African Journal of Linguistics, Literary and Cultural Studies

ANALYSIS OF TRANSLATION SHIFTS AND MEANING EQUIVALENCE IN THE INDONESIAN TRANSLATION OF THE SONG AN STORY OF MY LIFE BY ONE DIRECTION

Cindy Patricia Manurung — 2026-02-27

This study explores shifts found when moving the song “Story of My Life” by One Direction from English into Indonesian, keeping its first meaning. This research used a qualitative descriptive way, putting text meaning first over number measures. The data has song lines pulled from the first English song plus a liked Indonesian take. The work’s range stays inside a deep language look at the change moves and meaning match found in the song’s picked words. More specifically, this research focuses on finding and sorting translation changes based on Catford’s ideas, including structural, unit, class, level, and intra-system variations, as shown within the Indonesian interpretation of the music. Moreover, the scope includes examining semantic equivalence using Nida and Taber’s model, especially about keeping affective significance, authenticity, and communicative impact within the resulting language. The analysis happens when experts check every bit of written stuff, plus each line, looking closely at how the writing style and meaning fit together in all versions.Details involving sound, like musical part setups, beat shifts, spoken word styles, plus listener reactions, get left out for clearer focus on written language analysis.

The results show clearly that changes affecting the broad layout plus particular parts happen most when translations get revised. The information shows that changes to layout and its varied segments are alterations seen most within the translation process. This general pattern mainly comes from wide gaps within the grammar of English and Indonesian, plus issues faced when translating songs, like beat patterns, word counts, and key things which shape music.The study also points out that dynamic equivalence gets used mainly to save the strong feelings, realness,

and linked plot within the target language.The Indonesian translation does share well the main point, deep feelings, and caring sense of the initial song.These findings confirm that translation shifts function as necessary and strategic adaptations in song translation rather than as translation errors.

Naming Practices and Identity Construction in the Ghɔmálá’ Community: A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Cultural Meaning, Social Hierarchy, and Global Influences

SIMEU ABRAHAM WEGA — 2026-05-28

This article examines the sociolinguistic implications of naming practices within the Ghɔmálá’ community. It is guided by the following central research question: How do naming practices within the Ghɔmálá’ community function as sociolinguistic mechanisms for constructing, negotiating, and maintaining cultural identity, social hierarchy, and historical consciousness in a context of multilingualism and globalization? The main objective of this study is to explore the intricate sociolinguistic landscape of Ghɔmálá’ naming practices by illuminating the dynamic interactions between language, culture, and identity. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including observation, interviews, focus groups, and archival data, this study investigates how naming conventions reflect cultural values, social status, and historical influences. The analysis leans on anthropolinguistic theory (Durante 2003; Lévi-Strauss 1958-1973), Symbolic Interactionism (George Herbert Mead 1934, 1962), Social Identity Theory (Henri Tajfel and John Turner, 1979) and Postcolonial Theory (Frantz Fanon, 1967 and Edward Said, 1978), to demonstrate how names function as linguistic markers of social roles, kinship relations, and cultural heritage. The findings reveal that naming practices are embedded in complex systems of meaning that encode power relations, identity constructions, and cultural continuity. This study contributes to a broader understanding of the relationship between language and identity in multilingual and multicultural contexts by showing how naming practices serve as a key site for the negotiation of identity, power, and cultural belonging.

Reporting the Powerful: Linguistic Strategies in Print Media Coverage of Murders in Kenya

Elizabeth Khaemba — 2026-02-16

This paper explores the linguistic strategies used by journalists in reporting murders implicating prominent personalities. Notably, it examines how these strategies are employed to construct the identities of the perpetrators, underscoring how journalists navigate power dynamics inherent in such stories while managing potential harm to themselves, the subjects involved, and the broader sociopolitical context. The study further examines the critical role of language in shaping public discourse on justice. Utilizing ten purposively sampled headlines and lead paragraphs from The Daily Nation and The Standard newspapers’ 2018 coverage of murders linked to prominent figures in Kenya, a qualitative investigation reveals how journalists negotiate power asymmetries and the implications of this navigation for both their safety and public perceptions of justice. Guided by Roger Fowler’s Critical Linguistics (1970), the findings indicate that journalists employ distinct linguistic strategies - such as nominal references and transitivity choices - differently based on the subject’s status and the media outlet. There’s a notable tendency for the Daily Nation to use both the nominal references and transitivity to implicate suspects, emphasizing accusation, thereby reinforcing a narrative of guilt implicitly. Conversely, The Standard’s use of similar strategies tends to deflect blame, offering protection to suspects. These divergent patterns raise essential questions about media framing, power asymmetries in crime reporting, and highlight the need for policy and advocacy efforts to foster ethical and balanced journalism. The theoretical implications suggest that linguistic choices intersect with power dynamics in media discourse, warranting broader analyses in future research. Recommendations include investigating digital and audio media, as well as cases involving less powerful individuals, to deepen our understanding of how language mediates issues of justice and inequality across various platforms.