Translation Equivalence in Cultural Elements of the Batak Folktale Legenda Danau Toba by Fifth-Semester Students at Universitas HKBP Nommensen Medan

Abstract

This study aims to identify the types of translation equivalence and translation strategies employed by fifth-semester students of the English Education Study Program at Universitas HKBP Nommensen Medan in translating cultural elements of the Batak Toba folktale Legenda Danau Toba into English. This research adopts a descriptive qualitative method. The data were collected from 23 student translation manuscripts of a 15-paragraph Batak Toba text. The analysis focuses on 16 selected cultural elements classified into ecological, social, and cultural categories. The analysis of equivalence is based on Nida’s (1964) theory, while translation strategies are analysed using Vinay and Darbelnet’s (1958) framework. The findings reveal that students applied three types of equivalence: formal, dynamic, and acceptable equivalence, with dynamic equivalence as the most dominant. Formal equivalence is mainly used for simple lexical items, while dynamic and acceptable equivalence are applied to culturally bound expressions. In terms of strategies, cultural equivalent and literal translation are the most frequently used, followed by functional and descriptive translation. The results indicate that students demonstrate an emerging ability to translate cultural elements; however, inconsistencies remain due to variations in linguistic competence and cultural understanding. Therefore, strengthening students’ knowledge of translation theory and cultural context is necessary to improve translation quality.