Idiom analysis in the Indonesian subtitles of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Ghifari, Akhdanil (2026) Idiom analysis in the Indonesian subtitles of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). Idiom Analysis in the Indonesian Subtitles of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), 14 (1). pp. 2322-2341. ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) 2548-4192 (Online)

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Abstract

Idiomatic expressions represent one of the most complex challenges in audiovisual translation due to their culture-specific nature and resistance to literal rendering. Fantasy films such as the Harry Potter series are particularly rich sources of idiomatic language, as they draw extensively on British cultural conventions and figurative expressions deeply embedded in the source culture. Despite growing scholarly interest in subtitle translation, studies focusing on idiomatic expressions in fantasy film subtitles within the English–Indonesian language pair remain limited. This study analyzes the types of idiomatic expressions and the translation strategies employed in the Indonesian subtitles of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) using Baker's (2011) framework through a descriptive qualitative method applied to twelve purposively selected idiomatic expressions. The findings reveal that pure idioms constitute the largest category (50%), followed by figurative idioms (33.3%) and semi-idioms (16.7%), with translation by paraphrase emerging as the dominant strategy (66.7%), followed by using an idiom of similar meaning but dissimilar form (25%), and translation by cultural substitution (8.3%). This study concludes that non-literal and adaptive translation strategies are essential in conveying idiomatic meaning effectively for Indonesian audiences, contributing practical insights for subtitle translators and researchers working with English-language fantasy films.

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