A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE FOREIGNIZATION AND DOMESTICATION IDEOLOGIES USED BY DEEPL AND MICROSOFT TRANSLATOR AI IN TRANSLATING THE INDONESIAN POEM DIPONEGORO INTO ENGLISH

Abstract

This study explores the translation approaches—foreignization and domestication—adopted by DeepL and Microsoft Translator AI in rendering Chairil Anwar’s poem Diponegoro into English. As a work rich in national and cultural significance, the poem presents substantial challenges for automated translation tools in conveying its cultural depth and poetic features. Adopting a qualitative descriptive method, the research examines both translations through the lens of Venuti’s (1995) ideological framework. A detailed, line-by-line comparison was conducted to assess how each platform handled cultural references and stylistic elements. The analysis indicates that both AI systems primarily favor domestication, focusing on clarity and fluency for English-speaking readers while often overlooking cultural specificity. Many culturally loaded expressions and metaphors were either generalized or translated literally, resulting in a loss of nuance. However, some instances of foreignization were observed—such as the retention of the culturally significant term Tuan. Overall, the study suggests that while AI-generated translations are functional and reader-friendly, they often fall short in preserving the cultural richness of the original, underlining the need for more culturally sensitive translation technologies.