Simile As A Translation Problem

‫‪Simile As A Translation Problem‬‬ ‫مجلة آداب الفراهيدي‬ ‫عصام طاهر محمد‬
‫‪ESSAM TAHIR MOHAMMED‬‬ ‫العدد (‪ )31‬أيلول ‪2017‬م‬

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‫المستخلص‬
‫ال عن‬
‫تهدف الدراسة إلى تسليط الضوء على التشبيه باللغتين العربية واالنكليزية‪ ،‬فض ً‬
‫استكشاف المشاكل التي قد تسببها التشبيهات عند ترجمتها إلى اللغة االنكليزية‪ .‬وتبحث الدراسة‬
‫عن المشكالت التي قد يواجهها المترجمون عند ترجمتهم للتشبيهات من اللغة العربية إلى اللغة‬
‫االنكليزية‪ .‬تحاول الدراسة أيضا استكشاف الطرق التي يتبعها المترجمون في التعامل معا التشبيه‬
‫وكيف أن إهمال هذه األداة البالغية قد يودي إلى ترجمة ضعيفة غير فعالة‪ .‬تفترض الدراسة إن‬
‫الترجمة الفعالة للتشبيهات العربية تحتاج إلى معرفة جيدة للثقافة االنكليزية واألدوات البالغية‬
‫‪.‬كما يجب على المترجم استخدام الصور التشبيهية الصحيحة من أجل خلق نفس تأثير الصورة‬
‫التشبيهية الخاصة باللغة المترجم منها على متلقي الترجمة‪ .‬وتفترض الدراسة انه وفي العديد من‬
‫الحاالت وبسبب اختالف الصور التشبيهية بين اللغتين قد يلجا المترجم إلى الترجمة الحرفية مما‬
‫يدفعه إلى إقحام الصورة الخاصة بلغته إلى اللغة المترجم إليها مما يودي إلى فقدان وجه التشبيه‬
‫مع بقاء شكل الرسالة على حساب المعنى والتأثير‪ ،‬ومن أجل إتمام الدراسة والوصول إلى الغاية‬
‫المرجوة منها وتحقيق الفرضيات تمت دراسة التشبيه بشكل تام ومن ثم تم اختيار عشرة تشبيهات‬
‫من كتب موثقة خاصة باللغة العربية وتمت ترجمتها من قبل ستة أشخاص من حملة شهادة‬
‫الماجستير في الترجمة إلى االنكليزية لكي تكون كبيانات النجاز الدراسة‪.‬‬
‫‪Abstract‬‬
‫‪This study aims to provide an account of similes in Arabic as well as‬‬
‫‪English. It is a humble attempt that may serve as an exploration of the‬‬
‫‪problems caused by Arabic similes when translated into English. It also‬‬
‫‪tries to find out the strategies the translators would follow in dealing with‬‬
‫‪this culture specific subject and how overlooking this rhetorical device‬‬
‫‪may lead to wrong translations. The study hypothesizes that an effective‬‬
‫‪translation of Arabic similes needs a good knowledge of English culture‬‬
‫‪and a good choice of the image, so that the relationship between the‬‬
‫‪receptor and the message is substantially the same as that exists between‬‬
‫‪the original receptors and the message. It also hypothesizes that in most‬‬
‫‪cases due to the different images used by Arabic culture to fulfill‬‬
‫‪similarity and comparison, the translators would resort to literal‬‬
‫‪translation so they would keep the form at the expense of the meaning‬‬
‫‪and the effect of the message. To achieve the aims of the study and‬‬
‫‪investigate the validity of the hypotheses, simile has been studied‬‬
‫‪thoroughly, then ten comparisons(similes)were selected from authentic‬‬
‫‪Arabic resources, then given to six M.A. holders of translation at the‬‬
‫‪Translation Department/Mosul University in the alternative site in‬‬
‫‪Dohuk in order to translate them to be the data of the study.‬‬
‫‪563‬‬
Simile As A Translation Problem ‫مجلة آداب الفراهيدي‬ ‫عصام طاهر محمد‬
ESSAM TAHIR MOHAMMED ‫م‬2017 ‫) أيلول‬31( ‫العدد‬
Introduction:
simile is a rhetorical device that makes the text more impressive and
bright .It is a comparison between completely two different objects. The
compared is called the tenor while the compared to is called the vehicle.
The tenor and vehicle are connected by the following links: like, as, as
though, as if, as like, such as, as ... as, etc. Most common among them are
the link words "like and as" Some similes have their equivalents in
Arabic, so the translator is free to transfer the meaning to the target
language reader as in the following example:
‫ شجاع كاألسد‬a lion As brave as
The translation of similes sometimes becomes difficult and very tricky,
posing many different troubles if the translator is not aware of the
cultural differences. In order to get rid of such problems, the translator
has to avoid the literal translation that imposes the meaning of TL into
SL language ,specially in the case of the absence of the corresponding
equivalent in the SL. Consider the following example suggested by Aziz
(199:22). .
‫وجنتاها كالتفاح‬ Her cheeks are like roses
In creative writing where the emphasis is on the aesthetic effect rather
than on content, the denotation of the word is sometimes changed, which
normally entails a change in the reference for the sake of the artistic
effect which cannot be achieved without such change. Translating
rhetorical devices due to cultural and linguistic differences is a
challenging task. This challenge multiplies when the translator has to deal
with similes in the existence of the cultural gap ,i.e., between English and
Arabic, which makes it more difficult. In this research ,the researcher
aims to find out the problems that may face the translators while
translating Arabic similes as well as to find out the strategies that they
would use in dealing with Arabic similes in their attempt to translate
them into English and finally discuss the translations provided . The
result of this study can be useful to the students of translation and also to
the researchers in the field of translation studies. The students can benefit
from this research as it provides them with the right strategies in dealing
with simile .Therefore, the students can choose better options while
translating simile.
The Simile in English:
Simile is a trope that describes one thing by comparing it with another,
suggesting similarities between them, although they are clearly different
(Alm-Arvius,2003:125).(Kleiser,1910:1)points out that it lends freshness,
originality, vividness and accuracy of our writing and spoken language
whether it be in a letter, speech, theme or report .According to Cuddon
(1980:657) , simile is a figure of speech in which one thing is likened to
another, in such a way as to clarify and enhance an image. It is an explicit
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comparison as opposed to metaphor where the comparison is implicit and
it is recognizable by the use of the words ‘like’ or ‘as’. It is equally
common in prose and verse and it is a figurative device of great antiquity.
(Baldick,2001:237)believes that a simile is a very common figure in both
prose and verse, and it is more tentative and decorative than metaphor
.Child& Fowler (2006:218) believe that simile is discursive, tentative in
which the ‘like’ or ‘as. . as’ suggests, from the viewpoint of reason,
separateness of the compared items. Simile is usually a pointedly
rationalized perception that has none of the revelatory suddenness of
metaphor nor expresses and demands the same degree of mental
commitment to the image. Instead it presents itself as a provisional, even
optional, aid whose function is explanatory or illustrative, and because
simile is temporary, it and the totality of experience it promises are
infinitely renewable and this makes it a figure with much stamina(ibid).
Cruse (2006:156) says that the relevant features of resemblance signaled
by a simile are quite circumscribed, and its wording frequently serves to
narrow down the possibilities. That is to say, similes like Pete is like a
lion, with no indication as to what the relevant resemblances are between
Pete and a lion, are relatively rare. Kennedy (2007:205 )says that simile is
also a metaphor; for there is little difference, similes should be brought in
like metaphors; for they are metaphors, differing in the form of
expression . Cleary(2009:pp:14,16)believes that similes help us paint a
picture that we can see inside our brains once we learn about them they
can change our writing.
According to Larsen(2006:247) simile is composed of two
propositions and it has four parts which are:
Topic – the topic of the first proposition (nonfigurative), i.e. the thing
really being talked about.
Image – the topic of the second proposition (figurative), i.e. what is being
compared with.
Point of similarity – found in the comments of both the propositioned
involved or the comment of the EVENT proposition which has the image
as a topic.
Nonfigurative equivalent – when the proposition containing the topic is
an EVENT proposition, the COMMENT is the nonfigurative equivalent.
Larsen(2006:248) confirms that the correct understanding of any simile
depends on the correct identification of the topic, image, and point of
similarity. Consider the following example selected from
Larsen(2006:248) :
The book is as heavy as an Elephant.
↑ ↑ ↑
Topic Point of similarity Image
I(llustration)
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Metaphor vs. Simile:
Simile and metaphor are artistic techniques used to describe things.
They do so by comparing one thing to another. A simile is a comparison
using like or as. It usually compares two dissimilar objects. For example:
Mary was as sweet as pie.. This sentence compares Mary with a pie to
show how sweet or loveable Mary is . A metaphor states that one thing is
something else. It is a comparison, but it does not use like or as to make
the comparison. Leech (1969: 156) states that a metaphor is a covert, and
a simile is an overt comparison. This means that for each metaphor, we
can devise a roughly corresponding simile, by writing out tenor a vehicle
side by side, and indicating the similarity between them i.e. by like or
some other formal indicators, for example: "the ship ploughs the waves"
is a metaphor may be transferred into simile as ' the ship goes through
the waves like a plough ploughing the land .He says that this equivalence
,translatability between simile and metaphor should not obscure
important differences between the two in that metaphor is generally more
concise and immediate while simile, conversely is more explicit.
Metaphor on the other hand ,is inexplicit with regard to both the ground
of comparison and the things compared(ibid:157). Larson (1984, p. 246-
247) has discussed translating simile, together with metaphor and
believes that metaphor and simile are grammatical forms which represent
two propositions in the semantic structure. A proposition consists of a
topic and the comment about that topic. She believes that when a
metaphor or simile occurs in the text, it can be very helpful to the
translator to analyze it and find the two propositions which are the
semantic structure behind it. Crystal (1992:249) points out that a
metaphor is a semantic mapping from the conceptual domain to another,
often using anomalous or deviant language, for example: to lose the
thread of an argument. He adds that a simile is a figurative expression
which makes an explicit comparison, typically using words as (like or as),
as in : It runs like the wind (ibid: 354). Alm-Arvius (2003:125)believes
that similes are different from metaphors, because the former contain an
explicit indication of the comparison, while it is merely implicit in a
metaphor. Cruise (2006:113) defines metaphor as variety of figurative
(i.e. non-literal) use of language. According to him ,what distinguishes a
metaphorical use of an expression is the relationship between its
figurative meaning and its literal meaning. A metaphor involves a relation
of resemblance or analogy, although this is not explicitly stated. In
contrast, simile involves an explicit comparison between two things or
actions(ibid:205). According to Quinn(2006:257) metaphor in its narrow
sense, a figure of speech in which something is identified with something
else and metaphors are characterized as either direct as in “You’re the
cream in my coffee” or an indirect metaphor as in the line from T. S.
566
Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (1915), “The yellow fog
that rubs its back upon the window panes,” which is one in which the
comparison is implied but not stated directly. He adds(ibid:389) a simile
is very close to metaphor, with which it is frequently paired and both
simile and metaphor aim to provide a vivid description as in Lord
Byron’s line “She walks in beauty like the night.”
According to Larsen(1984:254)there are five ways of translating
metaphor (a simile would follow steps 3,4,and5):
1.The metaphor may be kept if the receptor language permits.
2.Ametaphor may be translated as a simile(adding like or as).
3.A metaphor of the receptor language which has the same meaning may
be substituted.
4.A metaphor may be kept and the meaning explained.
5.The meaning of the metaphor may be translated without keeping the
metaphorical imagery.
In conclusion, the only difference between a simile and a metaphor is
that in a simile the comparison is explicitly stated, usually by a word such
as ‘like’ or ‘as’, while in a metaphor the comparison is just implied.
Now consider the following examples of metaphor and simile:
Metaphor: You are my sunshine. Simile: Your eyes are like sunshine.
Metaphor: You are a rock. Simile: You are like a rock.
Metaphor: He is a pig. Simile: He is dirty like a pig.
Metaphor: He is a mule. Simile: He is as stubborn as a mule.
When a metaphor is used there is a possibility of a misinterpretation.
When it is changed to a simile, as in the first two sentences above, it is
more easily understood, but the point of similarity is still missing .If the
point of similarity is added to simile , as in the last two sentences above
,there is less possibility of misunderstanding(ibid:253).
Simile in Arabic:
Simile in Arabic rhetoric is referred to as (‫ – فن التشبيه‬the art of
likening). It is an aesthetic and a skilful mode of discourse whose major
pragmatic aims are to clarify an opinion or a feeling, to bring two
significations close to each other, and to compare a given entity with
another in praise, dispraise, ornamentation, or repugnance. Therefore, as a
linguistic and aesthetic skill, simile varies from one text producer to
another in quality, effectiveness, and most importantly, in the impact
upon the text receiver(Abdul-Raof,2006:198) .Al-Atraqgi (1978:34)
defines simile as a form of expression as old as the oldest speech that is
considered to be the best way of providing an explanation and
clarification ,and it is a good way of approaching the depths of meaning.
She adds that it is enough recommendation that it is a comprehensible
language ,even for the deaf (ibid).Al-Gurgani(1978:111)points out that
simile has a magical effect in bringing different things together to an
567
extent that reduces distances between different things that are as far as
east and west; it also presents abstract meanings as if they were persons
viewed or monuments erected; it makes the dumb speak and brings out
eloquence even from non-Arab. It shows life in the mineral kingdom and
it presents the opposites ,e.g., life and death or fire and water. According
to al-Askari(1952:243) simile makes the meaning clearer and confirms it
and this well agreed upon by all Arabs and non Arabs, and none of them
has dispensed with it.Al-Mubarrid(1945:100)points out that simile is very
widespread in the speech of the Arabs and used very frequently .He also
says that it would not be an exaggeration if one says that most Arab
speech is made up of simile(ibid).People use simile in their speech
unintentionally and quite naturally, when there is a reason for it .It is used
equally by Arabs ,non-Arabs, high and low people, villagers or city-
dwellers, civilized people or Beduins ,the educated and the ignorant, the
clever and the stupid .It is a wonderful kind of expression which is not
peculiar to one language or one human race, because it is a natural
specialty for all human beings(Sheeba,1985:2).
Simile Components:
According to al- Gundi(1952:94) simile in Arabic has four elements or
components through which it can be achieved; they are as the following:
1.Topic (‫)المشبه‬.
2.The image ( ‫) المشبه به‬.
3.The point of similarity ( ‫)وجه الشبه‬.
4.The particle ( ‫محاك( )أداة التشبيه‬,‫يشبه‬,‫يضاهي‬,‫ ﯕان‬,‫مثل‬,‫ک‬,‫)كا‬
The four components of simile can be clearly explained through the
following example:
Layla is beautiful like her mother. ‫ليلى كوالدتها جماالﱟ‬
where the noun ( Layla ,‫ )ليلى‬represents the" topic, ‫" المشبه‬an the noun
(mother,‫)والدتها‬represent the image. (like,‫ )ک‬represents the particle, and
the notion (beauty,‫ )جمال‬represents the point of similarity.
The "topic" and the "image" are called the two ends of simile " ‫المشبه‬,
‫ "المشبه به‬.According to al- Gundi(1952:94)Some of simile components are
dispensable and some we cannot dispense with to fulfill the simile. The
two ends of simile are indispensible, but the point of similarity and the
particle are dispensable and implicitly referred to. Consider the following
examples:
Ali is as brave as a lion. ‫علي شجاع كاألسد‬
Ali is like a lion. ‫علي كاألسد‬
Ali is a lion. ‫علي أسد‬
In the first example ,the four components of simile are mentioned
without any omission. In the second example, on the other hand, the point
of similarity "the bravery- ‫ "الشجاعة‬is omitted but still understood
568
implicitly. In the third example, both the point of similarity "the bravery-
‫ "الشجاعة‬and the particle "like,‫ " ک‬are omitted and referred to implicitly.
Simile types:
Abdul-Raof,(2006:207-8)points out that there are 14 types of simile
based on the point of similarity , the particles, and the two ends of simile.
These are:
1 single simile, as in (‫ – نصيحتك كالدواء‬Your advice is like medicine.)
2 multiple similes, as in ( ‫ –هذا الرئيس كسابقه في الكذب والفساد والجهل والرياء‬This
President is like his predecessor in lying, corruption, ignorance, and
double-standard).
3 compound simile, as in (‫ – الشمس مثل الكرة الذهبية‬The sun is like a golden
ball.)
4 synopsis simile, as in (‫ – كالمك كالعسل‬Your speech is like honey.)
5 detailed simile, as in ( ‫ –كالمك كالعسل حالوة‬Your speech is like honey in
sweetness.)
6 unrestricted simile, as in (‫ – نصيحتك كالذهب‬Your advice is like gold.)
7 confirmed simile, as in ( ‫ –نصيحتك ذهب‬Your advice is gold.)
8 perceptible–perceptible simile, as in (‫ – هذا العصير كماء البحر‬This juice is
like sea
water.)
9 cognitive–cognitive simile, as in (‫ – الجوع كاليأس‬Hunger is like despair.)
10 cognitive–perceptible simile, as in ( ‫ –حظي كدقيق في يوم عاصف‬My luck is
like
flour in a gusty day.)
11 perceptible–cognitive simile, as in (‫ – هذا العطر كالسعادة‬This perfume is
like
happiness.)
12 imaginary simile, as (‫ – جسمه كجسم الديناصور‬His body is like that of the
dinosaur.)
13 reverse simile, as in (‫ – النار كالنفاق‬Fire is like hypocrisy.)
14 effective simile, as in ( ‫ – زيد أسد‬Zaid is a lion.)
The purpose of using simile:
There are different purposes of using simile. Consider the following
purposes According to al- Gūndi (1952:200-223):
1.Clarification of the situation of the topic. e. g.,
‫كأنك شمس والملوك كواكب إذا طلعت لم يبدو منهن كوكب‬
You are like the sun and other kings are stars; when the sun rises we
hardly see the star. Shittu (2012:22).
2..Clarification of the limitation of the power or weakness given the topic.
‫فيها اثنتان وأربعون حلوبة سوداء كخافية الغراب االسخم‬
There are forty-two she- camels as black as the underfoot of a black
crow. Shittu (2012:22).
3.Affirmation or establishment of the durability of the state of the topic.
569
‫إن القلوب إذا تناثر ودها مثل الزجاجة كسرها اليجب‬
When there is an aversion of love in any heart, it is like the broken glass
which is un-amendable. Shittu (2012:22).
4.Clarification of the likelihood of two clearly contradictory things.
‫أنت كالشمس تبعد إن تسامى ويدنو منها النور والشعاع‬
You are like sunlight , which is far, but its light and ray are so close to the
people Shittu (2012:22).
5. The purpose of beautification of the topic.
Your body feels like silk. ‫ جسمك كالحرير‬Abdul-Raof,(2006:206)
6.The purpose of blemish. This is to blemish the topic.
Zaid eats like a beast. ‫ يأكل زيد كالبهيمة‬Abdul-Raof, (2006:209)
Translation and Culture:
Newmark (1981, 183-185) argues that there is a cultural value in
translation .He believes that nothing demonstrates the complexity of
language and of specific texts more vividly and explicitly than
translation. Further, nothing exposes good writing and bad writing as
effectively as translation. Translation is important as a source of diffusion
of knowledge of every kind. By understanding the development of every
aspect of culture in other civilizations, people can also enrich their
understanding of their own culture. According to Aziz(1999:85)culture
may be broadly defined as a set of beliefs which governs the behaviour
patterns of a society and they include religion, economy , politics ,
literature and language. Thus, language is an integral part of culture, and
translation involves two cultures the culture of SL and TL. He points out
that the problem raised by the dimension of culture in the process of
translation is how far should the translated text integrates in the target
culture and how much should it retain of the source
culture(ibid).Shunnaq(1998:44)on the other hand, believes that the
translator has to bear in mind the fact that s/he should exchange ideas
and messages not merely words ;taking into consideration the translator
should be familiar with and sensitive to the SL culture.
Ilyas(1988:124)points out that when a translator comes across the
problem of not finding a corresponding TL equivalents for SL items ,it is
better to find non-corresponding equivalent with equivalent function in
TL culture. He explains this situation by giving an instance of two
different cultures' experience with snow. He adds, if the people of one of
the two cultures involved in the process of translation do not have any
experience with snow , we cannot then translate the phrase "as white as
snow" into that language without changing the referent "snow" into one
that suits the culture of TL and has the same effect of the SL in TL. Thus,
a phrase like "as white as snow " might be translated into another culture
into "as white as cotton"(ibid). Cruise(2009:11)asserts that translating is
not only a linguistic act ,it is also a cultural one ,it is an act of
570
communication across cultures and the main characteristics of translation
is its double bind situation, where the translator has to link the source text
in its cultural context to the target communicative cultural conditions.
She(ibid:12) adds that the more the source and the target cultural frames
differ, the more important is the cultural work the translators have to do.
As translators, we have to consider the fact that translating from a
different culture requires a careful treatment with cultural norms of SL in
order to convey the message clearly. Each culture expresses its
idiosyncrasies in a way that is 'culture-bound and each culture has its own
cultural words, similes, and other figures of speech whose origin and use
are intrinsically and uniquely bound to their culture. So we are called
upon to do a cross-cultural translation whose success will depend on our
understanding of the culture we are working with.
Now let us consider the given renderings by the study subjects and see
what strategies were adopted in their translations and how they dealt with
Arabic similes and their culture bound peculiarities .
Data Analysis and Discussions:
To achieve the aims of the study and investigate the validity of the
hypotheses ,seven images of comparisons(similes) with a clear point of
similarity were selected from authentic Arabic resources, then given to
six M.A. holders of translation at the Translation Department to be
translated into English in order to be the data of the study.
)Almaydani,Vol.1.P.222( ‫ أبي حكيم كلقمان‬. 1
)Almaydani,Vol.1.P.225( ‫ أنت حقود كالجمل‬. 2
)Alzamakhshary,P.23( ‫ليلى جميلة كالبدر‬.3
(Almaydani,Vol.1.P. 87( ‫أنت هنا امن من حمام مكة‬. 4
)Almaydani,Vol.2.P.50( ‫فالن أعمر من نسر‬.5
)Almaydani,Vol.1.P.223 ( ‫ هذا الرجل أحمق كجحا‬.6
(Abdul-Raof,2006:199) .‫ هو كريم كالبحر‬.7
Before the discussion, I would like to refer to the potential strategies
suggested by Pierini(2007:31) to translate similes, from which the
translator might choose the most appropriate for each simile provided to
them:
1: literal translation (retention of the same vehicle). ( LT)
2: replacement of the vehicle with a different vehicle. (RVDV)
3: reduction of the simile, if idiomatic, to its sense. (RSIS)
4: retention of the same vehicle plus explication of similarity feature(s).
(RSV+ESF)
5: replacement of the vehicle with a gloss. (RVG)
6: omission of the simile. (OS)
The strategies selected by the subjects in their attempt to render similes
were first checked .Then the results were presented in tables to show the
translations of the subjects and the strategies followed by the translators. In
571
order to know the correct choice of the image used in the English language
as an equivalent of SL image ,the researcher has depended on three of the
famous English dictionaries of simile, i.e. Wilstach,F.(A Dictionary of
Similes,1996) , Sommer , E. (Similes Dictionary,2013) and Best,W.( The
Students' Companion, 1958). .
Comparison(Simile) No.1 ‫أبي حكيم كلقمان‬ Strategy
adopted
translation of subject no.1 My father is as wise as (RSV+ESF)
Luqman
translation of subject no.2 My father is like Luqman ( LT)
translation of subject no.3 My father is like an awl (RVDV)
translation of subject no.4 My father is as wise as (RVDV)
Solomn
translation of subject no.5 My father is like Solomn (RVDV)
translation of subject no.6 My father is so wise (RSIS)
Discussion:
Comparison(Simile) No.2 ‫هو كريم كالبحر‬ Strategy
adopted
translation of subject no.1 He is very generous (RSIS)
translation of subject no.2 He is open handed (RSIS)
translation of subject no.3 He is like a sea in his (RSV+ESF)
generosity
translation of subject no.4 He is as generous as the sea (RSV+ESF)
translation of subject no.5 He is not mean with his (RSIS)
money
translation of subject no.6 He is as generous as Hatem (RVDV)
Discussion:
Comparison(Simile) No.3 ‫أنت حقود كالجمل‬ Strategy
adopted
translation of subject no.1 You are as mean as a camel (RSV+ESF)
translation of subject no.2 You are malicious (RSIS)
translation of subject no.3 You are as spiteful as a (RSV+ESF)
camel
translation of subject no.4 You are like a camel ( LT)
translation of subject no.5 You are very spiteful (RSIS)
translation of subject no.6 You are a camel ( LT)
Discussion:
Comparison(Simile) No.4 ‫ليلى جميلة كالبدر‬ Strategy
adopted
translation of subject no.1 Layla is More beautiful than (RSV+ESF)
the full moon
572
translation of subject no.2 Layla is as a beautiful as a (RSV+ESF)
moon
translation of subject no.3 Layla is like a full moon ( LT)
translation of subject no.4 Layla is a moon in her (RSV+ESF)
beauty
translation of subject no.5 Layla is so beautiful (RSIS)
translation of subject no.6 Layla is more beautiful than (RVG)
you can imagine
Discussion:
Comparison(Simile) No.5 ‫أنت هنا امن من حمام مكة‬ Strategy
adopted
translation of subject no.1 You are here very safe and (RSIS)
sound
translation of subject no.2 You are here so safe (RSIS)
translation of subject no.3 You are very safe here (RSIS)
translation of subject no.4 You are very safe here (RSIS)
translation of subject no.5 You are in safe hands (RSIS)
translation of subject no.6 Here, you are as safe as (RVDV)
the pigeons of the White
House.
Discussion:
Comparison(Simile) No.6 ‫فالن أعمر من نسر‬ Strategy
adopted
translation of subject no.1 The man is ageless like an (RSV+ESF)
eagle
translation of subject no.2 The man is as long-lived as (RVDV)
moon
translation of subject no.3 The man is as ageless as an (RSV+ESF)
eagle
translation of subject no.4 This man is like an eagle ( LT)
translation of subject no.5 The man is ageless (OS)
translation of subject no.6 The man is ageless like the (RVDV)
sun
Discussion:
An eagle in Arabic culture, is a symbol of longevity which is used for
referring to those who live long-lives .The use of this bird of prey does
not come by chance but for the role represented by this bird in the culture
of the Arabs where this bird was an integral part of those people's life .
Thus, it is very common to find the image of this animal embodied in
Arabs' proverbs and similes. According to (Wilstach,F.,1996:5) ,
(Sommer, E.,2013:54), (Best ,W.,1958:83) , English language uses the
lexical item "sun" as a symbol or an image of longevity without any
573
reference to an eagle and this means that the use of an eagle is culture
specific so the translator has to find an equivalent image in TL that
conveys the same meaning and the same aesthetic effect of SL. By
following(RSV+ESF)strategy, subjects no.1and 3 could keep the original
meaning to some extent by giving the point of similarity, but in the same
time they have imposed the culturally specific image used in Arabic ,thus
they failed to keep the rhetorical use of language and its aesthetic effect.
Discussion:
Comparison(Simile) No.7 ‫هذا الرجل أحمق كجحا‬ Strategy

adopted
translation of subject no.1 This man is a real fool (RSIS)
translation of subject no.2 This man is very stupid (RSIS)
translation of subject no.3 This man is so stupid (RSIS)
translation of subject no.4 This man is as fool as Joha (RVG)
.The funny Arabian character
assigned for this feature
translation of subject no.5 This man is nothing but a real (RSIS)
fool
translation of subject no.6 This man is like Joha ( LT)
Discussion:
Joha is a well known character in oriental folktales .The origin of his
name is unclear, but the first time he mentioned in Arabic stories dates
back from the ninth century(Sarano,M.,2010:5). Joha tales are known
throughout the Arabic-speaking countries. Joha appears as Nasreddin
Hoja, the wise fool in stories from Iran ,turkey and central Asia. Joha
stories have much to teach about the thin line between wisdom and
foolishness(Kimmel,E.&Rayyan,O.,2010:1) Joha as a literary figure, he
never dies. He continues to live on in jokes told by the very young as well
as the old. In traditional stories he is the king's or the sultan's
fool(Sarano,M.,2010:ibid). Accordingly ,Arabic culture considers Joha as
a symbol or an image of foolery which is used by Arabs in their
analogical use of language to refer to fool people by saying "he or she is
as fool as Joha" .In fact this use of the lexical item is not applicable to all
cultures since the lexical item "Joha" is a culture specific term which is
used in oriental communities only. Thus, a translator of such an image
has to find an equivalent image or a lexical item that is known by the
receptors of the translated text and that has the same function in TL
culture. In English culture, on the other hand, the lexical items" calf,
apes, peacock, excuse, a monkey in a dinner jacket and as one who puts
water in a basket "are used as images for foolery or fool people
(Wilstach,F.,1996:153),(Sommer,E.,2013:170)and(Best,W.,1958:86) .
574
Subject no.1 as well as subjects no. "2,3"and"5" could convey the same
meaning of SL by following(RSIS)strategy but they could not keep the
rhetorical image of SL because they reduced simile to its sense only.
Subject no.4,on the other hand, kept the image of SL ,but he explained its
meaning in the margin .Thus, he could keep the meaning , but lost the
analogy because of being unable to find the cultural equivalent .Subject
no.6 provided a literal translation by imposing the image used in Arabic
into English. Thus the resulted translation is ambiguous and wrong since
the image used in Arabic is unknown by the receptor of the translation
who has a different cultural background. In fact ,a good translator has to
convey both meaning and form if possible. Thus, one has to do his or her
best to find a cultural equivalent that functions similarly as the item used
in SL. Depending on the images used in English as provided
by(Wilstach,F.,1996:153),(Sommer,E.,2013:170)and(Best,W.,1958:86)
,one can suggest the following translation: .
‫هذا الرجل أحمق كجحا‬This man is as fool as a calf.
Conclusion:
The study concludes the following:
1.Simile is a common figure of speech which is used both in Arabic and
English and it is well known by both Arab and English rhetoricians as
a means of comparison that helps readers conjure images in a narrative,
whether in fiction or nonfiction. . Simile can help our readers
understand and stay interested in what we want to convey to them.
2.By virtue of their connotative nature, similes are difficult to translate.
This arises from the fact that they are often culturally specific.
3.One of the difficulties of translating similes lies in the search for the
best strategy to translate them, i.e. whether they will be translated
figuratively by looking for an equivalent in the TL or replacing them
with non-figurative language, which sometimes entails using an
expletive technique.
4.The translators in some instances failed to convey the meaning of the
original text because of their attempts to keep the form of the source
message which resulted in wrong or obscure meaning being
transferred.
5.Sometimes the translators tried to transfer the message without
changing the image "‫" المشبه به‬which is usually culture specific. The
result is often either a translation which is impossible or difficult to
understand, or one which even expresses wrong meaning. To avoid
such misunderstandings, the translators are responsible for effective
and correct intercultural interactions. Accordingly, that the translator
may decide to use a cultural substitute’, i.e. something which has the
same function in the receptor language culture as the concept referred
to in the source text. .
575
6.It has been found that in some cases the translators resorted to the
dynamic or idiomatic translation to express the meaning of the source
text in the natural form of the receptor language by giving priority to
the communication of meaning of the source text over the aesthetic
effect created by the use of figures of speech as in the case of
translating TL figurative language into SL non-figurative one.
7. Although simile is easily recognizable in most cases, its rendering is
not always simple, involving semantic as well as pragmatic
considerations
8. In some cases, SL simile is translated by metaphor into the TL where
the particle and point of similarity are omitted .
9. In some cases, SL explicit simile is translated into implicit simile in
TL where only the point of similarity is omitted and the image is
changed into an equivalent image that has the same meaning in TL.
10.Sometimes the image used in SL might be found in the TL language
but means something else . For example" John is like a rock " which
usually means in Arabic "strong" while in other culture might mean
"he can not talk"(Larson,1984:251) .
11.sometimes the image of SL simile is translated into another image in
TL and that image is created by the translators and not used in SL
.For into "as spiteful as a snake". ‫"حقود كالجمل‬example,
translating"
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Simile As A Translation Problem

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‫‪Simile As A Translation Problem‬‬ ‫مجلة آداب الفراهيدي‬ ‫عصام طاهر محمد‬

‫‪ESSAM TAHIR MOHAMMED‬‬ ‫العدد (‪ )31‬أيلول ‪2017‬م‬

Comparison(Simile) No.7 ‫هذا الرجل أحمق كجحا‬ Strategy

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