Jambura Journal of English Teaching and Literature
Vol 7, No 1 (2026): JAMBURA JOURNAL OF ENGLISH TEACHING AND LITERATURE

An Accuracy Analysis of Translation in English-Indonesian Bilingual Children’s Storybooks through Back-Translation

Erlita, Yeni (Unknown)
Sibarani, Berlin (Unknown)
Hasibuan, Juli Rachmadani (Unknown)
Gultom, Johannes Jefria (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
22 Apr 2026

Abstract

This study evaluates the translation accuracy of the English-Indonesian bilingual children’s storybook Purple and Walter: Save the Trees using the Back-Translation method to ensure its reliability for bilingual education. Employing a qualitative descriptive design with textual analysis, the research analyzed 65 linguistic units comprising sentences and dialogue segments following the four-step "circular" validation procedure (Forward Translation, Review, Blind Back-Translation, and Comparison) proposed by Yu et al. (2003). The data were further assessed using Nababan’s (2012) translation accuracy framework. The findings indicate a high level of semantic consistency, with 0% (0 units) falling into Low Accuracy, 27.7% (18 units) categorized as Moderate Accuracy, 52.3% (34 units) as High Accuracy, and 20.0% (13 units) as Very High Accuracy. Results demonstrate that while the core message and narrative function remain stable (72.3% total High/Very High accuracy), Moderate Accuracy units reveal a consistent pattern of stylistic reduction, where descriptive intensity and double emphasis (e.g., "tiny little") are simplified for audience adaptation. This study concludes that the Back-Translation method serves as a rigorous "diagnostic filter" for detecting subtle meaning shifts that traditional direct comparisons may overlook. The high semantic reliability of the text confirms its effectiveness for literacy development, though a balance between readability and the preservation of stylistic richness is recommended for future bilingual materials.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jetl

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

Jambura Journal of English Teaching and Literature (JJETL) is a peer-reviewed journal published by the English Education Study Program, Faculty of Letters and Culture, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Indonesia. It is published twice a year in April and October, with submissions accepted throughout the ...