Tikrit University Journal for Humanities

Vol. ( 14 ) No. ( 4 ) May ( 2007 )

Impact of Translation on Teaching Literature at the

English Department

Istabraq Tariq Al-azzawy

Ziyad Fadhil Himood

Abstract
This paper sets up to investigate the impact of translation on
teaching literature. Arabic texts have been chosen for analysis .
It is found that translation plays a valid role in developing
one‟s competence to have a better grasp of the meaning of a literary
text regarding the diversity of culture of any different language. The
chosen texts should be culturally significant, and are likely to arouse
students' interest and personal response. Texts that fulfill these
criteria will surely facilitate effective teaching in the translation
classroom for students of English Department.

1.Introduction:
Translation is generally seen to play a valid role in teaching
literature, and therefore should have its place in the language
curriculum of English Departments .This paper aims to ascertain the
impact of translation on teaching literature. To attempt a detailed
definition of literature, examining its ramifications and potential
pitfalls, is necessary to clarify the meaning of literature .The Oxford
English Dictionary defines it as, writing, which has claimed to
consideration on the grounds of beauty of form of emotional effect
(htt://www.ite.org.uk/ite_topics/litks : N.D) .. It becomes apparent
that literature is a functional rather than ontological term, and its
value is transient not fixed.(Ibid.). Readers will often ascribe value
to the literature from different cultures using their own literary
experience as a benchmark for judging quality and worth.

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 Impact of Translation on Teaching Literature at the English Department
Istabraq Tariq Al-azzawy / Ziyad Fadhil Himood

As a vehicle for fostering teaching literature,translation is

specially relevant to the students of English .Translation according
to Larson(1984:4) is a craft which consists in the attempt to
"discover the meaning of the source and to use receptor language
forms which express this meaning in a natural way" . Translation
gives us access to the literature of the world. It allows us to enter the
minds of people from other times and places because; Literature
varies not only over time (diachronically) but also across cultures
(synchronically) (Ibid.). It enriches not only our personal knowledge
and artistic sense, but also our culture, Literature, language, and
thoughts. It affects the meaning of the vocabularies and ideas that
may cause the misunderstanding for the actions of the whole literary
work; therefore translation should have its place in the language
curriculum of English Departments.
This paper aims to ascertain the impact of translation on
teaching literature to the students of English since teaching literature
is one of the prominent devices in learning a foreign language.

2.Literary Translation:
The world of translator is inhabited by an extraordinary
number of dichotomies and reflecting divisions, which either exist or
are supposed to exit between mutually exclusive opposites. Some of
these are (the technical translator, the literary translator, the legal
translator and so on (Hatim and Mason,1997: 27). Newmark
(1988:70) believes that literal translation could be the basic
translation procedure, both in communicative and semantic
translation .It may be useful to distinguish literal from word-for-
word and one-to-one translation .The first one transfers Source
Language[hence forthcoming, S.L.]Grammar and word order, as
well as the primary meanings of all the S.L. words (Ibid.).

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 Tikrit University Journal for Humanities
Vol. ( 14 ) No. ( 4 ) May ( 2007 )

Literal translation ranges from one word to one word,

through group-to-group, collocation to collocation, and clause to
clause. Ilyas (1989:65) believed that the language of literature is
very different from the language of science, since it is not technical
but open and characterized by richness and complexity, which is a
reflection of their richness and complexity or man‟s consciousness
of it. So, in literary translation, the translator ‟s main duty is not only
to express the S.L. author‟s ideas, but also to take into consideration
his style and language (the author‟s conscious choice of words and
their overtones, his structural devices, figures of speech and such
stylistic subtleties)(Ibid.).
Literary translation is an odd art. It consists of a person
sitting at a desk, writing fiction or poetry that has already been
written, that‟s has someone else's name on it. The translator‟s work
appears to define derivativeness.
A literary translator takes someone else‟s composition and
performs it in his own special way. In other words, a translator
embodies someone else's thoughts and images by writing in another
language. Therefore, a translator has to be able to read as well as a
critic and write as well as a writer. Larson (1984:16) asserts that an
effective translation is one that “does not sound like a translation”;
rather it sounds like a piece of original writers.
John Dryden says “the true reason why we have so few
versions which are tolerable [is that] there are so few who have all
the talents which are requisite for translation, and that there is so
little praise and so small encouragement for so considerable a part of
learning” (Ilyas, 1989: 58).

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 Impact of Translation on Teaching Literature at the English Department
Istabraq Tariq Al-azzawy / Ziyad Fadhil Himood

Literal translation above the word level is the only correct

procedure if the S.L. and T.L. meanings correspond more closely
than any alternative, which means that the relevance and the
pragmatic effect are equivalent, i.e. the words not only refer to the
same „thing‟ but have similar associations (Ma na, „the prof‟), and
the meaning of the S.L. unit is not affected by its context in such a
way that the meaning of the target language unit does not correspond
to it (Newmark,1988:70) .
To ensure the infeasibility of literary translation, one need
to make his work appears more comprehensible to the T. reader.
The translator seeks to create the meaning of the SL in the largest
language and its culture.
Gentzler(1993:7) states that literary translation is still
considered a secondary activity, mechanical rather than creative,
neither worthy of serious critical attention nor of general interest to
the public .
Newmark (1988:80) says, “A good literal translation must be
effective in its own right, if it shows source language interference,
that must be by the translator unconscious of source language
interference is always at fault”. The less context bound the words
(e.g. lists, technical terms, original metaphors, „unacceptable‟
collocations), the more likely a literal translation- whilst the more
standard are the collocations, colloquialisms, idioms, stock,
metaphors (Ibid.).

3.Literary studies and translation :

Literary studies provide a good training ground for creative
discourse. Indeed, recent schema theory has affirmed that reading is
essentially “an interactive process between the reader‟s background
knowledge and the text” (Carrel and Eisterhold, 1983:556).

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Vol. ( 14 ) No. ( 4 ) May ( 2007 )

According to this theory,the text does not by itself carry meaning ;

rather, it provides directions for the reader to construct meanings
from their cognitive frameworks (schemata) composed of
previously acquired knowledge, feelings, personality and culture”
(Ibid.).
The translator is constantly required to take on the task
examining the words, structures, emotional and cultural contexts of
the S.L. in order to discover its meaning, before recreating it in
natural form of the receptor language (Larson, 1984:3).Literary
studies also provide good training grounds for the skills of listening
and speaking. The subject itself offers ample interesting topics for
discussion, which encourage oral practice.
Frequently, a literary text is read out in full or in part by
the teacher, a record,or tape version of it is played for the purposes
of bringing out its rhythmic quality and stimulating interest .
Nonetheless, speaking and listening are important aspects of
language learning and a proficiency in them surely contributes to an
overall mastery of the language one studies. Though not obviously
appropriate to translators, these two skills are particularly valuable
to their counterparts in interpretation. Here perhaps it is necessary to
draw a distinction between the translator and interpreter. As Weber
(1984:3) suggests, “the product of the translator is meant to be
listened to ". As a result, the latter has the job of deciphering the
message of the original author and rendering it orally in the natural
form of the receptor language. To accomplish this, he has to have a
high level of competence in both skills of listening and speaking .As
Percival (1983:94) observes, it applies to all aspects of a translator‟s
work, notably his attempt to create the meaning of the source text.

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 Impact of Translation on Teaching Literature at the English Department
Istabraq Tariq Al-azzawy / Ziyad Fadhil Himood

Through translation, literature students can attain growth in

understanding, and flexibility of mind, which undoubtedly facilitate
their efficient handling of their work.
Here the chief value of translation is to unravel the possible
meaning of a literary text, one engages in an exercise which
undoubtedly induce one to make inferences, formulate ideas, and
analyzes a text evidence, all of which activities to sharpening
students‟ faculty .

4.The position of translation literature within the Academic

Discourse:
In degree rather than in kind, literature distinguishes itself
from other types of academic discourse a literary text is "less
explicitly contextualized and less linear" (Gajdusek, 1988: 231)
than other written texts. Its purpose – the writer‟s vision it
exemplifies – is generally portrayed through a subtle and vivid use
of language and is therefore considerably more fluid and dynamic
than the meaning of informational texts. Consequently, to make
sense of a literary text, one constantly has to look for clues through
careful examination of the linguistic feature it embodies. Only
through a close interaction with the text and, a personal response to
its unique use of language, can its full purport be appreciated
(Widdowson, 1975: 75).
As far as translation can serve the function of developing
one‟s sensitivity to language, it is definitely an asset to literature
students. The translator is constantly required to take on the task of
examining the words, structure, emotional and cultural context of
the source text in order to discover its meaning, before recreating it
in the natural form of the receptor language (Larson, 1984: 3)

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 Tikrit University Journal for Humanities
Vol. ( 14 ) No. ( 4 ) May ( 2007 )

The translator‟s principal role is to understand the meaning

of the source text, and to express it in the form of the target
language. Since language is an integral part of culture, the translator
needs not only to be proficient in two languages but at home in two
cultures (Snell – Hornby 1988: 42).
In general, "cultural literacy" is vital to the translator. An
adequate understanding of the source text invariably entails an
understanding of the cultural background, which conditions it.
Translating the literary requires having a fair degree of familiarity
with the target culture.
One of the most recent developments in translation theory
is the introduction of culture as a factor in the process of translation.
The German school of translation, for example, views literary
translation as part of literary language, and is therefore a cultural
activity that enriches the cultural activity, which in turn enriches the
cultural heritage of a country (Gentzler, 1993: 184). Thus, literature
is to a large extent, what Snell- Hornby calls "an act of
communication across cultural barriers" (1988: 47).
Povey (1979 : 167) suggests that " a workable " literary
text is one that the teacher himself or herself enjoys teachers need to
make sure that the text they wish to read with their students
generally appeal to them, taking account of their age, level, and
general interest (Yorke, 1980 : 314) . For instance, a stylistically
intricate or culturally unfamiliar text world is more suitable material
for senior classes than for freshmen classes. Marckwardt (1978: 43)
observes, "the translated works of authors who write in English can
serve as an index of what kind of literature is of interest to the
reading public in the country”.

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 Impact of Translation on Teaching Literature at the English Department
Istabraq Tariq Al-azzawy / Ziyad Fadhil Himood

5. Texts Analysis:
In this section we shall try to present some literary texts with
their translations,i.e., literary model, and then analyze them in order
to shed light on the problems that face students of English mainly
problems of translating linguistic items which are strictly culture-
bound,viz., idioms and proverbs,that are used by both the author of
the original text and translator.

1. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush

‫عصفىز فً انٍد خٍس يٍ عشسح عهى انشجسح‬

The change of reference in creative writing aims at

preserving idiomatic expressions, artistic and aesthetic effects.
Arabs express the proverb's meaning in away that can occasionally
matches the way another language,namely, English, chooses to
express the same meaning .

2. The Lion is chasing a deer ‫األسد ٌطبزد غزانه‬

It appears in Arabic as ‫انرئت ٌطبزد غزانه‬

The denotation of “lion” is not reserved in Arabic

literature, Whereas the denotation of "deer” is normally preserved.
However, in creative writing where the emphasis is on
aesthetic effect rather than on content, the denotation of a word is
sometimes changed which normally entails a change in the
reference or sense of the expression .

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Vol. ( 14 ) No. ( 4 ) May ( 2007 )

3 . Oliver Twist and his companions suffered the torture of

slow starvation for three months, at last they go so voracious
and wild with hunger that one boy who was tall for his age
and hadn‟t been used to that sort of things hinted darkly to
his companion that unless he had another basin of gruel per
diem he was afraid he might some night happen to eat the
boy who slept next him who happened be a weakly youth of
tender age (Dickens‟ “Oliver Twist”).

"‫نقد قبسى أو نٍفس رىسذ و زفبقه عراة انًجبعخ انجطٍئخ طىال اشهس ثالثخ وأخٍسا‬
‫اَزهى ثهى انجىع إنى غبٌخ يٍ انُهى وانضساوح جعهذ صجٍب يُهى وكبٌ فبزع انطىل‬
‫ثبنُسجخ إنى سُه ونى ٌكٍ يزعىدا ذنك انضسة يٍ انعراة ٌهًع نسفبقه أنًبعب يهفعب‬
"‫فقد ٌجد َفسه يضطسا‬,‫ثبألسساز ثقىنه اَه إذا نى ٌفز ثصحٍ يٍ انثسٌد ٌىيٍب‬
‫ذاد نٍهخ إنى إٌ ٌأكم انصجً انري ٌُبو فً يحبذاره و انري ارفق أٌ كبٌ غاليب‬
.‫يهزوال طسي انعىد‬
(‫) ترجمة منير البعلبكي‬

The S.L. text is loaded with many emotive expressions such

as ,‫يهفعب‬,‫أنضساوح‬,‫ أنُهى‬That constitute a challenge for the students of
literature. The writer of the S.L. text uses a number of emotive
words and expressions such as : suffered, torture, slow starvation,
hunger, get so voracious and wild, which they carry emotive tint .
The translator on his part manages in conveying the emotive
meaning as he selects emotive words and expressions in away that
provokes the reading of the hearer and hence they are persuasive.
Moreover, he uses complex sentences which are another stylistic
device used to achieve emotiveness .

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 Impact of Translation on Teaching Literature at the English Department
Istabraq Tariq Al-azzawy / Ziyad Fadhil Himood

Conclusion :
Translation gives us access to the literature of the world. It
allows us to enter the mind of the people from other times and
places. It is a celebration of otherness, a truly multicultural event
without all the balloons and noisemakers .In disputably; translation
is a worthwhile subject, which deserves a lasting place in the
curriculum language teaching for department of English.
Translating a literary text is not an easy task because the
translator deals with the linguistic devices, viz., emotive or
expressive lexical units, and stylistic devices that include all
expressions that can be emotive through the appropriate usage in an
appropriate context, metaphorical expressions and deviation from
the unmarked grammatical pattern.
Moreover, human feelings and emotions are universal
phenomenon. So all natural languages are expected to possess
certain devices for expressing these feelings. And this is,
undoubtedly, considered as a common ground in which a student of
English Dep. Must stand on and regard it as a translation basis.
Finally, translation is a useful tool for developing language
skills and transmitting culture. Most significantly, it allows us to
grasp the meaning of the literary text through analyzing the
linguistic and stylistic devices of the message; considering the
cultural and ideological differences between English and Arabic.

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 Impact of Translation on Teaching Literature at the English Department
Istabraq Tariq Al-azzawy / Ziyad Fadhil Himood

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