Culture-based Text Translation Strategy Analysis: English to Arabic

Abstract

Process and product translation strategy analysis has not been given its due consideration in both conceptual and empirical translation studies, which is reflected in sparse studies on this area of research. To bridge this gap, this thesis aims to empirically analyse translation as a process (translation strategies) and a product (i.e. translation procedures), using three types of elicitation techniques (i.e. Translog software, a translation task, and a questionnaire). Translation strategies are analysed via Translog, namely task time (skimming time, drafting time and post-editing time), keylogging (text production, text elimination, miscellaneous events, mouse clicks and a translation unit (TU)). The questionnaire supplements the Translog data since it demonstrates students' use of translation strategies from their perspective. The translation task explores students' translation procedures (i.e. linguistic shifts in changing source text (ST) into target text (TT)).

Three main translation stages were detected in translation process (i.e. skimming, drafting and post-editing), which reveal the students' major attention to drafting, limited time on skimming and near negligence of post-editing. Based on students' translations, translation strategies are classified into internal comprehension strategies (i.e. problem identification, searching memory, context and guess), external strategies (i.e. monolingual dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, search engines) and editing strategies (i.e. re-read and revise). The students rely mostly on external strategies rather than on their analytical skills to solve translation problems. As for translation procedures, the students rely mostly on transference (literal translation) to translate culture-based texts in Arabic, which result in deviation from the SL meaning. The most important finding here is that the selection of translation procedures should be based on text analysis and applying parameters of translation procedure selection, which refutes the equivalence theory that claims equivalence has the potentials of solving most translation problems.

The study presents a model for a translation strategy analysis that can be applied to a classroom and a translation course, which can be used to diagnose the students' deficiencies in translation process and product. In applying the translation strategy analysis, it is possible to provide practical solutions that could tackle students' deficiencies in strategic competence, cultural competence and instrumental competence.