Translating Idiomatic Expressions from English into Arabic: Difficulties and Strategies

Abstract

Translation is the process of rendering aspects and features of a target text semantically, culturally and pragmatically into another language. However, translating idiomatic and culturally-bound expressions has been a challenge for translators as they are culture-bound and involve many cultural elements. This study aims at investigating difficulties encountered by Omani undergraduate students majoring in English language teaching and literature when translating idiomatic and culturally-bound expression from English into Arabic. Additionally, it attempts to identify and demonstrate some of the strategies that they used to translate and overcome such challenges and suggest what could be done to help them handle such challenges and improve their translation skills and competencies. A translation test along with a short survey was administered to 60 Omani undergraduate students majoring in English language and literature at the department of English Language and Literature in a public college in Oman. Reliability and validity for both the translation test and questionnaire were established. The mostsalient challenges difficulties reported by students and the most frequently coping strategies that they were used as strategies in translating idiomatic and culturally-bound expressions and handling them were presented. Some of the study's recommendations and key pedagogical implications were also highlighted and discussed.

Keywords: Arabic culturally-bound expressions, difficulties, English, idiomatic expressions, Omani undergraduate students, strategies, translation