<![CDATA[Culture-specific references often become one of the most challenging aspects of translating Indonesian folktales into English. Translators are expected to preserve cultural meanings embedded in the source text while at the same time producing a translation that can be understood by target readers. This paper examines how a student translator dealt with this challenge when translating Asal Usul Sompil Gripis di Umbul Pengging, a Javanese folktale rich in local cultural references and wayang-related terminology. This study employed a qualitative case study design within the framework of Translation Process Research. Data were collected from the translator’s draft, translation quality assessment, and retrospective interview. The analysis focused on culture-related items, including personal names, social titles, forms of address, and local cultural terms. Several interesting patterns emerged from the data. Although the translator repeatedly stated that preserving meaning was more important than readability, many translation decisions were influenced by assumptions about international readers. For example, Dewi Sembadra was rendered as Princess Subhadra, while names such as Kresna, Karno, and Sengkuni were replaced with the forms Krishna, Karna, and Shakuni after the translator consulted English-language sources. Terms without close English equivalents, such as sendang, were retained and explained through footnotes. Paraphrase was also frequently used to avoid what the translator perceived as awkward or overly literal expressions. These strategies generally improved readability, yet some of them reduced cultural specificity and affected translation accuracy. The findings suggest that translation decisions are shaped not only by linguistic considerations but also by the translator’s perception of who the target readers are and what they are expected to understand.]]>
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