An Analysis of the Translation Quality of Jewelry Terminology in Digital Marketplace Product Descriptions

Abstract

The rapid growth of digital marketplaces has increased the need for accurate and effective translation of product descriptions to facilitate communication between sellers and consumers from different linguistic backgrounds. In this context, jewelry terminology presents unique challenges due to its specialized, technical, and commercially driven nature. This study aims to analyze the translation quality of jewelry terms found in digital marketplace product descriptions, focusing on the aspects of accuracy, acceptability, and readability. The research employed a descriptive qualitative approach. The data consisted of 20 jewelry-related terms collected from bilingual product descriptions on the Shopee marketplace, including terms referring to jewelry types, materials, gemstones, and design features. Data were collected through documentation and note-taking techniques and analyzed using the Translation Quality Assessment model proposed by Nababan, Nuraeni, and Sumardiono (2012). The findings reveal that most jewelry terms were translated accurately and acceptably, particularly terms that already have established equivalents in Indonesian, such as necklace, ring, and bracelet. However, several design-related and specialized terms, such as hoop earrings, choker necklace, and cubic zirconia, were translated through borrowing techniques or retained in their original forms, which affected their acceptability and readability. The study concludes that the overall translation quality of jewelry terminology in Shopee product descriptions is satisfactory, although challenges remain in translating specialized and industry-specific terms. These findings contribute to translation studies by highlighting the importance of terminology management in digital commerce and providing insights for improving the quality of product translation in multilingual marketplace environments.