The Linguist

18 The Linguist Vol/64 No/3 ciol.org.uk/thelinguist FEATURES Are you sitting comfortably? Eyhab Baden Eddin on the challenges of translating Arabic short stories T ranslating literature is never just about words – it is about carrying stories across cultures without letting their essence fall through the cracks. Arabic short stories come wrapped in centuries of oral tradition, poetic turns of phrase, vivid cultural references and emotional undercurrents that do not always travel easily into English. So how do translators stay faithful to the spirit of the original while crafting a version that feels natural to English readers? Some of the biggest hurdles facing literary translators working between Arabic and English include stylistic choices, gendered language, idioms and diglossia (i.e. code- switching between standard and regional dialects). This challenge is particularly acute in short stories, where the limited narrative space demands that every word carry layered meaning. Because short stories rely heavily on condensed and context-rich linguistic cues, such as regional dialects, it is essential to convey these complex elements in translation. Stylistic fidelity Arabic literary styles often include elaborate descriptions, rhythmic repetition and complex sentence structures. In English, however, excessive ornamentation can feel pretentious or disrupt the narrative flow. This makes it hard to maintain stylistic fidelity while ensuring the translation reads naturally. For instance, the 19th-century Egyptian writer Yusuf Idris often employs layered similes and poetic repetition that create a lyrical rhythm. Translating this into English requires careful restructuring to retain the tone without overwhelming the reader. A similar challenge is found in the work of fellow Egyptian Zaki Mubarak. Translating his hemistich و ﺟ ﻬ ﻪ ا ﻟ ﺒ ﺪ ر ﰲ ﻟ ﻴ ﻠ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﺘ L م literally as 'his face was like the full moon on its brightest night' might sound awkward or clichéd. A more context-sensitive rendering, such as 'his face shone like a full moon', retains the metaphor, captures the mood and tone, and carries poetic weight while keeping the flow uncluttered for English-speaking audiences. When translated directly in English, the long opening sentence structures commonly found in classical Arabic storytelling may feel unwieldy or syntactically unfamiliar. Breaking sentences into shorter, more digestible units can improve clarity while preserving narrative elegance. This process involves artistic judgement: choosing what to retain, what to rephrase and what to omit. Take this example: و ﰲ ﻳ ﻮ م ﻣ ﻦ أ ﻳ ﺎ م ا ﻟ ﺸ ﺘ ﺎ ء ا ﻟ ﺒ ﺎ ر د ة ، ﺑ ﻴ ﻨ L ﻛ ﺎ ﻧ ﺖ ا ﻟ ﺮ ﻳ ﺎ ح ﺗ ﻌ ﺼ ﻒ ﺧ ﺎ ر ج ا ﻟ ﻨ ﻮ ا ﻓ ﺬ ، ﺟ ﻠ ﺲ ا ﻟ ﺸ ﻴ ﺦ ﻋ ﲆ ﺳ ﺠ ﺎ د ة ﻗ ﺪ N ﺔ ﰲ ز ا و ﻳ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻐ ﺮ ﻓ ﺔ ﻳ ﺘ ﺄ ﻣ ﻞ ﰲ ا ﻟ ﺤ ﻴ ﺎ ة و أ ﺣ ﻮ ا ل ا ﻟ ﺪ ﻧ ﻴ ﺎ ، و ﻳ ﻔ ﻜ ﺮ ﰲ ﺷ ﺒ ﺎ ﺑ ﻪ ا ﻟ ﺬ ي و ﱃ ، و ذ ﻛ ﺮ ﻳ ﺎ ت ﻣ ﻀ ﺖ ﻻ ﺗ ﻌ ﻮ د A literal translation may feel overwhelming due to its length and pacing: 'And on one of the cold days of winter, while the wind was howling outside the windows, the old man sat on an old rug in the corner of the room contemplating life and the state of the world, thinking of his youth that had passed, and memories that would never return.' A more natural translation could break it up for clarity: 'One cold winter day, as the wind howled outside the windows, the old man sat on a worn rug in the corner of the room. He was lost in thought – reflecting on life, his fading youth and memories that would never return.' This maintains the mood and meaning while offering better rhythm and readability. Idiomatic expressions Idiomatic expressions are a central feature of Arabic literature, reflecting cultural norms and everyday wisdom. The idiom ر ﺟ ﻊ ﺑ ﺨ ﻔ ﻲ ﺣ ﻨ O meaning 'he returned empty-handed' (lit. 'he returned with Hunayn's sandals') comes from Al-Hariri's Maqamat, a classical collection of 50 short stories. A literal translation would confuse most English readers, so the translator might paraphrase or use a footnote. Arabic short stories often contain culturally specific terms that resist direct translation. Expressions like mashallah ( ﻣ ﺎ ﺷ ﺎ ء ا ﻟ ﻠ ﻪ ; used to ward off envy or express admiration) and wasta ( و ا ﺳ ﻄ ﺔ ; 'personal connections/influence/ nepotism') are embedded in social context. Translators must decide whether to retain the original term, explain it through a footnote or substitute it with an approximate equivalent. The short nature of the text heightens the translator's responsibility to convey meaning both efficiently and evocatively. When every word is carefully chosen, culturally embedded terms carry disproportionate Telling tales © SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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