HOW TO TRANSLATE SCIENTIFICALLY: A CASE IN
THE JOURNAL OF “MEDICINA”
I Made Juliarta
Universitas Udayana
madejuliarta330@gmail.com
Abstract
This reasearch aimed at analyzing and discussing the technique or procedure applied by
translator in translating text found in the journal medicina. There are some procedures of
translation techniques found and applied by translator. Some of the translation techniques
applied by the translator consisting of borrowing, transposition, equivalence, structure shift,
unti shift, literal, calque, addition and substraction. It was the borrowing technique used in
applying the translation of terms which have been considered a part of respective TL. Unit
shift is said as the change from word to group of word or in reverse. A different of modifier-
head rule between SL and TL can occur in the structure shift. Equivalence and literal
translation or words per word translation were found. It is important to apply the technique
of calque which was reagarded as special kind of borrowing. There were the last two
techniques which were also found as unavoidably which is applied by translator. Applying
appropriate techniques in translating is needed in order the translation product can be reliable
and acceptable for the reader.
Keywords: source language, target language, techniques of translation
I INTRODUCTION
Translation is the process in transferring the meaning of a text and the
production of an equivalence text. According to (Nida and Taber 1982:12),
translation is reproducing receptor language of the closest natural equivalence
of a source language message, firstly in terms of meaning and secondly in term
of style. The meaning of the source language must be kept while doing the
translationg from source language into target language. In doing the translation,
the same meaning must be expressed into another language by very different
forms.
Translation is said to be a change of form. The source language is the
form from which the translation and the target language is the form from which
it is changed. Translation is the transferring without distortion the meaning of
the SL into the TL. The intended meaning of the source language must be
transferred constant.
We have said that translation equivalence occurs when SL and TL items
are relatable to the same features of substance. In total translation, the question
of samness of situation substance is a difficult one and is linked to the question
of the sameness or otherwise of the cultures to which SL and TL belong. A legal
text is something very different from ordinary speech. The translation which
keeping the form in the TL, for instance, the word melodrama in English
(Lawrence, 1960:107), it is translated into melodrama in Bahasa Indonesia (BI)
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(Achyar, 2008:242). The meaning and the equivalence translation are the topic
discussed in this paper. Besides, this paper also identifies additional information
or meaning or reduction of information which occurs within the translation. It
is important to know the translation equivalence of the text which is translated
into Indonesian. Therefore, this topic is interested to discuss.
Linguistically, language deals with word, clause, sentence, and how
word are combined into a clause or sentence in order to create a complex of
meaning. Complex sentence can be used in speaking and writing activities, but
the comlexity of its structure often makes the learners confused in differentiating
the form and the other types.
There are some sentences that have the same meaning as the original
where the translation should reflect the intend meaning of the oiginal text. The
relative clause is one of the examples as a source that have several meanings in
Indonesian as target language. A complex sentence consists of two clauses and
between two clauses, there is a certain relation that makes the two clauses. These
clauses have a complex sense or meaning. They are called as the main clause
and subordinate clause. The subordinate clause has a certain function in the
structure of complex sentence so that the complex sentence seems like a simple
sentence, but one of its element realized by the subordinate clause. The
subordinate clause functions in the structure of complex sentence so that the
complex sentence seems like a simple sentence, but one of its element realized
by the subordinate clause.
II MATERIALS AND METHOD
This research used the text taken from Journal entitled medicina. The
qualitative method applied in research method aiming at gathering an in-depth
understanding. However, the method in this research are involving series of
process and analysis data. It is important to read the text in order to collect data.
There are some types of translation technique that the translator applied.
III RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The translation technique applied in translating the text is the analysis of
the text. The theory of Vinay and Darbelnet (1958) and catford (1965) are the
theory used in analysing the text. The theory of Catford (1965) and Nida (1964)
are also the theory used in analyzing the data. There are some data chose as
representation of each translation technique. The whole data is not included in
the discussion. It is important to analyze representation of each type of
translation technique by using some perspective data.
3.1 STRUCTURE SHIFT
A structure can be defined as the way in which a unit is made of lower-
rank units. It is said that a structure shift can occur when there is different classes
of elements. Structure shifts can be said as the most frequent among the category
shifts. According to Catford (1965), the translation of an English clauses can be
How to Translate Scientifically: A Case in the Journal of “Medicina” | 3
in the predicate, elements subject, and complement. Clause consists of elements
predicate, complement, subject, and adjunct. The structural shift can occur in
total translation as well. For example, we can see from the translation that
determiner-modifier structure can be translated as a modifier-determiner
structure.
Data English Indonesia
(3-1) Regional analgesic Analgesia regional
(3-2) Epidural analgesia Analgesia epidural
(3-3) Decompressive surgery Dekompresi lumbal
(3-4) Medical school Fakultas kedokteran
(3-5) Pain control Kontrol nyeri
It can be seen from the data above that the data above were classified as
structure shift techniques. This techniques is the dominant techniques which is
applied by the translator. There are the differences between the grammatical
rules in both English and Indonesian. it can be seen from the examples above
that the shift is showed in translation in position of head and modifier of each
phrase, while there is reverse rule in Indonesia.
3.2 TRANSPOSITION
Transposition is said as a change of word class that dooes not affect the
whole meaning of the message. It is said that the transposition occured in all
kinds of word classes. Among many of the translation studies some whose
focuses were on the text alone concentrated on the formal changes rather than
meaning e.g. catford’s shifts, transpositions by Vinay and Darbelnet, etc.
Translation can be said as an interlingual practice necessitates moving from the
form of the SL to the TL. In other words translation is a change of form (Larson
1984: 2) and this formal change takes place at different levels within a text.
3.3 UNIT SHIFT
Unit shift is one of four parts in category shift. It is said that nuit shifts is
the translator changes the rank level in part of speech. It can be one ranl in SL
the the translator has to change it into another rank in TL. According to Catford
(1965), the translator changes into another rank in TL. Rank refers to the
linguistic unit of morphemes, words, phrases or clauses. Unit shift can be said
as the interesting object to analyze in in the translation phenomena. The nuit
shifts essentially occurs in the translation, whether because there is no exact
form with the same meaning or because of considering aesthetic value. Catford
(1965) introduced the translation shift and gave definition of the concept.
According to Catford (1965), there is disticntion between formal
correspondence and textual equivalence.
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Formal equivalence tried to emphasise fidelity to the lexical details and
grammatical structure of the original language. Dynamic equivalence, by
contrast, tried to tend favouring a more natural rendering, for instance when the
readability of the translation is more important than the preservation of the
original grammatical structure. In diplomacy or in some business settings people
may insist on formal equivalence because they believe that fidelity to the
grammatical structure of the language equals greater accuracy whereas in
literature a novel might be translated with greater use of dynamic equivalence
so that it may read well.
Formal equivalence is often more goal than reality, if only because one
language may contain a word for a concept which has no direct equivalent in
another language.
Shift represents some changes occurring in a translation process.
Translation shifts occur both at the lower level of language, i.e. the
lexicogrammar, and at the higher thematic level of text. Catford (1978: 73)
states that by shift we mean the departure from formal correspondence in the
process of going from the source language to the target language. Further, he
states that basically, in shift of translation, or transposition he says, it is only the
form that is changed. In addition, he urges the translation shift is done to get the
natural equivalent of the source text message into the target text (1978: 76).
Translation shifts also occur when there is no formal correspondence to the
syntactic item to be translated (Machali, 1998: 3). According to Bell (1991: 33),
to shift from one language to another is, by definition, to alter the forms.
However, in such cases, a more dynamic translation may be used or a neologism
may be created in the target language to represent the concept (sometimes by
borrowing a word from the source language).
A unit can be defined as a stretch of language activity. A unit shift can
occur when textual equivalents are placed on different ranks. It can be seen from
the table below:
Data English Indonesian
(3-6) And mainly pneumonia Penyebab infeksi terbanyak adalah
pneumonia
Data English Indonesian
(3-7) Factors associated with acute
bronchiolitis
Faktor-faktor yang terkait dengan
bronkiolitis akut
Data English Indonesian
How to Translate Scientifically: A Case in the Journal of “Medicina” | 5
(3-8) Surgery-associated tssues
initiates the nociception
Cedera jaringan terkait
pembedahan mencetuskan proses
nosisepsi
It can be seen from the data (3-30) above that mainly was a word in SL
and it was translated into penyebab infeksi terbakanyak adalah. The word
penyebab infeksi terbanyak adalah was a group of word or phrase. This sentence
can be said as unit shift, as there is a change in unit or grammatical scale. It can
be seen from word to group of word.
It can be seen from the data (3-30) above that factors was a word in SL
and it was translated into faktor-faktor. The word faktor-faktor was a group of
word or phrase. This sentence can be said as unit shift, as there is a change in
unit or grammatical scale. It can be seen from word to group of word.
We can see from the data (3-48) above that the nociception was a word in
SL and it was translated into proses nosisepsi. The word proses nosisespsi was
a group of word or phrase. This sentence can be said as unit shift, as there is a
change in unit or grammatical scale. It can be seen from word to group of word.
3.4 BORROWING
3.4.1 NATURALIZED BORROWING
Technique of naturalized borrowing in the translation is based on word
categories. The words refer to the borrowing technique in the translation
indicated by the suffix marker.
3.4.1.1 Noun in Naturalized Borrowing
Noun categories are indicated by suffix marker. Noun / nominal suffixes
are often employed to derive abstract nouns from verbs, adjectives and nouns.
Such abstract nouns can denote an action, the result of actions, or other related
theory as well as properties, qualities and the like. To make it clearer, some
suffixes of nouns are explained as follows. All nouns were taken from the SL.
3.4.1.2 Suffix – ion and ation si in the TL
Suffix –ion and –ation in the SL are as well to show that nouns are formed.
Those suffixes occur adjustment of spelling in the TL to be –si.
No. SL TL
3-9 Scintillation Sintilasi
3-10 Concentration Konsentrasi
3-11 Radiation Radiasi
3-12 Investigation Investigasi
The words have the suffix –ion and –ation in the SL, which is categorized
as a noun,. The suffix –ion is accompanied by changing the base–final
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consonant form (t) to (s). Those words are reconstructions (Oxford, 2013:604).
The allomorph –ation in the word information and demonstration (Oxford,
2013:187), in this case, derivatives in –ion suffix, which indicate events or
results of the process. The stem of words are; information is inform, the stem of
the reconstruction is reconstruct, the stem of the word demonstration is
demonstrate. Those translations as well are categorized as a noun. To make it
clearer, for instance, the word information in the SL will be categorized as a
noun). It means among of words are categorized as a noun in the word type.
3.4.1.3 Suffix –ity -as omitted in the SL
The adjustment of spelling occurs to the suffix –y in the SL becomes –as.
No. SL TL
3-13 Activity Aktivitas
3.4.2 PURE BORROWING
The technique in the translation to take a word directly from the SL into
the TL without any adjustment is called pure borrowing. The words are taken
purely. It occurs at noun category in the SL which is translated into the TL.
Noun is a word which is used to name something as a thing.
3.4.2.1 Noun in the Pure Borrowing
There are two kinds of noun which are common noun and proper noun.
The difference between a common noun and a proper noun is that a common
noun does not name any individual person, place, or thing while a proper noun
has the name of a person, place, or thing.
3.4.2.2 Common Noun in the Pure Borrowing
Common noun occurs in the pure borrowing by taking the word directly
from the SL into the TL. It is indicated that the word does not begin with a
capital letter. It does not name of place, and thing. There are common noun
which are found from the data, as follows:
No. SL TL
3-14 Tritium Tritium
3-15 Radio Radio
The data above shows that the technique used is borrowing. It is a pure
borrowing. Those words were taken directly from the SL into the TL to show
that the borrowing techniques in the translation were applied in the pure
borrowing. All of word elements in the SL as well are taken directly without
any modification in the TL. It is to say that the technique used by taking the
spelling in the SL in whole word. It is called as pure borrowing in a common
noun.
How to Translate Scientifically: A Case in the Journal of “Medicina” | 7
3.5 ADDITION
The target text can contaion more linguistic material than its source.
Addition process in translation can occur without changing the semantic content
of the message, but rather make information implicit that is presented in the
source text. The purpose of the message, for imperative purpose that aim at not
just understanding the translation but also at ensuring no misunderstanding of
the translation.
Data English Indonesian
(3-16) “.....from January...” “.......dari periode Januari...”
It can be seen from the data (3-48) that there is the insertion of a new word
in TL. However, it was absent in SL. It was the word “periode” in TL considered
as addition. If it was not added, there will be misunderstanding upon what
January referred to might emerge. It is the addition procedure that make implicit
information explicit. It is important to justify the addition of periode in
translating from SL into TL.
Data English Indonesian
(3-17) “.........between 2005 .....” “......antara tahun 2005....”
We can see from the data (3-49) that there is the insertion of a new word
in TL. However, it was absent in SL. It was the word “tahun” in TL considered
as addition. If it was not added, there will be misunderstanding upon what 2005
referred to might emerge. It is the addition procedure that make implicit
information explicit. It is important to justify the addition of tahun in translating
from SL into TL.
It is important to know the meaning which is classified into two kinds,
referential meaning and connotative meaning. A translator must be aware of
which meaning is possibly intended by the author. Besides, it is important to
pay attention on the components embedded in a certain unit of meaning. By
understanding the components of meaning of the source language expressions,
then a translator can make the best decision related to the components.
Data English Indonesian
(3-18) “......without AE.....” “....tanpa menggunakan AE....”
It can be seen from the data (3-49) that there is the insertion of a new word
in TL. However, it was absent in SL. It was the word “menggunakan” in TL
considered as addition. If it was not added, there will be misunderstanding upon
what is referred to might emerge. It is the addition procedure that make implicit
information explicit. It is important to justify the addition of menggunakan in
translating from SL into TL.
As we know that translation is an effort of finding equivalent meaning of
a text into the second language. The sentence above indicates that there occured
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meaning equivalence since in translation meaning is the object to be rendered
from the source language text into the target language text. It can be seen from
the sentence above that the translator is faced with a text as units of meaning in
the form of sets of words or sentences.
IV CONCLUSION
Generally, translation is a process of rendering meaning, ideas, or
messages of a text from one language to other language. There are some
considerations which follow this process, which mainly related to the accuracy,
clarity and naturalness of the meaning, ideas, or messages of the translation. It
means that it is an important thing to consider whether the readers of the target
text accept equivalent information as the readers of the source text do.
REFERENCES
Baker, Mona (1992). In Other Words, A Coursebook on Translation. London:
Routledge
Hatim dan Munday (2004: 6) Translation, An Advanced Resource Book.
London: Routledge.
Newmark (1988). A Textbook of Translation. Hertfordshire: Prentice Hall
International
Nida, Eugene A and Charles R. Taber (1982). The Theory and Practice of
Translation. Leiden: E.J. Brill.