AMIDA MEILA INDRIASARI (0203515091)

ETHNOGRAPHIC TRANSLATION IN THE LEGEND OF RAWA PENING

I. INTRODUCTION
Background and Problems
One of the English language skills is the ability of translating from English to
Indonesian and vice versa. In terms of spread of information and knowledge, translation is the
key that enables the transfer of information and knowledge in the society. Many problems
face in translation, these remind us that many aspects are involved in it including
communication situation, cultural context of source language text, lexicon, and grammar
(Larson, 1984:3). Whatever the problems of translation are, still they have some processes to
transfer the meaning of the source language into the target language. In translation, the
meaning which is being transferred must be constant. Only the forms change (Larson,1984:3)
Based on the purposes of translation, Brislin in Choliludin (2007: 26-30) categorizes
translation into four types, namely: Pragmatic translation, Aesthatic-poetic translation,
Linguistic translation and Ethnograpic translation. According to those categorizes of
translation, this paper only focuses on Ethnographic translation. To find out the closest
natural equivalence in ethnographic translation is sometimes difficult. So, the translator must
have a good understanding of the cultural context of both SL and TL. In the mean time to do
an effective translation one must discover the meaning of the source language forms and use
the target language forms which express this meaning in a natural way ( Larson, 1984 : 6 ). In
this case the writer has a great intention to analyze the Ethnographic translation based upon
the data which are taken from the text entitled The Legend of Rawa Pening and its translation
did by two translators.
The data is a legend text that is a semi-true story, which has been passed on from
person-to-person and has important meaning or symbolism for the culture in which it
originates. A legend usually includes an element of truth, or is based on historic facts, but
with 'mythical qualities'. Legends usually involve heroic characters or fantastic places and
often encompass the spiritual beliefs of the culture in which they originate. The writer wants
to know how SL in legend as a symbolism for the culture translated into TL.
This paper is made in order to know about the practice of theory of Ethnographic
translation did by the translator. This paper will compare two translators in translating one
text, titled The Legend of Rawa Pening. The text is translated by human and by Microsoft
translator (machine). This paper will discuss three problems :
1. How is Ethnographic translation in the legend of Rawa Pening did by human?
2. How is Ethnographic translation in The Legend of Rawa Pening did by Mirosoft
Translator?
3. Which one is better according to Ethnographic translation, human or Microsoft
Translator?

AMIDA MEILA INDRIASARI (0203515091)

II. DISCUSSION
Ethnographic translation: its purpose is to explicate the cultural context of the SL
and TL versions. Translators have to be sensitive to the way words are used and must know
how the word fits into cultures. Example: the use of the word yes versus yeah in America.
Brislin in Choliludin (2007: 26-30). The data is a text titled The Legend of Rawa pening
which translated by two translators. The translators are human and Microsoft translation
(machine).
1. Human Translator
Human translator means someone who translates the text with his own knowledge
translating each word from SL to TL. Translators sometimes have problems to determine
appropriate equivalent words. The equivalent words themselves must be literary words that
are difficult to search. There are many factors that cause translators difficult to translate a
text. So the way to overcome the problems is increasing the knowledge of both languages
and cultures In translating the legend of Rawa Pening human is more sensitive to select the
TL, he considers cultural context both SL and TL, for example : the word Lesung is not
translated, he avoids to translate SL lesung to TL, he keep the word lesung otherwise he
explained it in the next sentence to describe what Lesung is.
.
a lesung, a big wooden mortar for pounding rice.

Translator has to see the cultural context of SL and TL, since the word Lesung only appear
around the SL. He did not want to change into another similar word or closest meaning.
Lesung has closest meaning to mortar. Similarities between Lesung and mortar is on it uses
both of it use to pounding things, but Lesung specialized only for pounding rice otherwise
mortar uses to pounding anything such us herb medicine, kind of beans, ingredients etc.
Mortar has difference kind of shape, and material used to make the mortar, such us wood,
ceramic, or stone. Lesung made from wood which has rectangle shape looks like ship/boat.
That is way the translator keeps the word lesung considering the cultural context.
The Legend of Rawa Pening
Once upon a time, there was a little poor boy came into a little village. He was very hungry and weak.
He knocked at every door and asked for some food, but nobody cared about him. Nobody wanted to help the
little
boy.
Finally, a generous woman helped him. She gave him shelter and a meal. When the boy wanted to leave,
this old woman gave him a lesung, a big wooden mortar for pounding rice.
She reminded him, please remember, if there is a flood you must save yourself. Use this lesung as a
boat. The lesung was happy and thanked the old woman.The little boy continued his journey. While he
was passing through the village, he saw many people gathering on the field. The boy came closer and saw a
stick stuck in the ground. People challenged each other to pull out that stick. Everybody tried, but nobody
succeeded. Can I try? asked the little boy. The crowd laughed mockingly. The boy wanted to try his luck
so he stepped forward and pulled out the stick. He could do it very easily. Everybody was dumbfounded.
Suddenly, from the hole left by stick, water spouted out. It did not stop until it flooded the village. And no
one was saved from the water except the little boy and the generous old woman who gave him shelter and
meal. As she told him, he used the lesung as a boat and picked up the old woman. The whole village
became a huge lake. It is now known as Rawa Pening Lake in Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia.

AMIDA MEILA INDRIASARI (0203515091)

TERJEMAHAN
Suatu ketika, ada seorang anak kecil yang malang datang ke sebuah desa kecil . Dia sangat lapar dan
lemah . Dia mengetuk setiap pintu dan meminta beberapa makanan , tapi tak ada yang peduli tentang
dia
. Tidak
ada
yang
ingin
membantu
anak
kecil
.
Akhirnya , seorang wanita murah hati membantunya . Dia memberinya tempat tinggal dan makan . Ketika
anak itu ingin pergi, wanita tua ini memberinya " lesung " , sebuah mortir kayu besar untuk menumbuk
padi . Dia mengingatkan dia , " harap ingat , jika ada banjir Anda harus menyelamatkan diri . Gunakan ini "
lesung " sebagai perahu " . The " lesung " senang dan berterima kasih kepada woman.The anak kecil tua
melanjutkan perjalanannya . Sementara ia melewati desa , ia melihat banyak orang berkumpul di
lapangan . Anak itu mendekat dan melihat tongkat terjebak di dalam tanah . Orang menantang satu sama lain
untuk menarik keluar tongkat itu. Semua orang mencoba , tapi tidak ada yang berhasil . " Dapatkah saya
mencoba ? " Tanya anak kecil itu . Kerumunan tertawa mengejek . Anak itu ingin mencoba peruntungannya
jadi dia melangkah maju dan mengeluarkan tongkat . Dia bisa melakukannya dengan sangat mudah . Semua
orang
tercengang.
Tiba-tiba , dari lubang yang ditinggalkan oleh tongkat , air menyembur keluar . Ini tidak berhenti sampai
membanjiri desa . Dan tidak ada yang diselamatkan dari air kecuali anak kecil dan wanita tua dermawan
yang memberinya tempat tinggal dan makan . Saat ia mengatakan kepadanya , ia menggunakan " lesung "
sebagai perahu dan mengambil wanita tua . Seluruh desa menjadi danau besar . Hal ini sekarang dikenal
sebagai Danau Rawa Pening di Salatiga , Jawa Tengah , Indonesia .

http://amrulsani.blogspot.co.id/2014/01/teks-narratif-legend-of-rawa-pening.html

2. Microsoft Translator (Machine)

Microsoft translator is a program in a computer to translate anything from SL to TL.
The device will translate each word you wanted to know through its capacity of words it
have. From that reason this article wants to compare the result of translation did by the
Microsoft translator from the point of view of Ethnographic translation. Ethnographic
translation purpose is to explicate the cultural context of the SL and TL versions. From the
purpose this paper found that Microsft Translator is not sensitive in considering the cultural
context, such as :
1. Translating the name of place
The Legend of Rawa Pening was translated into The Legend of Bog Reel. Its
translation does not make sense at all since Rawa Pening is the name of place so it should not
be translated.
2. Translating the word to it closest meaning
In translating the word Lesung, Microsoft Translator found the closest meaning
and similaties in TL without considering cultural context.
"lesung", sebuah mortir kayu besar untuk menumbuk padi translated as " mortar ",
a large wooden mortars for pounding rice
3. Same word has different translation
Microsoft translator translated one word into different translation, such as : when
translating the word Rawa Pening it is translated into Bog Reel and Marsh Reel.
Hal ini sekarang dikenal sebagai Rawa Pening Danau di Salatiga, Jawa Tengah,
Indonesia Translated as It is now known as the Marsh Reel Lake in Salatiga, Central Java,
Indonesia

AMIDA MEILA INDRIASARI (0203515091)

III. CONCLUSION
After analyzing the Ethnographic translation in the Legend of Rawa Pening between two
different translators, this paper made some conclusions which can be drawn as follows:
1. Microsoft translator (Machine) has no sensitivity in translating SL to TL. It translated
the whole text through closest meaning which is not considering the cultural context.
2. Human translator is more sensitive in translating SL into TL than Microsoft
Translator. In translating Ethnographic translation human considers about cultural
context.
3. Human is better in translating ethnographic translation than Microsoft translator,
because different place has different culture.

IV. REFERENCES
Hartono, R. 2014. Model Penerjemahan Novel dari Bahasa Inggris ke Bahasa Indonesia:
Yogyakarta. Diandra Pustaka Indonesia
Larson, M.L. 1984. Meaning-Based Translation. Lanham: University Press of America
http://amrulsani.blogspot.co.id/2014/01/teks-narratif-legend-of-rawa-pening.html

AMIDA MEILA INDRIASARI (0203515091)

AMIDA MEILA INDRIASARI (0203515091)

ETHNOGRAPHIC TRANSLATION
IN THE LEGEND OF RAWA PENING

Submitted as an Assignment of Translation Studies

By

Name

: AMIDA MEILA INDRIASARI

SRN

: 0203515091

Class

: 2 Khusus

ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

GRADUATE PROGRAM
SEMARANG STATE UNIVERSITY
2016