The Linguist

Chartered Institute of Linguists SPRING 2026 The Linguist 17 FEATURES avoiding the strange literal equivalent أ ﻧ ﺎ أ ﺣ ﺒ ﻪ . Instead, regional copywriters created new taglines for different markets, often focusing on themes of family or joy. Attempts included و ﻻ ا ﻟ ﺬ (lit. 'Can't be any tastier') and ﻃ ﻌ ﻢ و ﻻ أ ر و ع (lit. 'A taste beyond amazing' or 'A taste like no other'). Although a brand's identity must be preserved, if an English brand name sounds odd or unfortunate in Arabic it may be slightly altered or transliterated creatively. When it comes to slogans, translators often find an Arabic idiom or proverb that captures the spirit of the original, or rewrite the text entirely. For instance, Samsung's English tagline 'Next is now' – a forward- looking boast – was rendered as ﺳ ﺎ ﺑ ﻖ ﻋ ﴫ ه ('ahead of its time'). This is a common Arabic expression that conveys futurism, so the slogan feels natural in Arabic while retaining the original idea. A slogan innocuous in English can clash with local values if transferred without sensitivity. Take the US shoppin g tradition Black Friday. In many Arabic markets, the post-Thanksgiving sale is rebranded 'White Friday' since black carries negative connotations and Friday is the Muslim holy day. One localisation guide explains that 'White Friday' should be used in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region to respect local culture and the positive symbolism of the colour white. 2 Religious and cultural taboos also influence word choice: slogans must steer clear of references to alcohol, pigs or anything deemed irreverent. Even colours or animals can have unintended meanings – for instance, green is sacred in Islam while red can signal danger. Dramatic campaigns In Nike's Dubai flagship store, a dramatic black-and-white mural repeats the Arabic words ﻻ ﺗ ﱰ د د ('don't hesitate'), which is the local rendering of Nike's 'Just do it' slogan. This concise imperative is more culturally motivational than the literal ﻓ ﻘ ﻂ ا ﻓ ﻌ ﻠ ﻬ ﺎ , but ا ﻧ ﻄ ﻠ ﻖ ﺑ ﻼ ﺗ ﺮ د د ('Take off without hesitation') would probably be a better attempt. By plastering the phrase in bold calligraphy, Nike turned the slogan into a design motif. This shows how transcreation can create artistic branding that would fail if rendered literally. Transcreation isn't about inventing a new message but about recasting the old one. As one industry source explains, the translator's task is to reimagine content "so that it is in line with the language, tone, style and culture of the market". 3 This might mean swapping a pop-culture reference for a regional one or replicating the punch of a rhyme or dramatic pause by using a different rhetorical device. Apple's slogan 'Think Different' provides a striking example. A literal Arabic rendering, ﻓ ﻜ ﺮ ﺑ ﺸ ﻜ ﻞ ﻣ ﺨ ﺘ ﻠ ﻒ , fails to capture the spirit and persuasive force of the English-language original. In contrast, transcreations such as ﻓ ﻜ ﺮ ﺑ ﺈ ﺑ ﺪ ا ع ('Think creatively') and ﻓ ﻜ ﺮ ﺑ ﻐ F ا ﳌ ﺄ ﻟ ﻮ ف ('Think beyond the ordinary') convey the inspirational tone and visionary energy that Apple intended. Throughout, the focus remains on consumer response. Ultimately, a tagline must sing in Arabic – carrying rhythm, dignity and local colour – or it will fall silent. Done well, transcreation can make an international brand feel local, strengthening loyalty and even creating buzz. The goal is a slogan that feels born in Arabic, capturing the same energy, aspiration and brand identity as the original. Notes 1 Fathy, F (2011) 'Appropriate Arabic Language Usage for Advertising' (interview with Abduljalil Al-Juboory), Globalization Partners International; https://cutt.ly/Ytba0sY0 2 Abu Ain, NQ and Darwish, IM (2023) 'Black vs. White: Referring to Black Friday in Jordan'. In Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 13,9 3 Smet, F (2025) 'What is Transcreation? Explore the process and purpose'. GlobalLink; https://cutt.ly/ttba2HVd GLOBAL TRENDS 'White Friday' sales shopping in Dubai. The US tradition has been rebranded in many Arabic nations due to religious and cultural sensitivities Since regional dialects vary, standard Arabic is generally seen as the 'safe' and even aspirational choice © SHUTTERSTOCK

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