The result is a translation that fails either to satisfy the impulse for Arab audiences to appreciate the nuance of one of Shakespeare's great tragedies or to create a work that resonates with Arab-speaking audiences.
In many ways, the challenges of translating this type of work are far greater than standard translations between the two distinct linguistic traditions. This is because of core structural differences that lead to common syntax errors. According to Nakhallah (2010), "English-Arabic translation difficulties also result from differences in word order between the syntax of the two languages." (Nakhallah, p. 2)
Such is to say that the reverse order of subject and verb between the two languages leads to a bevy of translation errors and produces works that are often garbled and inferior. The consequence may simply be a low quality reading experience for the Arabic reader attempting to take in a piece of English-written work or yet more problematic, the consequence may be a garbling of meaning and a failure to convey the intended message of the original work. In the case of the Shakespeare translation in question, it may be fair to suggest that the experience is simply of a low quality. While consideration of the text suggests that the intended meaning of the source material is conveyed, its recreation of English phrasing largely falls short of invoking any sense of poetry or placement.
In fact, it would be more accurate perhaps to identify this poor translation as an interpretation instead. And as a consequence, a great deal of the cultural significance of the source material is lost. The effort to create something the could be understood in the context of a modern Arabic transition would largely diminish the role played by cultural context...
Thus, the translation in question becomes a very distant approximation of the great tragedy which stands out among Shakespeare's work.
In materials where mere interpretation is not sufficient and indeed where cultural imperatives may be secondary at best, such as with educational, technical or informational resources, the issue of subject-verb syntax still presents a challenge to the comprehension of some readers. According to Samhoury (1995), "certain mistakes were found to recur, and these were assumed to reflect transfer of Arabic features in
conflict with English." (Samhoury, p 1) While Samhoury goes on to point out that the languages do consist of the same basic elements such as the noun, verb, adjective and sentence, sequencing and word agreement remain very different. Poorly constructed translation will betray this difference by forging sentences in Arabic that show some spoonerism of subject and verb.
Ultimately, this speaks to the challenge in mortaring together the building blocks of English to create meaningful Arabic translations. When the need to convey works of cultural or artistic merit arises, this difficulty is compounded. This suggests an interesting symmetry to the divide separating Western and Arabic culture and that separating linguistic tradition.
Works Cited:
Academic Supervisor. (2011). Grammatical Problems in Translation. Slideshare.net.
Enani, M. (2006). On translating Shakespeare into Arabic. Al-Ahram Weekly Online.
Kehal, M. & Atamna, E. (2010). Problems in English Arabic Translation of Reference Pragmatic Aspects. People's
Democratic Republic of Algeria: Ministry of
Higher Education and Science Research.
Nakhallah, a.M. (2010). Difficulties and Problems Facing English Students at QOU in theTranslation Process from English to Arabic and Their solutions. Al-Quds Open University.
Samhoury, M.Z. (1995). Grammatical problems involved in teaching English to speakers of Syrian Arabic. University of Leeds.
