IDENTITY OF ARTICLE OR JOURNAL AND REVIEWER
Title : Cultural Elements in Translation The Indian Perspective
Author / s : Ms. C. Thriveni
Site of Publication : http://accurapid.com/journal
Year : 2007
Name of Reviewer : Eris
Reg. Number : 3145040021
INTRODUCTION
The article to review an article or journal of “Cultural Elements in Translation the Indian Perspective” that was written by Ms. C. Thriveni in 2007 ago. In this journal she has discussed about cultural elements in translation especially for Indian perspective.
Brislin (in Djuharie, 2013:12) said,”Terjemahan adalah pengalihan pikiran dan ide dari BSa ke dalam BSu, baik itu bahasa lisan maupun tulisan, baik bahasa itu sudah memiliki ortografi ataupun belum, baik itu bahasa isyarat untuk orang-orang tuli ataupun bukan.” The meaning, the translation is transferring the thinking and idea from Source Language into Target Language, either orally (interpreting) or written (translation), either that language has had orthography or not, either sign language for people who is deaf or not. Translation is not only a matter of seeking other words with similar meaning but also of finding appropriate ways of saying things in another language.
Culture or in Sanskrit is “Buddhayah”, it means “Character” or “Common Sense”. So, the cultures are idea, intention, and work, either manufacturing or guidance as well as usage of resources by mind, notion, intention, spiritual, imagination, and physique (Sudjatnika and Setiawan, 2014:147).
SUMMARY OF ARTICLE
Translation is much related with culture because the translation is a part of the culture. So the translation will have not been loose from culture elements. A translator has to be aware of two cultures. One of the main goals of literary translation is to initiate the target-language reader into the sensibilities of the source-language culture, likewise the translation of culture elements in Indian perspective.
The culture is a complex collection of experiences which condition daily life; it includes history, social structure, religion, traditional customs and everyday usage. This is difficult to comprehend completely. Especially in relation to a target language, a lot of translation problems, especially in the culture elements in Indian perspective. The first is Address, the people of Indian show respect to their elders. For example, he/she cannot be substituted, because then the idea behind the use of plural address would be lost. So, in addressing an elder person, either choice-retaining the plural form or replacing it by a simple "you"-will lead to ambiguity. The second is Social Relationship; some of Indian’s people live with their families, they need to address each family. The reason, there are words to address a wife's mother or father, a wife's sister or brother, a husband's sister or brother, a mother's sister or brother, and so on. So, these concepts are unheard of in western countries. Therefore, the English language lacks the corresponding terms. The third is Dress Code or Ornaments and Symbols, some of the ornaments are meant for only a woman whose husband is alive, a widow has certain restrictions. The fourth is Customs and Tradition, for example some food habits served at a certain. It there are not in other culture. The fifth is Beliefs and Feelings, they can change from culture to culture, the color white may represent purity and black evil in the Indian context, but it may not be the same in another culture. The last is Geographical and Environmental, they are also a part of culture. For example snow is a part of the Eskimos' life and in Indian and there are no words to describe different kinds of snow.
Because of it, to be a translator who can translate the culture elements well, especially in Indian perspective, the translator has to transmit this special cultural quality from one language to another, awareness of history is an essential requirement for the translator of a work coming from an alien culture. The translator would have to consider whether similar or parallel language resources exist in the literary subculture of the target language. In the other hand, the translator does not be arrogant, gloat, and do something that we are not able to do it.
ANALYZES OF ARTICLE
After read this article repeatedly, reviewer found the things must be analyzed. First of all reviewer would analyze of this article objective, that the author in this article would inform about the difficultness of culture element translation, especially in Indian perspective. In this article, author had been using one of theory from Goethe that “There are two principles of translation. The translator can bring to his fellow countrymen a true and clear picture of the foreign author and foreign circumstances, keeping strictly to the original; but he can also treat the foreign work as a writer treats his material, altering it after his own tastes and convictions, so that it is brought closer to his fellow countrymen, who can then accept it as if it were an original work." Reviewer thinks the using of this theory was accurate, but unfortunately this theory was not accompanied with the source or reference so that the accuracy of this theory cannot be liable.
In the next, the concept of this article is very clear, for example the author explain that, “In the Culture translation is not simply a matter of seeking other words with similar meaning but of finding appropriate ways of saying things in another language. Different languages, then, may use different linguistic forms.” The author also said that, “One of the main goals of literary translation is to initiate the target-language reader into the sensibilities of the source-language culture.” Then, the author has argument, he did not agree with the culture translation, if the culture is translated, the message will be ambiguous, there are several author’s argument quoted by reviewer that, “One language cannot express the meanings of another; instead, there is a distinction between the meanings built in and the meanings that must be captured and expressed.” Author also said,”...This concept(practice?) of extended family living together is unheard of in western countries; therefore, the English language lacks the corresponding terms.” In this article, author didn’t write or explain the method of researching, this article just had been had three pages and three subtitles, consisting of Culture and Translation, Some Problems, and Conclussion. But it had been had several evidence, the one of author’s quote is, “Geographical and environmental elements are also part of one's culture. For instance, snow is a part of the Eskimos' life. There are different words to identify different kinds of snow in their language. In India, people have no idea of snow.”
The reviewer has literature or comment about this article that it should be given the method of researching clearly so that the reader know and believe of the author’s researching. In the other hand, this article gave contribution for reviewer generally, and the readers especially. Because of it, we can know the translating way of culture element such as the translator has to transmit this special cultural quality from one language to another, awareness of history is an essential requirement for the translator of a work coming from an alien culture, the translator would have to consider whether similar or parallel language resources exist in the literary subculture of the target language, as well as the translation don’t be arrogant, gloat, and do something that we are not able to do it. As for author’s language style was suitable academically, but in writing of this article had not been perfect. For one of example this article did not have the method of researching. Then, in conclusion also was not clear, the author did not explain about content, but she explained about suggestions for a translator only without summary of contents. According to reviewer, the content should be explained briefly on the conclusion.
CONCLUSION
The researching problems of this article is the culture element in translation Indian perspective, where according to author, Indian’s culture couldn’t be translated into English, because English didn’t have the equivalent words such as in addressing, social relationship, ornaments, religion, geographical, etc. As for ways to solve these problems, the translator has to transmit this special cultural quality from one language to another, awareness of history is an essential requirement for the translator of a work coming from an alien culture, the translator would have to consider whether similar or parallel language resources exist in the literary subculture of the target language, as well as the translation don’t be arrogant, gloat, and do something that we are not able to do it.
Generally, this article was very good especially on the concept, objective, theory, argument, evidence, or the contribution. This article gave many contributions for us, especially for the translators that translation is therefore not simply a matter of seeking other words with similar meaning but of finding appropriate ways of saying things in another language. To get good translation, a translator has to know the two cultures and histories.
As for imperfection of this article, it did not have the method of researching; the theory which was written in this article was not accompanied with the source or reference so that the accuracy of this theory cannot be liable. As well as the conclusion didn’t explain contents briefly by the author.
REFERENCES
Djuharie, Otong Setiawan. 2013. Teknik dan Panduan Menterjemahkan Bahasa inggris-Bahasa Indonesia. Bandung: Yrama Widya.
Sudjatnika, Tenny and Heri Setiawan.2014.Pengantar Studi Islam. Bandung: Kasidah Cinta.
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