Assignment Title: Comparative Analysis of Translations of Legal and Literary
Texts
Objective:
To analyze and compare the translation of a legal text and a literary text (from Arabic to
English), exploring how translation strategies can be applied to convey meaning, tone, style, and
cultural relevance in both domains.
Assignment Instructions:
1. Legal Text Translation Comparison
Choose a legal text (such as a contract, law document, or court ruling) in Arabic and
translate it into English. Then, compare your translation with a professional legal
translation of the same text (if available).
Key Focus Areas:
o Accuracy of Legal Terminology: How well does your translation maintain the
precision required for legal language? Are there any discrepancies between your
translation and the professional one? What improvements can be made to your
translation to better preserve legal accuracy?
o Translation Strategies: Discuss the translation strategies you used (e.g., literal
translation, dynamic equivalence, calque, etc.) and how they contribute to the
clarity and accuracy of the translation.
o Cultural and Legal Context: How did you handle cultural or legal concepts that
don’t have a direct equivalent in the target language? Discuss any adaptation
strategies you used.
2. Literary Text Translation Comparison
Choose a passage from a literary text (novel, poem, short story) in Arabic and translate
it into English. Then, compare your translation with a professional translation of the same
passage (if available).
Key Focus Areas:
o Tone, Style, and Emotion: How well did you preserve the original tone and
emotional depth of the text? Were there challenges in conveying the same literary
style in English? How did you tackle those challenges?
o Translation Strategies: Identify and discuss the translation strategies used (e.g.,
creative adaptation, expansion, omission, etc.), and evaluate how these choices
affected the translation.
o Cultural Nuances: Were there any cultural references, idiomatic expressions, or
metaphors that required special handling? How did your translation account for
these while maintaining the literary essence of the text?
3. Reflection on the Process
Comparative Reflection: Compare the translation of a legal text and a literary text.
How do the demands and challenges of translating legal texts differ from those of literary
texts? Consider aspects such as accuracy, tone, stylistic preservation, and audience
expectations.
Key Insights:
o Discuss what insights you have gained about the translation process for each
type of text (legal vs. literary).
o Reflect on the cultural implications of translating these texts. What cultural
challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
Deliverables:
A well-structured paper of approximately 1000 words, addressing the questions above.
A brief introductory section explaining the texts you chose, the source and target
languages, and the purpose of your analysis.
A detailed comparison of your translations with professional translations, discussing
differences and improvements.
A concluding section that reflects on the effectiveness of the strategies used and the
overall success of the translations in maintaining the integrity of the original texts.
Assessment Criteria:
1. Translation Accuracy and Fidelity (30%):
o How well does your translation maintain the meaning of the original texts?
o How effectively does your translation handle legal terminology and literary
elements?
2. Use of Translation Strategies (30%):
o Appropriateness of the strategies chosen for both legal and literary texts.
o How effectively these strategies preserved the meaning, tone, and style of the
original texts.
3. Analysis and Justification (20%):
o Depth of analysis regarding your translation choices and the rationale behind
selecting specific strategies.
o Critical reflection on the impact of linguistic and cultural differences on your
translations.
4. Reflection on Cultural Differences (10%):
o Insightfulness in addressing the cultural implications of translating both legal and
literary texts.
o How well did you handle idiomatic expressions and cultural references?
5. Clarity and Organization (10%):
o Structure: Clear organization of the paper with appropriate headings and
subheadings.
o Language and style: Effective writing with a clear, logical presentation of ideas.
Further Tips:
Legal Texts: Pay attention to maintaining the precision and formality of legal language.
Be mindful of legal terms that have no direct equivalents in English and how to address
these issues.
Literary Texts: Focus on preserving the emotional and stylistic nuances of the
original text. If there are metaphors or cultural elements that cannot be directly translated,
consider how you can adapt or transform them to fit the English context while retaining
their original impact.
Compare: Compare the two types of translation (legal and literary) to explore how each
requires a different set of skills, strategies, and cultural sensitivities.
