Translation in Arabic language and literature
Nikoo Nikrah; Alireza Nazari; Aliasghar Shahbazi
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 ...
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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.
Alireza Nazari; Leila Jalali Habib Abadi
Abstract
Narrative work is one of the literary types that have more cultural and indigenous elements than other literary forms, and this plays a key role in the translation research, from the theory of translation and translation strategies. ‘The Blind Owl’ is one of the masterpieces of contemporary ...
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Narrative work is one of the literary types that have more cultural and indigenous elements than other literary forms, and this plays a key role in the translation research, from the theory of translation and translation strategies. ‘The Blind Owl’ is one of the masterpieces of contemporary Persian literature, which has many cultural components in many places, so that translators are faced with many challenges in translating it into other languages. This prominent novel was translated into Arabic by Ibrahim El Desouki. Ivir is one of the theorists who have presented his own approach to translating cultural elements, which includes transcription, definition, literal translation, substitution, lexical creation, omission, and addition. The present study aims to investigate translation methods of cultural elements of the Blind Owl in Arabic based on Ivir’s approach using the descriptive-analytical method. By analyzing the translation method of the Blind Owl, it is evident that in most cultural cases the translator has preferred to use the mixed method, whether in the combination of replacement and definition, and/or borrowing and definition, and even addition and definition in the footnotes. By analyzing the method of translating the Blind Owl, it is clear that in most cultural cases the translator has preferred to address equivalence by substitution method, although such an approach has some problems. In cases where the translator has succeeded in the translation, it is because he has used footnotes to explicate the cultural elements.
Alireza Nazari
Abstract
In relation to language and thought, discussion of language relativity can still be controversial. This hypothesis, more often known as “Sapir–Whorf hypothesis” is based on how language impacts on thought. In its extreme form, it is language that determines and directs thought, and ...
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In relation to language and thought, discussion of language relativity can still be controversial. This hypothesis, more often known as “Sapir–Whorf hypothesis” is based on how language impacts on thought. In its extreme form, it is language that determines and directs thought, and in its mildest form, language affects parts of thinking. The basis of this hypothesis is that the speakers of every language encounters and conceptualizes the world through their own language. Therefore, linguistic differences sometimes lead to differences in the worldviews. Naturally, translation, which transmits data from one language to another, will be affected by such relativity. This article, by a descriptive-analysis, seeks to categorize distinct relativities in Arabic and its effect on the translation of Arabic texts, especially ancient texts into Persian. It seems that based on the distinct Arabic origins of Persian and different pre-Islamic cultural dimensions it would be possible to consider categories of mild relativity in order to confront the translation of Arabic texts with particular challenges. The basic question of the research is to explain the grammatical categories of relativism and how it affects the translation from Arabic. This ultimately leads to the conclusion that the categories of time, number, and gender in verbs, some conjugations, color, descriptions, as well as, some natural phenomena indicate that Arabic, especially in its early periods, is far more atomistic than Persian. In other words, it separates the outer world with more sections, and In this regard, the special attention of translators is required.
Alireza Nazari; Zohreh Asadollahpoor Araghi
Abstract
Language interference or the blend of two languages is a distinctive feature that relates both Persian and Arabic. Emergence of Islam in Iran established a closed and deep connection between these two languages. This connection resulted in a collateral effect especially in the lexical aspects; this means ...
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Language interference or the blend of two languages is a distinctive feature that relates both Persian and Arabic. Emergence of Islam in Iran established a closed and deep connection between these two languages. This connection resulted in a collateral effect especially in the lexical aspects; this means that the involved words or loanwords exchanged between the two languages signified that the Arabic loanwords are far greater in number than Persian ones. Although some words maintained their phonological and written form, there are many other words that have been changed over the centuries in terms of meaning and usage. In some cases, the written form has stayed the same but is considered completely different in terms of linguistic signs. This creates problems for the translators. The present paper aims to employ field experiments design analysis and interpretation to present general and new categories of involved Arabic words and distinguish the effective aspects of each category in translation. It also endeavors to demonstrate that translating from Arabic into Persian, despite the many involved words, may be helpful; however, considering their semantic transformation and functional differences or the distinctiveness of the other group, deviation may happen in finding equivalents.
