This study investigates the translation of idiomatic expressions found in the Indonesian subtitles of the television series Shōgun. It aims to examine the translation techniques used to render idiomatic meanings from English to Indonesian and to evaluate the type of translation equivalence achieved. This research addresses a gap in previous studies, which rarely focus on idiomatic expressions reflecting Japanese cultural values within historical drama subtitles, especially in the Indonesian context. Using a qualitative document analysis method, this study analyzes 80 idiomatic expressions from ten episodes of Shōgun. Each expression was verified using two idiom dictionaries and then analyzed based on Molina and Albir’s (2002) eighteen translation techniques, alongside Nida’s (1974) theory of formal and dynamic equivalence. The findings reveal that twelve different translation techniques were used, with established equivalent being the most dominant (37%), followed by reduction (19%), modulation (10%), and transposition (10%). The expressions were often translated using combinations of techniques in the form of single, duplet, triplet, and quartet groupings. While established equivalent was frequently applied, it served both literal and idiomatic functions depending on context. Several idioms were translated non-idiomatically when no suitable equivalents were available in Indonesian. In terms of equivalence, formal equivalence appeared more frequently (71%) than dynamic equivalence (29%), indicating a tendency toward literal translations. However, many of these formal translations prioritized structure over figurative meaning. This study highlights the challenges of translating idioms in subtitles and emphasizes the importance of balancing meaning, cultural adaptation, and technical constraints in audiovisual translation.
Keyword: Idiomatic Expressions, Translation Techniques, Translation Equivalences, Audiovisual Translation, TV Series