Audiovisual Translation of Slang Words and Phrases and Their Types of Equivalence in 50/50 Movie
Audiovisual Translation of Slang Words and Phrases and Their Types of Equivalence in 50/50 Movie
Audiovisual Translation of Slang Words and Phrases and Their Types of Equivalence in 50/50 Movie
Audiovisual Translation of Slang Words and Phrases and Their Types of Equivalence in 50/50 Movie
Rahmawati
English Language and Literature
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
rati.rahmawati@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The study aims to identify the types of slang, subtitling strategies applied,
and the types of equivalence discovered in the movie subtitle. There are
three different theoretical frameworks employed in this study in order to
analyze the data, those are the classification of types of slang based on the
lexical meaning proposed by Finnegan et al. (1992) and the word-formation
process proposed by Yule (1996), the subtitling strategies as proposed by
Gottlieb (1992 in Ghaemi and Benyamin, 2010); and the types of
equivalence by Kade (1968 in Pym, 2010). Descriptive Qualitative approach
was employed as the research design in this study. There are 370 slang
words and phrases as the collected data which were taken from 50/50 movie
subtitle. The result revealed that out of 12 classifications of types of slang,
there were 8 types identified, and Synonymy (55.14%) was the most
frequent type of slang applied in the movie subtitle. Similar to the types of
slang, there are 7 out of 10 subtitling strategies applied in the movie subtitle,
and the most-used strategy applied in the movie subtitle was Transfer
(43.43%). Furthermore, in types of equivalence, there are 3 out of 4 types
with the most frequent type applied in the movie subtitle was One to Several
equivalence (95.9%). In addition, in the combination of three analyses,
Synonymy-Transfer-One to Several equivalence was mostly appeared
simultaneously in the movie subtitle which has 73 occurrences. Therefore, it
can be concluded that types of slang, subtitling strategies, and types of
equivalence are correlated to each other. It happened because the subtitling
strategies as the strategies which were used to translate the slang words and
phrases resulted in the translated version of the slang that were classified
into types of equivalence.
Keywords: Slang words and phrases, Types of Slang, Subtitling Strategies, and
Types of Equivalence.
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source text and its translation. used in the movie which are found and
Regarding to answer the third research applied in 50/50 movie.
question of study, four types of
equivalence proposed by Kade (1968 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
in Pym, 2010) seems suitable to be Audiovisual Translation
employed due to his equivalence The definition of audiovisual
theory focuses on the level of word and translation could be revealed as
phrases. transferring meaning in the audiovisual
There were many studies on media from one language to another. It
translating slang that have been is in line with Chiaro (2013) who
conducted that were considered related defines audiovisual translation as
to the present study. For example, the transferring verbal components from
studies conducted by Ghaemi and one language to another which are
Benyamin (2010), Kusumah (2014) contained in audiovisual works and
that concerned on the subtitling products. There are number of modes
strategies used in interlingual subtitling type of audiovisual translation.
of movies. The other studies from However, according to Chiaro (2013),
Barzegar (2008), Eriksen (2010), only dubbing and subtitling are the
Nugraha’s (2013) were also focused on main modes for screen translation
the subtitling strategies used in movies products.
subtitles, but the data were specific on
slang and colloquial expressions. Subtitling
Moreover, Blonskytė and Petronienė’s Since the main focus of the study is to
(2013) study also focused on slang discover slang words and phrases
translation, but in a novel. found in movie subtitle, only subtitling
The present study focuses on the theory which is discussed in this sub-
types of slang based on the lexical chapter.
meaning and word formation process According to Cintas (2003 in Ghaemi
and also to discover the subtitling & Benyamin 2010) subtitling is the
strategies and types of equivalence concept that has undergone the greatest
growth and most commonly used in
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Beside the censorship, it is also found the reader without having any addition
that slang tends to be neutralized. It is or omission.
in line with Mailhac (2000 in Eriksen,
2010, p.33) who says that “there is [a] Equivalence in Translation
tendency for film translations of slang Translation is really related to
to ‘tone down and neutralise’ ST slang equivalence. It is supported by Pym
expressions in the TT, weakening the (2007) who says that talking about
tone of the original source text”. translation is talking about any kind of
Even though there are some slang equivalence. It could be assumed that
words neutralized, it is believed by equivalence really influences the
some scholars that neutralizing the translation. In addition, Pym (2010)
slang words is one of solution in also states that equivalence is when
translating slang (Ulvydienė & one text is translated into the target
Abramovaitė, 2012). Concerning the text, it should have the same value (in
issueof translating slang, Newmark, any level, such as at word level of
Mattielo, Drodze and Vogule (in form, function and meaning).
Ulvydienė & Abramovaitė, 2012) There are several types of
claim that there are three optional equivalence proposed by scholars, but
strategies to translate slang such as this study employs Kade’s (1968 in
stylistic compensation, literal Pym, 2010) four types of equivalence
translation, and stylistic softening. at level of words and phrases, since the
These techniques are believed could main data of this study are in the form
maintain slang in the target text. of words and phrases. Below are four
Similar to the techniques above, types of equivalence at the level of
transfer strategy in subtitiling can also words and phrases:
maintain slang in the target text. It is in 1. One-to-one: an item of source
line with Newmark (1988) who argues language corresponds to an
that transfer strategy is used to deliver item of target language.
the whole message from the subtitle to 2. One-to-several or several-to-
the reader/spectator or from the text to one: where an item in one
language corresponds to several
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adding or omitting any word (Ghaemi 2001). However, in the context above,
& Benyamin, 2010). ‘buddy’ is corresponded as ‘sobat’.
Furthermore, in the last analysis, of Furthermore, according to Kamus
four types of equivalence, there were Besar Bahasa Indonesia (2011), ‘sobat’
three types identified in the movie means ‘sahabat baik’, or ‘teman baik’.
subtitle, those are one-to-several or That is why the word ‘buddy’ is
several-to-one equivalence, one-to-one counted as one-to-several equivalence
equivalence and one-to-none since it corresponds to more than one
equivalence. One-to-several word in the target text.
equivalence occurred 304 times Beside those three types of
(95.9%), several-to-one equivalence equivalence, there are some slang
occurred 4 times (1.26%), one-to-one words and phrases which cannot be
occurred 7 times (2.21%), and one-to- corresponded in the target text and
none equivalence occurred twice cannot be classified into any types of
(0.63%). In this analysis, one-to- equivalence since they are omitted by
several equivalence is the most certain strategies, such as condensation
frequent type of equivalence appeared decimation, and deletion. Below is the
in the movie subtitle. Below is the example of condensation strategy that
example of one-to-several equivalence. omits a slang word.
ST: ST:
Kyle: They’re for him. He’s my buddy. Kyle: … but it’s good to see you, dude.
He’s really really sick. TT:
TT: Kyle: … tapi senang sekali bertemu
Kyle: Itu semua untuknya. Dia denganmu lagi.
sobatku. Dia sakit parah. The word ‘dude’ in this strategy is
From the example above, the omitted but the meaning does not
phrase ‘my buddy’ is translated as change. It causes no translation for that
‘sobatku’ in the target text. The word word in the target text. Thus, this word
‘buddy’ is a friend (Cambridge cannot be classified into any types of
dictionary, 2008), and in Dictionary of equivalence. However, not all slang
Slang, ‘buddy’ means ‘teman’ (Luthan, words and phrases found in one
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dialogue that have no types of only focuses on the level of words and
equivalence. It is just for the slang phrases.
words and phrases which are omitted Furthermore, from the three
in the target text. For example: analyses of the study, it can be seen
ST: that synonymy, transfer, and one-to-
Kyle: … it’s gonna be good, it’s gonna several equivalence in each analysis
be fine. are the most frequent types and
TT: strategy found and applied in the
Kyle: …semua akan baik-baik saja. movie. They are also the most frequent
The example above is categorized analyses which appeared
as decimation strategy since it omits simultaneously in the data findings that
some words and even one sentence in appear 73 times. It indicates that
one dialogue. The first phrase ‘it’s synonymy-transfer-one to several
gonna be good’ is not translated or equivalence were interrelated each
omitted in the target text, including the other, particularly synonymy and one
word ‘gonna’ as slang. Thus, the word to several equivalence. By seeing the
‘gonna’ in the first phrase cannot be definition, the definition of synonymy
classified into any types of equivalence is close to of one to several
since it does not have translation in the equivalence. Synonymy, according to
target text. However, in the second Finnegan et al. (1992) is the meaning
phrase, the word ‘gonna’ is translated of one word is nearly similar to the
as ‘akan’ in the target text which meaning of the other words. Moreover,
results in one-to-several equivalence. one to several equivalence is defined as
Simply to say, one slang word is one word in one language corresponds
omitted, one type of equivalence is to more than one word in target
lost, although the dialogue is still language (Pym, 2010). Thus, slang
translated into the target text. It words and phrases contained in the
happens because the data of the study subtitle found in 50/50 movie by nature
is slang words and phrases, which have more than one meaning in the
employed types of equivalence that target language, depending on the
context.
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The slang words and phrases that strategies as the guideline to translate
were categorized as synonymy them. In addition, the types of
maintained and translated by using equivalence emphasize that the slang
transfer strategy, so they were not words and phrases that have been
necessary to be omitted or eliminated translated by using the strategies have
because this strategy translates the equal value or so-called equivalent in
meaning completely and accurately. It the target text.
is supported by Newmark (1988) who
claims that the cultural words (slang) CONCLUSIONS
are frequently transferred in order to After the data were analyzed, the result
attract the reader/spectator, to give revealed that there were 370 slang
local colour and a sense of intimacy words found in the movie subtitle.
between the text and the Based on the analysis of type of
reader/spectator. Thus, the translation slang, there were eight out of twelve
of the slang words and phrases which classifications matched the slang words
were included as synonymy resulted in and phrases found in the movie
form of subtitles that were categorized subtitles. Those are synonymy,
as one to several equivalence, because blending, metaphor, compounding,
both synonymy and one to several conversion, clipping, derivation,
equivalence refer to the words or acronyms. However, the most applied
phrases that have more than one type was synonymy that appeared 204
meaning both in the source text and the times.
target text. In the analysis of subtitling
Therefore, this study reveals that strategy, there were seven out of ten
the types of slang, the subtitling subtitling strategies applied in the
strategies, and the types of equivalence movie subtitle; transfer, paraphrase,
are interconnected to each other. It is condensation, expansion, decimation,
evidently shown that the slang words deletion, imitation. However, the most
and phrases classified based on the frequent strategy applied in the movie
classifications of types of slang could subtitle was 129 times.
be translated by using subtitling
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Furthermore, out of three types of of other words. Thus, slang words and
equivalence identified in the movie phrases contained in the subtitle found
(which were one to several or several in 50/50 movie by nature have more
to one, one to one and one to none), the than one meaning in the target
most frequent type appeared was one language, depending on the context.
to several equivalence. It has 304 The slang words and phrases that
cases. were categorized as synonymy
Based on the three analyses that maintained and translated by using
have been conducted in this study, it transfer strategy, so they were not
was identified that synonymy-transfer- necessary to be omitted or eliminated
one to several equivalence were the because this strategy translated the
most frequent analyses appeared meaning completely and accurately. It
simultaneously in the study which is supported by Newmark (1988) who
appeared 73 times. Moreover, in each claims that the cultural words (slang)
analysis, they also have the highest are frequently transferred in order to
frequency. In the classifications of attract the reader/spectator, to give
types of slang, synonymy was the most local colour and a sense of intimacy
frequent type, in term of subtitling between the text and the
strategies, transfer was the most reader/spectator. Thus, the translation
frequent strategy and one to several of the slang words and phrases which
was the most type of equivalence were included as synonymy resulted in
applied and identified in the movie form of subtitles that were categorized
subtitle. It could be proven that as one to several equivalence, because
synonymy-transfer-one to several both synonymy and one to several
equivalence were interrelated to each equivalence refer to the words or
other, particularly synonymy and one phrases that have more than one
to several equivalence. Based on the meaning both in the source text and the
definition, the definition synonymy target text.
and one to several equivalence is close In conclusion, it is believed the
to of one to several equivalence. Their types of slang, subtitling strategies, and
meanings are similar to the meanings types of equivalence are interconnected
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