Translating Politeness: Mapping the Characterisation of Klara the AI from "Klara and the Sun" and its Indonesian Translation

Authors

  • Ela Sofian

    Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta 57126, Indonesia
  • Mangatur Nababan

    Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta 57126, Indonesia
  • Riyadi Santosa

    Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta 57126, Indonesia
  • Djatmika

    Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta 57126, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i11.11928
Received: 2 September 2025 | Revised: 29 September 2025 | Accepted: 1 October 2025 | Published Online: 21 October 2025

Abstract

Politeness strategies are crucial in literary characterisation, yet their role in the characterisation of AI characters remains underexplored—especially considering the rising concerns about the dangers of AI. Thus, given the speculative nature of concerns surrounding AI's potential dangers, often situated in a distant future, this research examines a fictional narrative set in a similarly futuristic context. Based on Brown and Levinson's framework on politeness strategies, this study investigates how politeness strategies shape an AI character and whether these features are retained in its translation. Using the Pragmatics approach, this qualitative research analyses "Klara and the Sun"  by Kazuo Ishiguro and its Indonesian translation, "Klara dan Sang Matahari"  by Ariyantri E. Tarman. It examines Klara, a human-shaped AI, through her politeness strategies that construct her identity. The study also evaluates translation techniques and quality to determine whether her characterisation remains intact in the Indonesian translation. Data were collected via document analysis and purposive sampling, then validated through Focus Group Discussion. Findings reveal that Klara's characterisation employs all of Brown and Levinson's politeness strategies, which are effectively preserved in the Indonesian translation according to the high quality of the translations analysed. The study highlights how Klara's use of politeness showcases her consistent kindness alongside growing confidence and awareness in human interaction, which adds depth to her character. By bridging pragmatics and translation studies, the research offers fresh insights into how politeness strategies shape AI characterisation and how such nuanced traits can be successfully conveyed through translation.

Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence; Characterization; Politeness Strategies; Translation Techniques; Quality of Translation

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How to Cite

Sofian, E., Nababan, M., Santosa, R., & Djatmika. (2025). Translating Politeness: Mapping the Characterisation of Klara the AI from "Klara and the Sun" and its Indonesian Translation. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(11), 542–556. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i11.11928

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Vol. 7 , Iss. 11 (November 2025): In progress

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Article

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Copyright © 2025 Ela Sofian, Mangatur Nababan, Riyadi Santosa, Djatmika

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.