Translation in Arabic language and literature
Nikoo Nikrah; Alireza Nazari; Ali Asghar Shahbazi
Abstract
Abstract Translation is the process of transferring linguistic data in many literary texts, especially fictional works, due to the existence of various specific cultural elements of the source culture, it acts as a bridge for cultural interactions and their ability to select the correct or more correct ...
Read More
Abstract Translation is the process of transferring linguistic data in many literary texts, especially fictional works, due to the existence of various specific cultural elements of the source culture, it acts as a bridge for cultural interactions and their ability to select the correct or more correct equivalent in the target text can be considered as a factor in assessing the success or failure of the translator. Newmark, more than other theorists, was aware of the importance of this issue and, in addition to categorizing concepts, provided solutions for replacing cultural elements. The novel "Safar" by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi, with its internal content and narrative movement within the framework of traditional Iranian culture, encompasses all the cultural elements that Newmark considers, and the translator of this work into Arabic has faced multiple challenges in this regard. This article, using a descriptive-analytical method and relying on Newmark's theory, attempts to analyze and criticize the translator's selection of cultural elements and to evaluate and even perform a stylistic analysis of the translator's performance in using Newmark's solutions. The results show that the most frequent cultural elements were related to material culture and proverbs, and the translator used a combination of more strategies than other methods in translating cultural elements. It can be said that the reason for the translator's frequent use of this method is the large number of some cultural concepts, including material culture and proverbs, and also to eliminate ambiguity and provide explanations in footnotes for better familiarity of Arabic-speaking audiences.Keywords: Arabic Translation, Cultural Elements, The novel “Safar”, Mahmoud Dowlatabadi, Salim Hamdan.IntroductionTranslation is generally defined as the transferring of data and information from one natural language to another natural language; But in fact, it is a bridge of communication between two cultures that is created with the tool of language; Therefore, the act of translation,both as a product and as a process, has always been the focus oftheorists in various fields of linguistics and other sciences related to linguistics, and each of them from their own perspective and the goals for translationconsiders and analyzes it. But the experience of the last few decades in the field of translation studies, which is being studied, taught and criticized by the world's leading theoreticians, who are currently in the universities and scientific institutions of the world, shows that with the development of views and theories Many, especially considering the introduction of translation in the topics of artificial intelligence or vice versa, maybe translation will become a machine thing that can save humans from its labors. However, when we face translation as a bridge to transfer culture and its numerous and diverse elements, we believe translation as a challenging matter more than ever.Among the numerous theorists of the 20th century who have presented theories about translation, its types and solutions, we must give a special place to "Peter Newmark" who delicately explained the importance of cultural elements in the matter of translation and the challenges and The attractiveness of choosing equivalents of these often unique elements in the target culture showed special attention and in addition to categorizing these elements, it offers several solutions to the translators in facing these challenging elements; He divided cultural categories into five categories and presented seventeen solutions in the field of translating cultural elements, which briefly include: transference method, naturalization, cultural equivalent, functional equivalent, descriptive equivalent, synonymy, through translation, compensation, reduction and expansion, couplet, etc. (Newmark, 1382: 103-117) Also, Newmark believes that the most important issue to be investigated in translation criticism is the quality or the amount of semantic defects of the translation. In addition, the translation should be examined as an independent writing from the original text, and in the next step, it should be addressed to what extent the translator has preserved the personal style of the original text. (Newmark, 1382: 245) Therefore, his theory is a translation training class before being a theory. In such a way that it can be inferred that the translator must master the cultural background of two languages before getting to know and master the source and destination languages. These cultural differences are more prominent in fiction, especially in Persian and Arabic literature, which deals with traditional topics and rural and somewhat ancient society.Among the Persian novels, the novel "Safar" by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi is one of such texts, whose translation into any language is challenging and troublesome for the translator. This challenge will not come from its various cultural elements. Therefore, in this article, an attempt will be made to criticize and analyze the equivalent choices of the translator of this work in the Arabic translation with descriptive-analytical method, and through this analysis, the following questions will be answered, which are the most frequent cultural elements. Which are in this work? According to Newmark's theory, which strategies did the translator use more than others in transferring cultural elements? And what is the reason for this type of exploitation?According to the mentioned questions, in order to reach the answer, we will first categorize the cultural categories of the novel and then we will criticize and analyze the performance of the translator while fully examining the equivalent of these elements by citing evidence and examples. Literature ReviewAlthough the Arabic translation of the novel "Safar" has never been the subject of an article about translation from Newmark's point of view, this approach has been examined on various works in two languages, including the following:The article "Exploration of the Arabic translation of the cultural components of the novel The Buyer of Love based on Newmark's theory" by Salimi et al. (1400) in the Quarterly Journal of Translation Research in Arabic Language and Literature is the title of another study whose results show that the dominant method In the translation of the cultural component of ecology, the translator is "transferring the word and localizing it" and in addition to using the cultural equivalent method and literal translation, he has also used the transfer method.The article "Arabic translation of the cultural categories of the Persian story Shakar is by Mohammad Ali Jamalzadeh based on Newmark's approach" by Rahimi Khoygani (2016) in the Quarterly Journal of Translation Research in Arabic Language and Literature is a research title that shows some of its results. It means that the translator has provided a culturally equivalent solution and an audience-oriented translation.Rabiei et al. (2018), in a research entitled "Equivalence of Iranian folklore categories: a case study of the Arabic translation of Nun and Al Qalam by Jalal Al Ahmad", while enumerating the strategies of translating cultural elements from Newmark's point of view, most of the methods The use of a translator is considered a cultural equivalent and a descriptive equivalent. Gerji et al. (2019) in a research titled "Criticism of the translation of the cultural elements of the book "Tezkri" based on similes and allusions", by applying the Newmark model, believe that the translator has succeeded by using the functional equivalent method. .The article "Challenges of translatability of cultural elements in Najib Mahfouz's Al-Lass and Al-Kalab novels: a comparison of two translations based on Newmark's theoretical framework" written by Roshanfekr et al. Some of the novels of Al-Las and Al-Kalab have been discussed; the results indicate that the fusion method is one of the most successful methods for translating elements of Arabic culture into Persian.Esmaili and Shahbazi (1402) in a research entitled "Reviewing the Arabic translation of the cultural elements of the school principal's story based on Newmark's theory" believe that functional equivalents and the explanation of the concept of cultural elements in translation are the dominant and frequent approach of the translator, and the translator tries to use the text Make the story closer to the target language.Research MethodologyThe method of data collection in this library research and the data processing method will be descriptive-analytical in such a way that with the method of total induction, all the cultural elements in the novel will be extracted and quantified according to Newmark's classification, and all The data categorized based on all Newmark's strategies in the translation of cultural elements are examined, analyzed, and frequency based on the strategies so that the research result fully covers both aspects of this theory. Then, based on the importance and frequency of each category of elements and solutions, examples of the analysis of the translator's method in translating cultural elements will be mentioned as examples. The result of the research will be based on the calculation of all elements.ConclusionIn this research, while categorizing cultural categories, the methods used by translators in translating travel novels were investigated.- Out of the total of 83 cultural elements extracted from the novel "Safar", 38 items are related to material culture, 2 items are related to social culture, 4 items are related to customs, 3 items are related to gestures and habits, 3 items are related to currency units. 19 cases are related to proverbs, 11 cases are related to colloquial terms and 3 cases are related to titles.- The translator of the novel "Safar" in the translation of cultural elements, 42 times by the couplet method, 10 times by the cultural equivalent method, 7 times by the literal method, 5 times by the functional equivalent method, 5 times by the transference method, 5 times by the descriptive equivalent method, In 4 cases of incorrect equivalence, he used the synonymy method 2 times, the through translation method 2 times and the modulation method 1 time. Also, the results show that the translator of the novel "Safar" used the couplet method more than other methods and by 1/50%. Also, 0/12% of the cultural equivalent method is more than other methods, and 4/8% literal 0/6% functional equivalent, 0/6% transfer, 0/6% descriptive equivalent, 8/4% incorrect equivalence, 4/2% synonym, 4/2% through translation. Has used vector and 2/1% modulation. Cases such as synonyms, through translation, and modulation show the least amount of use of these methods by the translator in translation. - The extensive use of the synthesis method in the translation of the novel "Safar" shows that the translator tried to provide an understandable translation by applying this method, as well as a basis for the Arab-speaking audience to become more familiar with Iranian culture and better understand the meaning. Provide the author. Also, due to the fact that items such as proverbs and names of cities and cultural materials and products, respectively, have the largest number among the extracted samples, and this has caused the translator to use the integrated approach more.
