Translating the Persuasion Style of the Marribi Proverbs into English: From the Interpretive Theory Perspective

Abstract

Translation is a multicultural platform for exchanging culture, knowledge, and science among communities of different cultural backgrounds. Arabic proverbs represent the cultural heritage that contributes to the rich and civilized tapestry of various Arab tribes. Marribi proverbs serve as a means of communication, persuasion that spreading the culture of peace and war to enhance the coexistence and understanding within Yemeni and Arab tribes. This study aims to identify the persuasion style of the Marribi proverbs and translate them into their English equivalents. The theoretical framework of this study is based on the interpretive translation theory (1970) established by Danica Seleskovitch and Marianne Lederer. This study examines the most effective strategies for translating the Marribi persuasion proverbs into English. The present study used descriptive-analytical and comparative methods to describe, analyze, and compare Marribi proverbs with their English equivalents to identify their semantic, syntactic, and stylistic similarities and differences. Thirty Marribi proverbs addressing the persuasive style were collected from various sources and analyzed by using the qualitative method. The findings of this study showed that most of the Marribi proverbs are used to persuade people to adapt to various circumstances in their lives. The current study asserted that Marribi proverbs and their English equivalents utilize two distinct forms of persuasion: explicit and implicit. The present study found that semantic equivalence, free translation, paraphrasing, functional, and abstraction change strategies are the most effective strategies for translating Marribi's persuasive proverbs into English. This study contributes to preserving the Marribi proverbs so they are easily accessible worldwide. The current study is significant as it adds to the cultural translation of the Arabic Observatory of Translation in KSA. This study emphasizes the need for further studies on translating the linguistic styles of Yemeni and Arab proverbs.