Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted A Translation and Critical Analysis of an Excerpt of Finlay Christie’s Stand-up Comedy Special “OK, Zoomer”(University of Manchester, 2024) Alharthi, Hanouf; Jones, HenryThis dissertation consists of the subtitling of a stand-up comedy special, and an accompanying critical analysis. The stand-up comedy presents a humorous perspective on the lives of young people. This dissertation focuses on humor translation. The first chapter introduces the chosen source text and discusses details of the translation brief that have been followed in subtitling this clip. The second chapter is divided into three major subsections. First, it introduces the theoretical framework that has provided a detailed view of humor analysis that has anchored this translation. The second subsection focuses on translating culture-based humor. It considers the difficulty in recognizing cultural references made in humorous jokes and explores how humor can be manipulated to fit a certain context. The final subsection focuses on translating language-based humor and examines the different ways in which it has manifested in wordplays and taboos. It looks at how the degree of difference between two languages and cultures can pose issues in translation.7 0Item Restricted Translating 15000 words of the book named The Cultural Intelligence, and writting an academic commentary of 15000 words on that(The university of Leicester, 2024-09-10) Almars, Moath; Li, Jingjing; Elimam, AhmedTranslating 15000 words of the book named The Cultural Intelligence, and writing an academic commentary of 15000 words on that. The book is translated for the benefit of the young Saudi audience and many real-life reasons were taken into consideration. The commentary included many sections like rationale and comparison and linguistic, translation, and cultural problems in order to deliver the book's message to the targeted readers. رسالة الماجستير هي مشروع من جزئين، الأول هو ترجمة 15000 كلمة من اللغة اللغة الإنجليزية إلى العربية من كتاب بعنوان الذكاء الثقافي من تأليف د. دافيد ثوماس وكير إنكسون، والقسم الثاني هو كتابة تعليق أكاديمي باللغة الإنجليزية مكون من 15000 كلمة يحتوي على شرح مفصل عن آلية اختيار النص والهدف منه وآلية الترجمة استنادا على نظريات أكاديمية في اختيار المصطلحات بناء على الهدف من ترجمة الكتاب للفئة المستهدف من قراءة هذا الكتاب باللغة العربية. وقد تم تحديد فئة الشباب في المجتمع السعودي والذي يجب أن يكون على دراية بأهمية تنمية مهارات الذكاء الثقافي في بيئة العمل ومجال السياحة. هذا واحتوت الترجمة على العديد من المصطلحات العصرية والتي كان من الصعب إيجاد مقابل لها في العربية أو حتى ترجمة المفهوم للقارئ العربية بلغة يفهمها.14 0Item Restricted A Translation and Critical Analysis of “The Yellow Wallpaper”(The University of Manchester, 2024) Alanazi, Lama; Strowe, AnnaThis dissertation comprises an Arabic adaptation and an analysis of the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper”. The story portrays the descent into madness of an unnamed woman confined by her doctor-husband in an attic nursery as part of a “rest cure” for a “nervous disease”, which later appears to be postpartum depression. The story takes place in the nineteenth century, a period where women’s roles and careers were largely defined by their social, cultural, and regional backgrounds in the United States. Considering the difference between this modern period and the 19th century period, the difference between the Arab and Western cultures, as well as the different issues women are encountering compared to that period, this story is adapted to fit the target audience which is Arab women. This adaptation focuses on incorporating the evil eye concept which is exploited in Arab countered to downplay women’s mental issues. It also replaces the rest cure treatment with traditional treatments to treat symptoms of the evil eye. The critical analysis is structured into two chapters. The first chapter provides background context and information about the source text, including its historical and cultural significance. The second chapter focuses on the analysis of the adaptation, beginning with a discussion of the differences between Arab and Western feminism, which are crucial to consider in the adaptation process. This chapter then examines the challenges of adapting “The Yellow Wallpaper” through a feminist lens, particularly in transforming key elements—such as characters, names, themes, and symbols—into ones that resonate with Arab audiences and align with their cultural and social realities.30 0Item Restricted The Bible in Arabic - Translational Trends, and the Issue of 'Islamic Arabic' Usage(The University of Edinburgh, 2024) Alghamdi, Ahmed; Israel, HephzibahFor more than a thousand years, the Bible has undergone numerous translations into Arabic, either in its entirety or in portions. Since the emergence of the Arabic Bible around the eighth or ninth century CE, this translation tradition has showcased a captivating array of styles and linguistic approaches. Amidst this fascinating diversity, a particular aspect has recently drawn the focus of certain scholars examining Christian Arabic biblical (and non-biblical) texts: the presence of what they perceive as 'Islamic/Quranic Arabic'. This thesis critically examines the rich and diverse tradition of Arabic Christianity, aiming to provide a comprehensive perspective on its linguistic and translational heterogeneity. The objective is to deepen our understanding of this tradition, with a specific emphasis on a critical evaluation of the category 'Islamic Arabic'. This examination will be accomplished through textual and contextual analyses of various Arabic Christian texts, placing particular emphasis on biblical translation, involving an in-depth examination of twelve Arabic biblical translations spanning diverse geographical, temporal, and denominational contexts. In light of this critical examination, this thesis proposes that the translational and linguistic diversity, including the presence or absence of the so-called 'Islamic Arabic', can be attributed to the influence of certain major norms that have influenced the Arabic Christian tradition. Furthermore, the analyses undertaken in this thesis reveal that the manner in which these norms were approached in various Arabic Christian contexts may have implications regarding questions of unique linguistic culture (or elements) and linguistic integration with the surrounding speech community, or distinctiveness from it, giving rise to a religion-based style of the language, or 'religiolect'. Furthermore, through a critical examination of Arabic Christian linguistic usage in textual content, this thesis aims to elucidate the problematic nature of prevailing scholarly perspectives regarding the use of the so-called 'Islamic Arabic'. Such perspectives often portray this linguistic phenomenon within Christian texts as anomalous and primarily confined to a specific historical period. In contrast, this thesis reveals that the usage of this so-called Islamic Arabic is not anomalous but rather indicative of the nuanced cultural circumstances and enduring linguistic diversity inherent within Arabic Christian traditions. Drawing primarily on the perspectives offered by Translation Studies, this research examines translational styles within Christian Arabic biblical and non-biblical texts, highlighting how language-related cultural expectations are navigated across different domains within the Arabic context, and examining processes of both cultural isolation and integration within a cultural landscape dominated by Muslim-established linguistic conventions. Additionally, incorporating secondary insights from sociolinguistics has proven particularly illuminating in understanding this socio-linguistic dimension. Incorporating these theoretical frameworks, this thesis reveals that the diverse linguistic and translational styles within Christian Arabic biblical and non-biblical traditions represent a complex cultural dynamic interaction that has persisted throughout the history of Arabic Christianity.17 0Item Restricted The Shaping Powers in Rewriting Popular Fantasy: The Theory of Rewriting and Game of Thrones in the Age of Social Media(Cardiff University, 2024-05-31) Alhajri, Ayed; Griffiths, Kate; Polezzi, LoredanaThis thesis revisits André Lefevere’s theory of rewriting in the age of social media. It does so by applying it to three Arabic adaptations of the blockbusting American fictional TV show Game of Thrones (2011). In so doing, this research aims to extend Lefevere’s theory to the social media context, a context that varies immensely from the one in which this theory was introduced three decades ago. This research focuses mainly on Lefevere’s two shaping powers in rewritings, the dominant ideology and poetics of the target culture. Moreover, it expands Lefevere’s theory by intertwining it with other theories, namely Henry Jenkins’ notion of convergence culture, and Lawrence Venuti’s idea of translator’s invisibility, to assess the role of the audience as a shaping power in its own right. While Lefevere’s theory is mainly focused on the powers at play at the production stage, Jenkins’ and Venuti’s notions enable the theory of rewriting to encompass other stages of the process, namely reception and circulation. This theoretical framework advances the theory of rewriting as well as our understanding of the case studies under examination, which, in turn, ruminates on controversial issues related to translation, such as the longstanding perception of censorship, the fixity and singularity of the source text, and our overall understanding of rewriting (encompassing translation and adaptation). In addition, by applying the translation theory of rewriting to explore cases of adaptation, this research responds to Venuti’s call for a dialogue between Translation Studies and Adaptation Studies. This thesis concludes that Lefevere’s concepts speak directly and powerfully to rewritings published in the age of social media, once these concepts are adapted in line with this new context and its powers.55 0Item Restricted Translation of Qur’anic ‘heart’ phrases into English with particular reference to key linguistic featuresProfessor James Dickins(University of Leeds, 2023-11-21) Nouraldeen, Abdullah Soliman; Dickins, James; Sheikh, MustaphaTranslating the Qur’an, the sacred Word of Allah, poses particular challenges, including linguistic-semantic ones, to the translator, and consequently are worthy of further study and research. This thesis examines three English recent translations (TTs) of the Qur’an – Khattab, Hussain and Bridges – in relation to phrases involving the word qalb ‘heart’ and its ‘associates’, i.e. words with similar senses, key aspects in these words: polysemy, (near-)synonymy, collocation, majāz, ellipsis, and taḍmīn. Qalb ‘heart’ and its ‘associates’ are chosen because of the rich and challenging nature of the data which they provide. The three translations were chosen because: (i) they are new and have not, to the best of my knowledge, been analysed before (unlike many older translations), (ii) given their newness the authors can be consulted over their translation decisions; and (iii) these translations are based on the wealth of previous translations. This study proposes a full model for Qur’an translation production/assessment. The model takes into consideration three elements: i. Different sources of data (authoritative modern tafāsīr which draw extensively on the Classical tradition, Classical Arabic dictionaries, and modern English dictionaries); ii. Different investigators (Qur’an translators, Qur’an translation researchers, and native English Speakers), based on the ‘triangulation’ method, suggested by Campbell and Fiske (1959) and Denzin ([1970] 1978), and; iii. Five linguistic levels (morphology, syntax, lexical-semantics, balāġah, and pragmatics), based on the theoretical principles of comparative stylistics, advanced by Vinay and Darbelnet (1995). Two research instruments are employed: (a) textual analysis, which is applied to the Qur’an as well as to the three TTs, using the three tafāsīr, and three Arabic and English dictionaries; and (b) two questionnaires ــــ 80 TTRs responded to the first questionnaire (designed to assess understandability) and 65 to the second (designed to assess appropriateness), while three QTs and three QTRs responded to the second questionnaire. The findings show that questionnaire respondents have a wide variety of opinions. Some prefer concise translations, while others prefer more explanatory ones. Most commonly, questionnaire respondents find all three translations similarly acceptable. However, there is a preference in many cases for Khattab’s translation over the other two. The addition of a contextual explanation with the second questionnaire typically makes respondents more confident about their responses. However, surprisingly, in some cases when explanations were provided, several participants were not sure which translation is the most appropriate, and could not suggest an appropriate translation, justifying this on the grounds that they were not sure. Given the general value of explanation, as identified by the respondents, explanation (a footnote or in-text square brackets) is recommended, to help bridge the gap between the differences in the six features between Arabic and English. Another major finding is that modern English links ‘heart’ to feelings, unlike the Qur’an, which frequently links it to ‘mind’. This should be reflected in the TT to avoid ambiguity. The research also shows that negative connotations (identified mainly by native English speakers, rather than dictionaries) are associated with some phrases in the TTs, and that these should be avoided given that they are not found in the Qur’anic ST.26 0Item Restricted The use of translation in English for specific academic purposes classes in Saudi Arabia. PhD Thesis.(University of Glasgow, 2024-02-28) Alsuwayhiri, Meshari Muthyib; Anderson , Wendy; MacDiarmid, CaroleThe use of translation in second language pedagogy has long been a topic of controversy, discussion and debate. Translation was omnipresent as a language teaching method, with its dominance well-documented in the scholarly literature concerned with foreign language teaching (Kelly, 1969). However, the end of the 19th century marked a watershed moment, which saw translation fall from grace owing to critics representing the Reform Movement, who voiced a chorus of disapproval of its excessive emphasis on the written form of language to the detriment of oral proficiency. This gave rise to a host of alternative teaching methods, e.g. the Direct Method, the Berlitz Method, and the Natural Method, prioritising the development of oral competence, which translation was thought to impede, and thus was only deemed attainable if second language teaching followed a monolingual approach. Consequently, much criticism, controversy and scepticism surrounded the use of translation, with the credo that English is best taught through English prevailing as an axiom that permeated the theoretical discourse, despite relying on assumptions rather than being evidence-based (G. Cook, 2010). Since the recent turn of century, however, a growing, revived interest in translation has been observed, in conjunction with a flurry of publications and academic research advocating a return to bi/multilingual teaching, so much so that it has been termed the translation turn (Carreres & Noriega-Sánchez, 2021). Against this backdrop, this thesis seeks to explore the attitudes of Saudi university English for specific academic purposes (ESAP) teaching staff and students to translation, the purposes for which they use it and the factors leading to its use, in addition to investigating their actual use of translation in practice. A mixed-method approach, employing classroom observations, surveys and interviews, is employed to gain an in-depth understanding of the topic under study. The results of the inquiry provide evidence of widespread use of translation in ESAP classes, despite the teaching staff being strongly in favour of an English-only approach. This offers yet another indication of the complex relationship between what teachers believe and what they actually do repeatedly reported in the literature, in this case concerning the difference between teachers’ attitudes to the use of translation and what actually occurs in their practice. The findings further show an appreciation of the merits of translation among both teachers and students, which is primarily drawn upon when issues of students’ low proficiency arise, as well as when teaching and learning complex ESAP vocabulary and grammar.44 0Item Restricted The Chickenshit Club: Why the Justice Department Fails to Prosecute Executives(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-08-31) Alsalman, Feras; Elgindy, AhmedThe project is a "Long Annotated Translation", which is comprised of a translation (8000-10000 words) and a commentary (8000-10000 words). A chapter was chosen "There is No Christmas" from the book "The Chickenshot Club: Why the Justice Department Fails to Prosecute Executives".28 0Item Restricted Long Annotated Translation of the First Chapter of "Unlawful Killings", Life, Love and Murder: Trials at the Old Bailey By Wendy Joseph(Saudi Digital Library, 2023) Alburaidi, Ibrahim Saleh; Mizori, HassanThis project introduces the translation of the first chapter of "Unlawful Killings," a true crime narrative by Her Honour Wendy Joseph QC, offering insights into the UK legal system. The translation aims to fill a gap in Arabic literature, providing Arabic readers access to a best-selling work not previously translated. The rationale is grounded in the book's thematic relevance, the translator's personal connection to the Old Bailey Court, and the absence of an Arabic version. The translation strategy employs direct translation, borrowing, calque, and literal translation, supplemented by oblique translation techniques. The target readership includes Arabic literature enthusiasts, and the potential publisher is "Athra," known for its commitment to quality translation. In addition to the translation, there is an annotation that provides further context, explanations of translation choices, and cultural insights. This comprehensive approach seeks to enrich Arabic literature, presenting a unique perspective on true crime and legal proceedings while maintaining linguistic accuracy and cultural resonance.22 0Item Restricted Long annotated translation(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-11-23) Alnafie, Maha; Hassan, MizoriIn the vibrant world of literary translation, words become bridges that unite diverse cultures and grant readers access to an array of compelling narratives. I have embarked on an enriching journey to explore the intricacies of cross-lingual communication. With great enthusiasm, I present this long-annotated translation project, which focuses on rendering some excerpts from the thought-provoking book “Greenlights” by Matthew McConaughey.20 0