TRANSLATION STRATEGIES AND PRINCIPLES IN RENDERING ENGLISH GERUND PHRASES INTO INDONESIAN: A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYTICAL STUDY

Authors

  • Nita Lestiani Universitas Gunadarma, Jakarta, Indonesia
  • Hawasi Hawasi Universitas Gunadarma, Jakarta, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31851/5r91s142

Keywords:

Gerund phrases, translation strategies, English-Indonesian, descriptive analytical

Abstract

Gerund constructions present a significant challenge in English-Indonesian translation because Indonesian does not possess an equivalent grammatical system. This study explores how English gerund phrases are translated into Indonesian in The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam. Using a descriptive analytical approach, 25 instances were selected from 75 identified cases based on their level of complexity. The findings indicate that semantic strategies are dominant, accounting for 64% of the data, consisting of expansion (36%) and compression (28%). Meanwhile, syntactic strategies account for 36%, including literal translation (16%), unit shift (16%), and calque (4%). All analyzed data consistently apply a meaning-oriented approach, showing a strong tendency to prioritize meaning over structural form. These results demonstrate that structural differences between English and Indonesian encourage translators to focus on conveying meaning rather than preserving grammatical form when translating gerund constructions. The study highlights the importance of meaning-based translation in achieving natural and accurate results, with implications for translation practice and teaching.

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Published

2026-05-04