English

Abstract

This qualitative inquiry delved into the translation experience, adaptation strategies and benefits gained by eight students who translated one English short story each to the vernacular in the form of radio dramas. It explored how a short story can be expressed in the same way in two languages and adapted for radio for a particular audience. In-depth interviews and guided qualitative content analysis were used as methods. The student writers' experiences showed the themes of situational equivalence, updating, empathy, faithfulness, concentration, patience, creation, literal transcription, expansion, and omission. For radio drama adaptation, Davis' conventional strategies, such as characterization, enhancement, faithfulness to the story, no use of original phrasing and changing characters' images, were identified. No script provided a different ending to the story nor added new characters. Overall, the study provided new drama material for local radio station managers and fulfilling and enjoyable experiences for the writers.