Challenges of Translation from Arabic to Persian: An Applied Study in Translating "Imra'ah Min Tabaqayn

Abstract

Translation serves as a vital epistemological and humanistic medium, playing a fundamental role in building bridges of communication between diverse cultures and peoples. It goes beyond the mere transfer of information from one language to another, contributing to the enrichment of cultural and literary exchange and allowing readers to engage with different intellectual worlds. It also offers translators the opportunity to explore diverse linguistic and cultural realms. in this context, the present study examines the translator’s experience in rendering the novel Imra’ah Min Tabaqayn (A Two-Story Woman) from Arabic into Persian. The translator encountered various linguistic and cultural challenges, most notably the handling of shared vocabulary between Arabic and Persian that carries divergent meanings, and the difficulty of finding precise equivalents for certain idioms and proverbs. Based on these issues, the study aims to shed light on how the translator navigates borrowed terms and identifies suitable equivalents for idioms and proverbs. It employs a contrastive analysis approach to examine the texts and justifies the semantic dimensions that influence the translation process.

The findings reveal that borrowed Arabic words in Persian often do not retain their original meanings; instead, Persian tends to alter their meanings either partially or entirely. The study also highlights that Arabic idioms and proverbs lacking accurate or similar counterparts in Persian represent some of the most significant challenges for translators, as literal translations may lead to confusion or misinterpretation among Persian readers.