Translating cultures is one of the most difficult tasks for translators. Due to numerous differences of cultures that’s caused by language, differences may occur at the level of the word and above the level of the word as well. It is not surprising if a word may connote a different thing in one context, and the same time it connotes another thing in another context. Culturally speaking, the same word may connote a certain meaning in one culture while has different connotations in another culture. All that is due to certain reasons ascribed to ideology, attitude, association, pragmatics, or otherwise expressed. To illustrate, the source text is from the Middle East Culture, especially from the traditionally Yemeni culture (Mus'id and Mus'ida Broadcasting), needs to be transferred into totally different culture (Western Culture). The translator has to bridge the gap by using strategies like Foreignization and Demostication, to reach the main purpose of the ST.
Table of Contents
1. An Introduction
2. The literature Review
2.1 A Brief Outline of Cultural Translation
2.2 A Brief Outline of the Skopos Theory
2.3 Baker's Strategies to Overcome the Difficulties of Idiomatic Translation
2.4 Genre Analysis
2.5 Ferdinand de Saussure's signifier and signified
3. A brief outline of the Mus'id and Mus'ida Broadcasting
4. The Transcription of "GAT"
5. The Analysis of the Radio Play
5.1 Vocabulary
5.2 Sayings and Proverbs
5.3 Cultural Differences
6. The Conclusion
7. References
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This work aims to analyze the challenges of translating culture-specific radio content from Yemeni Arabic into English, focusing on the strategies required to bridge the semantic and cultural gap while maintaining the functional purpose of the source text.
- Examination of translation theories, specifically Skopos Theory and Baker's idiomatic strategies.
- Analysis of the socio-cultural context of the Yemeni "Mus'id and Mus'ida" radio program.
- Evaluation of linguistic hurdles, including dialectal expressions and metaphorical proverbs.
- Application of foreignization and domestication techniques in professional translation.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3 Baker's Strategies to Overcome the Difficulties of Idiomatic Translation
Translating idioms has always been a challenging decision-making process for translators mainly because not all idioms have direct equivalents in the target language. According to Baker (1992) nonequivalence may be at the level of word or above it. Nonequivalence at word level can occur because of the absence in the target culture of a relevant situational feature for the source language text (Bassnett, 1980:39). This is because the concept may be lexicalized in the SL and not in the TL. Sapir and Whorf (1964) have best illustrated this phenomenon through giving the example of "snow". European countries have many words for snow because it falls many times in the year, in contrast to other countries, like Arab ones, that lexicalize only one type of snow. This phenomenon is highly related to culture. Baker (1992, p. 65) claims that “the first difficulty that a translator comes across is being able to recognize that s/he is dealing with an idiomatic expression”. She believes that some of the idiomatic expressions are recognized more easily than some other ones mentioning two situations in which an expression can be recognized easily:
1) When the idioms "violate truth conditions", and
2) When the idioms include expressions which seem grammatically "ill-formed".
Summary of Chapters
1. An Introduction: Provides an overview of the difficulties in translating cultures, emphasizing that language and ideology create significant gaps that require specific translation strategies.
2. The literature Review: Examines foundational theories including cultural translation, Skopos Theory, idiomatic strategies, genre analysis, and semiotics to establish a framework for the analysis.
3. A brief outline of the Mus'id and Mus'ida Broadcasting: Introduces the background of the Yemeni radio program, explaining its social purpose and instructional role in addressing family issues.
4. The Transcription of "GAT": Presents a documented dialogue from the radio play reflecting the colloquial Yemeni debate regarding Khat (Qat) addiction.
5. The Analysis of the Radio Play: Critically evaluates the translated text, focusing on how vocabulary, proverbs, and cultural norms were handled during the transfer from Arabic to English.
6. The Conclusion: Summarizes how foreignization and domestication serve as effective strategies for navigating the distinct cultural and dialectical nuances found in the source text.
7. References: Lists the academic works and literature utilized to support the translation analysis presented in the study.
Keywords
Translation, Skopos Theory, Idioms, Cultural Translation, Foreignization, Domestication, Yemeni Culture, Qat, Sana'ni Dialect, Genre Analysis, Semiotics, Sociolinguistics, Radio Play, Target Text, Source Text.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The work focuses on the translation of culture-bound discourse from Yemeni Arabic into English, specifically analyzing the radio play "Mus'id and Mus'ida" to address the challenges of translating dialect, culture, and social issues.
What are the central themes discussed?
The central themes include the translation of idiomatic expressions, the socio-cultural impact of Khat (Qat) chewing, and the adaptation of persuasive source texts into informative target texts.
What is the main objective of the research?
The main objective is to identify and apply effective translation strategies to bridge the gap between Yemeni cultural concepts and the understanding of a Western target audience.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The study utilizes theoretical frameworks from Translation Studies, including Skopos Theory, Baker’s idiomatic translation strategies, and Venuti’s concepts of foreignization and domestication.
What is covered in the main section of the study?
The main section covers a review of translation theories, a descriptive analysis of the Yemeni radio broadcasting context, a transcription of the target dialogue, and a linguistic analysis of the vocabulary and proverbs used.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
The research is characterized by terms such as Cultural Translation, Skopos Theory, Idioms, Foreignization, and Sociolinguistics.
How does the author define the "iceberg analogy" in the context of translation?
The author uses Hall's (1976) analogy to suggest that 10% of culture is visible (surface culture), while 90% is hidden (deep culture), such as idioms and proverbs, which poses the greatest challenge for translators.
What specific difficulty arises when translating the term "Gat" for a Western reader?
The term "Gat" (Khat) carries specific socio-cultural weight in Yemen, whereas Western readers might automatically associate it with illegal drugs or addiction, necessitating definition and explanation by the translator.
How do tribal traditions influence the translation process in this study?
Traditions like the "laying down of guns" to solve disputes represent cultural concepts without direct equivalents in Western culture, forcing the translator to adopt strategies like addition or definition to maintain clarity.
- Citar trabajo
- Hisham Yahya (Autor), 2019, The Translation of Mus'id and Mus'ida's "The Gat" as an Arabic Source Text into English, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/462230
