the utility of compensation strategies in the …
TRANSCRIPT
THE UTILITY OF COMPENSATION STRATEGIES
IN THE SENTENCE LEVEL-TRANSLATION PRACTICE
Tia Lintang TimurUniversitas Negeri Yogyakarta
ABSTRACT
In the translation practice, the ability in translating some words appropriately from the source language into the target language become a challenge for students. Most students have some difficulties to find out an exact word which should be translated in the translation. The students need to utilize strategies in solving the limitation ofknowledge during the translation practice. One of those strategies which comply and support the students is compensation strategies. It consists of six kinds strategies that can be used to keep the translation going. This paper is aimed at describing the utility of compensation strategies represented in the sentence-level translation practice.It assists the students to use a similar word, switch to Indonesian, linguistic clues, other clues in the translation. Therefore, this strategy need to be considered as one of strategies that overcome the limitation of their knowledge in translation practice.
Keywords:Compensation strategies, the sentence-level translation
Introduction ? ? ?
1. The notion of translation
Translation as a research topic has been primarily of interest to writing researchers in the cognitive tradition. Nida defines translation as “Translation consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source-language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style”. It means that not only consider the meaning but also the conveyed style can be a matter for the translator. Another statement stated from her that translation is not really simply in transferring the meaning from a language to another language, but also considered by some theories such as linguistic, sociolinguistic, communicative, free, literal, hermeneutic, semantic and the other like (Nida, n.d.). Therefore, it can be concluded that translation can be defined as the process of transferring words, sentence or text from one language into another language whereas the purpose of translation is to communicate the meaning of a source language text to the target language text.
Translation strategies have a lot of beneficial thing in the translation process. However, each translation strategies has different ways to overcome the lack of
untranslatable words. Even, the translator can use the translation strategies based on their necessary. Here are other strategies utilized by some translator to deal with problems in non-equivalence at word level are stated by Baker(1992:26).
1) Translation by a more general word (superordinate)2) Translation by a more neutral/less expressive word3) Translation by cultural substitution 4) Translation using a loan word or loan word plus explanation5) Translation by paraphrase using a related word6) Translation by paraphrase using unrelated words7) Translation by omission8) Translation by illustration
2. Compensation strategies
Compensation strategies are appropriate for the beginner and intermediate level language learners; they provide some ways to overcome the limitation in speaking and writing. In the compensation strategies, we can guess intelligently by using linguistic clues or other clues. When we have some problems in speaking and writing, we can overcome them by using compensation strategies. It focuses on switching to Indonesian, using mime or gesture, getting help, selecting the topic, adjusting or approximating the message, coining words, and using circumlocution or synonyms (Oxford, 1990:91).
Compensation is considered as one of the possible strategies and an effective one for compensating the loss caused by translating because we can use another word for describing which we do not know the real meaning of that word. According to Newmark (1998). It is also supported by the terminology of Oxford (1990) “compensation strategies,” to emphasize that they are active, conscious techniques that students can adopt and teachers can teach, to compensate for gaps in linguistic and lexical knowledge in the target language. She defined compensation strategies as a strategy in guessing intelligently. In guessing intelligently she also divided into two parts, they are using linguistic clues and using other clues. Therefore, we do not guess a word in translation by using other words which have no close meaning with the previous word but also we should make it almost similar with a clue.
Compensation strategies are believed to be one of an effective strategy to help students in translating. When the learner would like to translate into a new language, they can loss the source text but still in the similar pattern or similar way which related to the source text. Compensation strategies are used for reading, writing, speaking, and listening, not limited to productive speaking skills. Actually, in compensation strategies, it employs switch the word to our mother tongue in translating, for a reason if you want to say marbles to the listener but you forget the English are, then you can use “kelereng” or “gundu” as our mother tongue. So the writer thinks that this strategy is more flexible in determining a word that we intend to say to other persons. This strategy also can be used in speaking, one of the other keys in compensation learning strategy is using mime or gestures so for reasons if we want to describe a “ball” to our listener, we can explain it by making a circle with our finger then we practice to kick it. Certainly, the listener can understand what we are talking about.
There are some keys in compensation strategies which are stated by Oxford(1990:48), such as using linguistic clues, using other clues and using a circumlocution or synonym. The explanation about these keys will be delivered in the following sentences.
a. Using linguistic clues
In the strategy for guessing intelligently, it can use linguistic clues in the absence of complete knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, or the target language element. Even the learner does not know the most similar word from guessing to another word, they can use the clue of the meaning that has same purpose or same goal in comprehending it (Oxford, 1990:49).
It can be described as the example below:
The student says association sans but lucratif (“nonprofit association”), previous knowledge of certain words in English (association, lucrative) and French (sans= without) would give clues to the meaning of the unknown word, but (aim, goal), and of the whole expression.
b. Other clues
In the strategy for guessing intelligently, beside using linguistic clues, other clues also used in the absence of complete knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, or the target language element. Other clues here mean that the learner can guess the word based on the context or situation of the topic. It can involve knowledge of context, situation, text structure, personal relationship, and other like (Oxford, 1990:49). The example of other clues described as follows.
When the student does not know the meaning of vends in the French, noticing that these words are used in the context of classified ads, and they are followed by a list of items and prices, provides clues suggesting that these terms refer to selling.
c. Switching to Indonesian
In another case, switching to Indonesian can be called as “code switching”. Here this strategy is adapted to switching to Indonesian. This strategy can be used by adding word endings from the new language into words from the mother tongue (Oxford, 1990:50). When the student uses Indonesia language as the mother tongue is presented as follows.
The student uses a word wanita to say a “woman”.
d. Getting help
In this strategy, requiring any help to other people to complete the missing expression in the target language (Oxford, 1990:50). It means when the student or learner face some impediments, s/he needs someone to assist for complementing in the target language.
e. Using mime or gesture
In this strategy, it is used by appearing physical motion to indicate the meaning, such as mime or gesture (Oxford, 1990:50). One of example in using this strategy can be shown by shaking one’s head, lighting up the hand, shaping some fingers and the other like.
f. Avoiding communication partially or totally
In this strategy, anticipating the difficulties applied by using partially or totally avoiding communication. It is involved in avoiding communication in general, a certaintopic, specific expression, or abandoning communication in mid-utterance (Oxford, 1990:50). It other words it can occur when the student may avoid the topic when s/he is not sure with the relevant vocabulary.
g. Selecting the topic
In this strategy, selecting the topic in order that comes forward to someone’s interest whereas the learner has adequate vocabulary and grammar to converse(Oxford, 1990:50). It means that when there is a communication then one of the speakers prefer to the own topic, it can be called as using selecting the topic strategy.
h. Adjusting or approximating the message
In this strategy, changing the word by dismissing the items of information to make it easier or saying something which is rather similar to the things (Oxford, 1990:50). It means that this strategy is used to modify word to be simpler (Oxford, 1990:50).
In using this strategy, it can be described such as an example in saying “pen” for “pencil”.i. Coining words
In this strategy, it is employed by creating some new words to explain the idea (Oxford, 1990:50). An example of using coining words is to say “paper holder” for “notebook”. j. Using circumlocution or synonym
In this strategy, describing the concept (circumlocution) or using a word that has a similar meaning (synonym) to get the meaning (Oxford, 1990: 51). It means this strategy employed by explaining the desired word’s definition or clues related to it, for reason, to say “what you use to wash dishes” for describing “dishrag”.
Method of the research
The research was descriptive qualitative research. This research analyzed the kinds of compensation strategies that the students used in the translation. Moreover, the researcher also described how they employed the kinds of compensation strategies in the translation practice. As mentioned by Miles, Huberman, & Saldana (2014:30), they state that qualitative research concerns with people's lived experience
Result
Below are some sentences provided to be translated by the university students.
1. Sosiolinguistik dapat mengacu kepada pemakaian data kebahasaan dan menganalisis ke dalam ilmu-ilmu lain yang menyangkut kehidupan sosial, dan sebaliknya, mengacu kepada data kemasyarakatan dan menganalisis ke dalam linguistik. (Adopted from Sumarsono (2010)).
2. Tinggi rendahnya jumlah leksikon dalam suatu bahasa berkaitan dengan bahasa itu sendiri dan tingkat peradaban dan budaya masyarakat pendukungnya. (Adopted from Widodo, Pratomo (2014)).
3. Neurologi mempunyai peran yang sangat erat dengan bahasa karena kemampuan manusia berbahasa ternyata bukan karena lingkungan tetapi karena kodrat neurologis yang dibawanya sejak lahir. (Adopted from Dardjowidjojo, Soenjono. (2003)).
Note:LC : Linguistic cluesOC : Other cluesSMT : Switching to the mother tongueAM : Adjusting or approximating the messageCW : Coining wordsC/S : Using circumlocution or synonym
Table 1. The data findings of compensation strategies in the sentence level
LC OC SMT
AM CW C/S
Sosiolinguistik dapat mengacu kepada pemakaian data kebahasaan dan menganalisis ke dalam ilmu-ilmu lain yang menyangkut kehidupan sosial, dan sebaliknya, mengacu kepada data kemasyarakatan dan menganalisis ke dalam linguistikSosiolinguistik can refer to the use of data and analyzing linguistic sciences into other sciences into other sciences where the social life and instead refers to the social and analyzing into linguistic.
sosiolinguistik
√
Sosiolinguistik can lead to the linguistic and analysis by using data into the other science that related to the social life. In other hand, can lead to society and analysis into linguistic.
sosiolinguistik
√
Sociolinguistic can use to lingustic data, and analisisto other sains that connected to social relations.
analisis √sains √
Tinggi rendahnya jumlah leksikon dalam suatu bahasa berkaitan dengan bahasa itu sendiri dan tingkat peradaban dan budaya masyarakat pendukungnyaHigh and lowest leksikon data in language is connecting with theirown language and the level of civilization and culture community supporters.
leksikon √
The high and down is amount leksikon in a language be related to own language of era and supporting of people culture.
leksikon √
The high and down is amount of leksikonin a language be related to own language and phase of era and the supporting of people culture.
leksikon √
The high lowest account leksikon in something be related to with language it self and floor adaption and culture of environment supported it.
leksikon √
High in low leksikon account in one language related by itself and the list adaption and supporting sociaty culture.
leksikon √
The high and down is amount of leksikonin language be related to own language and phase of era and the supporting of people culture.
leksikon √
The high and amount of leksikon in a language related to own language and phase of era and the supporting of people culture.
leksikon √
Neurologi mempunyai peran yang sangat erat dengan bahasa karena kemampuan manusia berbahasa ternyata bukan karena lingkungan tetapi karena kodrat neurologis yang dibawanya sejak lahir.Neurology has a related with language because human communicate ability actually aren’t causing by environment with causing by nature which was bring since born.
Human communicat
e ability
√
Neurology has a related with language because human ability to make a language not because the neurology which be brought since it born.
Human ability to make a
language
√
Neurologi has a role that very important with language because the ability of
codrat √
human to languages not because environment but because the codratneurologis that brought since it bornNeurology has a meaningful part of language because language human skills in fact are not caused by the environment but neurological since they born
meaningful part
√
Neurology has a strong relation with the language. Because of human capability in oral language is not about the environment, but also naturaly neurology which he brought since he was child.
strong relation
√
human capability in
oral language
√
Neurology have a participate very muchwith language because human skill language not from environment but because of neurologis fate from their born
participate very much
√
Neurology have an important role in language because human’s ability to use language actually it is not because the environment, but because neurologic’sfate that bring from birth.
fate
√
Neurologitas the closed character with language because the human language ability exactly not because of environment but because of neurologist power since the child was born.
Closed character
√
Neurologi has a tight contribution within language. Because actually human’s language ability is not caused by environment, but because the neurological fate which they get when they born.
tight contribution
√
fate √
Neurologi as the close character with language because the human language abiltiy exactly not because of environment but because of neurologist power since the child was born.
Neurologi √
Neurology havea part which is very tightly with language because ability of people language not only from environmental but also neurologies it will brings since birth.
a part which is very tightly
√
Neurologi have a part which is very Neurologi √
tightly with language because ability of people language not only from the environmental but also neurologis if full brings save birth.
a part which is very tightly
√
Neurology has subject that it is very related with language because the human language ability is not about the environment but it is a basic of neurologic that given since it was born.
subject that it is very related
√
Neurology has the instrument which is very good with the language because the language human ability is not because of the environment but it’s because the neurologiswhich is brought from born.
neurologis √
Neurologi has a peran that very eratwithlanguage, because still someone in language in realita not because environment but also kodratneurologisthen he have when he was born.
Neurologi √Peran √Erat √
Realita √Kodrat
neurologis√
Neurology is useful for language because people has ability of english not from the environmental but from her neurology s since birth.Neurologi have character or relationship of language because of the fact, this people skill to speak not only area all around but also the nature or character of neurologi since was born.
Neurologi √
Neurologi had caracter to very important to language because for the fact language skill human being not only in the circle but also neorologis nature to habits was them born.
Neurologi √Neoroligis √
Neurologi have functional which very kind with language because human ability to speak wasn’t because of area but language kodratwhich habit since was born.
Neurologi √Kodrat √
The neurology has the same function with language because the people skills language is not because the environment but neurologiscodrat which brought it.
Neurologis √
The neurologi has link that very Neurologi √
connection with language because the human ability to language in fact not cause of environment because the kodratneurologis that to bring since born.
Kodrat neurologis
√
Neurologi has link that very connection because human language skill environment but cause neurologisthat.
Neurologi √Neurologis √
Neurology has function that very tightwith language because the human ability in language actually havnt because environment but also dependt on neurology that brought since born.
function that very
tight
√
Neurologi has a very relate part in language because the ability of people in language actually is not because of environment but it is because of neurologist codrate which is brought from newborn.
Neurologi √
Neurology has the important function with language. Because the people’s skills is dangerous absolutely not because the environment, but it is because neurologyskodrat which brought it when the people start to born in the world.
Kodrat √
Neurologi has an important thing that really connect to the language because of the ability of human’s language not because of the environment but the neurologis that brings it since born.
Neurologi √Neurologis √
Neurology has the important role in language because the ability of human in language because not the environment but neurologis has been born.
Neurologis √
Neurologiest has using very important role with language because human’s abilityes to communicate/speak actually is not from environment influence but because of the neurologist that they got from the beginning of their lifes
The beginning
of their lifes
√
Neurologi has functions that are very strong wit language because in fact, the ability of each person not because of environment but because of neurologic that happen since we born
Neurologi √
Neurologi has a partisipation with language with language because the
Neurologi √
human skill in language is not because he/she environment but because the destiny that he/she brings when they were born
Table 1. The number of compensation strategies utilized at the sentence level
No Kinds of compensation strategies Total Percentage1 Linguistic clues - -2 Other clues - -3 Switching to Indonesian 37 69.81%
4Adjusting or approximating the message - -
5 Coining words 4 7.14%6 Using circumlocution or synonym 12 21.42%
From the results of translation, the researcher found 53 types of compensation strategies at the sentence level. Switching from the source language to Indonesian was 37 times or 69.81% utilized by the students. It was the first rank of the strategy at the sentence level. The second was using circumlocution or synonym that appeared 12 times or 21.42%. Coining words which appeared 4 times or 7.14% by the students. Neither linguistic clues nor other clues utilized by the students. It also appeared in adjusting or approximating the message, no one utilized this strategy.
Conclusion
The students tend to employ the strategy namely switching to Indonesian while translating the sentences by transforming in Indonesia language. It shows that the students tend to use Indonesian for solving the limitation of their knowledge, especially in the translation practice. It can be concluded that the strategies namely switching from the source text to Indonesian was the first rank utilized by the students in translating the sentence. It assist the student in the translation practice.
REFERENCES
Baker, M. (1992). In Other Words a Coursebook on Translation. New York: Routledge.Dardjowidjojo, Soenjono. (2003). Psikolingusitik. Jakarta: Yayasan Obor Indonesia.
Miles, B. M., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis (Third edit). California,USA: SAGE.
Nida, E. A. (n.d.). Theories of translation.Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language Learning Strategies What Every Teacher Should Know.
Boston, Massachussets: Heinle & Heinle Publishers.
Sumarsono. (2010). Sosiolinguistik. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar.
Widodo, Pratomo. (2014). Membangun karakter melalui (pembelajaran) bahasa. (dalam buku Memantapkan pendidikan karakter untuk melahirkan insan bermoral, humanis, dan
professional). Yogyakarta: UNY Press.