Translation of Poetry: A Study of Translatability of Pragmatic and Cultural Elements

Abstract

Poetry is a genre that states more in a few words because much of it is cultural content that is assumed to be comprehended by the reader(s). This very characteristic of poetry of being rooted in cultural ethos makes its translation complex and even "untranslatable." Imr-ul-Qais’s Muallaqa is an Arabic classic which has been a symbol of the shared Arab identity, values, and magnanimity. In addition to its unsurpassed poetic brilliance, it is an epitome of the culture of the pre-Islamic Arab world. There are many translations of this masterpiece into English, though each is unique in terms of interpretations, liberties, and constraints. This study examines three prominent translations of Imr-ul-Qais's Muallaqa by Arberry, Johnson, and Mumayiz with reference to Venuti's (1995) dichotomy of domestication and foreignization. The aim is to identify translators’ strategies in tackling the translational challenges, as well as the implications thereof, in order to bridge the linguistic and cultural divide as well as if and what is the nature of the loss of meaning in the process. Results showed that Arberry aims for a poetic rendition in blank verse, focusing on semantic and syntactic fidelity rather than rhyme and meter. Johnson employed transposition and modulation, resulting in a more prosaic translation that lacks the Arabic ethos. Both translators leaned towards domestication, prioritizing English comprehension over retaining the original sentiment. Mumayiz, a native speaker of Arabic, provides a more rhythmic translation, with greater effort to provide English readers with insights into the original text, hence leant more on foreignization than domesticaion.