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Research Paper | Arts and Humanities | Palestinian Territories | Volume 11 Issue 10, October 2022

Translating Idioms from English to Arabic among IUG Students: Difficulties Encountered and Suggested Solutions

Mohammed Hamouda

Abstract: This article aims to determine difficulties that IUG students encounter while translating idioms from English into Arabic, and suggest some strategies that can be adopted to overcome these difficulties. To achieve this aim, the researcher relies on Moon's (1998) classification of idioms into four types: transparent idioms, semi-transparent idioms, Semi-opaque idioms, and opaque idioms. Moreover, the study is limited to 20 MA students at IUG. To pick the needed results, the researcher examines the following two hypothesis: 1) IUG students face more difficulties in translating opaque and semi-opaque idioms than in translating transparent and semi-transparent idioms. 2) Students should adopt SL oriented strategies, such as literal translation in translating transparent and semi-transparent idioms, and TL oriented strategies, such as TL equivalence and explanation or paraphrasing in translating opaque and semi-opaque idioms. So, the researcher skims "dictionary of idioms and their origins" to pick 12 sentences including idioms. Every three sentences are related to one type of idioms. Then, the students are asked to take a test to translate these sentences. The results show that the dominant strategy used by males and females at the first section is literal strategy, and the outcomes are correct translation. So, literal translation is acceptable to be used to render transparent idioms. Regarding the second section, males and females use literal translation and TL equivalence. The majority of their translations are acceptable and correct. Moving to the third section, both males and females use explanation, TL equivalence, and literal translation. However, the most appropriate strategy is TL equivalence. Finally, idioms in the last section hold cultural references, so males and females encounter difficulties to render them. Actually, idioms related to opaque idioms category are best translated by TL equivalence. Literal translation gives wrong renditions.

Keywords: Transparent idioms, semi-transparent idioms, semi-opaque idioms, and opaque idioms

Edition: Volume 11 Issue 10, October 2022,

Pages: 1300 - 1306