Translating Figurative Proverbs from Two Syrian Novels: Muftaraq al-Maṭar by Yūsuf al-Maḥmūd and Anājīl al-Xarāb by Naufal Nayouf

Huwaida Issa

Department of Arabic, Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
University of Leeds, United Kingdom

Abstract:

This paper studies the possibilities of translating a few figurative proverbs, mainly metaphorical, in the two Syrian novels Muftaraq al-Maṭar by Yūsuf al-Maḥmūd and Anājīl al-Xarāb by Naufal Nayouf. It also showcases how to translate proverbs with phonic features such as alliteration, assonance and rhyme. This is done by taking examples from the aforementioned novels and examining these formal features before and after translating the selected proverbs. This research also reviews a few scholarly approaches to the translation of culture-bound items, metaphor and proverbs. It then focuses on implementing Toury’s view on translating metaphor and shows how many proverbs have preserved metaphor, alliteration, assonance and rhyme in the target language (TL), and how many proverbs have lost these stylistic devices in the TL.

Cite as:

Issa, H. (2017). Translating Figurative Proverbs from Two Syrian Novels: Muftaraq al-Maṭar by Yūsuf al-Maḥmūd and Anājīl al-Xarāb by Naufal Nayouf. Arab World English Journal for Translation & Literary Studies, 1(2).

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awejtls/vol1no2.6

Post Views: 53

Keywords

culture, metaphor, phonic features, proverbs, translation

About the author

HuwaidaIssa is a visiting scholar at the University of Leeds. She got her PhD in Arabic
Literature under the supervision of professor James Dickins at the University of Leeds in the
UK. Her thesis researched proverbs, modified proverbs and curses in two Syrian novels. She got
an MA in Literary Criticism, a Higher Diploma and a BA in English Language and Literature.

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