Diachronic Analysis of The Arabian Nights

Abstract

Alf Layla wa-Layla has been passed down orally for centuries, and the emergence of its translations, generally referred to as The Arabian Nights, preserved this work and gave rise to controversial debates about its origins and translations. The most common discussion about these translations is the orientalist nature of such translations in the West. This paper extends discussions on The Arabian Nights and offers another perspective by analyzing and comparing excerpts and paratextual elements from various translations that have been produced over the years. The paper examines different representations of this work‘s ‗otherness‘, traces the shifts in translation trends, and explores the potential role of the translator‘s gender. The major findings of the analysis reveal that the different versions of The Arabian Nights shifted from translations that focus on literalism, to translations that aim at achieving equivalence, naturalness and conforming to the skopos of the text. The analysis of the illustrations in the translations reveal that Arab women are sexualized while men are depicted unfavorably. The final finding is that the explicit versions of The Arabian Nights were translated by males, whereas female translators translated child and family appropriate versions for the most part of the work‘s history.