Udayana Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vol. 7 No. 2, September 2023

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AN ANALYSIS OF TRANSLATION ERROR MADE BY STUDENTS AT THE SIXTH SEMESTER OF ENGLISH DEPARTMENT IN IKIP MUHAMMADIYAH MAUMERE

Yohanes San Salvador L. Gili1, Darmawan2, Nur Syamsiah Ekhsan3

English Department Faculty of Social Sciences Education and Humanity, Teacher Training Institut Muhammadiyah Maumere.

ABSTRACT

Yohanes San Salvador Lado Gili. An Analysis of Translation Error Made by Students At The Sixth Semester Of English Department In IKIP Muhammadiyah Maumere Faculty Of Social Science And Humanities IKIP Muhammadiyah Maumere, 2022.

The research aims to describe the kinds of translation errors made by Students at the Sixth Semester of English Department in IKIP Muhammadiyah Maumere. The method used in the research was descriptive qualitative. The subject of the research was the sixth semester students from English Department. The translation text consisting of 1 paragraphs (source texts) and all of it’s’ translations in English (the target texts) were used in the research to find out the translation errors. Then the researchers classified them into 5 kinds of translation errors according to Vilar et al. (2006, p. 698). The results of the research revealed that there were 241 translation errors found in students’ translation. There were translation errors in the form of incorrect word (35, 6%), punctuation (11, 6%), missing word (30, 7 %), word order (15, 3%), and unknown words (6, 6%). In conclusion, the three most prominent error categories made by the students were incorrect word, punctuation and missing word errors.

Keywords: Translation errors, students’ translation, persuasive text, Indonesian English translation.

INTRODUCTION1

The need for communication and information exchange of people from one country to other countries has been increasing significantly in the 21st century. Since every country has their own language, thus the field of translation is needed as the element to bridge the language differences. It is not only needed in education area, the role of translation also develops in almost every single aspect of human’s life.

According to Olk (2003, cited in Maya Sari, 2019), translation is a process of replacing or transferring messages, thoughts, ideas, meaning or information from the source language to the target language. The definition showed that translation simply consists of changing form from one language into another such as: words, phrases, clauses, paragraphs and sentences. The main point in the translation is that a translator may not change the meaning of the message of the original text.

In dealing with strengthening position of English as a language for international communication, translation skill has become increasingly pivotal in the English as a second or foreign language in Indonesian context especially for EFL learners of pre-service teaching program. However, the mastery of translation skill for most EFL learners are still difficult. The variety of approaches in the range of theoretical positions and the research practices has been bringing the perspectives of translation skill as a demanding skill for EFL

learner’s of pre-service teaching program. The thematic framework of translation skill’s issues, practices, and trends are reflecting the continuing diversity of translation skill as a research field.

The result shows those students’s translation skills problems continuously exist even after some years of studying at university level. Furthermore, most of them basically shared the same problems. Damayanti (2012), Kuncoro and Sutopo (2015), Purwanti and Mujiyanto (2015), Rahmawatie et.al (2017) and Tiwiyanti and Retnomurti (2017) conducted the researches about Indonesian-English translation in different point of view, namely theme equivalence and theme shift, the ideology, the shift of functional words and the loss and gain in translation.

Suryawinata & Hariyanto (2003) stated that the process of translation consists of three steps, as follows:

  • a.    Analysis of Source Language Text: the analysis of source language covers many aspects like sentences, clauses, phrases, and words. The other purpose is to help the translator to change the complex sentence into the simple sentence.

  • b.    The Transference of Message: the translator transfers the content, the meaning, and the message of the source language into the target language.

  • c.    Restructuration: the process of transforming the source language message into a proper stylist form in the target language.

Maya Sari (2019) studied an error analysis on student’s translation text and found out that the students make errors in terms of vocabulary, use of prepositions, and incomplete sentences. Pattanapong Wongranu (2017) studied on types and causes errors in translation made by English found out that the causes of errors included translation procedures, carelessness, low self-confidence, and anxiety. It is recommended that more class time be spent to address the problematic points. Putri (2019) analyzed student’s types and causes of translation errors and found out that the most dominant types of errors were semantic, lexical, morphology, and grammar errors.

By looking at some studies above, they discussed translation research that is relevant to my present study especially in term of Indonesian-English translation product. However, my research is not the same as those above; it focuses more on the third years of student’s Indonesian-English translation product, especially EFL learner’s of pre-service teaching program. The study focus on the translation errors on the student’s Indonesian-English translation product has not been done before. Therefore, this study is important to be implemented.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

This research is a qualitative using language error analysis approach. In this case the focus of the error analysis is given to the translation errors made by the students when translating the procedure texts from English into Indonesian. Here, the error was analyzed by the error analysis theory in second language learning. This research deals with the third years of students’ Indonesian-English translation product, especially EFL learners of pre-service teaching program at IKIP Muhammadiyah Maumere.

Data collection in this study uses several stages, namely 1) Data search; at this stage the researcher reads the results of the student's translation. The researcher also collects various errors made by students in translating text. 2) Data classification; Data on translation errors that have been collected are classified into several groups such as generalization, ignorance of rules, application of incomplete language rules, and hypothesizing incorrect language rules. 3) Categorizing data; at the categorization stage of data, researcher categorizes data into various categories in each data classification such as errors in grammar and errors in meaning.

Figure 1 Theoretical Framework.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

The data described in findings was taken from students‟ translation result of Indonesian to English text that has been done in one test. But there was a problem in data collection process, namely from a total 24 students only 14 students are willing to be research subjects. The student translation result was identified and classified based on the kinds of errors. Errors had been classified from to a text. Then, it was tabulated. The table shows the percentage students made error gotten by the whole students based on the result as follows:

Table 1.1 Frequencies and percentage of students’ translation errors

By Vilar Theory.

No

Types of Error

Freq.

%

Total

%

1

Missing Word

  • 1.    Content word

  • 2.    Filler word

44

30

18,2%

12,4%

74

30,7%

2

Word Order

37

15,3%

37

15,3%

3. Wrong   lexical

choice

25

10,3%

3

Incorrect

Word

4. Incorrect disambiguation

26

10,7%

86

35,6%

5. Incorrect form

28

11,6%

6. Extra word

7

2,9%

4

5

Unknown

Word

Punctuation

16

28

6,6%

11,6%

16

28

6,6%

11,6%

Total

241

100%

SL: Source Language

TL: Target Language

GT: Correct Translation based on Grammarly App

  • 1 .Missing Word

There are two kinds of missing word. They are content word and filler word. The data findings based on the table above showed that there were totally 74 errors that occurred in missing word (30, 7%), which was in content word occurred 44 errors (18, 2%) and in filler word occurred 30 errors (12,4%).

  • a.    Content Word

From the data, there were 44 errors found in student’s translation

Example:

SL: Merokok merupakan sebuah aktivitas yang sangat sering kita jumpai di lingkungan sekitar kita.

TL: Smoking is an activity that we often encounter in      around us.

GT: Smoking is an activity that we often encounter in the environment around us.

Based on example above, the student made error in the form of missing word. This error occurred because the student did not translate the important word that is supposed to be written to show the meaning lingkungan (environment) to make the sentence equivalent with the SL.

From the explanation above, that sample can be categorized as missing word errors especially error in content word.

  • b.    Filler Word

From the data, there were 30 errors found in student’s translation

Example:

SL: Banyak perokok yang enggan berhenti merokok dengan alasan yang paling umum adalah kecanduan rokok

TL: many smokers      reluctant to quit smoking with the most common reason is cigarette

addiction

GT: many smokers are reluctant to quit smoking with the most common reason is cigarette addiction

Based on the example above, there found errors in the form of missing word. To make the sentence above grammatically correct, there should be the word (are) before the word reluctant for a better translation. From the explanation above, that sample can be categorized as a missing word error especially errors in filter word.

  • 2 .Word Order

Word order errors showed that the error direct to the wrong structure of the sentence. The data findings based on the table above showed that there were totally 37 errors that occurred in word order (15, 3%) And here an example of word order error made by the student.

Example:

SL: Bayangkan, betapa nikmatnya tubuh sehat kita tanpa asap rokok yang memenuhi paru-paru kita TL: Imagine, how good is our healthy body without cigarette smoke that fulfill lungs our

GT: Imagine, how good our healthy body without cigarette smoke that fulfill our lungs.

Based on the example above, there found errors in word order. “Lungs our” should be replaced by “our lungs” because there is different structure sentence between source text and target text.

  • 3.I ncorrect Word

According to Vilar et al. 2006 classification of errors, there are 6 kinds of incorrect words in student’s translation. There were for wrong lexical choice, incorrect disambiguation, incorrect form, extra words, style, and idiom error. This research only occurred four errors wrong lexical choice, incorrect disambiguation, incorrect form, extra words,

  • a.    Wrong Lexical Choice

Data findings based on the table above showed that there were totally 25 errors that occurred in wrong lexical choice (10, 3%).

Example:

SL: Begitu pula dengan merokok, jika seorang perokok memiliki motivasi yang kuat untuk tidak merokok

TL: Like with smoking, if a smoker has a strong motivation not to smoke

GT: just like smoking, if a smoker has a strong motivation not to smoke

Based on the example above, there was an error in the form of incorrect word especially in the form of wrong lexical choice. “Begitu pula” should be translated into “just like” but the student translated into “like with” (suka dengan). From the explanation above, that sample can be categorized as incorrect words in wrong lexical choice.

  • b.    Incorrect Disambiguation

The sum of incorrect disambiguation errors is 26 (10, 7%) that are found in the student worksheet.

Example:

SL: lama kelamaan pengaruh adiktif dari rokok pun akan hilang.

TL: too long the addictive effect of smoking will disappear

GT: sooner or later the addictive effect of smoking will disappear

Based on the example above, there was an error in the form of incorrect disambiguation, found in the target language. The translation causes incorrect disambiguation and give confusion for the reader. “lama kelamaan” should be translated into “sooner or later” but the student translated into “too long” (kelamaan). The disambiguation was caused by some wrong lexical choice that happened in the text.

  • c.    Incorrect Form

Incorrect form occurred 28 (11, 6%) that are from student worksheet. About 70% of the students use simple past tense and they combine it with simple present tense in translate the text.

Example:

SL: kebiasaan buruk lainnya seperti mencuri

TL: other bad habit like stole

GT: other bad habit like stealing

Based on the example above the student should translate the word “mencuri” into (steal) not stole because the text was simple present tense.

  • d.    Extra Word

Extra words refer to words that are not important to be present in the translation. There are 7 times (2, 9%) extra words errors found in the student text.

Example:

SL: Di pasar, di terminal, di jalan, di lingkungan umum, bahkan di lembaga pendidikan seperti sekolah dan madrasah pun tidak luput dari orang-orang yang melakukan aktivitas ini.

TL: Such as in the market, at the bus station, on the street, in the public area and even in education institution such as school and madrasah do not escape from people who do this activity.

GT: In the market, at the bus station, on the street, in the public area and even in education institution such as school and madrasah do not escape from people who do this activity.

The word “such as” (seperti) does not necessarily because it is not written in source language. In conclusion the word “such as” belongs to an error in the form of the extra word.

4.Unknown Word

The data findings based on the table above showed that there were totally 16 errors (6, 6%) found in student translation texts. The word “merokok” was translated into “saggarate”. There is no such word as saggarate in English. So, it is classified into unknown word.

5.Punctuation

Punctuation errors occurred 28 times (11, 6%) in student’s translation. In this study, the errors found were capital letter, full stop and comma. Example:

SC: Di pasar, di terminal, di jalan, di lingkungan umum, bahkan di lembaga pendidikan seperti sekolah dan madrasah pun tidak luput dari orang-orang yang melakukan aktivitas ini

TL: in the market, at the terminal on the street in the public environment, even in educational institutions such as schools and madrasah people who carry out these activities are not spared.

CT: In the market, at the terminal, on the street, in the public environment, even in educational institutions such as schools and madrasah, people who carry out these activities are not spared.

Discussion discusses the errors that happened in the students' translation. Based on the findings above, the data show errors in students' translation Indonesian into English at the sixth semester of students in IKIP Muhammadiyah Maumere. There are five errors found in the translation result of students. They are missing word, word order, incorrect word, unknown word and punctuation.

In the previous research Ayu Permatasari, Issy Yuliasri (2020) found that the results of the research in students’ translation. There were translation errors in the form of incorrect word (60.3%), punctuation (26.3%), missing word (6.0 %), word order (5.2%), and unknown words (2.2%). This implies that the students have grammatical and vocabulary problems in understanding English as their foreign language.

There is different between her research and this research, it is the second most of translation errors made by the students is in missing word.

Krisetiawaty (2010) also found that it is found that omission is the major error. It is found that omission is the major error that is 175 errors. Followed by misinformation (144 errors), disordering (27 errors) addition (9 errors). The cause of this kinds of errors are on the vocabulary and the grammatical from the source language to target language are different and they still translate word by word. The students still don’t master the correct vocabulary. This research also found an errors omission and addition, some students translate some word and they add unnecessary letter but the different with this research is this errors not including in theory that use in this research.

In the process to translate the text some students are still confused with some unfamiliar word and they are prohibited to use dictionary or any translate machine and to ask friends, so they just translate without know the meaning.

Based on the explanation above, it can be concluded that some kindsof error have explained in the theory and previous research. But there are some of errors that are found in this research. It then distinguishes in this research to other research.

All of the errors are caused by some aspect. The theory defined some aspect causes of error. This research found five causes of students ‘error in translating Indonesian into English. The causes are including the first language; the student is influenced by the Indonesian language a reference in transferring text. Lack of motivation; where the students feel that the English language is a difficult language to be learnt, so that, they are lazy to know new things in the English language. Developmental Error; where the student attempts to build up hypotheses about the target language based on limited experience, so that, the message of the source language is not transferred well.

Nonetheless, the result of this study was different from those previous studies. There are the same findings of kinds of error and the same finding of causes of error. But not all of the findings same, there are different part kind oferror.

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGESTIONS

The researcher found the errors that made by students in translating a text are: kinds of error (missing word, word order, incorrect word, unknown word, and punctuation). Then, the result shows that the score of error that students made in translating a text is incorrect word. The incorrect word had the higher frequency/percentage than the other of error types. The research showed that the sixth semester students of IKIP Muhammadiyah Maumere made various kinds of errors from the translated text students made. The students made the total of 241 errors from a text that has been translate by students. The most error found in students‟ translated a text is incorrect word. The next most error is missing word. In this type of error. This

aspect of sources error was found in the students translated. Word order becomes the next most error that students made in translating a text. The next is punctuation. The least error found in the students translated a text is unknown word. It refers to any other word that not found in the vocabulary from the target language. Then, the whole errors are tabulated, incorrect word was the dominant error that students made in translating Indonesian into English text.

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