Translation Quality on Wireless-network Terms in the Book of

Wireless Networks First-step into Bahasa Indonesia:

A Case Study on a Subject Reference Book at Computer and

Networking Program

Yoyok S. Waluyo

and Defiana Arnaldy

State of Polytechnic Jakarta, JL. Jl. Prof. DR. G.A. Siwabessy, Kukusan, Kecamatan Beji, Depok, Jawa Barat, Indonesia

Department of Informatics and Computer

Keywords:

computer, network, nominal group, verbal group, wireless

Abstract: This research is a translation study. The study focuses on wireless-network term in one of reference books

used for subjects in the program of Computer and Networking. The reference book explores and explains

some definitions and concepts of wireless-network used in computer and some other applications. In

translating the terms should be textually understood as what and how they are used for. Translation result

should have accurate and comprehensive understanding so that it could not be mis-used. This research uses

Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) approach to analyze and descriptive-qualitative method. Data will be

in form of nominal and verbal group, then explained descriptively. Accurate and acceptability translation

are used as indicator in assessing the quality. In assessing quality will be used a theory proposed by

Nababan et.als. In getting sophisticated translation assessment will undergo a FGD (focus group discussion)

with rater and translation expert. This research result hopefully contributes to catch better understanding on

the terms. It would be developed as a handbook used for explaining terms in Bahasa Indonesia accurately in

accordance with their concepts and usages.

1 INTRODUCTION

Translation studies got its important roles in this

recent 2 decades in accordance with sciences and

technology developed. In technology a translator

machine was designed to get fast and accurate as

well as readable translation results. This informed us

how technology is able to take a role transferring

texts or message from one source language into

another. The presence translator machine does not

mean to degrade the role of translation theory. There

are many texts could not be translated well using the

machine, as narrative text. It is because the narrative

texts need a skill of interpretation had by the

translator. It means the machine undoubtedly could

not do properly.

However, there were some researches tried to

explain the significances of using the machine of

translation. It could be read in research done by

(AbuSa’aleek, 2016), (Zheng, 2015), that translation

machine has a capability to store lot of words,

phrases, and other linguistic units which used for in

translation activities. The linguistics units stored in

the machine could be used for many times, and

would get un-different meanings for several

purposes.it means that it would get meaning of texts

or messages in firmly consistency. For accuracy the

machine can do translation well, but not surely in

acceptance of meanings. That is why role of

translator, meaning a person, still have importance,

so that it will be caught equivalence degree of

meaning among source and target texts or language.

It is also why this study tries to discuss translation

quality on wireless-network terms in handbook of

Wireless Technology had translated into Bahasa

Indonesia.

2 METHODOLOGY

This study uses descriptive-qualitative ways to

explore the idea of research. Data are terms of

wireless networking meaning a qualitative data. This

data, then, will be descriptively explored and

Waluyo, Y. and Arnaldy, D.

Translation Quality on Wireless-network Terms in the Book of Wireless Networks First-step into Bahasa Indonesia: A Case Study on a Subject Reference Book at Computer and Networking

Program.

DOI: 10.5220/0009969900002905

In Proceedings of the 8th Annual Southeast Asian International Seminar (ASAIS 2019), pages 153-158

ISBN: 978-989-758-468-8

153

explained to get main discussion as purposes of

study. Systemic Functional Linguistics is used to

classify and categorize the terms into parts of speech

as data to analyze. Using theory of translation and

Translation Quality Assessment proposed by

Nababan data are analyzed and discussed to find or

meet the purposes of study.

3 UNDERPINNING THEORY

3.1 Systemic Functional Grammar on

Brief

Systemic Functional Grammar was proposed by

M.A.K Halliday in the middle of 1970. Nowadays,

the term of grammar is changed become linguistic,

systemic functional linguistic (SFL). The main

purpose for Halliday to create SFL “was not to

orient the grammar to any single defined area of

application, but to provide a general grammar for

purposes of text analysis and interpretation” (Wang,

2014). SFL is used to seek the meaning of a certain

texts based on the function of each words or clauses

in the text. Halliday states that language has two

meanings, namely ideational meaning and

interpersonal meaning. In present, some linguists

add the meaning with textual meaning. But Halliday

states that both meanings are involved in textual

meaning (Matthiesen, 2014).

Furthermore, SFL has high contribution in doing

translation. Meanwhile, translation is rendering the

meaning of a text into another language in the way

any that the author intended the text’ (Newmark,

1988), and language relates to social function and

context, a translator has a big task transferring the

social and context from source to target. In doing

this, equivalence is an important thing to fulfil

making the similar or equivalent social and context

among the source and target language. Catford states

that a textual translation equivalence is thus that

portion of a target language text which is changed

when and only when a given portion of the source

language is changed. In other word, doing equivalent

translation means the replacement of textual material

in one language (SL) by equivalent textual material

in another language (TL) (Catford, 1065). For this

translation, Nida argued that there are two different

types of equivalence, namely formal equivalence

and dynamic equivalence (Shakerina, 2013).

Using systemic functional linguistic considering

the use of meta-functions meaning, a text, written or

spoken, can be received the meaning socially and its

context. The ideology of writer can be detected by

knowing how words and clauses to reveal the type of

writing or text. The intention represents the writer’s

ideology. In regarding translation, the intention of

writer must be caught by translator to get equivalent

meaning in target language.

3.2 Translation and Its Quality

Assessment

In this recent era translation study has developed. It

was facilitated by the existence of cross-cultural and

information transformation among the globalized

nations. This developed media and transformation

objects translation study has rapidly raised in this

20th century (Cheung, 2013). This is also caused by

undoubtedly cultural influences among the

countries. The interaction of sciences and

knowledges brought up a new culture so that does

not appear the territorial barriers among the nations.

That is why the role of translation study so important

to bridge up the interactions of texts among them.

Culture so great influences in the process and

results of translation (Akbari, 2013), (Wang, 2013).

Meaning equivalences of sources and target texts,

especially for narrative text, is the main purposes in

doing the translation activities. In this case it is used

to catch equivalences of meaning transferring from

source to target text or language (Washbourne,

2016). Therefore, the result of translation must have

well-alignment between source and target languages

to meet the origin of translation results (Wilss,

2016). In obtaining those purposes, it needs to strive

the meaning, not only on the textual, but it must also

pay attention the contexts, as well as understanding

the aims and purposes of doing translation (Xia,

2015), followed by some training and sustainable

practices (Jean Fornasiero, 2013).

Translation activities did not spend on narrative

texts, but also done for other knowledges (Baker,

2016), such as languages used for technical texts

(Shuttleworth, 2013) and philosophy and religious

texts (Harrison, 2015). The existence of translator

machine could be as trigger translation activities

applied for many sciences and technologies in this

global era. The machine has great roles in

accordance with its fast and accurate to do

translation activities. However, it must be paid

attention for assessing the quality of translation

results. It means whether the translation results

reveal equivalences of meaning as the sciences and

technologies existed in the texts or not. In getting the

equivalences meaning human factor still needed in

many activities of translations. That is why it needs

a theory called Translation Quality Assessment

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(TQA), used for assessing the translation results has

equivalence meaning to the source texts. Therefore,

translator’s competences on languages and

linguistics must be supported by insight knowledges

of culture and technology (Esfandiary, 2015). It is

caused that assessing the translation result was not

about a state, but it was more than the equivalence

degree (Liu, 2011), (Horton, 1998).

In getting an assessment of translation quality

showing the equivalence degree revealed in the

result, it could be conducted by referring model of

translation quality assessment proposed by Nababan,

et.als (Nababan, 2004), (Nababan, 2010). This

model explores a translation quality conveying 3

(three) elements, i.e. accurate, acceptability and

readability. This element is indicated by numeric

scale representing the quality. The scales are 3 point

means high, 2 is medium or fair, and 1 means low

the translation quality. When quality translation has

3 point accurate means the translation result on high

quality. It is also used for the acceptability and

readability. Using this assessing model of the quality

translation will be measurable indicated by the

numeric scale revealed. The numeric scale

represents the equivalence degree whether the

translation quality is high, medium or low level.

3.3 Findings and Discussion

3.3.1 Shifting Parts of Speech

In doing translation it is undoubtedly relating with

word forms or parts speech. The words are formatted

in the structure of phrases or clauses. It needs a

certain strategy to get the meaning of transferable

texts. Leech and Short distinguish two different

styles: transparent style and opaque style. The

former shows the meaning of the text easily and

directly, and the latter means that the meaning of the

text is obscured by means of foregrounding and its

interpretation is hence obstructed (Wang, 2010).

In another concept of translation, Vinay and

Darbelnet, working in the field of comparative

stylistics, extended a system of translation tenors.

Some of them were direct or literal, but some of

them were oblique and eventuate in various

diversities between the source and the target texts

(Golshan, 2016). In this case it possibly translating

words or parts of speech changes from source to

target texts. It could be there are changes noun word

or nominal group in the source text becomes

adjective in target text, or vice versa. It is also be in

other parts of speech, i.e. noun becomes verb, noun

becomes adverb, adjective becomes verbs, adjective

becomes adverbs, and verbs become adverbs.

This study found the shifting parts of speech

from source to target texts. The number of shifting

could be seen as the table below:

Table 1. Shifting Parts of Speech

No.

Shifting from

Source to Target

Number of

Shifting

Remarks

Number %

1. Nouns to Adjectives 32 10,39

2. Nouns to Verbs 14 4,55

3. Nouns to Adverbs 32 10,39

4. Adjectives to Verbs 11 3,57

5. Adjectives to

Adverbs

15 4,87

6. Verbs to Adverbs 3 0,97

7. No shifting 201 65,26

Total words 308 100

The table shows there are 34,74% of the words

transferred differently from source to target texts.

Shifting could be taken when the translator met a

trouble to adapt meaning into target texts. The

shifting will influence the way the reader of target

texts to understand their meaning. It is caused the

usage and positions of parts of speech sometimes

differs from the source texts. In a certain case it

could make different understanding the whole

information existed in clauses.

The table also reveals there are no shifting for

201 words or 65,26%. It means type of parts of

speech in source texts are in the same type in target

texts. In this case translator put the words from

source texts as well as to target texts. Translator has

a problem to adapt the type into target texts. This

makes the texts easier understood for readers who

have scientific background in accordance with the

wireless technology.

When the translator used similar types of parts of

speech from source to target texts he/she tried to

provide textual meaning for both languages in the

texts. He/she did not want to reveal mis-

understanding on the terms. He/she should provide

additional explanation when the words were

translated using another type part of speech. The

textual meanings are gained by comprehending the

concepts of terms. For an example, the word of

‘network interface card’ in the source, it will be

understood well if this word is not translated into

target language, ‘kartu antar muka jaringan.’

In a case of shifting types, for example a word of

‘propagation’ in the source text is a noun, but it was

Translation Quality on Wireless-network Terms in the Book of Wireless Networks First-step into Bahasa Indonesia: A Case Study on a

Subject Reference Book at Computer and Networking Program

155

translated by ‘dirambatkan’ in the target text is a

verb, it needs an explanation to lead an

understanding of propagation concepts. Its

definition, how the word works, and whatever

related to propagation must be given to provide a

true meaning, so that it could be translated using the

verb of ‘dirambatkan’ in target language, Bahasa

Indonesia. It will make difficulties for reader who

does not have scientific background of wireless

technology.

3.3.2 Its Translation Quality

Previously stated that Vinay and Darbelnet proposed

a strategy of direct translation covering three

procedures, i.e. borrowing, calque and literal

translation (Chishiba and Mvula, 2017). Most terms

of wireless-network translated from source to target

texts in this study uses procedure of borrowing. It

means the terms in the source text directly put in the

target text. it can be argued that borrowed have been

modified to fit into the target language, thereby

making it easier to understand in the TT (Chishiba

and Mvula, 2017).

Borrowing procedure means the term of

wireless-network in the source text is also used in

the target text. In this study finds 201, at least, terms

translated using borrowing strategy. It could be

taken examples, such as default, channel, bandwidth,

wireless dongle, peer-to-peer, rogue access point,

and so on. All the terms are used also in the target

text. It will make easier the reader who has similar

knowledge, but it makes little problem for whom

does not have science and knowledge about wireless

technology.

In assessing the quality of this findings, this

study uses model proposed by Nababan et.als.

classifying the degree into three levels, i.e. high,

medium and low indicated by the numeric scales.

Once again that this model represents numeric scale

for describing the qualitative data. The scale

explores how the translation gets a description of

their accurate, acceptability and readability. The

description is confirmed by referring the numeric

scale, so that can be taken scores and their meanings.

Based on the result of shifting words or parts of

speech it will be explored the quality of translation

result. The shifting will be categorized into numeric

scale representing the degree of equivalence. The

degree is shown by the scale described explicitly in

qualitative description explaining the quality. In

accordance with the words translated in this article it

could be resumed as table follows:

Table 2. Translation Quality

Shifting

Words

Translation Quality

Scale

Accurate

Acceptab

Readable

3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1

1 Nouns to

Adjectives

8/3 = 2.6

2 Nouns to

Verbs

V V V 6/3 = 2

3 Nouns to

Adverbs

V V V 6/3 = 2

4 Adjectives

to Verbs

V V V 7/3 = 2.3

5 Adjectives

Adverbs

V V V 4/3 = 1.3

6 Verbs to

Adverbs

V V V 6/3 = 2

7 No

shifting

V V V 7/3 = 2.3

14.5/7 =

2.07

2.14 2 2 6.28/3 =

2.04

Tables shows result of calculation and

accumulation numeric scale for each element. As

stated before that description of translation result

could be converted to numbers as indicator of

translation quality. When translation quality get 3

point means the quality of translation is on high

level. It gets the highest degree of translation. Its

structurally and grammatically is accurate and easily

understood by reader of target language. The next

point of 2 and 1 will indicate lower level of

translation quality.

On the below of table reveals score of accurate

of 2.14 providing information that quality of

translation in this element has medium level. The

shifting parts of speech makes quality translation get

lower accurate. It means structurally parts of speech

in source text has different types from target texts.

This shifting causes shifting also meaning of

translation in target texts. There are some data

translated into target texts degrade wholeness

messages of source to target texts. The shifting may

distort main ideas of messages transferred to target

texts.

In the element of acceptable translation quality

has lower level than accurate showed by its point of

2. Most of translation results gain ungrammatically

but accepted the structure of which reader

understand words translated. It’s only a problem

using the terms caused shifting parts of speech. In

readability translation results reveal 2 point,

meaning translation quality get medium level. In this

level represents that translation result could be read,

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however, the reader needs more than once to

understand aims of texts.

Finally, overall translation result reveals score of

in the range of 2.04 till 2.07. It provides medium

quality level representing the target texts understand

good enough. It needs small effort to get main point

of message in the two texts. It leads close meaning

between source and target languages.

4 CONCLUSIONS

In this era translation studies get its development in

many disciplines. Wireless technology is a recent in

accordance with the arising science and technology.

When the terms are translated well will help to get

closest meaning form source to target language. It

delivers accurate, acceptable and readable

information of technology, especially for wireless

technology development.

This study proves that the terms of wireless network

in the book used for reference has translated in

medium level. It needs an additional explanation

from teacher so that students can get true and closest

meaning information of wireless technology. It is

indicated by the score of 2.04 till 2.07 for quality of

translation. It will better that the book is re-

translated referring translation theory so that catches

high translation. This result makes subject easily

understood by students and small detailed additional

information by teacher. Research focuses on

similarities of concepts and theory about the

technology from source to target language will

provide improvement in this study.

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