Lat's The Kampung Boy: Intermingling of Code-Switching in Comic Through Lens of Translation

Abstract

This study explores how Lat’s The Kampung Boy negotiates cultural identity through code-switching and how these elements are handled in its Arabic translation. Using a qualitative, text-based comparison of the English and Arabic versions, the research draws on Ashcroft et al.’s (2002) postcolonial language appropriation model and Pedersen’s (2005) translation strategies. Findings reveal that Lat’s use of code-switching is a deliberate tool to express authentic Malay identity, while the Arabic translator navigates these elements through a balanced mix of source- and target-oriented strategies. This balance allows the translation to retain cultural depth without losing clarity for its new audience, illustrating how language, identity, and culture intersect in postcolonial translation.