SOURCE LANGUAGE

The worst thing is that we live in a contaminated moral environment. We fell morally
ill because we became used to saying something different from what we thought. We
learned not to believe in anything, to ignore one another, to care only about ourselves.
Concepts such as love, friendship, compassion, humility or forgiveness lost their
depth and dimension, and for many of us they represented only psychological
peculiarities, or they resembled gone-astray greetings from ancient times, a little
ridiculous in the era of computers and spaceships. Only a few of us were able to cry
out loudly that the powers that be should not be all-powerful and that the special
farms, which produced ecologically pure and top-quality food just for them, should
send their produce to schools, children's homes and hospitals if our agriculture was
unable to offer them to all.
The previous regime -armed with its arrogant and intolerant ideology -reduced man to
a force of production, and nature to a tool of production. In this it attacked both their
very substance and their mutual relationship. It reduced gifted and autonomous
people, skillfully working in their own country, to the nuts and bolts of some
monstrously huge, noisy and stinking machine, whose real meaning was not clear to
anyone. It could not do more than slowly but inexorably wear out itself and all its
nuts and bolts.
When I talk about the contaminated moral atmosphere, I am not talking just about the
gentlemen who eat organic vegetables and do not look out of the plane windows. I am
talking about all of us. We had all become used to the totalitarian system and accepted
it as an unchangeable fact and thus helped to perpetuate it. In other words, we are all
-though naturally to differing extents -responsible for the operation of the totalitarian
machinery. None of us is just its victim. We are all also its co-creators.

Why do I say this? It would be very unreasonable to understand the sad legacy of the
last forty years as something alien, which some distant relative bequeathed to us. On
the contrary, we have to accept this legacy as a sin we committed against ourselves. If
we accept it as such, we will understand that it is up to us all, and up to us alone to do
something about it. We cannot blame the previous rulers for everything, not only
because it would be untrue, but also because it would blunt the duty that each of us
faces today: namely, the obligation to act independently, freely, reasonably and
quickly. Let us not be mistaken: the best government in the world, the best parliament
and the best president, cannot achieve much on their own. And it would be wrong to
expect a general remedy from them alone. Freedom and democracy include
participation and therefore responsibility from us all.
If we realize this, then all the horrors that the new Czechoslovak democracy inherited
will cease to appear so terrible. If we realize this, hope will return to our hearts.
In conclusion, I would like to say that I want to be a president who will speak less and
work more. To be a president who will not only look out of the windows of his
airplane but who, first and foremost, will always be present among his fellow citizens
and listen to them well.
You may ask what kind of republic I dream of. Let me reply: I dream of a republic
independent, free, and democratic, of a republic economically prosperous and yet
socially just; in short, of a humane republic that serves the individual and that
therefore holds the hope that the individual will serve it in turn. Of a republic of wellrounded people, because without such people it is impossible to solve any of our
problems --human, economic, ecological, social, or political.
The most distinguished of my predecessors opened his first speech with a quotation
from the great Czech educator Komensk. Allow me to conclude my first speech with
my own paraphrase of the same statement: People, your government has returned to
you!

My dear fellow citizens!

TARGET LANGUAGE
Kita hidup dalam lingkungan moral yang sudah tercemar. Kita jatuh sakit secara
moral karena kita terbiasa mengatakan sesuatu yang berbeda dari apa yang kita
pikirkan. Kita belajar untuk tidak memercayai apa pun, mengabaikan satu sama lain,
dan hanya mementingkan diri sendiri. Konsep-konsep seperti cinta, persahabatan,
kasih, kerendahan hatai, dan kerelaan memaafkan sudah kehilangan makna dan
dimensi-dimensinya. Bagi sebagian orang konsep-konsep itu terdengar aneh, seperti
sepucuk surat salah alamat yang berasal dari masa lalu, sedikit konyol di era
komputer dan pesawat luar angkasa ini. Hanya sedikit dari kita yang mampu berteriak
lantang bahwa kekuasaan yang ada harus dibatasi, dan bahwa pertanian khusus yang
memproduksi makanan organik dan berkualitas tinggi, seharusnya memprioritaskan
hasilnya untuk sekolah-sekolah, panti anak-anak, dan rumah sakit, jika memang
pertanian kita tidak mampu menyediakan untuk semua.
Rezim terdahulu yang bersenjatakan ideologi yang arogan dan tidak toleran , sudah
merendahkan manusia menjadi hanya sebagai kekuatan produksi, dan menganggap
alam sebagai alat produksi belaka. Di sinilah hakikat mereka dan hubungan timbal
balik antara alam dan manusia dirusak. Harkat manusia yang penuh bakat dan
Otononom telah direndahkan. Semula mereka bekerja penuh kreasi di negaranya
sendiri, namun kemudian menjadi sekadar sekumpulan mur dan buat dari sebuah
mesin raksasa yang berisik dan bau, mesin yang makna sesungguhnya tidak lagi jelas
bagi setiap orang. Mesin itu bekerja semakin lambat dan pasti akan aus, begitu juga
mur dan bautnya.

Tatkala saya bicara tentang atmosfer moral yang sudah tercemar, saya bukan cuma
bicara tentang orang-orang hebat yang makan sayuran organik dan tak pernah keluar

dari jendela pesawat terbang. Saya bicara tentang kita semua. Kita sudah terbiasa
dengan sistem totaliter dan menerimanya sebagai fakta yang tidak bisa diubah
sehingga kita justru melestarikannya. Dengan kata lain, dalam kadar yang berbedabeda, kita semua bertanggung jawab atas pengoperasian mesin totaliter. Kita semua
bukan hanya korban: kita juga menjadi pendukungnya.
Mengapa saya katakan hal ini? Tidaklah masuk akal untuk melihat pusaka
menyedihkan dari 40 tahun terakhir ini sebagai sesuatu yang asing, yang diwariskan
oleh saudara jauh kita. Sebaliknya, kita harus menerima warisan ini sebagai sebuah
dosa yang kita lakukan terhadap diri kita sendiri. Kalau kita bisa menganggapnya
seperti itu, kita akan paham bahwa semuanya terserah pada kita, dan hanya pada kita,
untuk mengambil tindakan. Kita tidak bisa menyalahkan para pemimpin terdahulu
atas segala sesuatu, bukan hanya karena hal itu keliru, namun juga akan
menumpulkan tugas yang kita hadapi hari ini, yakni kewajiban untuk bertindak secara
independen, bebas, masuk akal, dan cepat. Jangan sampai salah: pemerintahan terbaik
di dunia, parlemen terbaik, dan presiden paling hebat sekalipun, tak akan bisa berbuat
banyak sendirian. Adalah keliru jika kita mengharapkan penyembuhan hanya dari
mereka. Kebebasan dan demokrasi melibatkan partisipasi, dan oleh karenanya,
membebankan tanggung jawab kepada kita semua.
Jika kita menyadari hal ini, semua horor yang diwarisi demokrasi baru Cekoslovakia
tidak akan tampak begitu menakutkan. Jika kita menyadarinya, harapan akan kembali
menyelusup ke hati kita.
....Kesimpulannya, saya ingin menjadi presiden yang sedikit bicara dan banyak
bekerja. Menjadi presiden yang tidak hanya akan melongok ke luar jendela dari
pesawat terbang, namun yang paling penting, akan selalu hadir di tengah-tengah
rakyatnya dan mendengarkan suara mereka dengan baik.
Anda mungkin bertanya republik seperti apa yang saya impikan. Izinkan saya
menjawab: Saya memimpikan sebuah republik yang independen, bebas, dan
demokratis; republik secara ekonomi makmur, dan secara sosial adil. Singkatnya,

sebuah republik yang manusiawi yang melayani semua orang, serta menyimpan
harapan bahwa setiap individu juga akan mendukungnya. Saya mendambakan sebuah
republik yang terdiri dari orang-orang yang berwawasan luas, karena tanpa mereka
mustahil segala macam persoalan kemanusiaan, ekonomi, ekologi, sosial , atau politik
bisa terselesaikan....
Pendahulu saya yang terhormat acapkali membuka pidato pertamanya dengan kutipan
dari

seorang

tokoh

pendidik

terkemuka

Ceko,

Komensk.

Izinkan

saya

menyempurnakan pidato pertama saya ini dengan parafrase dari pernyataan yang
sama:
Rakyat sekalian, pemerintahan telah kembali kepada Anda

ANALYSIS
Introduction
Translation is an activity that refers to transformation of one language into other
language. Translation process is not easy because there is some contextual element
that must be defended in order to get the closest meaning. Translation in its purpose is
to produce a translated text that brings the actual meaning from the source language.
Beside on that, translation is also to achieve several insights about new culture. The
interpreter must be fully understood and well-comprehended about the source and the
target language.
The selected text is a phenomenal speech that including into one of the most powerful
speeches in the world. This is a speech from Vaclav Havel, ex-president of Czech
Republic. This is his first speech after electing as the president. Appreciations toward
this text have proven the quality of the text. This matter finally initiates the writer to
analyze the text as well to get some new knowledge.
Content
First technique is Borrowing. Borrowing means taking of words directly from one
language into another without translation. Similar with English, many Indonesian
words borrow from other languages. Several data is found in the text.
For example : SL= moral
TL= moral

atmosphere

regime

independent

atmosfir

rezim

independen

Moral (SL) transforms into moral (TL). It is identically translation.

Atmosphere (SL) becomes atmosfir (TL). This word experiences a little changing.
The changing is located in the end of the word (suffix). The changing is about 5-10%
from the real composition.

Regime (SL) becomes rezim (TL). Similar with atmosphere, this word conducts a
little transformation. The changing is in letter. The changing is about 1-5 %.
Independent shares the same dimension with atmosphere. After translating into target
language, we find a few changing in the end of the word (suffix). The changing is
about 1-5%.
Second technique is Transposition. Transposition is translating phrase or sentence
with some adjustment in structural aspect. It is frequently happen in any translation
activities. Some languages share similar pattern but some others are not. The order of
the word could truly bring the intended meaning.
For example : SL= real meaning
TL=makna sebenarnya

Morally ill
Sakit secara moral

Real meaning (SL) becomes makna sebenarnya (TL). If we translate it literally, real
meaning with its portion should be benar makna. The changing is conducted based on
the word order.
Morally ill (SL) becomes sakit secara moral (TL). In literal meaning, Morally ill with
its portion should be moral secara sakit. The order of the word is the main issue in
this transformation.
Third technique is modulation. Modulation means translating the phrase or sentence
with some adaptation in the sense of getting the closest meaning. It can be said as
second level translation. The first level is literal. Here some examples those get from
the text:
For example: SL= lost their depth
TL=kehilangan maknanya

psychological peculiarities
terdengar aneh

Lost their depth (SL) becomes kehilangan makna (TL). If we translate it barely, it
becomes hilang kedalamannya. If we insert it into the sentence, if well be weird. The

translation must be arranged into good adaptation. Based on the context, depth
experiences a transformation of feeling. The sameness of meaning quality is the main
consideration in this changing.
Psychological peculiarities (SL) becomes terdengar aneh (TL). Its literal meaning is
keganjilan psikologis. Formulating the meaning in this occasion is based on the
context. How the context bring our perception into an intended condition. The word
Psychological in this matter, reminds us to the quality of five senses (hearing).
Fourth technique is reformulation. Reformulation is how we interpret idiom or vice
versa. This technique is an advance level of interpretation. We translate the word as
well the culture.
For example SL= gone-astray greetings from ancient times

well-rounded

people
TL= sepucuk surat salah alamat dari masa lalu

orang-orang

berwawasan luas
Gone astray greetings from ancient times (SL) becomes sepucuk surat salah alamat
dari masa lalu (TL). Gone astray from ancient times is idiom. If we translate it
literally, the meaning will be sapaan yang sesat dari zaman purba. So if we translate
literally its incorrect. Thats why gone astray greetings, based on the context
becomes sepucuk surat salah alamat dari masa lalu.
Well-rounded people (SL) becomes orang-orang berwawasan luas (TL). If we
translate it literally, it becomes orang-orang bulat bagus. Well-rounded is an idiom.
Rounded in this occasion refers to the quality of knowledge.
Conclusion
Some techniques are used in translating the text above. There are borrowing,
transposition, modulation and reformation. In translating the text like speech, it is a
common situation that the translator uses several techniques. Because of the variation

of the language, the vast knowledge of the speaker will ultimately produce a highquality speech.

Theory and Practice of Translation

A Mid Test Paper: An Analysis of Havels
Speech

Names:
Yerry Yuniardi (0810732057)

English Department
Faculty of Humanities
University of Andalas
2013