Lost in Translation? Analyzing Semantic Shifts in the English-to-Indonesian Translation of the Webtoon Flawless

Abstract

Translation is a critical process for bridging linguistic and cultural gaps, yet it often involves semantic shifts that alter the original meaning of the text. This study examines semantic shifts in the English-to-Indonesian translation of the webtoon Flawless, a popular romance comic that combines textual and visual elements to convey meaning. Using Mujiyanto’s framework, this qualitative-descriptive research identifies and categorizes semantic shifts into five types: generalization, specification, substitution, reversal, and deviation. Data were collected from the English and Indonesian versions of Flawless on the Webtoon application, with 57 instances of semantic shifts analyzed. The findings reveal 13 substitutions, 2 specifications, 15 generalizations, 3 reversals, and 24 deviations, with deviation being the most frequent shift. These shifts reflect the translator’s strategies to adapt culturally specific expressions and idiomatic language to the target audience, often at the expense of the original meaning. While generalization and substitution enhance readability, they may also dilute the original context, whereas deviation introduces significant departures from the source text to improve cultural relevance. This study contributes to translation studies by providing a systematic analysis of semantic shifts in webtoon translation, highlighting the challenges of preserving meaning in multimodal digital content. The findings offer valuable insights for translators, educators, and digital content creators, emphasizing the importance of cultural competence and the need for further research on audience reception and technological solutions in translation.