it will germinate into a 

protonema. 

The word tumbuh was translated into the 

germinate; thus this sentenced used 

particularization since germinate was more 

precise term for tumbuh. In those sentence, the 

translator/s also used literal translation and 

borrowing technique. 

 

Amplification 

Occurred for 8 times (3.10 %), 

amplification is a technique which introduces 

details that are not formulated in ST: 

information, explicative paraphrasing. This is 

the opposite of reduction technique. The 

examples can be seen clearly as follows: 

(11) No. 16 page 158 

ST:  Jika anteridium telah matang, 

maka sel sperma akan berenang menuju ke 

arkegonium sehingga terjadi fertilisasi, menyebabkan 

pembentukan zigot. 

BT:  If antheridium has matured, 

sperm cell will swim to the archegonium so that 

fertilization occurs, leading to the production of 

zygote. 

TT:  If antheridium has matured, in 

the presence of water or dew, sperm cell will 

swim to the archegonium so that fertilization 

occurs, leading to the production of zygote. 

There is an additional information in the 

target text about the condition that is in the 

presence of water or dew; it indicate that this 

sentence used amplification technique.  

Beside used amplification technique on 

the phrase which was typed in bold font in those 

sentence, the translator/s also used literal 

translation and borrowing technique. 

 

(12) No. 24 page 162 

ST:  Jika sporangium sudah matang, 

maka annulus akan mengering dan mengerut 

sehingga menyebabkan sporangium pecah. 



 

Ikma Qurrota A’yun / Journal of English Language Teaching 2 (2) (2013) 

8 

 

BT:  If sporangium has already matured, 

annulus will dry and shrink, so that causes 

sporangium to brake. 

TT:  If sporangium has already 

matured, annulus or a row of specific cells at the 

side of sporangium will dry and shrink, so that 

causes sporangium to brake. 

 There is an additional information in 

the target text about annulus, that is a row of 

specific cells at the side of sporangium; this 

was the evidence that this sentence applied 

amplification technique.  

The translator/s also used literal 

translation and borrowing technique beside used 

amplification technique on the phrase which was 

typed in bold font in those sentence. 

 

Generalization 

From 113 sentences, this technique only 

occurred for 3 times (1,15%). This technique 

uses a more general or neutral term. It is the 

opposite of particularization. The following 

sentences are the examples of this technique. 

(13) No. 21 page 160 

ST:  Pada umumnya, daun yang telah 

tua akan membentuk alat reproduksi berupa sorus 

yang biasanya terletak pada sisi bagian bawah daun. 

BT: Generally, old leaf will form 

reproduction organ, sorus which are usually 

located on the underside of the fronds. 

TT:  Generally, mature leaf will 

form reproduction organ, sorus which are 

usually located on the underside of the fronds. 

The word tua was translated into mature; 

not old; this is a generalization technique. The 

word mature here is more general than the 

world old. 

Beside used generalization technique on 

the phrase which was typed in bold font in those 

sentence, the translator/s also used literal 

translation, borrowing, and particularization 

technique. 

 

(14) No. 73 page 196  

ST:  Pada tentakel terdapat knidoblas 

dan mengandung nematosista yang dapat dijulurkan 

dan mengeluarkan racun. 

BT:  In the tentacle, there is 

cnidoblast and it contains nematocyst, which can 

be sticked out and released toxin. 

TT: In the tentacle, there is 

cnidoblast and it contains nematocyst, which can 

be moved and released toxin. 

The word dijulurkan was translated into 

be moved, it used generalization technique. The 

phrase be moved here is more general than the 

word sticked out; this was the evidence that 

generalization technique was applied in those 

sentence. 

The translator/s also used literal 

translation and borrowing beside generalization 

technique on the phrase which was typed in bold 

font in those sentence,  

 

Transposition 

This technique changes a grammatical 

category. Noun into verb, adverb to noun, etc. 

Occurred for 2 times (0.78%), here the three 

examples of this technique: 

(15) No. 1 page 154 

ST: Tumbuhan (kingdom Plantae) 

merupakan eukariota multiseluler yang memiliki 

kemampuan untuk membuat makanan sendiri 

(autotrof). 

BT: The kingdom Plantae is a 

multicelluler eukaryote which has the ability to 

produce their own food (autotrophic). 

TT: The kingdom Plantae is a 

multicelluler eukaryote which are able to 

produce their own food (autotrophic). 

The phrase yang memiliki kemampuan 

untuk membuat makanan sendiri was translated 

into which are able to produce their own food; 

it indicated that this sentence used transposition 

technique since there is a change of grammatical 

category that is noun (kemampuan) was 

translated into adjective (able). 

Beside used transposition technique on 

the phrase which was typed in bold font in those 

sentence, the translator/s also used reduction 

and borrowing technique. 

 

(16) No. 28 page 162 

ST:  Generasi sporofit umumnya 

memiliki ukuran tubuh yang besar dan dapat hidup 



 

Ikma Qurrota A’yun / Journal of English Language Teaching 2 (2) (2013) 

9 

 

menahun, sedangkan, generasi gametofitnya 

berukuran kecil dan berumur pendek. 

BT:  The sporophyte generation, in 

general, usually has larger body size and 

perennial, whereas the gametophyte generation 

has smaller size and short-lived. 

TT: In general, the sporophyte 

generation is usually larger in body size and 

perennial, whereas the gametophyte generation 

is smaller in size and short-lived. 

The word memiliki was translated into is; 

it indicated that this sentence used transposition 

technique since there is a change of grammatical 

category that is verb (memiliki) was translated 

into to be (is). 

The translator/s also used literal 

translation and borrowing beside transposition 

technique on the phrase which was typed in bold 

font in those sentence. 

 

Description 

From the 113 sentences analyzed, this 

technique only occurred for one time (0.39 %). It 

means the technique which replace a term or 

expression with a description of its form or/and 

function, has the smallest number after all. 

Based on the analysis, I found one 

sentence used description technique. It can be 

seen as follow: 

(17) No. 64 page 192 

ST:  Porosit, yaitu sel berlubang yang 

di dalamnya terdapat ostia. 

BT:   Porocytes, cells which make up 

the pores of ostia 

TT:  Porocytes, tubular cells which 

make up the pores of ostia. 

The word sel was translated into tubular 

cells; it is used description technique since the 

word tubular is used to describe the shape of the 

cell itself. 

Beside used description technique on the 

phrase which was typed in bold font in those 

sentence, the translator/s also used borrowing 

technique. 

 

 

 

Rendering of meaning 

Based on the two experts, Dr. Ahmad Sofwan, 

Ph.D. and Bambang Purwanto, S.S., M.Hum. 

the rendering of meaning from 113 complex 

sentences found in Bilingual Textbook 

BIOLOGY 1 for Senior High School Year X 

published by Yudhistira were good. The 

disagreement between the two experts showed 

that the weakness from the rest of the complex 

sentences (20.36 %) was located on the 

translation techniques chosen by the 

translator/s. They should find the proper 

translation techniques and the most equivalence 

words for some special technical terms. 

However, the rendering of meaning of the 

bilingual textbook entitled BIOLOGY 1 for 

Senior High School Year X published by 

Yudhistira was categorized as good since there 

was no distorted meaning at all. 

 Both experts were agreed that 90 

sentences (79.64 %) got rate 3, which indicated 

that the rendering of meaning from each 

sentence was good. Although the translator/s 

used a lot of translation techniques in each 

sentence, the whole meaning of the ST was 

rendered in the TT. 

 

CONCLUSION 

 

The analysis towards the bilingual 

textbook BIOLOGY 1 for Senior High School 

Year X published by Yudhistira showed that 

from 113 data, there were nine translation 

techniques were used to translate the materials 

from Indonesian (SL) into English (TL). Those 

were adaptation, amplification, borrowing, 

description, generalization, literal translation, 

particularization, reduction, and transposition. 

From the data result, literal translation occurred 

in a great number with the frequency 109 times 

(42.25 %). The second was borrowing with the 

frequency 94 times (36.43 %), the third was 

adaptation with the frequency 22 times (8.53 %), 

the fourth was reduction with the frequency 10 

times (3.87 %), the fifth was particularization 

with the frequency 9 times (3.49 %), the sixth 

was amplification with the frequency 8 times 

(3.10 %), the seventh was generalization with 



 

Ikma Qurrota A’yun / Journal of English Language Teaching 2 (2) (2013) 

10 

 

the frequency 3 times (1.16 %), the next was 

transposition with the frequency 2 times (0.78 

%), and the smallest number was description 

with the frequency 1 times (0.39 %).  

Based on the two experts, the rendering of 

meaning of the 113 sentences was mostly good. 

90 sentences (79.64 %) were categorized as good 

by both experts. The two experts disagreed 

about the rendering of meaning of the 23 

sentences left. The first expert rated 10 sentences 

(8.85 %) as sufficient meanwhile the second 

expert rated them as good. The second expert 

rated 13 sentences (11.50 %) as sufficient, 

whereas the first expert rated them as good. 

However, the whole sentences can be 

understood by the readers easily because there 

were no deviated meaning. 

 

REFERENCES 

 

Baker, Mona. 1991. In Other Words: A Course 

Book on Translation. London and New 

York: Routledge. 

Bielsa, Esperanca. 2005. A Paper: Globalisation 

as Translation: An approximation to the 

Key but Invisible Role of Translation in 

Globalisation. Available at 

http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/1956/1/WR

AP_Bielsa_wp16305.pdf [accessed 

01/16/13] 

 

Burns, Anne.1999. Collaborative Action 

Research for English Language Teachers. 

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 

 

Hartono, R. 2009. Teori Penerjemahan (A 

Handbook for Translators). Semarang: Cipta 

Prima Nusantara. 

 

Hurtado Albir, A. And Molina L. 2002. 

Translation Techniques Revisited: A 

Dynamic and Functionalist Approach. 

Meta, XLVII, 4. Spain, Barcelona: 

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. 

 

Houbert, Frederic. 1998. Translation as a 

Communication Process. Retrieved from 

http://translationjournal.net/journal/05t

heory.htm on July 2, 2013. 

 

Larson, Mildred L. 1984. Meaning-Based 

Translation: A Guide to Cross-Language 

Equivalence. London: University Press of 

America. 

 

Munday, Jeremy (ed). 2009. The Routledge 

Companion to Translation Studies. London 

and New York: Routledge. 

 

Newmark, Peter. 1988. A Textbook of Translation. 

Oxford: Longman 

 

Venuti, Lawrence. 1998. The Scandals of 

Translation (Towards an Ethics of Difference). 

London and New York: Routledge. 

 

http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/1956/1/WRAP_Bielsa_wp16305.pdf
http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/1956/1/WRAP_Bielsa_wp16305.pdf
http://translationjournal.net/journal/05theory.htm%20on%20July%202
http://translationjournal.net/journal/05theory.htm%20on%20July%202

