The Translation of Compound Nouns in the Japanese Short Stories “Tebukuro wo Kaini” and “Lemon”

Translation between languages with different structures and cultures takes work. This research explores the translation of compound nouns in the Japanese short stories “Tebukuro wo Kaini” by Niimi Nankichi and “Lemon” by Kajii Motojiro into Indonesian, taken from the book Kimi ni Todoketai: Kumpulan Puisi, Prosa, dan Drama Pilihan Jepang by Purnomo. The study aims to identify the translation methods used by the translator to preserve the original meaning and cultural nuances using Newmark's translation theory. This qualitative descriptive study utilizes the observation method and note-taking technique for data collection. The collected data were analyzed using the translational equivalent method and presented in an informal form. The findings reveal three main translation methods were used: literal translation, semantic translation, and free translation, with literal translation being the most frequently used. This study emphasizes the importance of selecting the appropriate translation method to maintain the richness and aesthetics of the original text in the target language.