The Girls in Their Summer Dresses; Analysis of the Elements of Literature

THE GIRLS IN THEIR SUMMER DRESSES

 

IRWIN SHAW (1913-1984)

 

An Analysis by Marsal Sintung

1. The Story

Fifth Avenue was shining in the sun when they left the Brevoort and started walking toward Washington Square. The sun was warm, even though it was November, and everything looked like Sunday morning - the buses, and the well-dressed people walking slowly in couples and the quiet buildings with the windows closed.

Michael held Frances' arm tightly as they walked downtown in the sunlight. They walked lightly, almost smiling, because they had slept late and had a good breakfast and it was Sunday. Michael unbuttoned his coat and let it flap around him in the mild wind. They walked, without saying anything, among the young and pleasant-looking people who somehow seem to make up most of the population of that section of New York City.

"Look out," Frances said, as they crossed Eighth Street. "You'll break your neck."
Michael laughed and Frances laughed with him.

"She's not so pretty, anyway," Frances said. "Anyway, not pretty enough to take a chance breaking your neck looking at her."

Michael laughed again. He laughed louder this time, but not as solidly. "She wasn't a bad-looking girl. She had a nice complexion. Country-girl complexion. How did you know I was looking at her?" Frances cocked her head to one side and smiled at her husband under the tip-tilted brim of her hat. "Mike, darling . . ." she said.

Michael laughed, just a little laugh this time. "Okay," he said. "The evidence is in. Excuse me. It was the complexion. It's not the sort of complexion you see much in New York. Excuse me."

Frances patted his arm lightly and pulled him along a little faster toward Washington Square.
"This is a nice morning," she said. "This is a wonderful morning. When I have breakfast with you it makes me feel good all day."

"Tonic," Michael said. "Morning pickup. Rolls and coffee with Mike and you're on the alkali side, guaranteed."

"That's the story. Also, I slept all night, wound around you like a rope."
"Saturday night," he said. "I permit such liberties only when the week's work is done."

"You're getting fat," she said.

"Isn't it the truth? The lean man from Ohio."

"I love it," she said, "an extra five pounds of husband."

"I love it, too," Michael said gravely.

"I have an idea," Frances said.

"My wife has an idea. That pretty girl."

"Let's not see anybody all day," Frances said. "Let's just hang around with each other. You and me. We're always up to our neck in people, drinking their Scotch, or drinking our Scotch, we only see each other in bed . . ."

"The Great Meeting Place," Michael said. "Stay in bed long enough and everybody you ever knew will show up there."

"Wise guy," Frances said. "I'm talking serious."

"Okay, I'm listening serious."

"I want to go out with my husband all day long. I want him to talk only to me and listen only to me."

"What's to stop us?" Michael asked. "What party intends to prevent me from seeing my wife alone on Sunday? What party?"

"The Stevensons. They want us to drop by around one o'clock and they'll drive us into the country."

"The lousy Stevensons," Mike said. "Transparent. They can whistle. They can go driving in the country by themselves. My wife and I have to stay in New York and bore each other tˆte-…-tˆte."

"Is it a date?"

"It's a date."

Frances leaned over and kissed him on the tip of the ear.

"Darling," Michael said. "This is Fifth Avenue."

"Let me arrange a program," Frances said. "A planned Sunday in New York for a young couple with money to throw away."

"Go easy."

"First let's go see a football game. A professional football game," Frances said, because she knew Michael loved to watch them. "The Giants are playing. And it'll be nice to be outside all day today and get hungry and later we'll go down to Cavanagh's and get a steak as big as a blacksmith's apron, with a bottle of wine, and after that, there's a new French picture at the Filmarte that everybody says... Say, are you listening to me?"

"Sure," he said. He took his eyes off the hatless girl with the dark hair, cut dancer-style, like a helmet, who was walking past him with the self-conscious strength and grace dancers have. She was walking without a coat and she looked very solid and strong and her belly was flat, like a boy's, under her skirt, and her hips swung boldly because she was a dancer and also because she knew Michael was looking at her. She smiled a little to herself as she went past and Michael noticed all these things before he looked back at his wife. "Sure," he said, "we're going to watch the Giants and we're going to eat steak and we're going to see a French picture. How do you like that?"

"That's it," Frances said flatly. "That's the program for the day. Or maybe you'd just rather walk up and down Fifth Avenue."

"No," Michael said carefully. "Not at all."

"You always look at other women," Frances said. "At every damn woman in the city of New York."

"Oh, come now," Michael said, pretending to joke. "Only pretty ones. And, after all, how many pretty women are there in New York? Seventeen?"

"More. At least you seem to think so. Wherever you go."

"Not the truth. Occasionally, maybe, I look at a woman as she passes. In the street. I admit, perhaps in the street I look at a woman once in a while. . . ."

"Everywhere," Frances said. "Every damned place we go. Restaurants, subways, theaters, lectures, concerts."

"Now, darling," Michael said. "I look at everything. God gave me eyes and I look at women and men and subway excavations and moving pictures and the little flowers of the field. I casually inspect the universe."

"You ought to see the look in your eye," Frances said, "as you casually inspect the universe on Fifth Avenue."

"I'm a happily married man." Michael pressed her elbow tenderly, knowing what he was doing. "Example for the whole twentieth century, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Loomis."

"You mean it?"

"Frances, baby . . ."

"Are you really happily married?"

"Sure," Michael said, feeling the whole Sunday morning sinking like lead inside him. "Now what the hell is the sense in talking like that?”

"I would like to know." Frances walked faster now, looking straight ahead, her face showing nothing, which was the way she always managed it when she was arguing or feeling bad.

"I'm wonderfully happily married," Michael said patiently. "I am the envy of all men between the ages of fifteen and sixty in the state of New York."

"Stop kidding," Frances said.

"I have a fine home," Michael said. "I got nice books and a phonograph and nice friends. I live in a town I like the way I like and I do the work I like and I live with the woman I like. Whenever something good happens, don't I run to you? When something bad happens, don't I cry on your shoulder?"

"Yes," Frances said. "You look at every woman that passes."

"That's an exaggeration."

"Every woman." Frances took her hand off Michael's arm. "If she's not pretty you turn away fairly quickly. If she's halfway pretty you watch her for about seven steps. . . ."

"My Lord, Frances!"

"If she's pretty you practically break your neck . . ."

"Hey, let's have a drink," Michael said, stopping.

"We just had breakfast."

"Now, listen, darling," Mike said, choosing his words with care, "it's a nice day and we both feel good and there's no reason why we have to break it up. Let's have a nice Sunday."

"I could have a fine Sunday if you didn't look as though you were dying to run after every skirt on Fifth Avenue."

"Let's have a drink," Michael said.

"I don't want a drink."

"What do you want, a fight?"

"No," Frances said, so unhappily that Michael felt terribly sorry for her. "I don't want a fight. I don't know why I started this. All right, let's drop it. Let's have a good time."

They joined hands consciously and walked without talking among the baby carriages and the old Italian men in their Sunday clothes and the young women with Scotties in Washington Square Park.

"I hope it's a good game today," Frances said after a while, her tone a good imitation of the tone she had used at breakfast and at the beginning of their walk. "I like professional football games. They hit each other as though they're made out of concrete. When they tackle each other," she said, trying to make Michael laugh, "they make divots. It's very exciting."

"I want to tell you something," Michael said very seriously. "I have not touched another woman. Not once. In all the five years."

"All right," Frances said.

"You believe that, don't you?"

"All right."

They walked between the crowded benches, under the scrubby city park trees.

"I try not to notice it," Frances said, as though she were talking to herself. "I try to make believe it doesn't mean anything. Some men're like that, I tell myself, they have to see what they're missing."

"Some women're like that, too," Michael said. "In my time I've seen a couple of ladies."

"I haven't even looked at another man," Frances said, walking straight ahead, "since the second time I went out with you."

"There's no law," Michael said.

"I feel rotten inside, in my stomach, when we pass a woman and you look at her and I see that look in your eye and that's the way you looked at me the first time, in Alice Maxwell's house. Standing there in the living room, next to the radio, with a green hat on and all those people."

"I remember the hat," Michael said.

"The same look," Frances said. "And it makes me feel bad. It makes me feel terrible."
"Sssh, please, darling, sssh. . . ."

"I think I would like a drink now," Frances said.

They walked over to a bar on Eighth Street, not saying anything, Michael automatically helping her over curbstones and guiding her past automobiles. He walked, buttoning his coat, looking thoughtfully at his neatly shined heavy brown shoes as they made the steps toward the bar. They sat near a window in the bar and the sun streamed in, and there was a small cheerful fire in the fireplace. A little Japanese waiter came over and put down some pretzels and smiled happily at them.

"What do you order after breakfast?" Michael asked.

"Brandy, I suppose," Frances said.

"Courvoisier," Michael told the waiter. "Two Courvoisier."

The waiter came with the glasses and they sat drinking the brandy in the sunlight. Michael finished half his and drank a little water.

"I look at women," he said. "Correct. I don't say it's wrong or right, I look at them. If I pass them on the street and I don't look at them, I'm fooling you, I'm fooling myself."

"You look at them as though you want them," Frances said, playing with her brandy glass.

"Every one of them."

"In a way," Michael said, speaking softly and not to his wife, "in a way that's true. I don't do anything about it, but it's true."

"I know it. That's why I feel bad."

"Another brandy," Michael called. "Waiter, two more brandies."

"Why do you hurt me?" Frances asked. "What're you doing?"

Michael sighed and closed his eyes and rubbed them gently with his fingertips. "I love the way women look. One of the things I like best about New York is the battalions of women. When I first came to New York from Ohio that was the first thing I noticed, the million wonderful women, all over the city. I walked around with my heart in my throat."

"A kid," Frances said. "That's a kid's feeling."

"Guess again," Michael said. "Guess again. I'm older now, I'm a man getting near middle age, putting on a little fat and I still love to walk along Fifth Avenue at three o'clock on the east side of the street between Fiftieth and Fifty-seventh streets, they're all out then, making believe they're shopping, in their furs and their crazy hats, everything all concentrated from all over the world into eight blocks, the best furs, the best clothes, the handsomest women, out to spend money and feeling good about it, looking coldly at you, making believe they're not looking at you as you go past."

The Japanese waiter put the two drinks down, smiling with great happiness.

"Everything is all right?" he asked.

"Everything is wonderful," Michael said.

"If it's just a couple of fur coats," Frances said, "and forty-five-dollar hats . . ."

"It's not the fur coats. Or the hats. That's just the scenery for that particular kind of woman.

Understand," he said, "you don't have to listen to this."

"I want to listen."

"I like the girls in the offices. Neat, with their eyeglasses, smart, chipper, knowing what everything is about, taking care of themselves all the time." He kept his eye on the people going slowly past outside the window. "I like the girls on Forty-fourth Street at lunchtime, the actresses, all dressed up on nothing a week, talking to the good-looking boys, wearing themselves out being young and vivacious outside Sardi's, waiting for producers to look at them. I like the salesgirls in Macy's, paying attention to you first because you're a man, leaving lady customers waiting, flirting with you over socks and books and phonograph needles. I got all this stuff accumulated in me because I've been thinking about it for ten years and now you've asked for it and here it is."

"Go ahead," Frances said.

"When I think of New York City, I think of all the girls, the Jewish girls, the Italian girls, the Irish, Polack, Chinese, German, Negro, Spanish, Russian girls, all on parade in the city. I don't know whether it's something special with me or whether every man in the city walks around with the same feeling inside him, but I feel as though I'm at a picnic in this city. I like to sit near the women in the theaters, the famous beauties who've taken six hours to get ready and look it. And the young girls at the football games, with the red cheeks, and when the warm weather comes, the girls in their summer dresses . . ." He finished his drink. "That's the story. You asked for it, remember. I can't help but look at them. I can't help but want them."

"You want them," Frances repeated without expression. "You said that."

"Right," Michael said, being cruel now and not caring, because she had made him expose himself. "You brought this subject up for discussion, we will discuss it fully."
Frances finished her drink and swallowed two or three times extra. "You say you love me?"

"I love you, but I also want them. Okay."

"I'm pretty, too," Frances said. "As pretty as any of them."

"You're beautiful," Michael said, meaning it.

"I'm good for you," Frances said, pleading. "I've made a good wife, a good housekeeper, a good friend. I'd do any damn thing for you."

"I know," Michael said. He put his hand out and grasped hers.

"You'd like to be free to . . ." Frances said.

"Sssh."

"Tell the truth." She took her hand away from under his.
Michael flicked the edge of his glass with his finger. "Okay," he said gently. "Sometimes I feel I would like to be free."

"Well," Frances said defiantly, drumming on the table, "anytime you say . . ."

"Don't be foolish." Michael swung his chair around to her side of the table and patted her thigh.

She began to cry, silently, into her handkerchief, bent over just enough so that nobody else in the bar would notice. "Someday," she said, crying, "you're going to make a move . . ."
Michael didn't say anything. He sat watching the bartender slowly peel a lemon.

"Aren't you?" Frances asked harshly. "Come on, tell me. Talk. Aren't you?"

"Maybe," Michael said. He moved his chair back again. "How the hell do I know?"

"You know," Frances persisted. "Don't you know?"

"Yes," Michael said after a while. "I know."

Frances stopped crying then. Two or three snuffles into the handkerchief and she put it away and her face didn't tell anything to anybody. "At least do me one favor," she said.

"Sure."

"Stop talking about how pretty this woman is, or that one. Nice eyes, nice breasts, a pretty figure, good voice," she mimicked his voice. "Keep it to yourself. I'm not interested."

"Excuse me." Michael waved to the waiter. "I'll keep it to myself."

Frances flicked the corner of her eyes. "Another brandy," she told the waiter.

"Two," Michael said.

"Yes, ma'am, yes, sir," said the waiter, backing away.

Frances regarded him coolly across the table. "Do you want me to call the Stevensons?" she asked. "It'll be nice in the country."

"Sure," Michael said. "Call them up."

She got up from the table and walked across the room toward the telephone. Michael watched her walk, thinking, What a pretty girl, what nice legs.

2. Analysis

2.1. Theme
Basically, Irwin Shaw would like to present the readers how love exists; what is the nature of romance; why is love sometimes confusing. Readers through the story will find out that the writer put his emphasis on the fragility of humans relationship with Michael's habit of watching girls as the center of it. For him, girls are primarily sex objects.

Readers do not have to get the meaning of the story wrong since sex objects of Michael represent his characterization of a flirtatious man instead of a pervert. Such facts which lead Frances into an insecure, uncomfortable situation finally reveals that their marriage is the answer toward the purpose of their desire and not their desire itself.

2.2. Symbolism
Referring to the theme, the story provides women (or girls) include Frances as the primary symbol. They represent desire control for men and, I can say, faithfulness measurement for women themselves. Whether if they are things to play with or to get bound with, Shaw gives a real heavy consideration for them who are having a bunch of question marks after their vows in holy matrimonies.

The story also complements the girls with "summer dresses" attribute. It is narrated in November, which there is no way people wearing summer dresses. But what Shaw would like to present is the metaphor of freshness, youth, and vitality of romancers.

For Michael, Shaw gives him a role of tough, masculine individual whom about forty of a hundred women desire. Since the setting takes some time in 1939 when cultural values had slight changes, wild sights of men toward women have become an unquestionable phenomenon which is clearly expressed throughout the characterization.

2.3. Style and Technique
Shaw lets the story develops itself through the conversation which contains emotional state, various of reactions, and tones, but there will never be a clear revelation of mental state of the characters in the story (Michael and Frances). Such style may create implicit surprises which lead to "why not" instead of "why is it." Readers will find the story provides shallow, too common interests and topics of conversation marked by mundaneness stuff with joking and exaggeration. In addition, lifestyle such as drinking scotch and watch games in the time the story is made represents the forsaken of the Midwest root which emphasizes the topic.

(2019)

Pengaruh Teknologi dalam Penerjemahan Mengikuti Adat Bahasa

PENGARUH TEKNOLOGI DALAM PENERJEMAHAN MENGIKUTI ADAT BAHASA

Marsal Sintung

Dalam sebuah forum aktif mahasiswa berbasis online di Universitas Terbuka jurusan Sastra Inggris Minat Penerjemahan, saya pernah mendapatkan pertanyaan meskipun itu bukan di forum saya sebagai mahasiswa. Seseorang pernah bertanya: "Menurutmu apakah perkembangan teknologi memiliki pengaruh dalam adat bahasa?" Saya mencoba untuk berkontribusi juga dengan dalih bahwa saya suka pertanyaannya. Nyatanya pertanyaan ini menantang untuk menggali kepekaan kita terhadap aktivitas penerjemahan Bahasa Indonesia sebagai bahasa sasaran.

Saya sempat memberi pendahuluan, bahwa apa yang saya tangkap dari pertanyaan dari siswa tersebut merupakan sebuah penemuan saya akan semacam gagasan inti mengenai bagaimana peran teknologi mengambil bagian dalam aktivitas manusia untuk memproduksi bahasa.

Tidak perlu repot memikirkan contoh konkret yang jauh. Saya coba sajikan untuk kita satu contoh fenomena sederhana. Kita tahu bersama kita sekarang hidup di dalam era teknologi informasi yang menuntut kecepatan perolehan data dan keperluan lainnya untuk hidup yang lebih baik. Kita tahu untuk menunjang hal tersebut, salah satu yang kita perlukan adalah telepon. Seiring waktu berjalan, telepon memiliki banyak transformasi bentuk hingga apa yang kita kenal sekarang telepon selular.

Dengan berbagai inovasi dan kreasi, telepon selular pun mendapatkan berbagai tambahan fitur seperti apa yang kita tahu sekarang, kamera (telepon selular). Apa yang kita lakukan dengan kamera tersebut adalah menangkap berbagai gambar yang ada di depannya, termasuk diri kita sendiri!

Aktivitas untuk memotret diri sendiri dengan menggunakan kamera telepon selular makin lama makin menjelma menjadi sebuah perilaku yang lazim dibanding memotret diri sendiri dengan menggunakan kamera digital atau kamera profesional lainnya (bayangkan saja LOL). Seiring perilaku ini mendapatkan bagiannya dalam tingkah laku manusia, hal ini membuat manusia memberikan atribut kebahasaan dengan sebutan apa yang populer saat ini kita tahu sebagai selfie.

Mari kita tinjau kata tersebut. Konstruksi kata terdiri dari dua elemen, self=diri sebagai morfem bebas dan -ie=sufiks (imbuhan yang menegaskan kata benda). Bahkan dari dua konstruksi kata tersebut yang tidak menyeret makna picture=gambar di dalamnya, penutur bahasa menafsirkan selfie sebagai aktivitas memotret diri sendiri. Lebih detail lagi, untuk aktivitas memotret orang pertama jamak terciptalah ungkapan wefie. We=kita, self=diri, dan -ie=sufiks. Wow!

Kita kembali pada adat sebagai bagian dari budaya. Jelas ini bukanlah istilah dalam Bahasa Indonesia sebagai bahasa sasaran dari terjemahan Bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa sumber. Kita sebagai masyarakat penutur bahasa sasaran ini hanya bisa menikmati inovasi (cellular phone) dan label aktivitas inovasi itu (selfie-wefie). Proses penerjemahan ini pastinya adalah proses yang termasuk dalam penerjemahan mengikuti Adat Bahasa. Kita bisa saja tidak perlu menerjemahkan ungkapan tersebut secara literal, mengingat dalam kamus Bahasa Inggris saja masih belum memuat istilah tersebut ke dalam perbendaharaan kata, dan penafsiran ungkapan itu hanyalah bercermin pada respon manusia atas tindakan tersebut.

Yang menjadi pertanyaan baru atas fenomena ini sebenarnya untuk kita sebagai masyarakat yang mengkaji bahasa sebagai instrumen komunikasi adalah bagaimana kita mendapatkan padanan yang sesuai dalam Bahasa Indonesia sebagai bahasa sasaran, walaupun kita mengetahui sifat kedinamisan Bahasa Indonesia itu sendiri, dan seberapa kuatkah intensitas kekuatan perubahan/perkembangan teknologi untuk membuat manusia memproduksikan labelnya (bahasa). Ingat, kita bukanlah sekedar mahasiswa yang mempelajari bahasa sebagai komunikasi, tetapi juga aspek budaya yang secara keseluruhan memayungi unsur bahasa itu.

(Maret 2017)

Adat Bahasa dan Kaidah Bahasa; Sebuah Perbedaan dalam Teori Penerjemahan

ADAT BAHASA DAN KAIDAH BAHASA; SEBUAH PERBEDAAN DALAM TEORI PENERJEMAHAN

Marsal Sintung

Dalam penerjemahan, kita tidak hanya dituntut untuk mengerti Kaidah Bahasa (KB), tetapi juga Adat Bahasa (AB) sehingga diharapkan proses penerjemahan ke Bahasa Sasaran (BSa) dapat memenuhi permintaan penutur BSa dan sesuai dengan aturan yang berlaku. Namun, apa yang dimaksud dengan Kaidah Bahasa dan Adat Bahasa?

Kaidah dalam frasa Kaidah Bahasa memberikan pengertian bahwa bahasa merupakan instrumen interaksi komunikasi yang memiliki hukum. Artinya di sini adalah hukum dalam bahasa menyajikan nilai absolut (tetap) atas terbentuknya suatu atribut yang dibahasakan, yang wujudnya digunakan dalam proses penyaluran ide antar manusia melalui interaksi komunikasi. Atribut itulah yang disebut dengan kata, elemen terkecil bahasa yang memiliki arti. Karena sifatnya yang tetap inilah sebuah kata penafsirannya tidak dapat digantikan atau diwakili dengan kata lainnya. Dalam proses penerjemahan kata, jenis kata yang mengikuti Kaidah Bahasa adalah Kata Ganti, Kata Bilangan Kardinal, dan Kata Depan.

Contoh:

1. MEREKA adalah kata ganti dari sekumpulan individu di luar pembicaraan langsung orang pertama dan orang ketiga.
2. DUA adalah kata bilangan kardinal dari kumpulan suatu wujud yang berjumlah dua.
3. KE dalam KE DEPAN adalah kata depan yang menunjukan aktivitas pergerakan suatu wujud.

Adat dalam frasa Adat Bahasa memberikan pengertian bahwa bahasa merupakan instrumen komunikasi yang berlindung di bawah payung sistem nilai budaya, dalam hal ini menyangkut hampir segala bentuk aktivitas dan pemikiran manusia yang membuat mereka memberikan beragam atribut dalam suatu wujud. Karena penyajian atribut (kata) dari adat bahasa ini bersifat abstrak dan arbiter (manasuka), maka lintas penafsiran kebahasaan dapat berupa tafsiran antar kata, antar frasa, bahkan antar kata-frasa. Yang termasuk dalam konten ini adalah hampir semua jenis kata (kecuali jenis kata ganti, kata bilangan kardinal, dan kata depan seperti paparan pada Kaidah Bahasa).

Contoh:

1. Kata KURSI dapat digantikan atau ditafsirkan dengan TEMPAT DUDUK.
2. Kata KAMAR MANDI dapat digantikan atau ditafsirkan dengan JAMBAN.
3. AIR MINUM dapat digantikan atau ditafsirkan dengan AIR PUTIH.
4. CANTIK dapat digantikan atau ditafsirkan dengan MENAWAN.

Kembali pada topik Penerjemahan; penerjemahan dapat dilakukan dengan melakukan transfer bahasa dimulai dari unit terkecil (kata) hingga unit yang lebih tinggi. Mari kita mengambil scope kata. Pada dasarnya, kata terbagi atas beragam jenis: kata benda, kata sifat, kata kerja, kata keterangan, kata ganti, kata bilangan (meliputi kata bilangan kardinal dan kata bilangan ordinal), dan kata tugas (meliputi kata depan, kata sandang, kata interjeksi, kata sambung, dan partikel).

Mari melihat masing-masing contoh berikut dengan penerjemahannya dan penjelasannya, entah proses interpretasi makna mengikuti Kaidah Bahasa atau Adat Bahasa:

1. Kata Benda

Box (B.Ing) dapat diinterpretasi/diterjemahkan/ditafsirkan sebagai Kotak (B.Ind), bisa juga Boks (B.Ind). Proses penafsiran mengikuti Adat Bahasa, karena bila dilihat dari penutur BSa (Bahasa Sasaran), kalangan umum masyarakat memiliki interpretasi bahwa Box pada dasarnya adalah benda berbentuk persegi (Kotak). Kalangan khusus masyarakat, masyarakat buruh misalnya, memiliki interpretasi makna bahwa Box merupakan benda yang berfungsi sebagai wadah berbentuk persegi empat untuk penampungan (Boks). Melihat ini, baik Kotak maupun Boks, keduanya menyajikan arti yang sama dan bisa saling menggantikan/mewakili (arbiter).

2. Kata Sifat

Handsome (B.Ing) dapat diinterpretasikan sebagai Ganteng (B.Ind), bisa juga Elok (B.Ind). Proses penafsiran hal ini mengikuti Adat Bahasa, karena bila dilihat dari penutur BSa, kalangan umum masyarakat memiliki interpretasi bahwa Ganteng adalah atribut ‘sedap dilihat’ pada suatu manusia, dalam hal ini pria. Kalangan khusus, seperti kaum seniman dan sastrawan, memiliki interpretasi bahwa Handsome merupakan atribut ‘sedap dilihat’ pada manusia yang hidup dalam atmosfir seni (Elok). Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa terjemahan Handsome ke Ganteng/Elok menyajikan arti yang sama dan bisa saling menggantikan/mewakili.

3. Kata Kerja

Hit (B.Ing) dapat diinterpretasikan sebagai Memukul (B.Ind), bisa juga Meninju (B.Ind). Proses penafsiran kata ini mengikuti Adat Bahasa, karena masyarakat pada umumnya tahu bahwa Hit berarti Memukul. Namun, dalam masyarakat olahraga, Hit berarti Meninju. Terbukti kedua hal ini menunjukkan bahwa baik Meninju maupun Memukul menyajikan arti yang sama yang dapat saling menggantikan/mewakili dalam penerjemahan Hit sebagai Bsu.

4. Kata Keterangan

Darker pada kalimat It is getting darker (B.Ing) dapat diartikan sebagai Hari mulai malam (B.Ind), atau bisa juga Hari mulai gelap (B.Ind). Masyarakat pada umumnya tahu bahwa jika hari mulai malam, berarti langit sudah tidak disinari matahari. Namun, pada masyarakat kerja seperti kaum petani, hari mulai gelap berarti menandakan bahwa waktu bekerja di ladang sudah selesai. Fenomena ini menunjukkan bahwa penafsiran kata Darker (BSu) menjadi Malam (Bsa) atau Gelap (Bsa) mengikuti Adat Bahasa, karena keduanya dapat saling menggantikan/mewakili tanpa harus membingungkan penutur BSa.

5. Kata Ganti

She (B.Ing) hanya memiliki penafsiran Dia (B.Ind) dalam proses penerjemahan. Artinya, tidak ada lagi unit dalam BSa yang dapat mewakili/menggantikan fungsi Dia untuk menerangkan kata She dari BSu. Perlu diperhatikan, Ia (B.Ind) dan Beliau (B.Ind) adalah merupakan sinonim (persamaan) dari kata Dia untuk menjalankan fungsi diksi, namun tetap memiliki arti yang sama yaitu acuan persona pihak ketiga. Sederhananya, entah itu kata Dia, Ia, maupun Beliau hanya menyajikan satu arti. Karena sifat ini tidak manasuka (statis), proses interpretasi She sebagai BSu hanya mampu bersandar pada aturan yang sesuai dengan hukum di mana BSa itu hidup. Itulah mengapa seluruh proses penerjemahan kata ganti mengikuti Kaidah (hukum) Bahasa.

6. Kata Bilangan

Three (B.Ing) hanya memiliki penafsiran Tiga (B.Ind) dalam proses penerjemahan. Kasus penerjemahan kata bilangan kardinal bahkan tidak mempunyai sinonim untuk menyajikan arti yang sama dan tidak menjalankan fungsi diksi bila dibanding dengan proses penerjemahan kelas kata ganti. Three sebagai Bsu memiliki arti Tiga sebagai BSa; jumlah suatu benda/wujud yang merupakan keseluruhan satu tambah satu tambah satu. Karena kata bilangan kardinal tidak memiliki sinonim dan kata lain untuk menggantikan/mewakili dirinya sendiri, proses penerjemahannya mengikuti Kaidah Bahasa (Three=Tiga).

Namun lain halnya dengan kata bilangan ordinal, contoh First (B.Ing) dapat ditafsirkan sebagai Kesatu (B.Ind) atau Pertama (B.Ind). Bila kita fokus pada penutur BSa, masyarakat pada umumnya menggunakan Pertama sebagai pilihan tafsiran/interpretasi dari First. Penggunaan Kesatu mendapatkan posisi yang sama, karena arti dari Kesatu menyajikan proses urutan yang menempati angka satu (pertama). Karena kedua kata menyajikan arti yang sama, penerjemahan kata bilangan ordinal mengikuti Adat Bahasa, karena memiliki pertimbangan jenis penutur BSa.

7. Kata Tugas

The pada frasa The Lion and The King (B.Ing) dapat diartikan sebagai Si Singa dan Sang Raja (B.Ind), bisa juga Si Singa dan Si Raja (B.Ind). Memang penggunaan kata Si untuk penerjemahan The King sebagai BSu agak kurang sedap didengar, karena penggunaan kata Sang lebih tepat digunakan pada persona ketimbang Si yang hampir semua kata bisa diikutinya. Namun demikian, baik Si maupun Sang menyajikan arti dan fungsi yang sama yaitu kata penjelas nomina dan mereka bisa saling menggantikan/mewakili. Oleh karena itu, proses penerjemahan kata sandang mengikuti Adat Bahasa, karena terdapat pertimbangan makna yang didasarkan pada budaya manusia dalam berbahasa.

Interjeksi Whoa! (B.Ing) dapat diartikan sebagai Wow! (B.Ind) atau bisa juga Wew! (B.Ind) atau bisa juga Wuih! (B.Ind) dan ungkapan interjeksi lainnya, mengingat interjeksi merupakan kata tugas yang maksudnya mengungkapkan perasaan penutur atau bisa jadi tiruan bunyi seperti Meow! (B.Ing) ke Meong! (Bahasa Indoesia) dan Whoof! (B.Ing) ke Guk! (B.Ind). Karena proses bahasa yang berlindung di bawah aktivitas budaya, maka penerjemahan interjeksi mengikuti Adat Bahasa.

After (B.Ing) dapat diartikan sebagai Setelah (B.Ind) atau bisa juga Sehabis (B.Ind) sebagai kata yang termasuk dalam kata hubung. Dalam ragamnya sebagai proses bahasa di bawah aktivitas budaya, Setelah lazim digunakan dalam ragam formal (Setelah keramas) sedangkan Sehabis biasanya digunakan dalam ragam non-formal (Sehabis keramas). Melihat fenomena ini, penerjemahan kata hubung mengikuti Adat Bahasa, meskipun beberapa di antaranya mengikuti Kaidah Bahasa dalam contoh penerjemahan And (B.Ing) ke Dan (B.Ind) dan Also (B.Ing) ke Juga (B.Ind) (Dan dan Juga tidak dapat saling menggantikan/mewakili; masing-masing tanpa sinonim dengan fungsi yang berbeda).

At (B.Ing) hanya memiliki penafsiran Di (B.Ind) dalam proses penerjemahan. Sesuai aturan Bahasa Indonesia yang baku sebagai BSa, pada frasa Di depan memiliki arti yang berbeda dengan Ke Depan ([Di depan=berada statis di posisi depan] dengan [Ke depan=menunjukkan perpindahan posisi ke arah depan]). Oleh karena itu, penerjemahan kata depan mengikuti Kaidah Bahasa untuk mendapatkan penafsiran yang sesuai dan memenuhi hukum baik BSa maupun BSu.

Perlu diketahui bahwa partikel dalam menjalankan fungsi bahasa hanya terdapat dalam bahasa tertentu. Tetapi tidak enomena ini mencerminkan bahasa dalam suatu negara merupakan wujud kebudayaan di mana adat sebagai sub-elemen kebudayaan itu hidup. Contohnya seperti Go to your mom! (B.Ing) ke Pergilah ke ibumu! dapat diterjemahkan juga sebagai Pergi ke ibumu!. Partikel lah dalam BSa merupakan bentuk penghalus dari perintah Go to your mom dalam BSu. Penggunaan partikel penghalus inilah indikator bahwa penerjemahan kalimat Go to your mom! mengikuti Adat Bahasa, di mana penghalus ini hidup dalam masyarakat penutur BSa yang bermaksud mengurangi kesan memerintah, meskipun terdapat kemungkinan bahwa penafsiran partikel ke/dari BSu/BSa dapat termasuk dalam penerjemahan yang mengikuti Adat Bahasa. Hal ini disebabkan karena sifat dasar partikel itu sendiri, bahwa dia hanya terdapat pada bahasa tertentu, seperti Bahasa Indonesia (-pun, -kah, -lah), sehingga frangan/penambahan unsur dalam proses penerjemahannya antar BSu-BSa (partikel -lah).

Bisa dilihat dari contoh-contoh di atas bahwa  cara tepat untuk mengidentifikasi proses penerjemahan bahasa mengikuti entah itu Kaidah Bahasa ataupun Adat Bahasa adalah pertama-tama mengetahui dulu jenis kata yang hendak diterjemahkan, karena kata adalah unit terkecil yang memiliki arti.

(Februari 2017)

Hoax; Terpercaya atau Memperdaya?

HOAX; TERPERCAYA ATAU MEMPERDAYA?

Marsal Sintung

Sebagai kaum masyarakat yang masih memperjuangkan budaya membaca, kita kadang masih berpotensi termakan omongan atau berita dari sumber yang tidak dapat mempertanggungjawaban kebenarannya. Mereka banyak menciptakan bahan dengan menggunakan subjektifitas yang besar dengan asumsi hasil yang kecil. Padahal, pikiran mereka belum mampu memprediksi dampak atau efek samping yang saja bisa membuat gempar hingga menyesatkan. Berita seperti inilah yang disebut hoax.

Pada dasarnya, hoax berasal dari kata hocus pada frasa hocus pocus, yang sesuai dengan definisi kamus Merrian-Webster berarti to cheat (untuk mencurangi). Frasa itu sendiri sebenarnya merupakan bagian yang diterapkan dalam pertunjukan sulap, setara ucapan sim salabim dan sejenisnya. Maksud penggunaan kata hoax pada pemberitaan palsu berbeda dengan pada pertunjukan sulap. Dalam pemberitaan palsu, pendengar atau penonton tidak sadar sedang dibohongi, sedangkan pada suatu pertunjukan sulap, penonton justru mengharapkan supaya ditipu.

Maraknya penyebaran hoax di media massa dinilai mengkhawatirkan kaum masyarakat intelek, karena hal ini menunjukkan kurang maksimalnya peran pihak redaktur dan penyunting dalam menyaring berita dan bisa jadi karena tidak adanya pengawasan dari provider lahan sehingga menciptakan kebebasan berekspresi yang tidak bertanggung jawab. Di sisi lain, masyarakat awam yang menanggapi bacaan sebagai sumber informasi sekunder setelah televisi dikhawatirkan dapat disesatkan, karena pola penggalian info yang masih terjebak dalam budaya tutur.

Hoax memang dapat terjadi, tetapi celakalah bagi para produsernya. Kepopuleran isu dan kredibilitas pembuat hoax-lah yang menjadi penyebab suburnya hoax. Untuk itu, pembaca Indonesia sebagai agen-agen pembawa perubahan pola pikir dan nilai-nilai lama sebaiknya lebih selektif dalam mengonsumsi berita yang nantinya dapat disebarkan. Mayoritas kepopuleran isu, kesamaan atau keselarasan referensi, serta redaksi yang memadai dapat menjadi ‘perlengkapan’ dalam upaya menghindari penalaran pembaca yang berujung pada hoax.

(Desember 2016)

The Forming of Culture - Free Translation of 1974 Koentjaraningrat's Anthology

CULTURE, MENTALITY, AND DEVELOPMENT

THE FORMING OF CULTURE

A free translation by Marsal Sintung

In my opinion, culture has at least three forms:

1. The form of culture as the whole thoughts, values, norms, rules, etc.

2. The form of culture as the whole activities and figured actions of humans in society.

3. The form of culture as the objects and creation of humans.

The first form above is the ideal one of culture which is abstract; cannot be felt or pictured. It exists only in minds of the humans in society where the culture lives. If they express it through writing, the existence of the ideal form of culture will be in the works by the people in the society as well. Moreover, ideal culture has been manifested through disks, tapes, archives, microfilm or microfiche, and so on.

Ideal culture may also called code of conduct, or in a familiar term, 'custom', whose function is to organize or to control the actions of humans in a society. Specifically, custom consists of several layers; from the most abstract to a limited, concrete one. The most abstract is culture value system, for example. The second one is the system of norms, then system of law which is based on norms. Meanwhile, specific rules of daily activities (like manners) are the concrete but limited in scopes.

The second form of culture is the social system, which consists of interacting human activities through times following certain schemes based on the code of conducts. As a sequence  of human activities through society, this is a concrete system which is observable, certifiable, and happens all the time.

The third one is called physical culture with lots of evidences. Since it was the whole results of activities and works of humans, physical culture is the most concrete form through identifiable objects; from big ones such as factories, temples, even to shirt buttons.

In a systematic analysis, the physical culture of a nation should be firstly categorized according to its level as I have mentioned in my first work of this series. We may resolve an element of culture to its sub-elements until simplest, smaller scopes. For example, physical aspect of religion as element of culture is ritual architecture or temple. Such big element may still be resolved into ritual appliances; to priest's vestment; until the smallest scope, clothes button.

These three forms of culture are inseparable in society. Ideal culture and customs organize also lead to actions and works of the human living in it which give physical culture as the result. In reverse, that (physical) culture forms certain livelihood which gradually separates humans and their natural environment, giving influences to their actions and mindsets.

For analytical purpose, it needs a precise, more detailed resolve. This is often forgotten not only in discussions or daily jobs, but also in scientific analysis of social scientists.

Throughout social and human sciences, there is already some kind of categorization on these three forms of culture above done by the scholars of literature and philology. The same goes on normative approaches of social sciences, such as customary law or even general law. The scholars dealing on behavioral sciences put their focus to the second form without leaving the ideal one (the first form). Likewise, the others in history and politics put theirs as well which at last, make the archaeologists seem to deal only on the third form although they (archaeologists) will finally refer to the first form as their background.

(August 2016)

The Symbolism of Door as the Trigger of Psychological Transition on "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen

THE SYMBOLISM OF DOOR AS THE TRIGGER OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TRANSITION ON "A DOLL'S HOUSE" BY HENRIK IBSEN

Marsal Sintung

Basically, a door is a moving structure installed on a wall or surface which ease the circulation between or among rooms surrounded as a separator. The presence of the thing is absolute in human being, but not in literary works. It may refer to more than just a moving structure revealed by the writer and it is applied, for example, in “A Doll’s House” by a Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen.

The work “A Doll’s House” tells about Nora, who is the main character of the story, forges her father’s signature in order to take a loan for her sick husband, Torvald. She lives as a woman who is able to adapt her actions through every situations until the story ends with her determination, for she thinks his husband does not love her anymore instead of her efforts to build a good family through sacrifices.

Ibsen gives revelation through the role of objects around the characters, and the door in the play is one of the most important objects which reveals the characterization of Nora. Every use determines her psychological condition. Before talking about the role of the door, it is required to analyze the acts when Nora uses it as Ibsen wrote:

ACT I

1. Nora showed up using the front door after bought several Christmas needs.

2. Nora used the door to Torvald’s study to find out.

3. Nora opened the door for her children after their outdoor activities.

ACT II

1. Nora used the front door with worries to find out who would come or what happened outside.

2. Nora opened door for Doctor Rank.

3. Nora locked the door when Krogstad came to the house complaining his disposal.

4. Nora used the door to find out if Krogstad put his blackmail into the house’s mailbox.

5. Nora opened the door for Torvald and Doctor Rank so they could see her wearing the Tarantella’s attire.

ACT III

1. Nora went out leaving Torvald through the front door.

Below is the explanation about the role of doors as objects of transition of psychological condition for Nora reacting her surroundings:

1. The door as the trigger of cheerfulness and enthusiasm. This revelation can be found in Act I, starting from the beginning of the act. Nora was narrated entering the house after she bought some Christmas needs. Happily, she hummed while carrying the things, then helped by the porter then the maid. She gave tip to the porter, in that situation where she was feeling cheerful and was thinking the Christmas celebration for the family.

2. The door as the trigger of loyalty and amorousness. After she had done with the things for Christmas, while she was having her macaroon, she went toward her husband’s study to check if he was in using her ear instead of opening it. Implicitly analyzed, she had amorousness and passion to Torvald as her husband, especially from the conversation of both using ‘twittering bird’ and ‘little squirrel.’

3. The door as the trigger of childishness and family-oriented character. The story told that Nora had a serious conversation with Torvald, Christine, and Doctor Rank, but the appearance of her children turned her from serious into a cheerful and enthusiastic, childish woman – a drastic change of behavior management. The purpose is not just about to adapt with them, but also to show the adults that she could be a someone which was pleasant to a younger generation, followed by her dancing with one of the children and complements also a cheerful kiss when she welcomed them through the front door.

4. The door as the trigger of worries and discomfort. This happened several times in Act II with Krogstad as the cause. His threats made Nora opened the door for times just for checking his coming and the blackmail. During this situation, Nora became a coward, even the feeling was carried out until her respond to Torvald and Rank at the moment she was about to try the Tarantella attire and the practice.

5. The door as the trigger of pleasantness. Nora always tried to become a good fellow to everyone, but the notable case was to Doctor Rank as the friend of her husband. She could professionally muffle her worries from the threat of the day and became a good listener. Even, Nora could keep the conversation professional as a colleague without ruling out pleasantness when Rank started to get into a deep but awkward conversation.

6. The door as the final use – the revelation of true identity and portal of change. This use of door is the first and the last use of Nora written on the play in Act III which took the situation when Nora left Torvald forever.

It was written that Krogstad had put the blackmail into the Helmer family, although he was about to take it back since he, near the end of the story, was happy after Christine was willing to rejoin him (the truth was they were once romantically-involved). For the sake of both Torvald and Nora, Christine persuaded Krogstad not to take the mail back so there would be nothing hidden anymore. The mail made Torvald so furious to Nora with swears and insults, and she felt so guilty as if she was not deserved to be in the family. But what Torvald felt after Krogstad sent the letter of clearing the case turned into a great happiness; this was the point where Nora revealed who she really was through the transition of her psychological condition.

Torvald’s emotion expressed to Nora torn her out. Thereupon, in a greater depression than the previous one she got from the first, she finally realized that he did not love Nora with all he was. Torvald treated Nora as his wife like a doll, just like she got from her father in her previous life (that is why Ibsen gave this work ‘A Doll’s House). She was pampered, considered not wise enough to spend money as if she was not able to do the duty of a wife while in fact she ran things greatly and professionally - from her case forging her died father’s signature to loan for her sick husband, maintained the house, raised the children, being a faithful wife, everything she had done so everyone would be satisfied with her presence. Unfortunately, those great things were not realized by Torvald, and worse, he thought that by pampering Nora was the enough, appropriate respond for all her hard works.

Nora made her choice to leave him forever for she thought Torvald loved her no more. Her identity revelation was clearly expressed through her dialog after the anger of Torvald. While she was about to leave the house, this was the moment where door took its position as the trigger of psychological condition transition. The leaving Nora, through the door, gives the symbol of the true independence, firmness, and professionalism also a critic personality. All these behaviors was once and for all ended with a door slam as the end of the story, as the symbol of integrity, that she was not a someone who could be treated like a doll anymore.

That is all about the magnificent work of Ibsen titled ‘A Doll’s House.’ His brilliance was expressed through the placing of functions of door through the play; he enriched the revelation in Act II, then he made the one last use at the end of the story in Act III, as if he wanted to emphasize the essence of characterization.

The conclusion is that a litterateur may freely create uncountable, unexpected ways of characterization through dialogs, situations, even objects. Ibsen had brilliantly done it through the objects scattered in his play, which its presence took an important role and most of the people would not realize it much – the door. 

(December 2014)

Dedicated to all Literature students, especially in University of Sam Ratulangi

*You don't write because you want to say something, but you write because you have something to say - Francis Scott Fitzgerald*