Differences in Perception and Diction on Two Translations Lelaki Tua dan Laut from Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and The Sea
Abstract: Translation of
literary work is never simply the business of translating the work in the
source language into the target language. Translation is always
culture-sensitive, as it also means translating the source culture into the
target culture. This study examines two translations of the novel The Old Man
and The Sea (1952) by Ernest Hemingway in the Indonesian language. Both are
titled Lelaki Tua dan Laut. The earlier
was published in 1973 and was translated by Sapardi Djoko Damono, while
the latter was translated by Dian Vita Ellyati and was published in 2010. These
two translated versions are compared with each other in order to identify
differences in perception and diction. Differences in diction further influence
the reader’s perception. Close examination of the two versions discovers
contrasting perception and diction. The study finds that Djoko Damono’s
translation builds meaning by using Indonesian equivalents to represent the
concepts presented in the novel, while Ellyati’s builds meaning through
description and explanation of said concepts. Djoko Damono’s translation
attempts to maintain poetic expressions through the use of rhyming words; Ellyati’s
translation goes for clarity of meaning. Djoko Damono’s translation uses
extensive vocabulary with specific meanings, while Ellyati’s chooses to employ
words with more generic meanings. These differences indicate that translation
work is never final; it is an ongoing, ever changing process.
Author: Lina Meilinawati
Rahayu
Journal Code: jpantropologigg160037
