Translation Techniques and Accuracy in Rendering Mock Politeness in the Fan-Subtitled Movie Freedom Writers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51278/anglophile.v5i1.1481Keywords:
Pragmatic Translation, Impoliteness Strategies, Fan Subtitling, Mock PolitenessAbstract
Sarcasm, as a weaponised form of politeness, poses one of the most intricate challenges in translation, its meaning concealed beneath civility, its intent barbed with social critique. This study investigates the rendering of such utterances, specifically mock politeness or off-record impoliteness, in the Indonesian fan-subtitled version of the movie Freedom Writers. Drawing on Culpeper’s impoliteness theory, the research identifies 42 instances of mock politeness and examines the translation techniques used, following Molina and Albir’s taxonomy. Translation accuracy is evaluated using Nababan et al.’s assessment framework. The findings indicate a strong reliance on Established Equivalence (65.5%) and Variation (18.3%), reflecting the translators’ preference for natural target-language expressions. Out of the 42 utterances, 40 translations (95.2%) were deemed accurate, with one less accurate and one inaccurate instance, both involving a loss of pragmatic force. These results demonstrate that most sarcastic utterances were successfully transferred across languages and cultures, though certain subtleties, particularly tone and speaker intent, remained vulnerable to distortion. The study offers fresh insight into the complexities of pragmatic translation within non-professional audiovisual contexts and underscores the importance of sensitivity to sociocultural nuance in rendering indirect impoliteness effectively. The research illustrates how fan translators navigate fidelity and naturalness in the presence of covert impoliteness and demonstrates that in non-professional settings, high accuracy is possible when there is an intuitive preservation of pragmatic intent, providing evidence for the need for pragmatic awareness in audiovisual translation.
References
Agista, R., & Oktoviandry, R. (2024). Translation techniques of assertive speech act in Frozen II movies subtitle. English Language and Literature, 13(1), 23–31. https://doi.org/10.24036/ell.v13i1.127555
Agustiana, E., & Pentury, H. J. (2018). Analisis teknik penerjemahan tindak tutur komisif dalam novel Eclipse. Deiksis, 10(03), 233–246. https://doi.org/10.30998/deiksis.v10i03.2482
Anindityastuti, A. D., & Basari, A. (2022). Translation techniques of expressive speech acts in The Princess Switch. UNCLLE Conference Proceedings, 6050. https://publikasi.dinus.ac.id/index.php/unclle/article/view/6050
Apriastanti, S. N., & Hasyim, N. (2023). Translation techniques and accuracy of verb phrases in illocutionary speech acts in The Last of Us. International Seminar on Business, Information Technology, and Science (ISOBIS). https://prosiding.pnj.ac.id/index.php/isobispro/article/view/2109
Arvianti, G. F. (2016). Tindak ilokusi ekspresif dalam komik Big Bad Wolf: The Baddest Day dan terjemahannya. Transformatika: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, dan Pengajarannya, 12(1), 98–106. https://doi.org/10.31002/transformatika.v12i1.203
Asterina, D. M., & Nur Ali, A. J. K. (2022). Paraphrase strategy in audiovisual translation: A multimodal approach of English Indonesian subtitles. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 5(1), 94–100. https://doi.org/10.32996/ijllt.2022.5.1.13
Aziez, S. I., Nababan, M. R., & Djatmika. (2024). Analysis of translation techniques of Javanese implicature in speech act subtitle in short movie Tilik. International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding, 11(2), 335–344. https://doi.org/10.18415/ijmmu.v11i2.5434
Bonsignori, V., Bruti, S., & Masi, S. (2015). Exploring greetings and leave-takings in original and dubbed language. In Remael, A., Orero, P., & Carroll, M. (Eds.), Audiovisual Translation and Media Accessibility at the Crossroads. Rodopi.
Bruti, S., & Díaz Cintas, J.-M. (2019). Compliments and insults in subtitles: A corpus-based study. In P. Pavesi & M. Formentelli (Eds.), Pragmatics in Translation. Cambridge University Press.
Budiman, R. A., & Febrian, F. (2023). Un-masking on screen politeness in Hacksaw Ridge movie. Translation and Linguistics (Transling), 3(1), 60–66. https://doi.org/10.20961/transling.v3i01.70707
Chairunnisa, C., Djatmika, D., & Wiratno, T. (2016). Analisis terjemahan kalimat yang merepresentasikan tuturan kesantunan positif dalam novel The Host karya Stephenie Meyer dan dampaknya pada kualitas terjemahan. PRASASTI: Journal of Linguistics, 1(1), 28–43. https://doi.org/10.20961/prasasti.v1i1.878
Chaume, F. (2013, revisi & praktik mutakhir 2018–2021). The turn of audiovisual translation: New audiences and new technologies. Translation Spaces, 2. John Benjamins.
Culpeper, J. (1996). Towards an anatomy of impoliteness. Journal of Pragmatics, 25(3), 349–367. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-2166(95)00014-3
Darmawan, A. (2024). Kajian terjemahan tindak tutur dalam Ghost Fleet karya PW Singer dan August Cole. Journal of Education Research, 5(1), 492–503. https://doi.org/10.37985/jer.v5i1.889
Fitriana, I. (2015). Analisis teknik dan kualitas terjemahan tindak tutur memprotes dalam novel Stealing Home. Jurnal Linguistik Terapan, 5(1), 48–55.
Gambier, Y. (2020). The pragmatics of audiovisual translation: Voices from within in movie subtitling. Journal of Pragmatics, 170, 317–330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2020.09.015
Guillot, M.-N. (2016). movie subtitles from a cross-cultural pragmatics perspective: Issues of linguistic and cultural representation. In Pragmatics in Translation (Eds.). Cambridge University Press.
Hapsari, P. W., Nababan, M. R., & Djatmika, D. (2016). Kajian terjemahan kalimat yang merepresentasikan tindak tutur asertif menjawab dalam dua versi terjemahan novel Pride and Prejudice. PRASASTI: Journal of Linguistics, 1(1), 114–136. https://doi.org/10.20961/prasasti.v1i1.1066
Hatim, B., & Mason, I. (2005). The translator as communicator. Routledge.
Hatim, B., & Mason, I. (2015). Reduction of interpersonal markers in English subtitles: A corpus analysis. Target: International Journal of Translation Studies, 27(2), 210–234.
Istiqomah, L., Hartanto, Y., & Fatmalasari, T. (2020). Linguistic compression in Saving Private Ryan movie in Indonesian subtitle. Pioneer: Journal of Language and Literature, 12(2), 165–178. https://doi.org/10.36841/pioneer.v12i2.736
Karomah, A. (2018). Penerjemahan kesantunan positif tindak tutur direktif pada novel Deception Point. In Prosiding Seminar Nasional Linguistik (pp. 140–148). Fakultas Ilmu Budaya Universitas Gadjah Mada.
Karyani, L. (2023). Teknik penerjemahan. Balai Bahasa Provinsi Kalimantan Tengah. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://balaibahasakalteng.kemdikbud.go.id/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Lida-Karyani_Teknik-Penerjemahan.pdf
Lesmana, C., Nugroho, M. A. B., Rahmatunisa, W., & Arbain, A. (2022). Directive speech act translation analysis in The Lion King movie. Borneo Educational Journal, 4(2), 58–69. https://doi.org/10.24903/bej.v4i2.1013
Locher, M. A. (2020). Fansubbing Korean drama to English: Cultural norms and pragmatic challenges. In Pragmatics in Translation. Cambridge University Press.
Molina, L., & Hurtado Albir, A. (2002). Translation techniques revisited: A dynamic and functionalist approach. Meta, 47(4), 498–512. https://doi.org/10.7202/008033ar
Moleong, L. J. (2005). Metodologi penelitian kualitatif. Remaja Rosdakarya.
Mubenga, F. (2009, diulang studi ulang 2016). Towards a multimodal pragmatic analysis of movie discourse in AVT. Meta, 61(3), 327–344.
Nababan, M., Nuraeni, A., & Sumardiono. (2012). Pengembangan model penilaian kualitas terjemahan. Kajian Linguistik dan Sastra, 24(1), 39–57.
Newmark, P. (1988). A textbook of translation. Prentice-Hall International.
Nisa, S. S., & Kholis, M. N. (2024). A pragmatic analysis of translation techniques in the subtitles of the movie Theeb. Athla: Journal of Arabic Language and Literature, 5(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.22515/athla.v5i1.9537
Nugraha, H. (2019). Kualitas terjemahan tindak tutur ekspresif dalam novel Breaking Down (Awal Yang Baru) karya Stephenie Meyer. Jurnal al-Tsaqafa, 16(1), 1–12.
Pietasari, V. D. (2024). Penerjemahan tindak tutur direktif bahasa Jepang dalam novel Nijuushi No Hitomi dan Dua Belas Pasang Mata karya Sakae Tsuboi. Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya, 45(2), Article 9. https://doi.org/10.17977/um015v45i22017p208
Pratiwi, F. N., Nababan, M., & Santosa, R. (2017). Penerjemahan kalimat yang mengakomodasi tindak tutur mengeluh dalam movie Sex and the City Season 6. PRASASTI: Journal of Linguistics, 2(1), 49–68. https://doi.org/10.20961/prasasti.v2i1.4144
Purwanto, V. (2021). Speech acts equivalence of audiovisual translation on Enola Holmes Netflix movie subtitle. Journal of English Teaching, Applied Linguistics and Literatures.
Rizqy, H. A., & Ardi, H. (2020). A pragmatic analysis of politeness strategies of directive expression reflected in Inglorious Basterds movie. English Language and Literature, 9(4), 259–266. https://doi.org/10.24036/ell.v9i4.110342
Santika, D., Nababan, M. R., & Djatmika. (2020). The impact of translation techniques on the accuracy of commissive speech acts’ responses in Dark Matter novel. Humanus, 19(1), 68–80. https://doi.org/10.24036/humanus.v19i1.102684
Santosa, R. (2021). Dasar-dasar metode penelitian kualitatif kebahasaan. UNS Press.
Sari, Y. A. (2024). Request and Politeness Strategies in the Javanese-Speaking Generation Z Community: A Pragmatic Study. Bulletin of Science Education, 4(2), 99-117. https://doi.org/10.51278/bse.v4i2.1036
Setyaji, A. (2021). How speech acts work in translation: Analysis on Titanic script. PRASASTI: Journal of Linguistics, 3(1), 34–43. https://doi.org/10.20961/prasasti.v3i1.344
Sidiropoulou, K. (2021). (Im)politeness in AVT: Greek dubbed vs subtitled movie trailers. Meta, 66(2), 150–168.
Simanjuntak, C. S., Herman, H., Silalahi, D. E., Manurung, R., Tannuary, A., & Afrianti, D. (2023). Pragmatics Analysis on Students’ Conversation at Grade Eleven of State of Vocational High School 1 Pematangsiantar. Anglophile Journal, 3(2), 100-108. https://doi.org/10.51278/anglophile.v3i2.614
Sutopo, H. B. (2006). Metodologi penelitian kualitatif (Dasar teori dan terapannya dalam penelitian). Sebelas Maret Press.
Tiedemann, J., & Scherrer, Y. (2017). Neural machine translation with extended context: Effects on coherence in movie subtitle translation. arXiv preprint.
Martínez, S. T. (2015). Semiosic translation: A new theoretical framework for pedagogically-oriented subtitling. Sign Systems Studies, 43(1), 102–130. https://doi.org/10.12697/sss.2015.43.1.05
Waluyo, Y. S. (2023). Terjemahan tindak tutur asertif menggunakan impoliteness theory dalam The Silkworm dan The Cuckoo’s Calling. Seminar Nasional Inovasi Vokasi, 2, 230–236. https://prosiding.pnj.ac.id/sniv/article/view/336
Wiguna, I. M. A. N. A., Gunawan, N. W., & Tirtayasa, G. P. (2022). Teknik dan metode penerjemahan tuturan ekspresif bahasa Jepang dalam subtitle Paradise Kiss. Sakura: Jurnal Ilmiah Bahasa Jepang, 4(1), 35–48. https://doi.org/10.24843/JS.2022.v04.i01.p06
Wiyatasari, R. (2015). Teknik penerjemahan tindak tutur direktif dalam cerpen Doktor Sihir karya Iwaya Sazanami dan Larilah Melos karya Dazai Osamu. Jurnal Izumi, 4(2), 42–54. https://doi.org/10.14710/izumi.4.2.42-55
Yuda, J. P., Nababan, M., & Djatmika, D. (2020). Teknik penerjemahan peristiwa tutur bertengkar dalam subtitle movie Ted 2. Aksara, 32(1), 151–166. https://doi.org/10.29255/aksara.v32i1.435.151-166
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Abdussalam Jabaruddin Yamjirin, Mangatur Nababan, Henry Yustanto
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
