An – Najah National University

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

MA Program in Applied Linguistics and Translation

Readings Course

Presentations Portfolio

Prepared by: Isra’ Fuqha

Submitted to: Dr. Bilal Hamamre

Nablus, Palestine

2019-202
 Translating of the Word “Hijab”
In terms of Islam as religion, the common word (hijab) resonates in a unique connotation i.e.
a cover or a headscarf. According to Oxford Research Encyclopedia, polysemy is characterized
as the phenomenon whereby a single word form is associated with two or several related senses,
thus the word hijab, which has multiple meaning in Arabic so it is considered a polysomic word.
Accordingly, anyone who has concerns of Quran and Quran verses might be confused with
different meanings of this word such as a cover, a veil, a barrier, a screen, etc.

In the upcoming discussion, I will consider two different Quran verses; in order to highlight
many meanings of the word hijab as well as I will suggest admissible solutions to overtake
obstacles resulting from this word specially and from polysomic words in general.

In the following Quran verse, hijab does not mean headscarf but a barrier. This barrier does
not necessarily be a fabric; it could be a wall, a door or anything in which a view or a physical
profile of a person whom one talks to is concealed.

۞ ‫ الشورى‬:51(‫ُوح َي بِإ ِ ْذنِ ِه َما يَ َشا ُء ۚ إِنَّهُ َعلِ ٌّي َح ِكي ٌم‬
ِ ‫ب أَوْ يُرْ ِس َل َر ُسواًل فَي‬
ٍ ‫َو َما َكانَ لِبَ َش ٍر أَن يُ َكلِّ َمهُ هَّللا ُ إِاَّل َوحْ يًا أَوْ ِمن َو َرا ِء ِح َجا‬
)51( And it is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or
from behind a partition or that He sends a messenger to reveal, by His permission, what He wills.
Indeed, He is Most High and Wise.

Looking up the translated verse, in comparison to the original Ayah, a translator or a scholar
will obviously notice the literal translation technique that has been applied the text so that
partition is the word which stands for hijab in that verse. In fact, partition in English is not an
equivalent word to the Arabic counterpart hijab since it according to Merriam-Webster
Dictionary means 1: the action of parting: the state of being parted: DIVISION the partition of
Korea into North and South Korea 2: something that divides especially: an interior dividing wall:
The bank teller sat behind a glass partition.3: one of the parts or sections of a whole: The estate
was divided into three partitions. Actually, definition number2 which could be considered as the
closest meaning to the word hijab does not work well at least for one obvious reason; it denotes
interiority where the Arabic one implies both interiority and externality.

Despite the fact that the word partition does not stand for the word hijab as we advanced,
translators insist render it for hijab the fact that either they agreed to apply that word or they all
were following each other translation resulting in using the same word. In the following verse
hijab means exactly a religious barrier or distance that is almost spiritual and beliefs

َ ِ‫ َوقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا فِي أَ ِكنَّ ٍة ِّم َّما تَ ْدعُونَا إِلَ ْي ِه َوفِي آ َذانِنَا َو ْق ٌر َو ِمن بَ ْينِنَا َوبَ ْين‬.
")5 ‫ك ِح َجابٌ فَا ْع َملْ إِنَّنَا عَا ِملُونَ " (سورة فصلت‬

(5)And they say, "Our hearts are within coverings from that to which you invite us, and in our
ears is deafness, and between us and you is a partition, so work; indeed, we are working."

Hijab means the intellectual and ideological barrier. Everyone has his own thoughts,
communication, languages, practices, beliefs, values, customs, and rituals, manners of
interacting, roles that are differ from others. Otherwise, everyone can interpret things from his /
her point of view. The greater the differences between the SC and the TC, the greater the
difficulties are; and the less differences between them, the less the difficulties in translation, so
the translator should have the ability to transmit the above to succeeding generations.

Nida stated that when the SC and the TC are very different-- as in the case between Arabic and
English-- it is expected that there will be many "basic themes and accounts which cannot be
naturalized by the process of translating" (2000: 137). However, a translator should attempt to
acquire both the SC and the TC to be able to convey the message correctly. Thus a translator
must be "bilingual and bicultural, if not multicultural. A translator's knowledge of culture helps
him/her produce the most precise expression which sometimes depends on culture.

One more issue that should be highly regarded, the translator addresses the author or the writer
in the translated text through which the writer's thoughts, ethics, culture, intellectuality, and
plenty of other qualities would be subjected to criticism, thus faithfulness is a substantial
constructing path in respect to translation.

To sum up, to translate the best is to render the completely equivalent target language if
available and if not the closest is the best. In the case of this paper, it was clear that the word
hijab is rendered inadequately or inefficiently in the two verses, of course, for different reasons.
Faithfulness to the writer of the text or the author is partially an expected reason for literal
translation, the technique that was applied to translating the previous mentioned verses, yet the
translator has many other words to be rendered instead of partition that I believe it does not cover
the intended meaning of the original hijab. Misunderstanding of the original text is the second
reason believed in to result in rendering, again, the unmatched word if not the wrong. Finally,
one less expected reason behind the advanced translation is that translators may lean to render
each other translation in order to lessen the time and effort of the work, but this vehemently
contradicts the principle of loyalty. Consequently, depending on the previous discussion, I
recommend the followings: first there should be more monitor and supervising over publishing
translated work. Second, translator of sacred text should pay more attention to the intention of
the author in the first place, since then they can look up the selections of language and other
linguistic issues related the process of translation. Third, in terms of translating holy Quran, a
translator or translators should take into their considerations, the intentions of the god, since he is
the author, the timing of the verse, the reason of the revelation of the verse in study, and the
Hadith the only reliable Hadith sources.

References:

https://www.academia.edu/353549/Some_Semantic_Stylistic_and_Cultural_Problems_of_Transl
ation_with_Special_Reference_to_Translating_the_Glorious_Qur%C3%A2

https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/beliefs/hijab_1.shtml

https://www.learnreligions.com/quran-2004556

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hijab

https://oxfordre.com/

https://www.quranful.com/
 Translating of Some Hebrew Words

"Communication between cultures can be achieved through translation. Through translation,

people are introduced to different languages and ways of thought. It is important to understand
the relation between language and culture in order to train translators and interpreters." (Roxana,
2016). “What truly distinguishes translation is that it takes place in the context of the relations
between two cultures, two worlds of thought and perception” (Delisle 1988, 74). Translation
considered as a tool of communication between cultures which people can introduce their
languages and ways of thinking to others. Newmark(1981, 18) shares Benjamin’s (1932) view
that translation goes beyond enriching the language and culture of a country which it contribute
to, beyond renewing and maturing the life of the original text, beyond expressing and analyzing
the most intimate relationships of language’s with each other and becomes a way of entry into a
universal language. Cultural variables affect the degree of understanding between two language
communities (cf. Kussmaul 1995, 65). So that, language is a matter of culture since the
terminology of a language derives its meaning from its culture. According to Sapir (1949)
“environment and culture have a considerable influence on the language of speakers as is clearly
seen in their vocabulary”. Through the process of translation, translators transmit their cultural
outlook by using different meanings to explain the origin as if each one has his/her own of
knowledge, experience, and attitudes. Translators have to be aware of the fact that reader’s
expectations, their norms and values, are influenced by culture and that their comprehensions of
utterances is to a large extent determined by these expectations, norms, and values” (Kussmaul
1995, 70).

A list of some culture-specific terms from Hebrew is presented in the following table:

The Hebron words English Translation

‫جودل‬ Brush
‫يستك‬ Pillow
‫هربّة‬ Well
‫ولغ‬ Eat
‫ترتح‬/‫قرقط‬ Hold
‫طيح‬ Get Down
‫جعاجيل‬ Balls of Labna
‫سعن‬ A container made of leather moving in order to
 transfer milk into butter
‫زنار البير او خانونة‬ The neck
‫اللّ َكن‬ A bowl / container
‫ِمقر‬ A hole
‫القف‬ Rock
‫س ِطل‬ ّ ‫ِمن‬ Stupid
‫ِمرتَ ِهق‬ Confused
‫تفاغ ِرش‬ِ Don’t shout
‫تِب َغ ِمش‬ Keep silent

The translation of these words above is not an easy task; it needs many skills and experiences.
A translator should be aware to understand the meaning of the expression in the Source
Language perfectly in order to keep the sense of the expression, otherwise, he/she will lose the
meaning of the expression. However, without having enough knowledge of the culture of that
targeted language, the translator cannot translate very well and may use inappropriate strategy in
translation. Other problems encounter translators such as failure to achieve the equivalence in the
second language because some words have more than one meaning, and ambiguity of some
cultural expressions.

Reference:

http://aflls.ucdc.ro/en/doc1/6%20CULTURAL%20DIFFICULTIES%20IN
%20TRANSLATIONS.pdf

Death of a Salesman

In general, this play talks about the conflict between generations within the same family, and
focuses on the American dream which the hero failed to achieve it. The family consists of four
members (father, mother, and two sons). The father names Willy who was suffering from
Alzheimer’s disease and depression because of thinking all the time. He was building great
hopes in his son (Ben) to be successful since he is awesome and has a strong presence but Ben
returned with disappointments and didn’t achieve anything of his father’s dream. As a result,
Willy committed a suicide.

In translation, translators put high expectations when they come to translate any text but they
surprise that the text is over their expectations and doesn’t fit the level of their abilities. In
addition, they may find some obstacles while translating which lead them to feel fear and lack of
mastering the translation properly. In the play, Willy was expected that his son will be a
successful person and has a prominent position in society. Although, his son was failure and
didn’t achieve anything to proud his father of. Accordingly, Willy felt of helplessness, and
unwanted from anyone, that led him to suicide.

A translator should be aware when translating since it is a sensitive process and needs more
focus to avoid obstacles. If the translator loses his focus for a while when translating, then he/she
will be unable to complete the task very well and makes some grammatical or lexical or even
cultural mistakes. Alzheimer’s disease is one of things that can effect on translators while
translating. Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys
memory and thinking skills, and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.

There are some symptoms and problems that may face the patient & the translator at the same
time as:

1. Alzheimer’s patient may put his properties at their unusual places. It is a problem for a
translator when he uses inconsistent word order.

2. Difficult to find words that are able to define things or express thoughts for sharing in
conversations. A translator may use words that are unsuitable to the context.

3. The patient repeats phrases, words, or questions for many times because of forgetfulness.
Sometimes, a translator uses same words in an exaggerating way which leads to lose the beauty
of text and the reader may feel of boring.

4. It is impossible for the patient to retrieve all information that entered his mind daily since he
has no ability to control his brain memory. The translator will be unable to remember every
single word while translating. Chronologically, his memory may fad which forces him to use a
dictionary to get the word that is difficult to remember.

References:
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/10_signs
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-alzheimers-disease
http://www.wcusd15.org/kershaw/ENG%20302/DS%20Death%20of%20a%20Salesman
%20Complete.pdf

Translation and Electricity

Machine Translation (MT) is a sub-field of computational linguistics that investigates the use
of software to translate text or speech from one language to another.” Such as (Google Translate,
Microsoft Translator, Yandex Translate… etc.)
 Electricity is “the presence and flow of electric charge (electrons) in one direction. Using
electricity we can transfer energy in ways that allow us to do common chores. [1] its best-known
form is the flow of electrons through conductors such as copper wires.”

Transposition & Intertextuality:

The Electricity that we use currently considers as a secondary source of energy (Target Text).
Since it comes out of the natural resources of energy (Source Text) such as {the solar energy,
wind energy, coal, petroleum/ oil … etc.} In short, transferring from non- renewable energy to
renewable one.

Machine translation is a computer program which is designed to translate text from one
language (Source Language) to another language (Target Language) without the help of humans.
The aim of it is to provide a system that translates the text of source language into target
language. Translation expresses the same meaning as it in the target language. For example,
translating from English (ST) into China (TT).

What will happen if the electricity is cutting off?

When the electricity is cutting off suddenly, everything will not work (break down) at home,
workplaces, or streets. Humans will be lost; they will not know what they should do, just
monitoring the electricity to come back and using some candles to get temporary energy.
Otherwise, machine translation will never work without electricity, and the translation will
become incorrect and mistranslation that leaves the reader with a misleading understanding.
Humans will use dictionaries to complete their translation.

Invisible of Energy & Translation

The law of conservation energy states that “energy cannot be created or destroyed but may be
changed from one form to another.” Scientifically, we can’t see electrons while transferring
from one body to another with the naked eye. But, we could feel it; the spark generated by high
voltages can be seen in kilovolts which is transmitted through the air in a form of spark (flash)
from a negatively charged form to a positive one.

Electronic translation or using online translation is related to making a lot of codes, it’s just
about programming. Programmers are writing codes that will take the word itself from Arabic to
English and vice versa and give the correspondence or equivalent meaning. So, we are encoding
a word and this word is going to be for example (Arabic) and it’s related to the context.

On internet online, we have something called “Computer Compiler”. This compiler will take
the code itself that the programmer wrote and decoding it again and again. After decoding, the
compiler will give us the meaning that we need.

Coherence & Cohesion in the text:

Coherence is every sentence flowing together and building on one another. In a coherent text,
there are logical links between the words, sentences, and paragraphs of the text, which means ‘to
stick together’. In other words, it has to do with good and smooth text flow. Coherence can be
achieved in a number of ways. Oshima & Hogue (2006) suggest the following four: Repeating
key nouns, using consistent pronouns, using transition signals to link ideas (FANBOYS),
arranging your ideas in logical order. EX: Our report on testing is focused on unit and functional
methods.

Coherence & Cohesion in the Circuit:

The consecutive way: is a group of lamps or resistors connected respectively without
branches, which means that the stream takes a single path. If a lamp breaks down or is removed
from the circuit, the rest will not be able to light since the stream doesn’t flow to all. As a result,
this may cause the circuit to open and disconnect all lamps. In short, all lamps should be
coherent with each other to work very well.

Consumption:
 Re- translate texts frequently leads to consume our ability. So, the text may lose its meaning,
beauty and glamor. The same way, the sun, earth, and planets consume electrons while revolving
because they cannot evolve without them.

What will happen if the existed electrons in the earth stopped moving around?

In brief, the electron atom will be pulled out then the space will vanish and the atom will stay
without energy. Then, everything is going to disappear, that will lead to the end of creatures and
the universe will end.

References:

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/electricity

https://www.gala-global.org/what-machine-translation

https://specialties.bayt.com/ar/specialties/q/202661/what-is-the-difference-between-coherence-
and-cohesion/

Translation and Criminality

Definitions of Translation:

“Something that is translated, or the process of translating something, from one language to
another” (Cambridge dictionary). “Translation is defined as reproducing in the receptor language
the closest natural equivalent of the source language message, first in terms of meaning and
secondly in terms of style” (Nida & Taber, 1982). Newmark defines translation as “a craft
consisting in the attempt to replace a written message and /or a statement in one language by the
same message and / or statement in another language.

The Importance of Translation:

1-People prefer their Native Language: people respond better to the language they grew up
speaking. 2-Translation connects the Global Economy: translation and interpreting services
remain a vital part of doing business around the word. 3-Translation spreads Ideas and
Information: it allows ideas and information to spread across culture; it changes history. 4-
Accurate Transfer of News. 5-Cultural Interchange. 6-Boost in Tourism.

The Relationship between Translation and Criminality:

First of all, there’s a kind of relationship between the two words (Translation and Criminality)
in letters. In Arabic, we notice that we have only two different letters which are one (‫ي‬/‫)ت‬. This
is what we called “The Science of Exquisite Improvers” or ‫”علم المحسنات البديعية‬. In this stream, the
words ‫ جريمة‬/ ‫ ))ترجمة‬come under what is called “Anagram.”

In translation, we have the translator, the original text / ST and the Target text. But, in
Criminality, we have the killer, the victim and the trace of crime. The original text refers to the
victim; the person on whom the act is happened. The trace of the crime refers to the new text.
We can say that the translator is an evil person because he turns/ transfers the text from a culture
to another different one. By this way, he makes a radical change under what is called
“Maintaining the literary Analogies”. That what we called “the trace” in the Criminality’s world.
In other words, he exploits the external trace to hide his crime which is turning texts from- to. All
of that produce a school of thought called “Discourse Analysis”.
 For example, in Hamlet’s play, hamlet is the translator, his uncle is the ST, and his mother is
the TT. Hamlet killed his uncle to protect his mother and takes revenge for his father. When
there’s a crime, there’ll be a murder and the killing would be by the physical thing. By the body
(something touch and apparent) but when we are translating, the killing would be like a bleeding
that the pencil or pen is bleeding and it’s not bleeding blood; it’s bleeding thoughts.

When the pen is bleeding (bleeding the thoughts or things that we are thinking of is
something moral, something implicit we can say. In crime, there is blood going on the ground or
running down, while in translation, there’s no blood; there’s a lot of thoughts that they’re going
out of papers or those thoughts are stolen from papers.

References:

http://blogs.exeter.ac.uk/translation/blog/2018/06/19/the-importance-of-translation-studies/

https://translationjournal.net/October-2017/definition-of-translation.html