Translation Strategies Idiom on Football: “Park the Bus”

Abstract

Translating English football idioms such as "park the bus" into Indonesian involves complex linguistic and cultural problems. Adopting Mona Baker's (1992) idiom translation strategies of paraphrase, omission, equivalence, and literal translation, this study explains how the translation of such football idioms is conducted in Indonesian football media, including television commentaries, online news, and social media. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the research determines paraphrasing as the most widespread approach, chosen to provide clarity and cultural appropriateness. The use of literal translations sporadically for humorous or stylistic reasons and omission for the sake of fluency is also identified. The research further calls upon theories of idiomaticity and sociolinguistic theory to emphasize the importance of culturally responsive translation practice. These results add to translation research and provide practical implications for translator education and sports media localization.