Trans Type EN 11
Atta Ur Rahman Exploring Translation Strategies: A Case Study of the English Translation of the Holy Quran
Atta Ur Rahman,Hunan Normal University, China
Abstract
This study aims at diagnosing culture-specific items in the English translation of the Holy Quran and the strategies which were used to translate the CSIs. Translating CSIs can be a demanding task because such items have specific meanings in the culture and language in which they exist but not necessarily in others. Taking this fact into account, the present study investigates the strategies used in the translation of culture-specific items in the English translation of the Holy Quran. Moreover, the researcher explored the most frequently employed translation procedures. To achieve these goals, the descriptive approach is applied for the analysis of the translation of specific items of culture. The descriptive analysis is also used for the investigation of the translation procedures used therein. The findings of this study indicate that the use of cultural equivalent strategy was the most frequent applied procedure. The descriptive equivalent and through translation procedures were the second most frequently applied translation strategies which were followed by transference, functional equivalent, componential analysis, synonymy, modulation and notes. The results shows that the translation procedures are helpful (especially the target-oriented ones) in conveying the meaning of the text from Arabic into English in different ways.
Key Words
The Holy Quran, Translation Strategies, Translation Procedures, Culture-Specific Items, Newmark
Introduction
Translation that plays a crucial role in introducing the history and in transferring the culture of an area is a kind of communication between different languages. It is also illustrated “as the result of a linguistic-textual procedure in which a text in one language is re-contextualized in another language.” In the re-contextualization, studies on translation demonstrate that there are certain critical points (Munday 2012:37) that are problematic for translators, especially, when dealing with vital cultural texts such as religious texts (Malmkjær 2015:10). It helps to communicate and exchange information with people from different countries and cultures. Khammyseh argues that translation is one of the traditional communicating methods between communities all around the world. (Khammyseh 2005:9). Jothiraj states that “translation plays an important role in the inter-lingual process of communication”(Jothiraj 2004:1). Translation is essential for cultures and languages to exchange information. Newmark defines it as a craft in which a written message in a language is replaced by the same story in another language. According to him, Translation is the art of trying to translate what is written or expressed in one language into another language with the same message or expression. To accomplish a qualified translation, the translator needs to be aware of different aspects(Newmark 1988:2). Many scholars in translation have noticed that the difficulty for a translator is to translate texts which deals with religious concepts and cultural specific items.
Nida indicated that translation is the way of finding natural issues in the TL close to the SL, in terms of message and style(Nida 1964:32). Larson has acknowledged that dealing with religious and cultural items is the most difficult, both in finding equivalence and analyzing the source vocabulary. Among the many challenges that exist for the translator is to bring the concept of the SL to a deeper meaning in the TL, the main problem is how to give CSIs, the significance which is firmly connected to the particular cultural context(Larson 1998:23).
Culture plays a considerable role, Snell-Hornby assumed that “Culture refers to all socially conditioned aspects of human life”(Snell-Hornby 1988:33). Another definition of culture is formulated by Goodenough. For him, culture is “what people have to learn as distinct from their biological heritage, must consist of the end product of learning: knowledge, in a most general, if relative, sense of the term."(Goodenough 1957:167). By this definition, we should note that culture is not only a material phenomenon; it does not consist of things, people, behavior, or emotions. It is rather the organization of these things. It is the forms of things that people have in their minds, their models for perceiving, relating, and otherwise interpreting them”. According to him, if the translator wants to understand a culture, she or he has to understand that culture is a mixture of belief and knowledge.
The religious text and especially the Holy Quran have played a significant role in human life throughout history to guide human beings towards the right path. Translating religious text can be a hectic job. When it comes to religious texts like the Holy Quran, it might be even more hectic. The Holy Quran has a profound impact on the human lives of its believers. It spreads spiritual serenity and peace of mind. Lustig and Joline thought that “religion is an important institutional network that binds people to one another”(Lustig and Joline 2003:16). But sometimes believers of Islam (whether they are native or not native speakers of the language) face a tremendous difficulty when they want to understand the meaning of a certain lexical unit, lexis that can be identified as Quranic-specific words/phrases.
This study is aimed to probe Newmark's translation procedures applied to translate cultural items from the SL (Arabic) to the TL (English) and to focus on translation strategies used by the English translator to transfer absolute and in-depth intended meanings of the CSI in the Holy Quran. If we examine Newmark's opinion, seventeen procedures may be needed by a translator in the process of translation. However, only a few translation procedures are relevant to this translation, they are Transference, cultural equivalent, functional equivalent, descriptive equivalent, componential analysis, synonymy, through translation, modulation and notes.(Newmark 1988:81). These types of translation procedures are usually used to translate cultural terms contained in the text involving Surah Yusuf as a source language. Thus, in the relationship between translation and culture, the strategies offered should be understood as an attempt to make the translation easy to understand by the TR without blurring the message contained in the text written in the SL.
Translation and Culture
2. Translation and Culture
Culture and translation are intimately connected, for understanding the culture translation plays a crucial role. In every nation, there are multiple cultures which reflect how people behave, socially, traditionally and politically and also practice their specific languages. Languages have a complex system of communication that humans adapt from different cultural background. When someone wants to know more about any culture, it is necessary to know about that language. For understanding the language they need to translate it as one might not understand the particular language. Thus, translation fills the gap created by languages that is a very important aspect of translation.
The translation is the process of translating a point or text from one language to another, we can also refer translation to moving of something from one place to another. Translation impacts also on our real life, in a way of transforming other cultures, norms and traditions into our culture. Translators play a vital role in culture and mediators between cultures, dedicated to linking the gap that repeatedly hinders effective communication between communities. According to Peter Newmark, “translators have been entrusted the elegant and highly-demanding task of representing cultures for decades” (Newmark 1988:7). Newmark established connections concerning the relationship between culture and translating. In his book, he regards translation as a process of “representing the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author planned the text” (Newmark 1988:5). According to him, although this process has been supposed to be simple, in reality, translators have been facing the complex task of translating and conveying culture for decades, ever since countries began establishing relationships between one another. (Newmark 1988:7).
In the history of translation studies, translation has been discussed through multiple routes which based on practicality and some theoretical aspects. For instance, Catford defined it as "the replacement of textual material in one language by equivalent textual material in another language”(Catford 1965:20). According to Venuti translation is "the forcible replacement of the linguistic and cultural difference of the foreign text with a text that will be understandable to the target language reader”(Venuti 1995:18). Schjoldager stated that“a translation is a text that expresses what another text has expressed in another language”(Schjoldager 2008:19). Culture is a complex whole which includes knowledge,belief,art,law,morals,customs and many other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. The translation is no longer considered to be a mere cross-linguistic activity but it significantly is cross-cultural communication.” Since language reflects the way of life and basic parts of it, the process of translation cannot be done without the integration of cultural symbols into the construction of meaning. Hassan claimed that a good translation “is one that carries all the ideas of the original as well as its structural and cultural features” (Hassan 2014:2). Hermanns contributed that translation should be recognized as a cultural act. It is a kind of linguistic-cultural activity that involves at least two languages and two cultural traditions. Similarly, translation is not just a verbal act; it is also cultural, which is an act of communication of cultures(Hermanns 1999:22) Later, Hassan emphasized a good translation "is one that carries all the ideas of the original as well as its structural and cultural features" and that "reconstructs the cultural/historical context of the original"(Hassan 2014:2). These statements demonstrate that there is an interaction between translation and culture, Newmark illustrated that culture in translation competence is “the greatest hurdle to translation, at least the achievement of an accurate and decent translation" (Newmark 2001:328).
Bearing in mind the general alliance among researchers regarding the importance of culture in translation, the translation activity is a question of transferring the correct meaning and that the translator has a productive role in transferring not only the linguistic system of the source text but also the cultural one. As such, it is extremely difficult to draw a borderline between translation and culture as they are inextricably overlaid and this connection leads to creative translation.
2.1 Culture-Specific Items (CSIs)
Culture-specific items are notions that are specific to a particular culture. These concepts are using in different domains such as flora,fauna,food,clothes,housing, work,leisure,politics,law,and religion in the way of life. These cultural concepts are consist of different suggestion and approaches. For the denomination of these concepts, many scholars and linguists employed different names or terms, relatively different definitions are given and they tried to define some points that were related to the culture but they not defined even the name of the concept clearly. Scholars refer different names to these culture-specific items, Newmark uses the term cultural words. (Newmark 1988:327) Christine Nord names them “culturemes” (Nord 1997:9) while in one of the newer studies, focused on the translation of culture-specific items, Mohammad Reza Shah Ahmadi and Fatemeh Nosrati employ a term culture-bound element (Ahmadi and Nosrati 2012:1). After a long time, some scholars prefer the terms “culture-specific item” (Davies 2003:17), others choose cultural words (Newmark 2003;87) or culture-bound phenomena/concepts (Newmark 2003:7). In this study, the term “culture-specific item” is used as the basic term, as well as its abbreviation CSI, although other synonyms may be used to prevent repetition. "Culture-specific items are defined by different scholars according to their differences and similarities. Meanwhile, Mona Baker (1992) defines specific concepts of culture as “sourcelanguage words that express concepts unknown in the target culture” (Baker 1992:21). It may relate to religion, kind of food or social customs. Newmark suggests to culture-specific items as cultural words (Newmark 1988:94). He further discussed that in many circumstances, cultural words are somewhat easy to detect in a text because they are closely related to a specific language and unable to translate word by word (Newmark 1988:95). When they cannot be translated literary then he mentioned that the translators usually the purpose is to provide a descriptive-functional equivalent (Newmark 1988:95).
2.1.1 Translation of CSIs in the Holy Quran
The Holy Quran is the most basic religious book for Muslims, the Quran was revealed to the prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The Quranic corpus, created in an early form of Classical Arabic, is traditionally believed to be a literal transcript of God’s speech and to constitute the earthly production of an uncreated and eternal heavenly original, according to the general view referred to in the Quran itself as “the well-preserved tablet” (al-lawḥ al-mahfūẓ; Qurʾān 85:22). It has a heartfelt impact on human lives and their believers. It spreads spiritual stability and peace of mind. According to (Lustig and Joline 2003:16) “Religion is an important institutional network that binds people to one another.” Translating Quranic-specific words/phrases is considered a great challenge for the translators which requires an accurate interpretation and consciousness of the crucial functions of these Quranic-specific words/phrases. Therefore, they have to focus on a set of aspects to attain equivalence and then render the exact meaning. The translation of the Holy Quran is a debatable process because Arabic is full of cultural-specific concepts with no proper equivalent in other languages; consequently, some equivalents fail to convey their cultural meaning thoroughly. The translation is seen as the process of reconstructing a text into other languages. In the Holy Quran, it is mentioned in the Surah of Yusuf: “we have sent it down as an Arabic Quran”, the translated text has been simply seen as a commentary, explaining, or paraphrasing of the source text. In general, exact translation never occurs; rather this can be a basic interpretation of the Holy Quran. In the process of translation of the Holy Quran, language and CSI items and rhetorical features were not inimitable and reproducible into other languages. Translating CSIs is a strenuous task because such elements have special meanings in culture and language.
Types of Translation
3. Types of Translation
Newmark determines 8 types of translation which are:
3.1 Word-for-Word Translation
This is usually indicated as an interlinear translation, with the target language immediately below the source language words. The source language word-order is preserved and the words translated singly by their most common meanings, out of context. These words are translated literally. Some of the uses of point-by-point translation are to understand the mechanics of the source language or to create a difficult text as a pre-translation process.
3.2 Literal translation
In this type of translation, the grammatical structures of the source language are changed to the nearest target language equivalent but the written points remain the same to one another, out of context.
3.3 Faithful translation This translation attempts to reproduce the original exact meaning within the limitations of the TL grammatical structures. It also conveys cultural words and maintains an unusual degree of grammar and strength in translation. It tries to make the SL author completely loyal to the intent and reality of the text.
3.4 Semantic Translation
Semantic translation takes much of the aesthetic value of the source language text, making sense where appropriate so that there are no implications, wordplay or repetition roots in the finished version. It may translate less important cultural points by a culturally neutral third or active terms but not by cultural equation and it may also give the reader more small concessions.
3.5 Adaptation
This is an unrestricted form of translation. It is used mainly for plays and poetry, the themes, characters, plots are usually preserved, the SL culture converted to the TL culture and the text rewritten (Ahmad 2015:15).
3.6 Free Translation
The content without a form of the original or the matter without the manner is the productions of free translation. It is also known as intra-lingual translation and it is usually longer than the original.
3.7 Idiomatic Translation
This type of translation replicates the original message but degrades the depth of meaning by selecting meanings and dialogues that do not exist in the original.
3.8 Communicative Translation
This type of translation replicates the original message but degrades the depth of meaning by selecting meanings and dialogues that do not exist in the original(Newmark 1988: 18).
Translation Strategies
4. Translation Strategies Many theorists have used the term translation strategy extensively but with some significant differences in meaning and perspective that they see. Many theorists have used the approach of translation comprehensively but with some notable differences in meaning and vision as they appear.
4.1 Aixela Translation Strategies: According to Aixela translators need to choose several strategies based on the source language culture and target culture. Shee distinguishes many of the translation strategies that apply to the translation of culture-specific items and at the same time, she tries to command by the level of their intercultural intervention. She divided it into two groups; conservative groups (5 approaches) and the substitution (6 strategies).(Aixela 1996:86)
4.1.1. Conservation: In conservation,the less compelling process includes repetition,orthographic adaptation,linguistic translation,extratextual gloss and intratextual gloss.
4.1.1.1 Repetition:In repetition, there is simply the transference of the culture-specific items from the ST to the TT. Thus,the translator keeps as much as possible the original reference (Aixela 1996:61). This approach is often used for languages that do not differ in the alphabet and most for names.
4.1.1.2 Orthographic Adaptation: The orthographic adaptation involves writing or transliteration, mainly when the original term is given in a different alphabet than the one used in the target culture.
4.1.1.3 Linguistics translation: Linguistic translation emphasizes on the way where the translator chooses the source closest to the original text and increases his understanding by giving the TL version which is still relevant to the ST cultural system.
4.1.1.4 Extra-textual Gloss: Here,the extra-textual gloss refers to additional information to the previously mentioned procedures, The translator uses one of the above strategies but considers it as a necessity to explain the meaning or concept of CSI. In this gloss, it can be footnotes,endings,words,ideas,translators in dictionaries, italics and so on.
4.1.1.5 Intra-textual Gloss:It's like the past but the translator feels that he/she can include the globe as an indirect part of the text,not to distract the reader.
4.2.1 Substitution In substitution, According Aixela “that synonymy, limited universalization, absolute universalization, naturalization, deletion, and autonomous creation are encompassing here"(Aixela 1996:87)
4.2.1.1 Synonymy: This strategy is a stylist used to avoid the constant repetition of culturespecific items in the ST.
4.2.1.2 Limited Universalization: When the translator realizes that the culture-specific item is not clear to the reader or that another source CSI exists in the source language which can be replaced, replace it with data. Of course, the location is not as specific to the source language as the first one.
4.2.1.3 Absolute Universalization: The only difference between limited universalization and absolute universalization is when the translator cannot find the best known CSI in the source language or prefers to eliminate the unusual concept and choose a neutral term. (Aixela 1997:63).
4.2.1.4 Naturalization: In this case “translator brings the culture-specific item into the TL culture” (Ketabi 2015:8).
4.2.1.5 Deletion: When the CSI is “unacceptable ideologically or stylistically or it is not relevant enough for the effort of comprehension required for the readers” (Aixela 1996;64), or very clear that the translator does not want to use any strategy, they delete the CSI.
4.2.1.6 Autonomous Creation: When the translator agrees to use non-existent cultural reference in the ST.(Aixela 1997:43).
4.3 Mona Baker's Translation Strategies Baker's strategies have been used by professional translators at word level in their translations, to deal with issues while performing the task of translation.Baker She suggests various procedures to work for unequal treatment at the point level, for example, translation by a more general word, translation by a more neutral / less obvious word, translation by paraphrasing, Using related words, and so on. She formulates the classification in different strategies(Baker 1992;90) which are the following:
4.3.1 Translation by a more general word: According to Baker,this has to do with the meaning of the proposition. Appropriately it works in many languages.
4.3.2 Translation by a more neutral/ less expressive word: This is another strategy in terms of semantics it does with differences with obvious meaning.
4.3.3 Translation by cultural substitution:This strategy involves placing culture-specific material that does not have the same predictive meaning as the target language material but may have the same effect on the target reader.
4.3.4 Translation using a loan word: This strategy relies on culture-specific items, modern borrowing points plus interpretation concepts and buzz points.
4.3.5 Translation by paraphrase using a related word: When the source material is written in the target language but separately, and when the frequency used in the source text is high, it will be natural in the target language.
4.3.6 Translation by paraphrase using unrelated words: This strategy can be used when the concept in the source material is not lexical in the TL.
4.3.7 Translation by omission: Losing phrases or words that are not vital to text development.
4.3.8 Translation by an illustration: Here, use examples when the source word is not equal in the target language. Each theorist presents their strategies according to their point of view,however,Baker,s translation strategies include the most applicable set of strategies, as it shows the strategies used by professional translators.
Cultural Categories
5. Cultural categories
5.1.2 Ecology In this type of cultural category, Newmark labels those words which have some similarities and differences in culture concerning the environment. For Example, animals, colors, astronomy, plants birds etc. They will also have some geographical features that can normally differ from other cultural terms in that they usually have no political, commercial value.
5.1.2 Material culture
Material culture is also known as artefacts, In the category of material culture, Newmark included Food, clothes, housing, transport, and communications and also those objects which are made by humans. For Example, Clothing, atoms, crops, vegetables, jewellery, drugs, planets etc. “Food is for many the most sensitive and important expression of national culture. The function of the generic clothes terms is approximately constant, indicating the part of the body that is covered, but the description varies depending on climate and material used, houses and town, and transport.”(Newmark 1988:90)
5.1.3 Social culture
The social culture is divided by Newmark in two ways, they are work and leisure. For example, Trade, armour, literature, poets, markets, games.
5.1.4 Organisation
Newmark organizations are divided into five categories: political and administrative conditions, historical conditions, and international conditions. ‘The international community terms usually have recognized translations which are in• fact through-translations, and are now generally known by their acronyms', religious terms, artistic terms; “the translation of artistic terms referring to movements, processes and organizations generally depend on the putative knowledge of the readership. For example, adultery, business, corruption, sex, poverty, marriage, divorce etc.”
5.2 Newmark Classification CSIs
Newmark established the classification of culture-specific items (CSIs) into five classes which are; Table 1. Newmark classification of Culture-Specific Items. (Newmark 1988:97)
5.2.1 Categorization of CSIs in Surah Yousuf of the Holy Quran
Verse No.
Terms English Translation Categories
1 الۡکِتٰبِ Book Material culture
2 قرُۡءٰنًا Quran Material culture
3 الۡقَصَصِ Narration Gesture
4 رَايَۡتُ Dream Habit
5 کَوۡکَبًا Stars Ecology
6 ال َّ شمۡسَ Sun Ecology
7 الۡقَمَرَ Moon Ecology
8 الۡاحََادِيۡثِ Events Organization
9 يعَۡقوُۡبَ House of Yaqub Material culture
10 يعَۡقوُۡبَ Yaqub
11 ابِۡرٰہيِۡمَ Ibrahim
12 اِسۡحٰقَ Ishaq
13 اقۡتلُوُا Kill Social culture
14 ارَۡضًا Earth Ecology
15 الۡجُبِّ Pit Ecology
16 ال َّ س َّ يارَةِ Wayfares
17 يٰۤابََانَا Father
18 َّ يرۡتعَۡ Eat Social culture
19 وَ يَلۡعَبۡ Play Social culture
20 لَحٰفِظُوۡنَ Guard Social culture
21 وَ اخََافُ Fear Habit
22 الذِئّۡبُ Wolf Ecology
23 عِشَاءًٓ Nightfall Ecology
24 َّ يبۡکُوۡنَ Weeping Habit
25 مَتاَعِنَا Belongings Material culture
26 قمَِيۡصِہٖ Shirt Material culture
27 وَارِدہَمُۡ Water drawer Material culture
28 دلَۡوَهٗ Bucket Material culture
29 بِثمََنٍ ۢ بَخۡسٍ Paltry price Material culture
30 درََاہمَِ مَعۡدوُۡدةٍَ Silver coin Material culture
31 مِّصۡرَ Egypt
32 لِامۡرَاتَِہٖۤ Wife
33 الۡارَۡضِ Land Ecology
34 اشَُدَّ هٗۤ Prime age
35 الۡابَۡوَابَ Door Material culture
36 مَعَاذَ ّٰ ِ Master Organization
37 ال ُّ سوۡٓءَ Evil Habit
38 الۡفَحۡشَاءَؕٓ Lewdness Habit
39 عِبَادِنَا Servant Organization
40 وَ قَدَّ تۡ Ripped Social culture
41 عَذاَبٌ Punishment Social culture
42 ُّ يسۡجَنَ Prison Organization
43 الۡعَزِيۡزِ Minister Organistion
44 حُباؕ Love Social culture
45 فتَٰىہَا Slave Organization
46 سِکِّيۡنًا Knife Material culture
47 مَلکٌَ Angel Organization
48 فَاسۡتجََابَ Prayer Gestures
49 خَمۡرًا Wine Material culture
50 خُبۡزًا Bread Material culture
51 رَاۡسِیۡ Head Material culture
52 ال َّ طيۡرُ Birds Ecology
53 ءَارَۡبَابٌ Gods Organization
54 يٰصَاحِبَیِ السِّجۡنِ Prisoners Organization
55 تعَۡبدُوُۡنَ Worship Gesture
56 ال َّ شيۡطٰنُ Satan Organization
57 الۡمَلِکُ King Organization
58 بَقَرٰتٍ Cows Ecology
59 خُضۡرٍ Green Ecology
60 يٰبسِٰتٍ Dry Ecology
61 سُنۡۢبلُٰتٍ Grain Material culture
62 تزَۡرَعُوۡنَ Crops Material culture
63 يغَُاثُ Rain Ecology
64 يَعۡصِرُوۡنَ Juice Material culture
65 النِّسۡوَةِ Women
66 ال َّ رسُوۡلُ Messenger Organization
67 الۡعَزِيۡزِ Governor Organization
68 ال ّٰ صدِقِيۡنَ Truthful Habit
69 الۡخَائِٓنيِۡنَ Betray Organization
70 خَزَائِٓنِ Treasure Material culture
71 مَ َّ کنَّ ا Power Organization
72 بِرَحۡمَتِنَا Mercy Gestures
73 يَتَّ قوُۡنَ Taqwa Habit
74 الۡمُنۡزِلِيۡنَ Hospitality Habit
75 رِحَالِہِمۡ Camel Ecology
76 وَ ل َّ مَا فَتحَُوۡا Family Organization
77 بَابٍ Gate Material culture
78 اِنِ الۡحُکۡمُ Sovereignty Organization
79 الۡعِيۡرُ Caravan Organization
80 لسَٰرِقوُۡنَ Thieves Organization
81 السِّقَايَۃَ Bowl Material culture
82 تاَ ّٰ ِ Swear Habit
83 کٰذِبيِۡنَ Liars Habit
84 وِّعَاءِٓ Bag Material culture
85 درََجٰتٍ Rank Organization
86 َّ موۡثِقًا Pledge Social culture
87 الۡحٰکِمِيۡنَ Judges Organization
88 الۡقَرۡيَۃَ Town Material culture
89 عَيۡنٰہُ Eyes
90 الۡبَشِيۡرُ News Social culture
91 ابَوََيۡہِ Parents Organization
92 الۡعَرۡشِ Thrown Organization
93 يمَۡکُرُوۡنَ Devices Material culture
94 وَ الۡارَۡضِ Earth Ecology
95 ال َّ سمٰوٰتِ Heavens Ecology
Translation Procedure
6. Translation Procedure
There are seventeen different kinds of translation procedures classified by Newmark. According to (Gallagher 1996:31)“translation procedures are the technical devices to convey the message of a text in one language into another language.” The difference between translation procedure and translation methods discussed by Newmark (1988)“translation methods relate to whole texts, translation procedures are used for sentences and the smaller units of language.”(Newmark 1988:81)
6.1 Transference Transference is the way through which we convert the source language to target language and also contains transliteration or transcription. Transference is also known as loan words, there is no transformation in the spelling of the words that have been translated.
6.2 Naturalization Naturalization changes the word SL to its pronunciation,then TL to its original form. Naturalization also adds new connections to external conditions.
6.3 Culture equivalent In this procedure, SL the cultural word is translated by the target cultural word. The use of the translation of this procedure is limited because it is not accurate, but it can be used in general texts, public and publicity,as well as for brief explanation to readers who do not understand the relevant source language culture.
6.4 Functional Equivalent This approach is the most accurate path of translating and it uses very neutral cultural points with a new specific term.
6.5 Descriptive equivalent This strategy is working for the description of the meaning or function of the source language.
6.6 Synonymy This method of translation is applied when there is nothing to the same.
6.7 Through-Translation Through translation is the literal translation of common conflicts,the names of organizations and compound parts.
6.8 Shifts or Transposition This translation procedure involving a change in grammar from SL to TL. This change is done when there is a difference between the structure of the SL and the TL is reasonable.
6.9 Modulation This procedure is used in the translation of sentences, phrases and clauses. Here the translator looked at the message in the source language sentence from a different angle or a different way of thinking. This strategy is used when the translation of words with literal meaning does not produce a reasonable translation.
6.10 Recognized Translation The translation process is manifested when the translator uses an authoritative or appropriate translation of an organization's term.
6.11 Translation Label This procedure is the appropriate one for the translation of a new institutional term,and it is a temporary translation of the source language word.
6.12 Compensation This process manifests itself when there is a meaningful loss in one part,but compensation in the other part.
6.13 Componential Analysis In this procedure, the source language word translated into the TL by detailing the components of the meaning of the source language word.
6.14 Reduction & Expansion In this procedure, the elements of the word 'auto' removed and the elements of the word expanded in the target language.
6.15 Paraphrase This procedure appears when cultural words need more explanation.
6.16 Couplets In this procedure, two or more different procedures meet in one translation, couplets, triplets, quadruplets.
6.17 Notes When the additional information is added to the cultural words for the clarification of readers.
Analysis and Discussion
7. Analysis and Discussion
7.1 Introduction This chapter highlights the procedure of the study and the analysis of culture-specific items in Surah Yusuf. This chapter explores the use of translation strategies in transferring meaning from the ST to the TL and the appropriateness of Newmark's model in interpreting the procedures that the translator applied during the translation process.
7.2 Procedures To account for the translation of CSIs in this research, the source text of the Holy Quran in Arabic and its English translation translated by Mufti Taqi Usmani were studied. After reading the whole Ayahs of Surah Yusuf and its translation, every Ayah and its translation in English were carefully analyzed to identify CSIs and the strategies used by the translator to translate them into English. After that, the classification of CSIs by Newmark has been accepted as the theoretical framework of this study aimed at analyzing culture-specific items. For the clarification, each procedure is interpreted and demonstrated with illustrations in Tables 1-9.
7.3 Analysis and Discussion After the categorizing the culture-specific items according to Newmark's strategies, the researcher worked on the strategies for translating the culture-specific items applied in Surah Yusuf, including transference, cultural equivalent, functional equivalent, descriptive equivalent, componential analysis, synonymy, through translation, modulation and notes; Then, he arranged the data gained in Tables 1-9 in order to show the cases of applying Newmark’s strategies for translating the culture-specific items. The discussion section is devoted to the interpretation of each selected culture-specific word, the researcher presents a discussion of how he formulates the CSIs in Newmark strategies. Below are the discussion points created for using each strategy;
7.3.1 Transference: Transference includes transliteration and is the same as what is called transcription. The word then becomes a loan word. There were words that were transferred from the source text to the target text. These are presented in the following table. Table1.
Here are some examples of Transference applied in translating CSIs in Surah Yusuf:
Strategy Source Text Target Text
قرُۡءٰنًا Quran
ابِۡرٰہيِۡمَ Ibrahim
Transference يعَۡقوُۡب Yaqub
اِسۡحٰق Ishaq
يَتَّ قوُۡنَ Taqwa
Words that have given in table 1 are transference words because these are conveyed to target language which is a different language writing system then from the source language, For example, the word Quran is transliterated word and pronounce as same as like in source language قرُۡءٰنًا, so it is transcripted and also become a loan word. Similarly, all the mentioned words in table 1 are transference words. 7.3.2. Cultural Equivalent: Cultural equivalent purpose is to replace a cultural word in the source language with an, although not completely synonymous, target language word.
Table 2. Examples of Cultural equivalent applied in translating CSIs in Surah Yousaf Strategy Source Text Target Text
اٰلِ يعَۡقوُۡب House of Yaqub
لَحٰفِظُوۡنَ Guard
بِثمََنٍ ۢ بَخۡسٍ Paltry price
درََاہمَِ مَعۡدوُۡدةٍَ Silver coin
اشَُدَّ هٗ Prime age
Cultural Equivalent مَعَاذَ ّٰ Master
الۡعَزِيۡزِ Minister فَاسۡتجََابَ Prayer
اِنِ الۡحُکۡمُ Sovereignty يٰصَاحِبَیِ السِّجۡن Prisoners الۡمَلِکُ King
يَعۡصِرُوۡنَ Juice
مَ َّ کنَّ ا Power
In Surah Yusuf, we have some words that are related to the cultural equivalent, Table 2 contains cases where cultural equality is applied. The word House of Yaqub is not completely synonymous to the ST اٰلِ يعَۡقوُۡب, it is a replaced word in the SL. The word minister is not completely synonymous to the word ST word الۡعزَِيۡزِ. Similarly, the word Master in the TT is not synonymous to the word which is used in the ST ّٰ مَعَاذَ, it is a replaced word. The original meaning of the word فَاسۡتجََابَ is to accepted, but here it is referred to Prayer which is not only the synonymous but also a replaced one; furthermore, all the words mentioned in table 2 are mostly not completely synonymous words but the cultural replacing words.
7.3.3 Functional Equivalent:In functional equivalent, the word culture-free is used, sometimes with a specific term; Therefore, it generalizes the word SL.
Table3.
Examples of Functional equivalent applied in translating CSIs in Surah Yousaf Strategy Source Text Target Text
الۡقَصَصِ Narration
رَايَۡتُ Dream
Functional equivalent الۡاحََادِيۡثِ Events ال َّ س َّ يارَةِ Wayfares مِّصۡرَ Egypt يمَۡکُرُوۡنَ Devices
In functional equivalent, culture-free words are used, sometimes a new specific term is used which generalizes the SL word. For example, in table 3 the word Events is used as a cultural free word that generalizes the ST الۡاحََادِيۡثِ. The word Devices is a cultural free word and used as a new specific term to generalize the ST word يَمۡکُرُوۡنَ. The word Narration is used in the TT as a cultural free word because it is not limited or bound to a single culture. The word narration can be used by every culture representative. 7.3.4 Descriptive Equivalent: It is using phrases in TT to explain the ST word. Table4.
Examples of Descriptive equivalent applied in translating CSIs in Surah Yousaf
Strategy Source Text Target Text
کَوۡکَبًا Stars
ال َّ شمۡسَ Sun
الۡقمََرَ Moon
Descriptive equivalent عِشَاءًٓ And at Nightfall
وَارِدہَمُۡ Water drawer سِکِّيۡنً Knife الۡکِتٰبِ Enlightening book ال َّ سمٰوٰتِ Heaven
The descriptive equivalent is, using phrases in TT to explain the ST word. For example Eleven stars and the sun and the moon a phrase used in the TT which explains کَوۡکَبًا َّ و ال َّ شمۡسَ وَ الۡقمََرَ the ST words stars, sun and moon. Similarly, Enlightening the book is a phrase used in the target text which highlights the meaning of الۡکِتٰبِ. 7.3.5 Componential Analysis:componential analysis is the initial comparison of a source language point to a selected language point that has the same meaning, but does not equate to one. Table5.
Examples of Componential analysis applied in translating CSIs in Surah Yousaf
Strategy Source Text Target Text رَايَۡتُ Dream ال َّ طيۡرُ Birds Componential analysis وَ يَلۡعَبۡ Play يَعۡصِرُوۡنَ Juice مَعَاذَ ّٰ ِ Master يٰصَاحِبَیِ السِّجۡنِ Prisoners
اِنِ الۡحُکۡمُ Sovereignty
Further, in justification in the translation of CSIs, the researcher analyzed the words that comparing the word base of a source language with the target language point that has the same meaning, but obviously not equals one. Like رَايَۡتُ means to look or see while translating it to the TT it meanings changes to word Dream. The basic comparison of these two words is the same. That is both words are related to cognition and eyes. For instance, other words are ال َّ طيۡرُ Birds, اِ نِ الۡحُکۡمُ Sovereignty. 7.3.6 Synonymy: Synonymy is a near target language equivalent. Table 6. Examples of Synonymy applied in translating CSIs in Surah Yousaf Strategy Source Text Target Text
الۡکِتٰبِ Book قۡتلُوُا Kill ارَۡضًا Earth
Synonymy الذِئّۡبُ Wolf
دلَۡوَه Bucket
خَمۡرًا Wine
يٰبسِٰتٍ Dry
The translator has used good equivalents for the words chosen in the Surah Yusuf. For instance, الۡکِتٰبِ Book, Book in the TT and الۡکِتٰبِ in the ST are the synonymous word. Few other examples are mentioned in table 6. 7.3.7 Through translation:Through-translation, is a literal translation of common conflicts, names of organizations and compound parts. It can also be called: click or loan translation. Table7.
Examples of Through-translation applied in translating CSIs in Surah Yousaf
Strategy Source Text Target Text
اٰلِ يعَۡقوُۡبَ House of Yaqub
غَيٰبَتِ الۡجُبِّ Into the bottom of a pit بِرَحۡمَتِنَا Mercy Through Translation الۡاحََادِيۡثِ Events ُّ يسۡجَنَ Prison الۡعَزِيۡزِ Governor الۡخَائِٓنيِۡنَ Betray وَ ل َّ مَا فَتحَُوۡا Family
In through translation, the researcher found those words which have common collocations, name of organization or component of compounds in Surah Yusuf. Examples of through translations are House of Yaqub, اٰلِ يعَۡقوُۡبَ is a component of the compound, Family وَ ل َّ مَا فَتحَُوۡا is the name of the organization, other examples are mentioned in table 7.
7.3.8 Modulation: Modulation occurs when the translator generates the original text message in TL text according to the current target language norms, as source language and target languages may differ visually.
Table8.
Examples of in translating CSIs in Surah Yousaf Modulation applied
Strategy Source Text Target Text
يمَۡکُرُوۡنَ Devices
Modulation لَسٰرِقوُۡنَ Thieves
مَ َّکنَّ ا Power
وَ قَدَّ تۡ Ripped
The modulation occurs in the translation of culture-specific items when we are translating the word or phrase from the source text to target text according to the new norms and traditions in TT culture. For instance, Devices are the word that had been translated from the Arabic word يمَۡکُرُوۡنَ which means to plan something while in English it is opposite which means tools. 7.3.9 Notes: Notes, additions, and glosses are additional information that a translator must add to the version; The additional information that translators add is usually cultural. Table9.
Examples of Notes applied in translating CSIs in Surah Yousaf
Strategy Source Text Target Text
اِنِ الۡحُکۡمُ Sovereignty
Notes تعَۡبدُوُۡنَ Worship
ال َّ شيۡطٰنُ Satan بِثمََنٍ ۢ بَخۡسٍ Paltry price
In this strategy, the translator adds some additional information to his version, The additional information that translators add is usually cultural. For example اِنِ الۡحُکۡمُ is a word which means that giving the order is limited or quality related to Al-Mighty God while the translator used the word sovereign which means authority. Worship is a word which means to follow or obey someone, the translator can use it in his point of view while in Arabic تعَۡبدُوُۡ نَ which means a quality limited to God.
Conclusion and Recommendations
8. Conclusion and Recommendations
This chapter summarizes the findings of the study. It also provides some recommendations regarding the application of translation procedures in translation between language systems.
8.1 Summary of the Findings
The translator applied nine translation procedures out of seventeen of Newmark’s translation procedures in the translation of the Surah Yusuf of the Holy Quran, namely, transference, cultural equivalent, functional equivalent, descriptive equivalent, componential analysis, synonymy, through translation, modulation and notes. The cultural equivalent strategy was the most frequent applied procedure. The descriptive equivalent and through translation procedure was the second most frequently applied translation procedure, It was followed by transference, functional equivalent, componential analysis, synonymy, modulation and notes. It is a descriptive study in which CSIs from ST translated to TT.
8.2 Conclusion
The present study's purpose was to explore the CSIs in Surah Yusuf of the Holy Quran and to investigate which translation strategy, proposed by Newmark, was employed by the translator to overcome culture-specific items. Obviously, the researcher has worked hard to clear the way for future students of translation. Throughout the research, the researcher faced a lot of challenges and findings were revealed, some of them are the following;
• Between Arabic and English, there is a big cultural gap. Till now, this problem is considered as an unsolvable problem.
• Many mistakes are made by the translators because of ST culturally loaaded words.
• The translators have to go through or review the previous translation of the Quranic scripture to solve the problem that they might face in the process of their translation.
The procedures used in this study will help the translator to render culture-specific terms accurately. Thus, the researcher worked well to fill the linguistic gaps between Arabic and English. Furthermore, Newmark’s translation procedures helped the translator make the translation sound more natural to the TR. It can be observed from the analysis that Newmark’s translation procedures were effective in translating the Islamic texts. The findings of the study might help students of translation and practitioners in the field of TS to get familiar with the most influential strategies in rendering cultural specific items. They can use the findings of the study to employ translation tasks in translations. Educational planners can use the findings of this study to specify the most influential, dominant strategies to conduct a target-oriented/sourceoriented translation. To sum up, it should be emphasized that the focus of this particular study was on religious genre. Investigating CSIs in different genres could lead to new areas of research for interested researchers. Accordingly, the information gained from this study may prove useful to translators, translation teachers, and student learners as it will help them improve their translation skills with the special attention of culture-specific items and will allow them Give texts when having a broad view of translation. Other researchers can derive similar effects from many of the findings of the same study.
This study is similar to other studies that might have several limitations which need to be taken into account. The study focused on one Surah translated by one translator. Examining different Surahs of the Holy Quran and their translations by other authors from different cultures might lead to interesting facts or they might confirm the findings of this study. Different translators might employ different strategies. Further research is needed to confirm or disconfirm the findings of this study. Newmark's strategies are not limited to the cultural features of the language. But it also covers the linguistic specifications. To narrow down the subject of the study, the linguistic aspects of the text were ignored. Comparing these linguistic aspects could be another interesting topic and venue for further research. Finally, It may be concluded that Newmark’s translation procedures are necessary for the translation of an Islamic text between two different language systems and cultures. However,the translator must be competent in using the translation procedures to provide an accurate translation.-
8.3 Recommendations
The researcher furnished a set of recommendations in the light of the findings reached and the results obtained. The recommendations can make a helpful set of guidelines for both existing and potential translators in general and for translating religious texts of two languages that are not closely related. These recommendations are tentative and are subject to modification upon closer investigation by translation scholars and professionals:
• It is recommended for translastors to use the translation procedures appropriately in order to deliver the meaning of the source text correctly.
• The researcher also recommends examining the application of other kinds of translation procedures on Islamic texts based on other models such as Andrew Chesterman’s translation procedures.
• It would also be beneficial to investigate Newmark’s translation procedures to various types of texts such as medical texts and journalistic texts.
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