Translators’ Positioning and the (Un)Translatability of Collocations: A Curious Case of Arabic Translation and Retranslation of Orientalism
تموضع المترجمين امكانية (عدم) ترجمة التراكيب الاصطلاحية: دراسة حالة لترجمة وإعادة ترجمة كتاب "الاستشراق" إلى اللغة العربية
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37375/sujh.v15i1.3334Keywords:
collocations,, functional equivalence, Orientalism,, positioning theory, translation.Abstract
This study examines the (un)translatability of collocations through the Arabic translations of Edward Said’s Orientalism by Kamal Abu Deeb and by Mohamed Enani. It explores how the translators’ positioning influenced their approaches and the resulting quality of the translations. Abu Deeb adopted a literal transfer strategy, prioritizing structural fidelity but often producing less readable outcomes. In contrast, Enani employed a domesticating approach, focusing on clarity and accessibility for the target audience. Through a comparative analysis of 64 collocations, the study highlights differences in style and accuracy, with Enani’s translations achieving greater correspondence with the source text while aligning with the target audience’s cultural context. The findings underscore the pivotal role of translator positioning, suggesting that flexibility and audience-oriented strategies can enhance the translation of collocations, which often lack direct functional equivalents. This work contributes to understanding translation strategies and their cultural implications.
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