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The Transparency of Humphrey Davies’ Translation of Ahmad Fāris Al-Shidyāq’s Leg over Leg

Received: 2 June 2022    Accepted: 23 June 2022    Published: 17 August 2022
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Abstract

Translation into English is a benchmark of success in recent decades. Reaching the English reader maybe the bridge to reach the world. However, English readers are said to prefer fluent readings. In the modern capitalist world, is this preference granted? This study aimed at investigating the presence of a preference of fluency in the reviews of Davies’ translation of Al-Shidyāq’s Leg over Leg. The focus of this research is Arabic translated literature. Such a study is essential in revealing the extent to which the reviews of Arabic translated works go in line what scholars found in the reviews of non-Arabic translated ones into English. It is also fundamental in evaluating the fluency of Arabic translated works and comparing such an evaluation with that mentioned in previous studies. The approach adopted in this thesis included analysis of Leg over Leg’s translation, translation’s reviews and translator’s notes. Berman Analysis of translation was the tool to treat the first chapter of Leg over Leg. The reviews and notes were evaluated; the data obtained from the analysis were compared for parallelism. The findings of this research provided evidence that the reviews of translated Arabic works may deviate from what scholars confirmed about a presence of a preference of fluent translations. The main conclusions drawn from this study: there was no clear preference of fluency in the reviews of Davies’s translation of Leg over Leg; they were professionally deep and reliable; and Davies’s translation was transparent and showed its Arabic original. These findings matched what Davies stated in his notes. The researcher recommends conducting further studies to have a comprehensive understanding of the treatment and reception of Arabic translated works.

Published in International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation (Volume 8, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijalt.20220803.13
Page(s) 96-111
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Transparency, Fluency, Berman’s Analysis of Translation, Humphrey Davies’ Translation, Al-Shidyāq, Leg over Leg, Reviews of Translated Works, Translator’ Notes

References
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  • APA Style

    Habiba Saud Alarifi. (2022). The Transparency of Humphrey Davies’ Translation of Ahmad Fāris Al-Shidyāq’s Leg over Leg. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation, 8(3), 96-111. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20220803.13

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    Habiba Saud Alarifi. The Transparency of Humphrey Davies’ Translation of Ahmad Fāris Al-Shidyāq’s Leg over Leg. Int. J. Appl. Linguist. Transl. 2022, 8(3), 96-111. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20220803.13

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    Habiba Saud Alarifi. The Transparency of Humphrey Davies’ Translation of Ahmad Fāris Al-Shidyāq’s Leg over Leg. Int J Appl Linguist Transl. 2022;8(3):96-111. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20220803.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijalt.20220803.13,
      author = {Habiba Saud Alarifi},
      title = {The Transparency of Humphrey Davies’ Translation of Ahmad Fāris Al-Shidyāq’s Leg over Leg},
      journal = {International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation},
      volume = {8},
      number = {3},
      pages = {96-111},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijalt.20220803.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20220803.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijalt.20220803.13},
      abstract = {Translation into English is a benchmark of success in recent decades. Reaching the English reader maybe the bridge to reach the world. However, English readers are said to prefer fluent readings. In the modern capitalist world, is this preference granted? This study aimed at investigating the presence of a preference of fluency in the reviews of Davies’ translation of Al-Shidyāq’s Leg over Leg. The focus of this research is Arabic translated literature. Such a study is essential in revealing the extent to which the reviews of Arabic translated works go in line what scholars found in the reviews of non-Arabic translated ones into English. It is also fundamental in evaluating the fluency of Arabic translated works and comparing such an evaluation with that mentioned in previous studies. The approach adopted in this thesis included analysis of Leg over Leg’s translation, translation’s reviews and translator’s notes. Berman Analysis of translation was the tool to treat the first chapter of Leg over Leg. The reviews and notes were evaluated; the data obtained from the analysis were compared for parallelism. The findings of this research provided evidence that the reviews of translated Arabic works may deviate from what scholars confirmed about a presence of a preference of fluent translations. The main conclusions drawn from this study: there was no clear preference of fluency in the reviews of Davies’s translation of Leg over Leg; they were professionally deep and reliable; and Davies’s translation was transparent and showed its Arabic original. These findings matched what Davies stated in his notes. The researcher recommends conducting further studies to have a comprehensive understanding of the treatment and reception of Arabic translated works.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - The Transparency of Humphrey Davies’ Translation of Ahmad Fāris Al-Shidyāq’s Leg over Leg
    AU  - Habiba Saud Alarifi
    Y1  - 2022/08/17
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    T2  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
    JF  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
    JO  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
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    AB  - Translation into English is a benchmark of success in recent decades. Reaching the English reader maybe the bridge to reach the world. However, English readers are said to prefer fluent readings. In the modern capitalist world, is this preference granted? This study aimed at investigating the presence of a preference of fluency in the reviews of Davies’ translation of Al-Shidyāq’s Leg over Leg. The focus of this research is Arabic translated literature. Such a study is essential in revealing the extent to which the reviews of Arabic translated works go in line what scholars found in the reviews of non-Arabic translated ones into English. It is also fundamental in evaluating the fluency of Arabic translated works and comparing such an evaluation with that mentioned in previous studies. The approach adopted in this thesis included analysis of Leg over Leg’s translation, translation’s reviews and translator’s notes. Berman Analysis of translation was the tool to treat the first chapter of Leg over Leg. The reviews and notes were evaluated; the data obtained from the analysis were compared for parallelism. The findings of this research provided evidence that the reviews of translated Arabic works may deviate from what scholars confirmed about a presence of a preference of fluent translations. The main conclusions drawn from this study: there was no clear preference of fluency in the reviews of Davies’s translation of Leg over Leg; they were professionally deep and reliable; and Davies’s translation was transparent and showed its Arabic original. These findings matched what Davies stated in his notes. The researcher recommends conducting further studies to have a comprehensive understanding of the treatment and reception of Arabic translated works.
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of English Language and Literature, College of Languages and Translation, Al Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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