Translation Strategies and Challenges of Colour Idioms in English and Saudi Arabic
العادل, مشاعل عبد العالي . 2014
Abstract
The aim of this research is to investigate the similarities as well as the differences between some English and Saudi Arabic colour idiomatic expressions and their equivalents and to determine the extent to which colour idiomatic expressions are distorted in translation. Thus, the researcher adopts a comparative/contrastive approach in order to identify the similarities and differences between the colour idiomatic expressions in the two languages as well as to highlight the cultural differences reflected by them. In addition, this research aims to examine different translation strategies applied in translating colour idiomatic expressions.
For the purpose of the study, a number of Saudi Arabic colour idiomatic expressions along with their equivalents in English were gathered mainly from two books: اللغة و اللون andالعبارات الاصطلاحية في اللغة الانجليزية. These examples were analysed and the results revealed that the following strategies were preferred for translating colour idiomatic expressions: (a) translating idioms with non-idiomatic expressions; (b) using an idiom of similar meaning and form; (c) using an idiom which has the same meaning but a different form; (d) translating the source language (SL) colour idiomatic expressions using a literal translation strategy; and (e) translating by paraphrase.
Moreover, the results of the research showed that the best translation strategy of translating a colour idiomatic expression by using another colour idiom in the target language (TL) may be impossible to use in some cases. Conversely, employing a word-for-word translation without bearing in mind its limitations may lead to an incomprehensible translation. In addition, the strategy of translating idioms with non-idiomatic expressions may be the best solution when there is no equivalent colour idiomatic expression in the TL.
