FOREIGNIZATION AND DOMESTICATION OF THE CULTURE-SPECIFIC TERMS IN AYU UTAMI’S SAMAN AND THEIR TRANSLATED EXPRESSIONS IN PAMELA ALLEN’S SAMAN

Abstract

This research, which is under the scope of translation studies aims to (1) find out the culture-specific terms used in Ayu Utami’s novel entitled Saman and their translated expressions in Pamela Allen’s Saman; (2) describe foreignization and domestication techniques used in culture-specific terms in Ayu Utami’s Saman and their translated expressions in Pamela Allen’s Saman.

            The researcher applied the descriptive qualitative method in this research. The words and noun phrases which are considered as the culture-specific terms taken from Ayu Utami’s Saman and their translated expressions in Pamela Allen’s Saman were the data used in this study. The main instrument of the research was the researcher himself. After the data are being collected, they were categorized and analysed based on the culture-specific terms and the types of translation techniques. To enhance the trustworthiness of the data in this study, triangulation was employed.

            This research reveals two findings. The first is that the culture-specific terms in Ayu Utami’s Saman and their translated expressions in Pamela Allen’s Saman cover five main categories. They are ecology, material culture, social culture, social organization, and gesture and habit. In terms of translation techniques, there are four translation techniques of foreignization: preservation, addition, naturalization, and literal translation. On the other hand, domestication technique has six techniques; cultural equivalent, omission, globalisation, translation by more specific words, creation, and equivalent translation. The findings show that the domestication is more dominant than the foreignization technique. It happens because the translator intends to bring the readers close to their own culture.

Keywords: foreignization, domestication, culture-specific terms, Saman novels