The Linguist

24 The Linguist Vol/62 No/3 thelinguist.uberflip.com FEATURES Eyhab Bader Eddin considers semantic voids and how they can both help and hinder inclusivity and diversity Semantic voids or lacunes (French), sometimes referred to as blank spaces or gaps, are defined by Menachem Dagut as the "non- existence in one language of a one-word equivalent for a designatory term found in another". 1 They are found solely at word level, as larger text units may always be conveyed in the target text. Such voids can result from a variety of factors, including cultural taboos, historical events and linguistic constraints. They may be glossed in the target language but different approaches may apply depending on the type of void. Dagut classes them into four types – environmental, cultural, lexical and syntactic – and suggests they reflect "the unconcern of the target language speakers as a whole with this aspect of 'reality'." For instance, a society may lack a term for a certain colour or emotion because it has never been culturally relevant or emphasised. Alternatively, a word may have been lost due to social or political changes. Environmental voids This first type of semantic gap results from the untranslatability of natural phenomena. One common reliable way to deal with them is through transcription, with the transcribed forms frequently accepted into the target language, as with tundra (тундра; Russian). Examples from Arabic include Haboob ( ; a type of intense dust storm that is common in the Middle East and North Africa), samoom ( ; a hot, dry wind that blows across the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf region, often carrying sand and dust with it) and wadi ( ; the channel of a watercourse that is dry except during periods of rainfall). While there are related concepts in English, such as dust storms and sandstorms, the specific environmental and cultural contexts are unique to Arabic. Similarly, 'cyclone', 'hurricane' and 'typhoon' are unique to certain geographical areas. A typhoon, for instance, is a tropical cyclone in the western Pacific or northern Indian Ocean. Cultural voids Further categorised into religious and secular voids, cultural voids include items such as huppah ( חֻ פּ ה ; Hebrew), a canopy under which a Jewish couple stand during their wedding ceremony, samovar (самовар; Russian), shura ( ) and haram ( ; Arabic). They are generally more translation resistant than their environmental counterparts and do not easily yield themselves to translation. Shura is a type of advisory committee that is common in Arab societies, particularly Islamic ones. While there are similar concepts in other cultures, such as 'parliament' or 'cabinet', the specific cultural and political associations of shura are unique to Arabic. The same applies to haram, which refers to actions or behaviours that are forbidden in Islamic culture, including consuming alcohol or pork. Some may suggest translating it using concepts such as 'taboo' or 'prohibited', but this misses the specific cultural and religious overtones. Similarly, Eid ( ) refers to religious festivals such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and is most effectively rendered in the target text by means of transcription, with a footnote or explanatory note in brackets if necessary. Lexical voids This type of void occurs when a single word that denotes a particular set of semantic features can only be expressed by a phrase in the target language. In contrast with cultural and environmental voids, it is sometimes possible to find an adequate formulation to fill a lexical void. Three translation tactics are commonly used: selecting a one-word equivalent which covers part of the original meaning; paraphrasing selected features of the word (although this is sometimes unacceptable for stylistic reasons); and omitting the word altogether. Examples include tsundoku (積ん読; Japanese), sisu (Finnish) and Fernweh (German). Fernweh describes a feeling of homesickness for a place that one has never visited, often experienced by travellers or those who have a strong attachment to a particular culture or location. While English speakers may use phrases like 'longing for a place I've never been', there is no single word in English that captures this feeling. Tsundoku refers to the habit of buying and collecting books but never getting around to reading them. This may resonate with many English speakers but they have no direct equivalent. Sisu, meanwhile, refers to a kind of resilience and determination in the face of adversity, with a complex cultural context that cannot be fully captured by any single word or phrase in English. In Spanish, examples include sobremesa (the time spent lingering at the table after a meal, enjoying each other's company), Mind the gaps ! " # $ ! ! " # $ ! ! " # $ ! ! " # $ ! ! " # $ ! ! " # !

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