Transferring POLYSEMIC Words From Arabic Into English: A Comparative Study of Some Samples From The Holy Quran
Transferring POLYSEMIC Words From Arabic Into English: A Comparative Study of Some Samples From The Holy Quran
Transferring POLYSEMIC Words From Arabic Into English: A Comparative Study of Some Samples From The Holy Quran
AENSI Journals
Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences
ISSN:1991-8178
University Utara Malaysia UUMCollege of Arts and Sciences 06010 UUM Sintok Kedah – Malaysia.
INTRODUCTION
An ambiguity of lexical words causes a vital problem in both semantic and translation. Words consider
ambiguous where they have more than one meaning or senses. Quiroge-clare (2003) explained that “Something
is ambiguous when it can be understood in two or more possible senses or ways. If the ambiguity is in a single
word, it is called lexical ambiguity. In a sentence or clause, it is structural ambiguity.” The cause of lexical
ambiguity is various among some relations in semantic such as polysemy, homonymy, hyponymy and
synonymy. Polysemy is one reasons of lexical ambiguity. According to Taylor (1995, p. 99) polysemy means
that the association of two or more related senses with a single linguistic form. Palmer (1996, p. 100) described
polysemy as a case in which the same word may have a set of different meanings. This phenomenon is existence
in all natural languages. Moreover, Miyuki outlined that lexical word obtains its polysemic sense from
numerous reasons such as: a shift in application, figurative of language, homonymic reinterpreted, borrowing
from foreign languages, metaphorical transfer and metonymic transfer.
Translators and linguists have long been interested in the polysemy because of the disputing cases it
emerges for both theories of semantic and translation. In translation, one of the crucial problems of the lexical
semantic is that the perceived meaning of most words can vary from one context to another. Our main concern
in this paper is the translating polysemy in the Holy Quran, which involved many polysemic words. The Holy
Quran is one of the religious texts which conveying its meaning into other languages is very sensitive. So
translators need to be aware that most of the words do not have only core meaning but also a contextual
meaning, i.e. words gain new meanings from the context where they are used. Polysemy in the Quran known in
the science of the Quran as (al-wūjūh wa al-naẕāīr – multiple meanings and senses). The most puzzling
question in translating the polysemy in the Quran is how to choose and convey the meaning of the polysemic
words which have more than one contextual sense.
Definition of Polysemy:
The complicated relations between meanings and words were attracted many linguists and scholars.
Polysemy is one of the semantic relations between words that draw heavily on lexicology, syntax and
translation. The word polysemy derived from Greek word (polysemia) which (poly) means – many- and (semia)
means – having many sense. According to Blank (1999) the origin of the term polysemy introduced first time in
linguistic by Michel Bréal. He mentioned that polysemy occurs when a word denotes a new sense together with
the old one. Ullman (1957, p. 117) defines polysemy as “one word can have more than one sense”. For Crystal
(1980, p. 274) polysemy is a term used in semantic analysis to refer to a lexical item which has a range of
Corresponding Author: Mr. Abobaker Ali, University Utara Malaysia UUMCollege of Arts and Sciences 06010 UUM
Sintok Kedah - Malaysia
39 Mr. Abobaker Ali et al, 2014
Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 8(23) Special 2014, Pages: 38-43
different meaning. Moreover, Penam (1982, p.108) argues that polysemy is the phenomenon that two or more
identical forms have different but related meanings. Yule (1987, p. 97) also points out that polysemy is a case in
which one form (written or spoken) has meanings which are all related by extension. However, Kharma &
Hajjaj (1989, p. 64) explain that polysemy is closely connected to homonymy and it occurs when a word has
more than one meaning.
v. انٕجِٕ ٔانُظائر فٗ انقرأٌ انكريى- Al- Wujūh wa al-Naḍāīr fi al-Qurān al-Karīm for al-Dāmaghānī.
Recently Abdussalam (2008) wrote a book “Concordance of Qur’ānic polysemy” regard polysemy in the
Quran. He identified at least 470 polysemic words in the Quran. For more illustrating, consider the word “كتاب
"(kītab – book) in the Holly Quran have nine polysemic senses such as: a- writing, b- Record, c- Preserved
tablets, d- Women period (menstruation), e- The Quran and f- The Bible.
Methodology:
The aim of this paper is to shed light on translating polysemy in the Holy Quran. The study attempts to
explain and determine the strategies that the translators follow in translating polysemy in the Holy Quran. The
researcher will not examine all the polysemic words in the Quran. He will be choose three polysemic words in
the Holy Quran as a sample (Kīswah- ِٕكض, Thīyāb – ثياب, lībās – )نباسand will not study all the senses of
these words, just choose some polysemic senses as samples. Moreover, the study will just choose three
translations of the Quran: Yusuf Ali‟s translation in1934, Arberry‟s translation in1964, Abdel Haleem‟s
translation in 2004, then it will conduct a comparative study to compare how translators convey polysemy in the
Quran. The study will consult two books in the polysemy of the Holly Quran to determine the polysemic sense
of the words, which are:
a. Al-Dāmaghāny (Qāmūs al-qūrān aw Aṣlāh al-Wūjūh wa al-Nāẕaār fi al-qūrān al-karīm –Dictionary of
the Quran; or repairing the polysemy and its sense in the Glorious Quran, 1983).
b. Abdussalam, Ahmad Shehu (Concordance of Qur’ānic polysemy.2008).
To interpret the intended meaning of the Quranic verses the study will depend on two commentaries of the
Holy Quran, Tafsīr al-Tabari, (Jām‛ al- Bayān fi Tafsīr al-Qūrān, 1983), and Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr (Mukhtaṣr Tafsīr
Ibn Kathīr, 1996). The procedures of analyzing the data will divide into two stages. Firstly, determining the
situational context of the verses and identify the polysemic sense to make clear all the contextual meanings of
the source text. Secondly, review the three chosen translations to investigate how far they convey the intended
meaning of the polysemic sense.
a. Situational Context:
In this verse Almighty God inquiry the people of Torah and Bible, why you mix or mingle the truth with
falsehood, in spite of, you recognise the differentiations between them. This verse revealed when some of
Christian and Jewish people intended to belief of what revealed to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) in the morning
and disbelief of him in the night. Al-Tabari indicated that the word (tālbasūn - ٌٕ )تهبضmeans mix and mingles
between truth and falsehood. According to the two commentaries of the Quran and according to al-Dāmaghāny
and Abdussalam the word (tālbasūn - ٌٕ )تهبضin the verse has not refer to the core meaning (clothe or wear). It
has a polysemic sense which refers to mix something with other.
b. Review of Renditions:
Yusuf Ali translate the word (tālbasūn - ٌٕ )تهبضas (ye clothe). He applies literal translation to convey the
polysemic word and he just convey the referential meaning of the word (yālbas – )يهبش. He misunderstands the
extended meaning of the word. However, Arberry rendered the word (tālbasūn - ٌٕ )تهبضas (confound). He did
not choose the right word to express about the polysemic sense of the word. According to Oxford and Merriam
Webster dictionaries the word (confound) means that someone confused from things which already mixed. The
context of the word (confound) in English is different with the meaning of (tālbasūn - ٌٕ )تهبضin the original text.
It means that the person finds himself in front of very confused and mixed things, so he did not have a power for
mixing that things. While, the word (tālbasūn - ٌٕ )تهبضmeans that the person intentionally mixes the things
41 Mr. Abobaker Ali et al, 2014
Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 8(23) Special 2014, Pages: 38-43
together. On the other hand, Abdell-Haleem conveyed the word (tālbasūn - ٌٕ )تهبضas (you mix) and it seems the
appropriate translation of the polysemic sense of this word.
a. Situational Context:
According to Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathīr commentaries, this verse regards that a Muslim in night of Ramadan
(the fast month) can intercourse with his wife until the dawn time. Moreover, a man cannot relax and remove the
fatigue without his wife and the woman does so. The word ( نباسlībās – clothe) in the verse did not refer to the
primary meaning of the word. It refer to the polysemic meaning that a man can repose with his wife, so they
become as a cover to keep all the relations between them secrete in the home.
b. Review of Renditions:
Translations Yusuf Ali and Arberry did not render the actual meaning of the word (lībās – clothe) in the
verse. Both of them used literal translation, which did not work here to convey the polysemic sense. The words
(garments and vestment) did not refer the intended meaning of the word, because both of the words refer to the
type of clothe and did not refer to situational context of the verse. Abdel Haleem translated the word (lībās –
clothe) as ([close] as garments). He tries to explain the meaning for the target audiences so he used the (close) to
explain the relation between a man and his wife. However, he still did not convey the entire situational context
for the target reader, it is better to use the words (repose or tranquillity). The verse may better to translate as
(They are your repose and you are their repose).
1.3 ( نباسlībās – clothe) means righteous deeds or faith as in the verse (7:26)
( نباسlībās – clothe) means Yusuf Ali‟s translation Arberry‟s translation Abdel Haleem‟s translation
righteous deeds or faith.
) َ ِ( َٔنِبَاسُ انتَّ ْق َٕٖ َ نِ َ خَ ْي ٌسر َ ن But the raiment of ; and the garment of The garment of God-
٢٦ :األعراف righteousness, - that is the best. godfearing -- that is better. consciousness is the best of all
garments.
a. Situational Context:
Almighty God talks to the Children of Adam that he sent down to them clothes to cover their shame and the
best things are the good deeds, this a context of the verse. The word ( – نباسlībās) in the verse has a polysemic
sense which differs from core meaning. It does not refer to the clothes; this is what al- Tabari confirmed. It
refers to righteous deeds or faith which the best for all Muslims.
b. Review of Renditions:
All the three translations refer to some kinds of clothes to convey the word ( –نباسlībās) in the verse. Yusuf
Ali rendered the word as (raiment of righteousness), Arberry conveyed as (garment of godfearing) and Abdell-
Haleem translated as (garment of God-consciousness). The words (raiment and garment) refer to clothes which
means all translators use literal translation which not suitable to convey the polysemic sense of the word. By
using those words, the target reader may misunderstand the context of the verse. The appropriate translation,
according to Abdussalam (2008), which may convey the polysemic sense, is (But the righteousness deeds, that
is the best).
a. Situational Context:
The verse talking about the phases of creates the human. It refers that after the stage of created the bones
then cover them by flesh. Al- Tabari interpreted the verse as after Almighty God created the bones he covers it
by flesh. While Ibn Kathīr explained the verse as after created the bones covering them by flesh to strengthen
them.
b. Review of Renditions:
Yusuf Ali translated the phrase ( فكضَٕا انعظاو- Fakasaūnā al- A„ḍamā ) as (clothed the bones), whereas
Arberry conveyed as (garmented the bones) and Abdell-Haleem rendered as (clothed those bones). All the three
translations did not fully convey all situations and the sense of the verse. The word ( – كضَٕاKasaūnā) did not
refer to the clothes but it refers to cover or hide something. It is important to interpret this verse to refer to the
previous verses to understand all the situations. This verse and the previous verses talking about the stages of
create the human, so after creating the bones it covering with flesh not clothing, which is not give sense for the
readers. The three translators adopting the literal translation strategy to convey the verse to be closer with the
source text but this did not serve the aim of communicate translation.
3.1 The word ( ثيابThīyāb – clothes) means heart as in the verse (74:4)
The word (ثيابThīyāb – Yusuf Ali‟s translation Arberry‟s translation Abdel Haleem‟s translation
clothes) means heart.
٤ :( َٔثِيَابَ َ فَ َِّٓهرْ ) انًدثر And thy garments keep free thy robes purify Cleanse yourself.
from stain!
a. Situational Context:
The meaning of the verse according to the interpretations of al-Tabari and Ibn Kathīr is to clean yourself
and heart from sins. It is not specifically refer to the clothes, but part of purity is to clean the clothes. Al-Tabari
and Ibn Kathīr indicated that in Arabic literature and language, it can be say „ ( ‟شخص َقٗ انثيابshakhṣ naqīū al-
thīyāb – a person with pure clothes) to refer to the person who did not commit any sins.
b. Review of Renditions:
As can be seen Yusuf Ali and Arberry translated the word ( ثيابThīyāb – clothes) as (garments – robes)
respectively. Arberry and Yusuf Ali‟s choice is not accurate, because they did not convey fully the intended
meaning of the phrase. The reader understands from their translations that should be clean your clothes, which is
not intended in the original text. On the other hand, Abdel Haleem conveyed the verse as (cleanse yourself)
which seems to be intelligible for the target reader, but still there is some part of the meaning not fully
conveyed. It may understand from Abdel Haleem‟s translation „cleanse yourself from dirty), so that it still need t
add some explanations to convey the intended meaning of the polysemic word (Thīyāb – clothes). It will be
more intelligible of he added that (cleanse yourself from sins or guilt). However, it will be more appropriate and
comprehensive of it translated as (Keep yourself and heart free from sins and stain).
Conclusion:
It safe to assume that translation of the Quran is a very daunting task. It needs special skill in various fields
to overcome this task. There are many ambiguous words have multiple senses which need from translators to
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increase their offers to grasp them and convey them in a suitable ways to target readers. To conclude the debate,
the problem of polysemy in translation still needs elaborated studies to explain all the boundaries of the problem
and suggested solutions to solve it. In translating the Holly Quran, translators should establish or develop
workable method to overcome the problem of polysemy in Quran.
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