Translation Techniques of Subtitling: A Case for Trolls Movie

1
John Pahamzah, 2 Azkiyyatus Syariifah
1,2
Universitas Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa

Abstract

The research aims to analyze the translation techniques of subtitling used on Trolls movie. This research use
a qualitative research. The content analysis is used as a method to identify and analyze the translation
techniques in Trolls movie. Every utterance in five scenes of Trolls movie are the unit of analysis of this
research. The source language is English and the target language is Indonesian Language. The result proves
that the translation technique that mostly appears on Trolls movie (2016) is reduction with 8 data (26.67%).
It seems that this technique is used to compress the information from the source language so that it will not
be too long because it will be applied in subtitle; it results the shortest translation version to be applied to
movie or film subtitle so that it will be easier for the viewers to catch the information and it will not distract
the visual from the film that is being shown; and it can avoid the redundancy of the source language.

Keywords: translation technique, subtitle, Trolls movie

Introduction horror, thriller, action, adventure, etc. The

The main purpose of translation in a problem happens when the film is in foreign
movie is to make the audience understand language and there should be translator to
about the message and information delivered translate the film so that it can be understood
by the author. The translated text is by the certain target audience. Subtitling is of
considered successful if it can provide similar of method to overcome that problem.
meaning to the original text (Newmark, Actually, there are two kind of
1988). If one language is translated into the methods that can be used to facilitate the
other language, it will be difficult because communication between the audience and
there will be a differences between language film, subtitling and dubbing. O’connel (2007)
and culture system in source language and states that subtitling is defined as
the target language. It also happens in supplementing the original voice soundtrack
translating a film. by adding written text. So the subtitle is a
Film is one of audio-visual media that written meaning from the spoken sound from
can reach a lot of people from different ages. the film. It will change if the dialogue of the
Film is one of the tools of media toinformthe characters in the film change. Translator is
public through sound and moving images, so the person who takes role to handle it. The
that the audience can easily receive the translator should be able to translate between
message that is conveyed in the film. There the source language (SL) and the target
are also a lot of film genres that have been language (TL) carefully, that is why
produced by the film industry to catch the translator is a good receiver and producer.
audiences, such as family, romance, comedy,

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 Trolls is one of popular film for Newmark (1988) states that translation
children that was released in 2016. This is a is perceived as rendering the meaning of a
3D animation film that was directed by Mike text into another language in the way that the
Mitchell and written by Jonathan Aibel and author intended the text. Translation can be
Glenn Berger. The main characters that can defined as a translating process of written or
be found in Trolls film are Poppy, Branch, spoken language from one language into
Bridget, Biggie, Guy Diamond, Prince another language by interpreting the meaning
Gristle, Roi Gristle, Creek, and King Peppy. of those language to make the readers more
Poppy’s utterances selected for understand without reducing the message and
analysis because Poppy is the main character information delivered by the authors.
and she is the one who face the main problem Munday (2009) defines translation as: (1)
so that the character mostly appears in the The process of transferring a written text
film. The researcher decided to analyze the from SL to TL, conducted by a translator, or
utterance translation techniques of Poppy for translators, in a specific socio-cultural
the data material in this research. Translation context; (2) The written product, or TT,
technique of Molina and Albir’s theory is which results from that process and which
used as the translating framework from functions in the socio-cultural context of the
source language (SL) and target language TL; and (3) The cognitive, linguistic, visual,
(TL). cultural and ideological phenomena which
are an integral part of 1 and 2.
Theoretical Review In brief, translation can be concluded
Translation as a process of rendering a thought from one
The process of translation has become language to another language accurately in a
a common activity along with the increasing written form by conforming its grammar,
of global communication which requires the syntax, and cultural aspect.
transfer of language. However, this
transferring process must possess Translation Techniques
equivalences as an element which is very Technique or procedure in translation
important in translation process and basically refers to the way of how the
sometimes there is difference in language translators solve their problem. As Baihaqi
construction which made the equivalence is (2017) stated that translation procedure is a
very hard to get. The difficulty of syntactic practical step in analyzing and solving
faced by translator is how to maintain the the problems in translation practices.
construction of English sentence, including According to Molina and Albir’s (2002),
ellipsis and word order (Sayogie, 2014) there are eighteen translation techniques that
can be used. They are adaptation,

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amplification, borrowing, calque, linguistic eement (mostly for consecutive
compensation, description, discursive interpreting and dubbing). Linguistic
creation, establish equivalent, generalization, compression ia a technique that is used to
linguistic amplification, linguistic synthesize linguistic element in the target
compression, literal, modulation, language (mostly for simultaneous
particularization, reduction, substitution, interpreting and subtitling). Literal
transposition, and variation. translation is a technique that is used to
Adaptation is a technique in process translate a word or an expression word for
translating use subject-predicate structure word. Modulation is a translation technique
that replaces the elements of the existing which is used to change point of view, focus
culture source language (SL) with elements or cognitive. Particularization is a translation
culture that are similar and there on target technique which is used to use a more precise
language (TL). Amplification is a technique or concrete term. Reduction is a translation
of translating that use explication technique which is used to supress a SL
pharaphrasing, to inform an implisit in source information intem in the TL. Subtitution is a
language (SL). Borrowing is a translation translation technique which is used to change
technique that can be done by borrowing linguistic element for paralinguistic element
words or phrase from source language. or vice versa. Transposition is a technique
Calque means literal translation of a foreign that is used to change a grammatical
word or phrase which can be lexical or category, shift from plural into singular in the
structural. Compensation is a translation TL and singular in the plural. Variation is a
technique performed by transfering message translation technique which is used to change
from the other parts of translation. linguistic or paralinguistic element
Description is a translation technique (intonation, gesture) that effect aspects of
performed by replacing a term or expression linguistic variation (change of textual tone,
with a description of its form or function. style, social dialect or geographical dialect).
Discursive creation is to establish a
temporary equivalence that is totally Subtitle
unpredictable out of context. Established O’Connell (2007) defines subtitling as
equivalence is to use a term or expression “supplementing the original voice soundtrack
recognized as an equivalence in the TL. by adding written text on screen.”
Generalization is a translation technique used Meanwhile, Gottlieb in (Munday, 2009)
the more common term in the target language defines it as the rendering in a different
(TL) and more specific for the source language of a verbal message in filmic media,
language (SL). Linguistic amplification is a in the shape of one or more lines of written
translation technique which is used to add text, which are presented on the screen in

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synch with the original verbal message. Every utterance of Poppy found in five
Conventionally, there are two types of scenes of Trolls film is the unit of analysis of
subtitles, those are interlingual subtitles, this research. The source language is English
which imply transfer from a SL to a TL, and and the target language is Indonesian
intralingual subtitles, which there is no language.
change of language. The data for this research is taken from
Making subtitle is quite different from subtitle text of Trolls film written by
other types of translation, because it involves @Dokter_Ngesot. The subtitle is already
the formal (quantitative) and textual included in the movie downloaded from
(qualitative) constraints. The formal http://dunia21.net/trolls-2016/. Trolls is one
constraints are the space factors (a maximum of popular film for children that was release
of 2 lines and 35 characters) and the time on October 8th, 2016. This is a 3D animation
factor, while textual constraints are those film that was directed by Mike Mitchell and
imposed on the subtitles by the visual context written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger.
of the film (Ghaemi & Janin, 2010). The researcher collected the data by
watching Trolls film. This is aimed to
Method understand the content or message that was
This research use a qualitative delivered from the film so it can be easier for
research. According to Shank (2002), the researcher to choose the subtitle that
qualitative research is “a form of systematic contains translation technique. The
empirical inquiry into meaning”. By researcher chose five scenes from the Trolls
systematic he means “planned, ordered and film that is included Poppy’s utterances. One
public”, following rules agreed upon by of the scene is a singing part. The song that is
members of the qualitative research sung by Poppy called Move Your Feet/
community. Content analysis method is used D.A.N.C.E/ It's A Sunshine Day. These five
to identify and analyze translation techniques scenes occur in the beginning of the film.
in translating Poppy’ Utterances in Trolls The researcher chose these scenes because
film (2016). GAO (2013) states that the they are like describing the summary of the
content analysis method is a systemic film, such as the history of the Trolls and
research method for analysing and making Bergens and what will happen to them. So it
inferences from text and other forms of is like an introduction to the whole film
qualitative information (e.g. from interviews, itself. The beginning scenes are quite
focus groups, open-ended survey questions, important to catch audiences’ attention so
documents, videos). It uses a variety of that they will decide to continue or stop
analytic strategies to catagorize, compare and watching.
contrast a corpus of data.

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 When all the data collected, the Linguistic Amplification
reseacher continues to analyze the data by Linguistics amplification is a
using this following steps: (1) identifying the process of translation technique that adds
translation techniques of the data; (2) linguistic elements of text from source
classifying the types of translation techniques language in target language text. This
in every Poppy’s utterances based on Molina translation technique appears twice in the
and Albir’s theory (2002), (3) analyzing the five scenes (6,67%).
translation technique that has been SL : 20 years ago, today, King Peppy
identifying and classifying; and (4) drawing made us safe.
conclusion. TL : 20 tahun yang lalu, tepat hari ini.
Raja peppy membuat kita aman.
Result The context in the excerpt 1 in this
Poppy’s utterances analysis results in movie is when Poppy is reading a story
Trolls film are shown is Table 1 below. about history of Trolls for the kids. Poppy
tells the kids what was going on for the past
Table 1. Translation techniques of Poppy’s
utterances (from 5 scenes) in Trolls 20 years for Trolls history so that they can
film subtitle live happily in the tree. Then Poppy says “20
No Translation Data Percentage
Techniques (%) years ayo, today...”.
1 Linguistic 2 6,67
amplification
2 Reduction 8 26,67
SL : My Father, who 20 years ago this
3 Discursive creation 6 20,00
4 Borrowing 2 6,67
night saved all of us ...
5 Transposition 6 20,00
6 Literal translation 1 3,33 TL : Ayahku, yang mana 20 tahun lalu
7 Compensation 5 16,67
Total 30 100,00 persis di malam ini ...
The context in the excerpt 2 in this
Table 1 shows that the translation movie is when Poppy is giving speech in
technique that mostly appears is reduction front of Trolls when they are having a party
with 8 data (26,67%). Reduction is a process or celebration.
of translation techniques that condenses In the above utterances, the source
the information contained from the source language is translated in the target language
language into the target language. using translation translation linguistics
Researcher found seven translation technique. Linguistics amplification
techniques from Poppy’s Utterances in five techniques are often used in interpreting or
scenes of Trolls fil. They are linguistic dubbing.
amplification, reduction, discursive creation, Poppy's utterances "20 years ayo,
borrowing, transposition, literal translation today...” from the source language translated
and compensation. become "20 tahun yang lalu, tepat hari ini. “
and “My Father, who 20 years ago this night

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saved all of us ...” become “Ayahku, yang TL : Maaf.
mana 20 tahun lalu persis di malam ini ...” in This context appears also in Branch’s
the target language. Poppy's words are bunker. Poppy asked sorry to the Branch for
translated by adding linguistic elements of her fault by saying complete sentence “I’m
the source language text in the target sorry”. The translator only translate it into
language text. The translator adds linguistic “maaf” rather that “maafkan aku”.
elements of the source language text in the SL : Oh hei Branch. Just wondering if I
target language text is to clarify and simplify could borrow something?
the delivery of messages in the form of text TL : Hei, Branch. Boleh pinjam
or subtitling of the film to the audience. sesuatu?
The translator translate the source
Reduction language “ just wondering if I could borrow
Reduction is a process of something?” into the target language “boleh
translation techniques that condenses the pinjam sesuatu?”.
information contained from the source In the above utterances, the source
language into the target language. This languages are translated in the target
translation technique appears 8 times in the language using the translation reduction
five scenes (26,67%). technique. The reduction technique in general
SL : No. It left. It took Cooper and is the translation that condenses the
Smidge and Fuzzbert and Satin and information contained in the source language
Chenille and Biggie and Guy Diamond and into the target language. Compress of
Creek! Which is I have to ask you, will you information performed should not alter
gonna Bergen town with me and save messages in the source language text.
everyone? Poppy's words "I’m sorry" from the
TL : Tidak. Dia sudah pergi! Dia source language translated "maaf" in the
membawa Cooper, Smidge, Fuzzbert, Satin, target language. Poppy's words are
Chenille, Biggie, Guy Diamond dan Creek! translated into target languages with
Makanya aku memintamu, maukah kau ke compress information in the target
Kota Bergen dan menyelamatkan mereka language without changing the message in
bersamaku? the source language text.
Context in the quote in this film when The translator compresses
Poppy is talking to Branch in his bunker. In information from the source language into
the source language, Poppy says “and” many the target language to summarize the text
times, but the translator only translate it once without altering the message to be delivered
in the end of sentence. to the audience.
SL : I’m sorry.

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Discursive Creation context of the film is a picture of Poppy's
Discursive creation is a process of annoyed feeling because Branch keeps
translation technique that uses a temporary teasing her by translator intended to create
equivalent that is far from the original the text so as not to appear monotone
context. This technique appears six times in and seen there is a touch of creation. So
the five scenes (20%). the audience did not get bored while
SL : Do D-A-N-C-E watching the movie.
TL : M-E-N-A-R-I-L-A-H
The context in the quote in this film is Borrowing
when Poppy is singing a song called Move Borrowing is a process of
Your Feet/ D.A.N.C.E/ It's A Sunshine Day. translation techniques that uses words or
So, it is part of the song lyrics. The other phrases from the source language in the
lyrics that translated using discursive creation target language. Loaning technique without
translation technique are “Stick to the B-E-A- any change called pure borrowing and
T” become “Ikuti I-R-A-M-A” and “You naturalized borrowing is borrowing words
were such a P-Y-T” become “Kau itu sangat from source language tailored to the spelling
elok penuh pesona”. of the target language. This technique
SL : Celebrant, Branch. appears twice in the five scenes (6,67%).
TL : Ejekan bagus, Branch. SL : No Troll ever will be.
This context is found while Poppy has TL : Takkan ada Troll.
a conversation with Branch in his bunker. SL : You bunker.
Branch states the sentence to tease Poppy. TL : Bunkermu.
Poppy replies with “celebrant”. The Excerpt 1 appears when Poppy is
translator translates it into the target language reading a story for the kids. Excerpt 2 occurs
“ejekan bagus”. Meanwhile, the real meaning when Poppy is talking to Branch.
for “celebrant” is “perayaan”. In the above utterances, the source
In the above utterances, the source language is translated in the target
language is translated in the target language language using pure borrowing translation
using discursive creation translation techniques. The words “Troll” and “bunker”
techniques. This discursive creation in the source language are not translated in
technique is often used in translating titles of the target language because Troll is the name
movie, books, and novels. of the small and colorful creature. The
Poppy's utterance “celebrant, Branch” translator retains the word without
from the source language is translated to changing the spelling and pronunciation
“ejekan bagus, Branch” in the target because it has no equivalent in the
language. The phrase “ejekan bagus” in the Indonesian language.

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Transposition simplify the message to be conveyed in the
Transposition is a process of film to the audience.
translation technique that replaces the
grammatical category of the source Literal Translation
language in the target language, like Literal translation is a process of
changing the word to phrase. This technique translation technique that diverts a phrase
appears six times in the five scenes (20%). from a source language word-by-word into a
SL : You can’t say no. target language. This translation technique
TL : kau tak bisa menolak! only can be found once from the five scenes
SL : now I don’t know what to do. (3,33%).
TL : Sekarang aku bingung harus apa. SL : The Bergen’s gone.
Both contexts appear when Poppy is in TL : Bergen sudah pergi.
Branch’s bunker. In the above utterances, the The context in the quote in this film is
source language is translated in the target when Poppy is in Branch bunker. In the
language use transposition translation above utterance, the source language is
techniques. Transposition techniques are translated in the target language using the
generally used because of the difference translation technique of literal translation.
in grammar between the source language The literal translation technique is translated
and the target language. word for word or its grammatical structure
Poppy's utterances "You can’t say no" exactly between the source language and the
and “now I don’t know what to do” from the target language.
source language translated become "kau tak Poppy's utterance "The Bergen’s
bisa menolak" and “sekarang aku bingung gone" from the source language
harus apa” in the target language. Poppy's istranslated word for word become "Bergen
words are translated in the target sudah pergi" in the target language. The
language by replacing the grammatical structure of the language is exactly the
category of the source language in the same between the source language and the
target language. In this context the phrase target language and that is why this
from the source language is converted into a translation technique includes literal
word in the target language. translation techniques.
The translator replaces the
grammatical category of the source Compensation
language in the target language, in this Compensation is a translation
context the phrase from the source processing process that replaces the position
language is converted into a word in the of the information element or the stylist
target language in order to summarize and effect of the source language on the other

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side of the target language. This technique Ghaemi and Janin (2010) state that the
appears five times in the five scenes formal constrains from subtitling are the
(16,67%). space factors (a maximum length of subtitle
SL : and it’s my fault they were taken. is 2 lines and 35 characters) and time factor.
TL : karena salahku mereka dibawa. Munday (2009) also states that a subtitled
Context in the quote in this film when text has to be shorter than the audio (spoken)
Poppy is in Branch Bunker. because simultaneously the viewers need the
SL : We make it to the Bergen town. necessary time to read the subtitle and watch
TL : Dia akan sampai ke Kota Bergen. the film at the same time. The words
Context in the quote in this film when Poppy contained in the original dialogues tend to be
is on the way o save the other Trolls. reduced by between 40 to 75 percents to give
In the above utterances, the source viewers the chance of reading the subtitles
language is translated in the target language while watching the film at the same time. It
using the compensation translation can be concluded that the translator will
technique. The compensation technique of choose the shortest translation to be applied
the source language can not be realized in to movie or film subtitle so that it will be
the same section of the target language easier for the viewers to catch the
because the elements or elements of the information and it will not distract the visual
culture do not have the same equivalent in from the film that is being shown. For
the target language and are replaced with example, from the excerpt “Oh hei Branch.
another equivalent equivalent in the target Just wondering if I could borrow
language with the source language. something?” (SL), the translator translated it
into “Hei, Branch. Boleh pinjam sesuatu?”
Discussion (TL). The source language contains 10 words
The translation technique mostly found meanwhile the target language only contains
from Poppy’s utterances in Trolls film (2016) 5 words. It means that the translator chooses
is reduction with 26,67% (Table 1). This to condens the information from the source
translation technique is used by condensing language without changing the real purpose.
some words from the source language when In the excerpt is stated that Poppy wants to
translating it to the target language without “borrow” something from Branch and it is
changing the purpose of the source language. still stated in the target language as “pinjam”.
This translation technique is used to The other reason for using reduction
compress the information from the source technique is the redundant of the source
language so that it will not be too long language. For example, from the excerpt “It
because it will be applied in subtitle. took Cooper and Smidge and Fuzzbert and
Satin and Chenille and Biggie and Guy

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Diamond and Creek!” (SL), the translator 2018, from
translated it into “Dia membawa Cooper, https://www.ignet.gov/sites/default/file
Smidge, Fuzzbert, Satin, Chenille, Biggie, s/files/02_Content_Analysis_Principle
Guy Diamond dan Creek!” (TL). The s_and_Practices.pdf
coordinate conjuction and appears 7 times in Ghaemi, F., & Janin, B. (2010). Strategies
the source language meanwhile it only used in the translation of interlingual
appears once in the target language. The subtitling. Journal of English Studies.
word "and" is equivalent conjunction (word - 1 (1), 39-49.
word, phrase - phrase, clause - clause, Molina, L., & Albir. (2002). Translation
sentence - sentence). It is a included in Techniques Revisited: A Dynamic and
the regular conjuctive word. Based on Functionalist Approach. In Meta,
punctuation rules, it commons to put it only Trasnslator's Journal (Serial online)
once for the last word, phrase, clause, or Vol 47 No. 2.
sentence that will be stated. Munday, J. (2009). The routledge companion
to translation studies: revised edition
Conclusion e-book. USA: Routledge.
The translation technique that mostly Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of
appears in Poppy’s utterance of Trolls movie Translation e-book. London: Prentice
(2016) is reduction with 8 data (26,67%). Hall.
Reduction is a process of translation O'Connell, (. E. (2007). Essentials of Autopsy
techniques that condenses the information Practice : Innovations, Updates and
contained from the source language into the Advances in Practice.
target language. Compress of information Sayogie, F. (2014). Teori dan Praktik
performed should not alter messages in Penerjemahan Inggris – Indonesia.
the source language text. The translator Tangerang Selatan: Transpustaka.
compresses information from the source Setiawan, I. (2017). TRANSLATION
language into the target language to TECHNIQUES ANALYSIS OF
summarize the text without altering the MOANA’S UTTERANCES IN
message to be delivered to the audience. “MOANA” MOVIE SUBTITLE.
Shank, G. (2002). Qualitative Research. New
Jersey: Merril Prentice Hall.
References
Baihaqi, A. (2017). Penerjemahan dan
Kesepadanan dalam Penerjemahan.
Pandeglang, Staisman Press.
GAO. (2013). Content Analysis: Principles
and Practices. Retrieved December 8,

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