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Translating fixed phrases like proverbs and idioms is just about finding an equivalent, do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion.

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Question added by Mohammed Omer Babikir , English Trainer , Albayan Company
Date Posted: 2013/12/25
Eslam El Nayeal
by Eslam El Nayeal , E-marketing and Web administrator , Asmar Jewelry

Dear Mr. Mohammed,

Yes, I agree, you must find equivalent proverbs in the target language otherwise the person who should read the translation may not understand the meaning once you translate it literaly. Or, it will not be a good translation at all.

 

Have a nice day,

Eslam

Hamza M Babiker
by Hamza M Babiker , Senior Translator, editor, content writer and media specialist , Freelancer

Dear Mohammad,

As a translator, you should be highly concerned of conveying meanings more than of whether the context was direct language of idioms. However, if you are lucky you can find an equivalent translation such as for: Out of the sight, out of the mind, but you cannot typically translate a "bad egg" literaly. instead you must use words like "untrustworthy".

Mohammed Omer Babikir
by Mohammed Omer Babikir , English Trainer , Albayan Company

Dear Ms Eslam,

 

I disagree with that because when you find an equivalent you translate nothing while there should be a real translation job. On the other side, when giving and equivalent you ignore culture and thus give your audiance a false impression. For example, "A fox cannot be caught twice by the same snare" if translated by finding an equivalent you may say "لا يلدغ المؤمن من جحر مرتين" this makes the fox a believer.

There's only one case where you can use the equivalent, it's when the proverb is from an Arabic origins.

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