The Translation of Hedges in Pride and Prejudice Novel by Jane Austen from English - Indonesian

Abstract

This study explores the use and translation of hedges in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and its Indonesian translation Keangkuhan dan Prasangka by Rini Nurul Badariah. Guided by Bruce Fraser’s (2010) classification, hedges are categorized into propositional and speech act hedging. The study aims to identify the types of hedges used by male and female characters and examine how these are rendered in translation. A descriptive qualitative approach was used to analyze hedging expressions in both versions of the text. The findings indicate that female characters tend to use hedges more frequently than male characters, with a preference for propositional hedging. In translation, many hedges were retained with similar functions, though a significant number were omitted or altered, particularly those related to speech acts. These shifts may affect the tone, level of politeness, and character portrayal in the target language. The study confirms gender-based tendencies in hedging and emphasizes the importance of preserving pragmatic features in literary translation to maintain the original’s meaning, interpersonal dynamics, and stylistic nuance.