Investigation of Cultural Categories in the Arabic Translation of Jalal Al-e-Ahmad’s Short Story, Jashn-e Farkhondeh, Based on Newmark’s Theory

Translating texts that include specific vocabulary, common expressions, and cultural or social issues from the source language presents numerous challenges. Consequently, these translations require the translator to engage deeply with similar texts and possess a comprehensive understanding of them. The translation of Jalal Al-e Ahmad’s stories is not exempt from this challenge. This study will employ a descriptive-analytical approach to critique the Arabic translation of Jashneh Farkhondeh, one of the short stories in the collection “Five Stories” by Jalal Al-e Ahmad, using Newmark’s Theory as a framework. The findings of this research are based on an analysis of comparable samples from Abd al-Wahhab Mahmud Allūb’s translation, evaluated in the context of Newmark’s Theory. The translator has employed suitable equivalents in translating various words, expressions, and cultural references. However, there are instances where he could have translated certain terms that lack direct one-to-one equivalents, such as slang and onomatopoeias, more effectively. Metaphors have been translated literally, in accordance with Newmark’s recommendations for addressing this literary device. Newmark also advises explicating omitted verbs and other words to enhance clarity. Ellipsis is one of Jalal Aleh-Ahmad’s signature techniques, and the translator has successfully preserved this feature in his translation; therefore, there is no indication that these ellipses have been explicated in his work. 
Introduction:
This study is dedicated to critiquing and analyzing the story from the book by Jalal Al-e-Ahmad. Jalal Al-e-Ahmad is a contemporary writer whose work primarily focuses on the life and culture of common people. Consequently, the language and expressions of everyday individuals, along with their cultural beliefs and the economic and political conditions of his time, are vividly reflected in his stories. This article examines the Arabic translation of this story through the lens of Newmark’s theory.
Based on the existing literature, very few studies have been conducted on the critique of the Arabic translation of Jalal Al-e Ahmad’s stories, particularly in relation to critical theories. While numerous studies have examined the cultural aspects and the methodologies necessary for translating these works according to Newmark’s frameworks, there is a notable absence of literature addressing the critique and analysis of the cultural elements in the Arabic translation of the story Jashneh Farkhondeh through the lens of Newmark’s theory.
First, it is important to note that translating Jalal Aleh-Ahmad’s works presents challenges due to the unique characteristics of his prose. Consequently, translating his writings necessitates extensive reading and a profound understanding of the culture and language of the era in which the author lived. When a translation is evaluated through a critical theory, various aspects of that translation—such as omissions, errors, strengths, and weaknesses—are brought to light. Newmark’s theory serves as a valuable framework for analyzing and critiquing cultural texts.
Jalal Aleh-Ahmad’s stories can be regarded as cultural texts. Newmark defines culture as the way of life of a specific social group, utilizing a particular language as a tool. He argues that translating short stories is generally easier than translating poems, as the latter often contains literary devices such as metaphors and other figurative language.
He presents eighteen techniques for translating cultural texts, which include cultural equivalent, functional equivalent, descriptive equivalent, synonymy, calque (loan translation), shifts/transposition, modulation, recognized translation, translation label, compensation, componential analysis, reduction and expansion, paraphrase, couplets, notes, literal translation, and deletion.
Newmark asserts that colloquial words pose significant challenges in translation and recommends consulting the original writer or individuals familiar with those terms. If such individuals are not available, he suggests utilizing a bilingual or multilingual dictionary to obtain adequate information. According to Newmark, cultural words can be classified into five categories: ecology, material culture, social culture, organizations and customs, and gestures and habits. This research will analyze the translation of Jashneh Farkhondeh by Jalal Aleh-Ahmad, as translated by Mohamad Allūb. It will categorize samples from this translation into the aforementioned cultural word categories and critique them based on the techniques introduced by Newmark. The findings of this study will be presented through charts and figures.
Among the cultural lexicon, the category of ecology encompasses elements of nature, including flora, fauna, mountains, and more. Material culture comprises food, clothing, housing, and urban environments. The concepts of work and leisure, along with organizations, customs, and various activities and movements, also reside within the social, artistic, political, institutional, and religious dimensions of this theory. Additionally, gestures and movements during speech, such as head movements, are integral to these concepts.
In the translation of cultural terms related to ecology, Mohamad Allūb incorrectly translated the term for a pigeon’s foot, which is feathery, as “Halghe.” However, he accurately translated the song of the pigeon as “Hadil.” In the realm of material culture, which encompasses food, clothing, housing, and urban environments, he employed several inaccurate equivalents. A variety of techniques is recommended for translating this section. Nonetheless, his correct translations of “Yaqe” and “Charqad” should also be recognized.
In the section discussing institutions, customs, activities, and similar topics, no references to political, institutional, or artistic elements were identified. The translation in the religious section is notably successful, likely due to the translator's familiarity with the religion, which arises from shared religious practices between the writer and the translator. The translation choices in this section were informed by the use of couplets and culturally equivalent techniques. Similarly, the translational choices in the gestures and movements section also appear to be accurate and appropriate.
In total, the story Jashneh Farkhondeh contains 32 cultural terms. Among Newmark's translation techniques, there are 15 instances of cultural equivalents, 4 instances of functional equivalents, and only 1 instance each of couplet and compensation. It is also noteworthy that there are 11 instances of incorrect equivalents in this translated text.
We can conclude that the use of colloquial language and expressions, along with references to the social, political, and cultural context of his time, makes translating Jalal Al-e Ahmad’s works particularly challenging for translators. Among the techniques outlined in Newmark’s theory, the cultural equivalent is the most frequently employed in Mohamad Allūb’s translation.
Additionally, among the categories of cultural words, material culture is the most prominent in this translation. The translator could have enhanced the translation by utilizing the couplet technique to identify more suitable equivalents. Furthermore, including a brief introduction or endnote for each story, along with its cultural and social context, could help mitigate many of the issues present in such translations