Translating Slang Across Time: A Comparative Analysis of 1990s and Contemporary Meanings in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

Abstract

Language plays an important role as a means of communication, and its form is constantly changing in line with social and cultural developments. One of the most dynamic forms of language change is slang, which generally emerges from the creativity of the younger generation and is often seen in popular media such as films. This study aims to analyse the translation of slang in the film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) through three main focuses: (1) classifying slang based on Partridge's theory (1954), (2) analysing errors in the translation of slang from the source language (SL) to the target language (TL), and (3) comparing the meaning of slang diachronically between 1990 and 2025. This study uses a qualitative method with a content analysis approach. Data was collected by watching the film, identifying slang in the dialogue, classifying it, and then comparing its meaning using Urban Dictionary and Oxford Dictionary. The results of the study show 16 slang data with the categories of Society Slang (50%), Colloquialism (31%), and Metaphorical Slang (19%). In addition to finding several translation errors, this study also shows that there has been a shift in the meaning of slang over time, with some even losing their relevance. This study emphasises the importance of diachronic awareness in translating slang so that its meaning and function remain historically and culturally accurate.