Resistance of Indonesian cultural identity translation into English in Imperfect The Series

Abstract

In translation practice, translators have the option to not translate or to retain certain terms from the source language. This action is known as a form of resistance in translation, especially when dealing with cultural elements that have no equivalents. This study aims to analyze resistance in the translation of Indonesian cultural identity into English in Imperfect The Series. The data consists of speech units from the Indonesian dialogue (source text) and their English subtitle equivalents (target text), taken from all episodes of the first season available on the official WeTV platform. The research employs a qualitative approach using descriptive, comparative, and interpretative methods. Data collection techniques include observation and note-taking. Data analysis uses an interactive model consisting of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal the presence of translation resistance in various cultural categories, such as material, social, ecological, administrative, and religious. Forms of resistance include retaining original terms, not translating names of places or characters, and not adapting culturally untranslatable expressions. Factors contributing to translation resistance include the absence of cultural equivalents, efforts to preserve local culture, sensitivity to cultural norms, the translator’s limited cultural knowledge, the existence of untranslatable elements, and the principle of linguistic economy in subtitle writing. The implication is that translation is not merely a linguistic act, but also an ideological and cultural one in introducing national identity to the world.