it is first important to note the assonance employed in the use of ’ and the idiomatic expression found in the proverb. #3H/ 1’3 which refers to blackness in the minds of man. The problem when it comes to the word-for-word translation of idiomatic expressions from one language to another is that there is a considerable amount of meaning that is lost. For instance

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Abstract

Proverbs are one of the most interesting fields of study when it comes to examining languages because of the characteristics they hold when it comes to their musical quality and aesthetic sounds they create in each language. This paper focuses on different Emirati proverbs and the assortment of techniques that can be used to translate them into English. It delves into what problems are commonly encountered, what solutions can be utilized and what sort of outcome translators can expect. Overall, this paper contributes to the understanding of proverbs across different languages and cultures.

Study Background

Introduction

Translation plays a significant role in transmitting culture across regional and social boundaries. In fact, many use translation to either narrow the gap or otherwise highlight the great differences between cultures in order to foster greater understanding. Based on this, one of the cultural aspects that gives a glimpse into peoples lifestyles, social interactions, and past experiences is the proverb. Proverbs are language elements that are memorable, short, have a musical sound and deliver profound meaning for a set of identifiable, culture specific actions. They are used in various conversations and social situations because they reflect what many perceive as universal truths. According to Mieder (2004), proverbs do not take a straightforward approach, but have hidden meanings, which bring out the real meaning of a proverb. For this reason, they need interpretation and, if stated in other languages, proper methods of translation need to be implemented. Translation of proverbs enhances knowledge of other peoples cultures, languages and literature in general. As stated by Wardhaugh (2010): differences between different cultures are symbolized by the elements of language such as idioms and proverbs, and studying these languages and the similarities which exist between them.

The United Arab Emirates is known to be a young country that has just reached the age of 43 years. Before the discovery of oil, the society was divided into urban and rural communities. Urban communities lived near the coast and relied on fishing and trading in the sea, while the rural ones followed a nomadic style of living. Rural people or Bedouins  used to change their location based on the availability of water. This unique way of life had a significant impact on the cultural development of the local population and influenced the creation of local proverbs. The proverbs of the rural community have a Bedouin flavor that distinguishes them from urban proverbs which reflect the lifestyle of the coast and the sea. Proverbs also reflect the crafts practiced by carpenters, farmers, sailors and merchants. Even housewives from both communities have their own proverbs, which are based on their work and daily life experiences.

Objectives of the study

This study aims to:

  1. Discuss major translation problems that face the translator in translating Local Emirati proverbs.
  2. Identify possible strategies for translating those proverbs.
  3. Identify the criteria that would determine the translators choice of the best strategy for translating such problems.

Study Questions

The present study attempts to answer the following questions:

  1. What are the major problems encountered in translating Emirati proverbs?
  2. What are the strategies that can be used in translating those proverbs?
  3. What are the criteria that should be used by the translator for selecting the best strategy for translating those proverbs?

Significance of the study

The significance of this study emanates from the following:

  1. The study will provide exposure to the Bedouin culture in the UAE and highlight the similarities it has with other local cultures from the point of view of proverbs. Translated texts in this area are almost non-existent.
  2. The study will contribute to the extremely limited material available on the problems of translating texts in this genre from Arabic to English.
  3. The study will provide a reference for students who intend to conduct further studies on Emirati proverbs.

Limitations of the Study

This study is concerned with the problems and strategies of translating Emirati proverbs into English. Sources on proverbs in the UAE are extremely limited; hence the researcher will draw her examples from a single book written by Obaid bin Sandal and is titled Local Emirati Proverbs and Folkloric Riddles in the United Arab Emirates. This study is also constrained by a specific time frame; hence, it will have to be restricted to a specific number of proverbs.

Review of Related Literature

Translating Proverbs

In this section, the strategies often utilized by translators in tackling the translation problems they encounter in rendering proverbs from Arabic to English will be discussed. Since these problems are rooted in the rather unique nature of this genre, further analysis is needed in determining the functions of proverbs, their special characteristics and what methods can be utilized in order to understand them. Then, strategies will be discussed in rendering proverbs from Arabic into English.

Definition and Functions of Proverbs

A proverb can be defined as a wise statement highlighting a brilliant idea, situation, know-how, values and other probable applications. They are statements that indicate suggestions in a given context and can reveal the cultural creativity and innovation within a society. Different cultures have evolved a wide array of characteristic attributes as expressed by the proverbs they use (Al-Zoubi & Al- Hassnawi, 2002). Having a moral component, proverbs are sentences that deliver the folklore of the cultures and often have a lesson that they attempt to impart to the reader. They are considered to be fully constructed sentences despite the fact that many are only a few words long. Interestingly they mostly maintain their form or shape when they are transferred from one generation to another with a few changes often being adapted based on changes to the local dialect over time. Norrick (1985) points out that, Proverbs, like other linguistic expressions, have form and meaning(as cited in Elyassin, 2005, p.161). Form is a defining characteristic of proverbs, since they are usually said to have a fixed form and often involve different aspects, including linguistic and cultural ones. Since most proverbs can be considered as a representation of certain cultural characteristics of a society, analysis of proverbs helps people of other cultures to understand and appreciate the human experience of individuals from other regions. Most cultures adopt proverbs that modify behaviors and beliefs of its people. Among the definitions of proverbs offered by scholars is that of Norrick (1985). He defines a proverbs as a traditional, conversational, didactic genre with general meaning, a potential free conversational turn, preferably with figurative meaning(p.78). Hence, as Mieder (2004) states proverbs do not take a straightforward approach but have hidden meanings, which bring out the real meaning of a proverb.

Proverbs occur in literary works such as prose, poetry, and songs have a musical quality that manifests itself in the alliteration, rhyme and rhythm, which make them close to poetic instruments. Also, these features make the proverb memorable and appealing to the audience. Writers tend to use proverbs due to the emotional effect they leave on the reader. Since proverbs can serve several functions, they are convenient to use in daily conversations among many cultures. These characteristics facilitate memorization and persuasion and help to spread their general usage.

Formal and Stylistic Features of Proverbs

One of the main reasons that make proverbs memorable is the possession of form elements such as rhyming words and alliteration. They also have certain stylistic features such as repetition and dialogue. Russo (1983) points out that:

English proverbs display marked phonetic and structural devices that serve to sharpen verbal expensiveness and thereby point up the proverbs statement of truth. Most prominent are (1) Rhyme, alliteration, assonance (2) patterned rhythm usually in the service of the balanced structure, (3) binary and sometimes oppositional; (4) repetition of the same word or same grammatical-syntactic structure; (5) vowel harmony (p.121).

What Russo says above applies equally well to Arabic proverbs.

Rhyme

Rhyme is created when two or more words and sentences end in the same sound. It is established by having a similar sound between the words endings. Many local proverbs have rhyme manifested in a stop to divide the proverb into two parts. This aspect provides the proverb with an aesthetic value that makes it memorable and poetic as illustrated in the following example of a Emirati Arabic proverb:

‘0F EF 7JF H ‘0F EF 9,JF

Literal Translation: An ear of mud and an ear of paste

This proverb is said for a person who doesnt listen to peoples advice and he/she does whatever suits them. The rhyme is clear in the two clusters 9,JF EF #0F / 7JF EF #0F.

Alliteration

Alliteration is a repetition of the initial sound that occurs in the first word to create an aesthetic value to the text as shown in this Emirati proverb:

’DE,GH/ EF (‘DEH,H/ ‘D,H/

Literal translation: The effort is made with what we worked hard to make.

Elljood b elmawjood min elmajhood

Meaning: A person should do their best, the better their work is, the greater the benefit they get.

Assonance

Internal vowel-rhyme occurs heavily in the local Emirati proverbs. It means repetition vowel sounds in the phrases or sentences to create internal rhyme. One of the examples that demonstrate this feature is the following local proverb:

‘D4JA) 4JA) H ‘DE9’FJ 69JA)

Literal Translation: The appearance is good but the manners are weak.

Meaning: Appearances might be deceiving.

The Arabic vowel J appears in all the words that make up the proverb to create a sense of internal rhythm.

Dialogue proverbs

A dialogue proverb comes in the form of a dialogue between two characters. These characters can be humans, animals or even inanimate objects. This is demonstrated in the following example:

4H -/C J’DE3E’1 B’D ‘DE71B)

Literal Translation: Who made you do it? The nail was asked. The hammer, it answered.

This proverb is said to describe a person who does something against their will or under pressure.

Figurative Language in Proverbs

Most proverbs cannot be translated literally, hence the translator should interpret the meaning of them. Ghazala (2008) states that:

Proverbs are special, fixed, unchanged phrases which have special, fixed, unchanged meanings. A proverb cannot be translated or understood as a collection of individual meanings of its words. Moreover, proverbs are metaphors that stand for something else (p.144).

Translation of proverbs is essential in bridging the understanding between the origin of a proverb and the reader (Duff, 1989). This is because the figurative language used in proverbs makes it hard to create total understanding by the reader in a discourse involving a social level. Abu-Ssaydeh (2013) stated that the problem is aggravated in the metaphorical proverbs that are culture-bound because they reflect the element of culture and the environment of a given context. Local Emirati proverbs are rich with metaphors related to the environment and Bedouin culture. An example of a metaphorical culture-bound Emirati proverb is the following:

5A1′! 1ED 9B1( %F*

Literal Translation: You are a yellow desert scorpion

This metaphorical proverb describes a sneaky, manipulative and deceiving person.

Personification is another figurative feature of some Emirati proverbs. Personification is to give some human attributes to an idea or an animal as shown in the following example:

CD #16 41(* E’G’ 

Literal translation: Every land drank its water

Meaning: When there is a problem and more than one person tries to solve it, it will be solved.

Equivalent English proverb: One hand doesnt clap

Irony is a further figurative characteristic of some proverb; it refers to an expression that is said to mean the complete opposite of something else for humorous or sarcastic effects. Example:

DE7DBG’ */9J H1JDG’ 9F/ *’CD

Literal Translation: She eats with her husband and prays for her divorcee

Meaning: This proverb is used ironically to criticize a person who does not appreciate the kind treatment offered by some people to him/her and tends to favor their opponents.

Humor is also used to create the feeling of amusement or provoke laughter. Some of the local Emirati proverbs show humorous elements. Example:

5.DG 9BD ‘D9BD H F.D) 7HD ‘D7HD

Literal translation: One is as high as a palm tree, yet his mind equals that of a goat.

Equivalent English Proverb: Tall people have no minds

This proverb indicates that the intelligence of a person is not measured by their height.

Like metaphors, proverbs are culture-bound. They pose a major challenge to the translator because they are deeply rooted in the culture. Richards and Schmidt (2002) define an idiom as, an expression which functions as a single unit and whose meaning cannot be worked out from separate parts. Some Local Emirati proverbs are idiomatic as illustrated in the following example:

JHE J4J( 1J4 ‘D:1′(

Literal Translation: When the feathers of a crow turn grey.

Equivalent English Proverb: when pigs fly

Strategies of Translating Proverbs

Baker (2011) illustrates the following strategies for translating proverbs:

Translation by Cultural Substitution (p44): To change a culture-specific word or phrase with a TL culture related word. This process creates the same impact on the reader because they can relate the meaning based on the word from their culture; e.g. the owl has a negative connotation in the Arab culture, its equivalent in the Western culture: The crow: which has the same negative connotation

3,’,JFG C+1* ‘D,ED 7’- DJ

Literal translation will be When a camel falls down, many knives are raised to butcher it.

Meaning: This proverb refers to a situation when a man of virtue falls in trouble many people turn against him.

An Equivalent English Proverb is the Following: When Strong will fall, Haters shall rise

*D9( -5’FJG’ AJ :J(‘* 0J(G’

Literal translation: The fox will play when the wolf is away.

Equivalent English Proverb: when the cats away the mice will play

2-Translation by paraphrase using unrelated words (p51): Translators have the freedom to paraphrase the word from Language A to language B. They can also explain or add more words to make the reader familiar with the meaning. Example:

-D’) ‘D+H( 1B9*G EFG H AJG

Literal translation: The beauty of a dress, is that its patch is from its fabric.

English Translation of the Proverb: Its better to patch a dress with a similar fabric.

Baker (2011) also proposes some strategies that can be used to translate both idioms and fixed expressions including proverbs:

  • To find a proverb in the TL that is close in meaning and form to the SL proverb

Some of the Emirati proverbs have an equivalent proverb in the TL. This makes it easy for the translator to achieve his work with less effort.

e.g.’D9JD) (‘D9,D)) EF ‘D4J7’F

Literal Translation: Haste is of the Devil.

  • Substitution: To have a proverb that has the same meaning, but it is not same in the form.

Some of the proverbs in the TL can convey the same meaning as the proverbs in the SL, but they are different in form. In such cases translators should be aware of the meanings of the proverbs in both languages to create the perfect match.

e.g. ‘D5(1 EA*’- ‘DA1,

Equivalent English Proverb: Patience is a virtue.

e.g. ‘D9H6 HD’ ‘DB7J9)

Equivalent English Proverb: Half a loaf is better than no bread.

Bahameed (2007) refers to a further strategy which involves changing the local proverbs informal version into a standard one after which the standard language will be translated into the target language. (p.89)

e.g. (H 7(J9 E’ J,H2 9F 7(9G (informal)

Literal Translation: A man with a habit cant lose it.

9’/* -DJE) D9’/*G’ ‘DB/JE) (formal)

Literal Translation: Halima went back to her old habits

Equivalent English Proverb: Old habits never die, a Leopard cant change its spots

With regard to translating proverbs that have metaphorical meanings, Al-Najjar (1984) proposes the following strategies:

  1. Translate the SL metaphoric expression literally into the TL
  2. If the SL metaphoric proverbial expression is ambiguous between its literal meaning and figurative meaning (as cited in Bahameed, 2007,91), the translator can translate the metaphoric proverb literally and add a paraphrase that will explain the meaning.
  3. The translator can translate the proverb as it is and add a story that underlies the proverbs figurative meaning.

In his work, Venuti (1998) suggests the strategy of Foreignization in translation. That means that the author of the original text is in peace and the reader is dragged to his zone that makes him feel the cultural and linguistic differences of the foreign text. Another translation strategy discussed Venuti (1998) is domestication technique that makes the translated text sound and read like the original.

Methodology

Data Collection and Analysis

A total of 60 local Emirati proverbs will be randomly selected from a book titled Local Emirati proverbs and folkloric riddles in the United Arab Emirates by Obaid bin Sandal (2001). The researcher will take the first two proverbs under each letter in the alphabetically arranged list of proverbs included in the book.

Sources

The sources that will be used in this thesis are:

  1. Monolingual and bilingual Dictionaries.
  2. Online sources and book for appropriate equivalents for the proverbs in the source text.
  3. Translation papers/books in dealing with proverbs.

Procedures

The procedures that will be followed in conducting this study are the following:

  1. Collecting the Arabic Emirati proverbs that are appropriate for the study.
  2. Providing explanations for each proverb in Arabic and English.
  3. Examining the characteristics of those proverbs and identifying potential problems for translating them into English.
  4. Discussing possible strategies for translating those proverbs.
  5. Determining the best strategies for translating those proverbs based on certain criteria suggested by the researcher.

Translation and Commentary

Emirati Proverb:

(C ‘DCD’E (C EF J3E9G

This proverb is often used by the elderly especially grandparents who are fed up and frustrated for giving advice to their young sibilants, relatives, neighbors and friends but receiving little positive response and finding only very few people who actually head their advice. It reflects what may be termed as the generation gap which exist in every society and manifests itself in different perceptions and attitudes held by older and younger generations. On the other hand, old people believe that by virtue of their wisdom and enormous experience accumulated over the years the young generation should head their advice and obey their orders. However, young people believe that they are mature enough to determine their own affairs hence they resist any attempt made by the elderly to impose their views, give advice or issue orders.

The Emirati proverb can be divided into two parts: (C ‘DCD’E and (C EF J3E9G. It characterized by the lexical repetition of the word (C . The repetition of this word has an alliteration effect that makes the proverb easy to remember.

Meanwhile, this slang expression makes the proverb semantically opaque to Arab who are unfamiliar with the colloquial Emirati dialect. This difficulty is augmented by the fact that knowledge of the meaning of this slang expression is crucial to understand the overall meaning of the proverb.

The phrase (C ‘DCD’E actually means:

it is not just to say something to ensure that it should be listened to

In the second part of the proverb, a rhetorical question is asked:

(C EF J3E9G who is listening?

The implied response for this question would be:

no one is listening

As regards to the rendition of this Emirati proverb into English, the slang expression (Cwould constitute a challenge to the translator since s/he would not be able to understand the meaning of the proverb unless s/he decodes the meaning of the lexical item (C preferably with the help of a native speaker of the Emirati dialect or by consulting one of the very few sources available on the local Emirati proverbs. As a speaker of the vernacular used in the UAE, the writer of this thesis has faced no difficulty in understanding the meaning of the proverb.

In understanding the proverb into English, the researcher has the following two options:

A. to prepare an equivalent in English that convey the exact intended meaning of the Emirati one. Hence, the proverb may be translated as follows:

To knock on a deaf mans house.

This rendition is perhaps considered as the best one as it would be intelligible for not only to the Emirati speaker, but also to an average reader for whom the English is a second language.

B. To paraphrase the meaning of the Emirati Arabic proverb as follows:

You may give a piece of advice but find no one to head it.

This rendition may be resorted to the translator only if s/he fails to track down the equivalent English proverb mentioned above.

Emirati Proverb:

%(DJ3 ED9HF HCD JD9FG

This proverb is often used in cases where a person makes multiple mistakes involving a particular action or event. It is often a term utilized when someone feels frustrated or even irritated and is actually a very common Emirati proverb that is used across multiple age groups due to the simple fact that people often encounter situations that can frustrate or anger them.

Using direct translation, this Emirati phrase becomes Cursed be the Devil. This is meant to imply that the origin of the problem is based on the actions of the devil. Do note though that when an individual does state this, they do not literally mean that the event is the fault of the devil. Rather, it is more accurate to state that they are expressing their frustration through a phrase and not necessarily implying that the devil is causing the mistakes to occur.

However, the problem with the direct translation is that it lacks the cultural backdrop necessary to truly understand the lesson that the proverb is attempting to convey. For example, the English proverb When the going gets tough, the tough get going, when taken literally implies that the tough should flee. This is of course a mistaken interpretation since it is meant to imply that people should not give up.

In this case, when interpreting this Arabic phrase, it should be based on the implied lesson from the proverb. This can come in variety of different interpretations such as:

You cannot blame Satan for your mistakes

This interpretation takes the word Satan from the translation and utilizes it as a means of implying that the devil is not responsible for all the negative aspects that occurs in a persons life.

Another interpretation comes in the form of:

A man should be responsible for his actions

This interpretation focuses more on the lesson learned from the proverb rather than a direct translation of the proverb itself. This is similar to another Emirati translation of the proverb Do not make excuses, make good, which implies that a person is blaming outside circumstances more than actually developing some means of resolving the problem.

Some distinct features of the phrase can be seen in the use of the phonological repetition in the words ED9HF and JD9FG which focuses on the concepts of cursed and actions. This is a good indicator for translators when it comes to appropriately interpreting the phrase since these features show that proverb focuses on the results of actions.

The translation strategy that should be adopted when encountering this phrase focuses on keeping the cultural element of the proverb while paraphrasing the terms utilized. This means that the interpretation is not necessarily strict since it focuses on the concept of taking responsibility for your actions which can be described in a large variety of ways such as We will be known forever by the tracks we leave and other similar proverbs that focus on responsibility. Utilizing the word the devil is not necessary, only conveying the concept of responsibility for your actions is important.

From a linguistical perspective, the Emirati proverb does have a somewhat equivalent English cultural counterpart in the form of the slang phrase God Dammit! or in its more linguistically appropriate equivalent: God Damn It!. This phrase is similarly utilized when an individual feels frustration or anger over a series of mistakes or when they are feeling particularly irritated over a particular situation. However, given the level of reverence that Emirati culture places on Allah, uttering the English cultural equivalent phrase is considered to be highly inappropriate. This is why instead of the word God the Devil is used instead as a more culturally appropriate means of expressing frustration.

Emirati Proverb:

‘(F /E #3H/ 1’3

This proverb is utilized in situations when it comes to describing the greedy nature of man and is one that is not necessarily used in everyday conversations. This phrase is used in situations where a person has shown himself to act in a way that is exceedingly selfish or greedy and neglects to take other individuals into consideration.

It should also be noted that this particular proverb has little in the way of a direct translation since it utilizes a considerable amount of historical/religious exposition in order to express what it is stating. A direct translation of the proverb would come out vaguely as the Blackness in the Sons of Adam. This would cause a considerable amount of confusion for translators since the concepts of blackness and sons of Adam could refer to a wide variety of different potential translations. It is due to this that the problem faced by translators when presented with this phrase is its general ambiguity and vagueness since it does not refer to something specific.

Before proceeding

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