A Translation of an Academic Text from Arabic to English with Commentary

Abstract

Translation as a process of conveying the meaning of utterances from one language to another, is a mean of linking nations and exchanging cultural backgrounds and knowledge all over the world. It deals with different types of texts and mediums, and it has specific function to be carried out. Translation is not an arbitrary activity which can be reflected from all theories, strategies, methods, and procedures that are existed as result of deeper knowledge, discoveries, and observations of it. All of which well-known scholars and theorists have developed specific interests regarding different aspects of the translation whether considering it an activity of conveying meaning from one language into another or a recreation of a new material. In the current paper, I have translated an academic text from Arabic into English and carried out a commentary about all the elements that I have included during and prior the translation process. I started the commentary with textual analysis of the source text which led to identifying the text type and function. Based on that, I have established an essential function and purpose of bot the translation process and the target text which, in turn, determined the theoretical framework regarding translation I have followed. After that, I have previewed the issues I have faced during the process of translating the source text and what are the strategies I have employed to tackle these issues. These strategies have been justified in accordance with the theories of translation that I have been guided by during the translation of the original piece.