Critique of the Translation of Quranic Ironies in Ma’ani al-Qur’an Based on Antoine Berman's Theory

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 طالبة الدکتوراه فی فرع اللغة العربیة وآدابها، جامعة سمنان

2 Assistant Professor of Arabic Language and Literature at Semnan University

3 أستاذ مشارک فی اللغة العربیة و آدابها بجامعة سمنان

Abstract

The translation of sacred texts, especially the Quran, is one of the most challenging fields of translation due to the deep semantic and rhetorical layers. Ironies, as one of the significant rhetorical figures in the Qur'an, have complex semantic and rhetorical dimensions, and accurately conveying them to another language requires special precision and skill. The purpose of this study is to investigate the translation of Quranic ironies in the "Ma’ani al-Qur’an" by Mohammad Baqer Behboodi, based on Antoine Berman's deforming tendencies. And it seeks to identify the degree of conformity of Behbodi's translations with Berman's theory and analyze the impact of these translations on the Persian audience's understanding of Quranic ironies. This study is descriptive-analytical and examples of Quranic verses that contain irony have been investigated. In this regard, several of Berman's deforming tendencies, including Rationalization, Clarification, Qualitative impoverishment, Quantitative impoverishment, Ennoblement, the destruction of expression and idioms, have been selected as the analysis framework. The findings show that in Behboodi's translation Rationalization and clarification tendencies are most prominent. In some cases, these tendencies have resulted in the loss of rhetorical imagery and the originality of the ironies. Behbodi, in spite of trying to convey figurative and ironic meanings, in some cases he has resorted to Expansion and Clarification more than needed. This study shows the Berman's theory can be an effective tool for critiquing and evaluating Quranic translations and helps to preserve the originality and richness of the original text.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 05 August 2024
  • Revise Date: 21 January 2025
  • Accept Date: 29 January 2025

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