The use of Strategies in Translating English Idioms into Arabic Among Jordanian University Students

ABSTRACT

English language is particularly rich in idioms and they constitute an essential component of daily language usage, as found either in the spoken or written English discourse. They are; however, the source of confusion because of their figurative character, fixed structure, and culture-bound. Translating these cultural expressions is indeed complicated and taking extra efforts requiring considerable awareness of the source and target languages. The difference in the usages, meanings, and contexts of English idioms often hinder the capacity of translating them into Arabic among Jordanian students whose Arabic is their native language, and English is a foreign language. This study aims to investigate the translation strategies employed by the students of translation at Jordanians universities in translating English idioms into Arabic based on Baker’s (2018) model. It is qualitative by nature, but a quantitative analysis was carried out to calculate the frequencies of each translation strategy. In this case study, fifty students were recruited as participants using a purposive sampling method. They were given a translation test to identify the used strategies in translating 15 idioms in short contextual information. The analysis revealed that the used strategies in order were paraphrasing, using an idiom of similar meaning but dissimilar form, using an idiom of similar meaning and form, and literal translation. The study concluded that using proper translation strategies plays a major role in bridging the gap between languages and cultures, and solving the problems brought about by the translation of these expressions in order to convey the figurative meanings and reproduce idiomaticity. The study is significant in raising students’ awareness of the most precise and best strategies used in translating idioms for future translation works. The study has implications on instructors and translators to give emphasis on the language and cultural perspectives in executing translation processes.

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