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Article published In: FORUM
Vol. 17:2 (2019) ► pp.127–148

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On the translatability of Qur’anic pun

 | Kuwait University
 | The Hashemite University
Published online: 3 December 2019
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/forum.18017.kha
Abstract
This paper explores the translatability of Qur’anic pun. With reference to a phalanx of authoritative Qur’anic exegetes and three leading Qur’anic translations, and by drawing on ʿAtīq, Abdul Aziz. 1985. ʿElm al- Badīʿ. First ed. Beirut: Dar al-Nahḍa al-ʿArabiyya lil-Ḍibaʿa wal-Našr wal-Tawzīʿ.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar taxonomy of Arabic pun, and . 2004. “Wordplay as a translation problem: A linguistic perspective.” Uberstzung translation traduction, 1 (1):600–606.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar model of pun translation, the study examines a four-fold classification of pun: (1) abstract pun, (2) immediate-meaning-oriented pun, (3) far-meaning-oriented pun, and (4) aided pun. Given the semantic indirectness and sophistication immanent in punning, it is argued that Qur’anic pun, as a rhetorical device, is quite thorny from a translational standpoint. The study reveals that three out of nine translation strategies have been used: the literal strategy, the manipulative strategy, and the situational strategy. The literal strategy capitalizes on the immediate meaning, and ‘auctions off’ or ‘pulverizes’ the punning meaning, which, subsequently, may result in incommensurate translation damage. The situational strategy involves adding, for the entire translation, a descriptive word or phrase between brackets, and the manipulative strategy advocates text-in-context perspective. The study wraps up with a proposal for the interpretive strategy, which hinges upon exegesis-driven paraphrasing. This particular translation strategy has a greater emancipatory potential.
Résumé
Cet article vise à explorer les possibilités de traduction des calembours coraniques. En se référant à une phalange d’exégètes coraniques faisant autorité, et à trois traductions coraniques de premier plan, et en s’inspirant de la taxonomie de calembours de l’arabe ʿAtīq, Abdul Aziz. 1985. ʿElm al- Badīʿ. First ed. Beirut: Dar al-Nahḍa al-ʿArabiyya lil-Ḍibaʿa wal-Našr wal-Tawzīʿ.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar et de . 2004. “Wordplay as a translation problem: A linguistic perspective.” Uberstzung translation traduction, 1 (1):600–606.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar. L’étude examine une classification des calembours en quatre type: (1) calembours abstrait, (2) calembours à sens immédiat, (3) calembours axé sur le sens lointain et (4) calembours assisté. Étant donné le caractère sémantique indirect et la sophistication immanente des calembours, il est soutenu que les calembours coraniques, en tant que moyen rhétorique, sont assez délicats du point de vue de la traduction. L’étude révèle que trois stratégies de traduction sur neuf ont été utilisées: la stratégie littérale, la stratégie de manipulation et la stratégie de la situation. La stratégie littérale capitalise sur le sens immédiat et « met aux enchères » ou « pulvérise » le sens de calembours, ce qui peut ensuite entraîner une altération dommageable importante de la traduction. La stratégie situationnelle consiste à ajouter, pour la traduction entière, un mot ou une phrase descriptive entre crochets, et la stratégie manipulatrice préconise une perspective de texte en contexte. L’étude se termine en proposant la stratégie d’interprétation, qui repose sur une paraphrase fondée sur l’exégèse. Cette stratégie de traduction particulière a un plus grand potentiel émancipateur.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theoretical model
    • 2.1Pun from a translational perspective
  • 3.Methodology
  • 4.Discussion
    • 4.1Abstract pun/
    • 4.2Immediate-meaning-oriented pun/
    • 4.3Far-meaning-oriented pun/
    • 4.4Aided pun/
  • 5.Conclusion
  • References
  • Electronic references
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Cited by (1)

Cited by one other publication

Hassanein, Hamada
2022. Translating Semantic Cases from Qur’anic Arabic into English. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research 51:1 ► pp. 58 ff. DOI logo

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