AN ANNOTATED TRANSLATION FROM ENGLISH TO INDONESIANOF WALTER ISAACSON’S ELON MUSK

Abstract

Biography translation is essential for making the lives and achievements of important global figures accessible to readers across different cultures. Due to its importance, there is a lack of research focused on translating biographical texts, especially those that focus on complex subjects like business and technology. This study helps fill that gap and emphasizes the need to preserve the original context while making the content clear and relatable for the target audience. Hence, this study examines the translation challenges and strategies utilized during translations of Walter Isaacson's biography of Elon Musk from English to Indonesian. The research adopts both introspective and retrospective methods, giving a detailed reflection on the translation process. A total of thirty-five (35) distinct translation problems were identified, categorized into three main groups: understanding problems (10), transfer problems (12), both understanding and transfer problems (13). The issues were further broken down by linguistic level, with (17) problems at the word level, (12) at the phrase level, and (6) at the clause level. There are several translation challenges, such as difficulties in understanding technical terms, transferring cultural references, and preserving the original tone. To address these issues, key strategies including synonym, cultural filtering, explicit change, and trope change were utilized. This annotated translation provides valuable insights into the complexities of translating biographical texts, offering practical solutions and contributing to the broader field of translation studies. Moreover, Future researchers should continue to explore these strategies to further refine the process of translating complex biographical works by exploring various strategies.