Domestication and Foreignization in Comedy and Non-Comedy TED Talk English-To-Indonesian Subtitles: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This research presented the strategy of domestication and foreignization in translating English-to-Indonesian subtitles for the comedy and non-comedy genres of TED Talks. This qualitative-comparative study explores the way genre can determine translation strategy, with a focus on the rendition of Culture-Specific Items or CSIs. Data was gathered from some of the videos of TED Talks and analyzed using Venuti’s (1995) framework. The results showed that both styles manifested the use of foreignization on subtitle translation. However, each style shared different purposes. Foreignization on non-comedy talks at TED had been made to reserve meaning, thus it needed very precise terms, especially about academic and technical issues. On the other hand, foreignization on comedy shows aimed to use foreignization on matters relevant to humor, emotions, and culture so that it had to be understandable for the target audience. Apart from this, it also showcased hybrid techniques on selected phases to maintain without losing understanding. In line with this, the present study emphasized the need to consider genre in audiovisual translation and for the translators, they considered the translation strategies used based on context and audience needs.