Mapping Students’ Problems in Translating Poetry
B. Semantic problem
Semantic problem refers to the difficulty in transferring the SL text into TL text due to the differences in meaning of a word/phrase in one language and in another language. From the data, I found six samples which display various semantic problems.
Karjo, C., H., Mapping Students‟ Problems in Translating Poetry 138
(5) Look on the rising sun There God does live Lihatlah matahari terbit Ada Tuhan melakukan hidup
The issue in this translation is the collocation „God does live‟ which is translated literally into Tuhan melakukan hidup. The word „does‟ means performs something, but it also has the meaning of provide or make available as in the sentence „many hotels do single rooms‟. In English, the word „do‟ can collocate with several words resulting in difference in meaning. However, the range of words that can collocate with a certain verb such as „do‟ differs in one language to another. For example, „to make bed‟ cannot be translated into membuat tempat tidur but membereskan tempat tidur. Similarly, the translation of (4) above should be Tuhan memberikan kehidupan.
(6) But I am Black, as if bereaved of light
Tapi aku berkulit hitam, seolah berduka oleh cahaya
In sample (5), the translator mistranslated the phrase „bereaved of light‟ as berduka oleh cahaya. The word „bereaved‟ means „be deprived of a close relation through their death‟. Thus, this word is translated literally as berduka. Berduka is a sad feeling that a person feels when someone he/she loves passes away. Berduka oleh cahaya implies that a person is feeling sad because of the light, which is quite illogical. Looking at the context of the original poem „but I am Black, as if bereaved of light‟, the author wants to say that he is black because he was deprived of light. Therefore, the problem here is the interpretation of the word „bereaved‟ in metaphorical sense, which can be glossed as kekurangan atau ketiadaan.
(7) Home is sweet
Rumah adalah tempat yang nyaman
Another semantic problem is the rendering of idiomatic expression or proverb. In English there is a proverb „Home sweet home‟ which is used to express a feeling of relief or pleasure upon returning to one‟s home, especially after an extended period away from it. The line „home is sweet‟ is probably derived from this proverb, indicating that home is a comfortable place to return too. The metaphorical word
„sweet‟ cannot be rendered literally into manis, since it does not appeal the same sense as the original English word. Thus, the translation rumah adalah tempat yang nyaman is acceptable because of the absence of the equivalent metaphor in the target language.
(8) You are old, father William
And have grown most uncommonly fat
139 The 5th Celt International Conference Proceeding: Contextualizing the Trajectory of Language, Arts and Culture in Contemporary Society, 9-11th September 2017, pp. 130-142
Engkau sudah tua ayah William
Dan telah tumbuh paling jarang lemak
There are two problems in the translation of line (7). The first one is the translation of address term „father‟ into ayah. The word „father‟ can be literally translated into bapak or ayah to address an adult male person. However, ayah is only used if the speaker has biological relation with the addressee. Thus, the address term ayah in the first line is not too suitable. The second issue is the phrase „most uncommonly fat‟
which is translated into paling jarang lemak. The mistranslation occurs because of the misinterpretation of the word „fat‟. As a noun „fat‟ means an oily substance under the skin, which can be rendered as lemak. Yet, as an adjective „fat‟ means having large amount of fat, or in Indonesian, it is gemuk. Therefore, the translator made mistakes in choosing the right equivalent of „fat‟. Subsequently, „uncommonly‟ is also translated into paling jarang. The synonym of „uncommonly‟ is unusually or exceptionally, but it can also be used to mean „remarkably‟. Thus, a better translation for the second line would be Anda sudah menjadi luar biasa gemuk.
(9) Pray, what is the reason of that?
Doa, apa alasan itu?
The problem in line (8) is the misunderstanding of the word „pray‟. Normally, „pray‟
is used in the sense of addressing a prayer to God, thus in Indonesian, its literal translation is doa. However, in literary use, in archaic usage, „pray‟ is and adverb used as a preface to polite request or instructions. The translator, probably, did not know about this subtle differences in usage, thus she came up with the word doa. The better translation is probably, Tolong katakana, apa alasannya?
(10) In my youth, said the sage, as he shook his grey locks
Di masa mudaku, kata orang bijak sambil menjabat kunci abu abunya
Another problem of choosing the accurate word also happens in rendering polysemous word „locks‟. A lock can mean a mechanism for keeping a door, window, lid or container fastened, typically operated by a key. Literally, it can be rendered into kunci in Indonesian. However, a lock can also mean a piece of a person‟s hair that coils or hangs together. This meaning can be translated into segumpal rambut in Indonesian. Moreover, the translator made mistake in translating the word „shook‟. To shake means moving (an object) up and down or from side to side with rapid, forceful and jerky movements. This word can be rendered as mengguncang atau menggoyang in Indonesian. In spite of this, „shake‟ can be used idiomatically in „shake hands‟ meaning clasping someone‟s right hand in one‟s own at a meeting or parting, in reconciliation or congratulation, or as a sign of agreement. In this context, only hand can be shaken. Similarly, in Indonesian, the literal glossing of „shake‟ is menjabat, and it can only collocate with tangan. Thus, the translation menjabat kunci is also unacceptable because of the wrong collocation. The
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line „as he shook his grey locks‟ can better be translated as sambil menggoyangkan gumpalan rambut abu abunya.