• Dr. Huda A. Galaby

  Author

This is an attempt to study the difficulties in translation practice of Arabic into English, Which
lead to semantic distortions as a result of misreading written Arabic. The idea that translators
have in mind on translating Arabic "as a modern language capable of analysis in the way modern
linguistics has dealt with modern European Languages" is erroneous as Enani (2000:5) alludes
to, explaining that "Arabic is far from being such language. "To consider modern standard
Arabic the only version of written Arabic is a miscomprehension of Arabic. Enani (2000:5) tries
to fill a gap in the approach to the translation of Arabic texts and stresses that "the spoken variety
of Arabic", "the written variety which is … (MSA)" and "another variety of Arabic , namely
archaic, the language which is still alive in our tradition " have to be studied and analyzed
together as they spring from the same culture.
Tewfik El- Hakim aimed at using as Enani states a "third language" between Egyptian Arabic
and MSA. He used this language in his plays and novels as he tends to be realistic in providing
real dialogues. Since he writes for Arabs and not for Egyptians only, he chooses to use a
language that links and opens channels between spoken Egyptian Arabic and the MSA and
means the same thing to all Arabs. Tewfik El- Hakim chooses words that their last letters are not
followed by vowels in Egyptian Arabic and with the signs of declension has the same meaning in
MSA. These links are described by Enani (2000:9) as "vital links" between the spoken and
written varieties of Arabic. Thus Arabic – English bilinguals move freely and easily from one
variety of Arabic to the other. They can translate Egyptian word into another word of the same
meaning in MSA and on speaking, they translate vice – versa.
El- Hakim,s work Sign El- Umr is translated as the prison of life. The title of El- Hakim,s quasinovel
is used in spoken and written Arabic (Umr) in Arabic means a variety of things. The
meaning of Umr as given from Hans Wehr: life (1) , or duration of life (2), life span (3), life time
(4), age (of a person) (5). It is very important to understand the sense or ground that El- Hakim
has in mind in choosing the words of the title. The title is composed of two words "sign El- Umr"
: "Sign" is translated in Hans Whereas prison (1) or jail (2). But El- Hakim tries to explain his
title through further sentences at the introductory page to his work: "My hope is greater than my
effort. My effort is greater than my talent. MY talent is the prisoner of my nature. But I resist".

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