پژوهشهای ترجمه در زبان و ادبیات عربی (Sep 2023)
The Application of Antoine Berman’s Model in the Analysis of the Translation of Imam Khomeini’s Political-Divine Testament with a Look towards the Transforming Tendencies of the Source Text
Abstract
The research aims to analyze source text tendencies when translating from Persian to Arabic, discussing translation principles. The mentioned research is divided into two parts: theoretical and comparative. The theoretical part focuses on Antoine Berman's attitude towards the transforming tendencies of the source text. The comparative part includes an analysis of the translation of Imam Khomeini's political-divine testament based on Antoine Berman's model. Berman identified thirteen tendencies that influence the way the source text is presented. These tendencies are rationalization, clarification, expansion, ennoblement, qualitative impoverishment, quantitative impoverishment, assimilation, destruction of rhythms, the destruction of the underlying networks of signification, the destruction of linguistic patternings, the destruction of vernacular networks or their exoticization, the destruction of expressions and idioms, and the effacement of the superimposition of languages. Each tendency offers a unique perspective on the translator's decisions, based on different aspects of the original text. The research method used was descriptive and analytical. The results of the study revealed that the changing tendencies of the source text had varying impacts on the translation process of Imam Khomeini's political and divine testament. The extent to which each factor influences the process in question relies on the translator's decisions and the genre of the text. Rationalization is the most significant factor, while quantitative impoverishment, the destruction of expressions and idioms, and the effacement of the superimposition of languages have not been shown to have an impact.Keywords: Translation, Arabicizing, Antoine Berman, Text-Changing Tendencies, Political-Divine Testament of Imam Khomeini.IntroductionTranslation criticism theories are broadly categorized into two main branches: originalist theories which focus on the original text, foreign language, and culture, and destinationist theories which center around the reader, target language, and culture. The primary objective of transformational tendencies is to modify the original text in such a way that it presents an acceptable meaning and beautiful form to the users of the target language. Given this definition, it is crucial to evaluate the extent of destruction caused by the changing tendencies since the target text's essence usually rejects the source text's form in favor of syntactic independence and semantic clarity.In his translation evaluation model, Berman examines various methods of transferring text from the source language to the target language. He identifies tendencies that can impact the quality of the translation: rationalization, clarification, expansion, ennoblement, qualitative impoverishment, quantitative impoverishment, assimilation, destruction of rhythms, the destruction of the underlying networks of signification, the destruction of linguistic patternings, the destruction of vernacular networks or their exoticization, the destruction of expressions and idioms, and the effacement of the superimposition of languages. Berman provides many examples to explain the cultural and linguistic reasons for these distortions, including the destruction or modernization of native language networks, the destruction of expressions and idioms, and the effacement of the superimposition of languages. Familiarity with Berman's model is essential for teachers and translation students of the Arabic language, especially in translating key texts like the political-divine testament of Imam Khomeini, which require a strong tendency towards localization. It can improve their skills in translating from Persian to Arabic and vice versa.Literature ReviewThe search in the databases revealed that there has been no independent research on the translation of Imam Khomeini's political-divine testament based on Antoine Berman's model of the transforming tendencies of the original text. However, it might be helpful to mention the completed works based on the mentioned model and their description for the audience.In their article on the review of the latest translation of the novel "The Stranger" based on Antoine Berman's text distortion system (2016), Farsian and Esmaili discussed seven cases of the changing tendencies of the original text in the analysis of Mehran Zindabudi's translation of Albert Camus's "The Stranger." They concluded that 1) the translator had to use "rationalization" due to the structural differences between French and Persian languages; 2) the translator had sometimes made "clarification" in unnecessary cases; 3) The tendency of the translator to "expand" is the result of the two previous tendencies; 4) The "ennoblement" of the translator compared to the source text had sometimes led to the improvement and sometimes to the degradation of the linguistic level of the translation; 5) "Destruction of rhythm", "the destruction of linguistic patternings" and "the destruction of expressions" are among other tendencies that change the shape of the original text in the translation of Zindabudi from the Book of stranger; 6) Although Berman's model is very perfectionist and its application leads to word-for-word translation, it is quite effective in distinguishing the differences between the target text and the source text.In their article examining the effectiveness of Berman's model in the evaluation of Quran translation: the study of rationalization tendency (2019), Niazi et al. pointed out that the said model emphasizes preserving the originality of the source text and avoiding its change and distortion in the translation. They concluded that 1) rationalization in the translation of the Holy Quran is sometimes mandatory and sometimes optional; 2) optional rationalization is included in negative analysis and avoided in positive analysis; 3) The reason for forced rationalization in the translation of the Holy Qur'an is to avoid making the target text unpleasant.Amirian, in his article on the review of the Arabic translation of Ainaha according to Berman's morphometric model (1400), pointed out that the level of validity of the target text and its quality is determined by the application of translation evaluation models. In his research, he discussed Ahmed Musa's translation of the novel Chashm'hā'yash (Her Eyes) by Bozorg Alavi based on the six tendencies of Burman's model and concluded that 1) "quantitative impoverishment" and "qualitative impoverishment" more than other tendencies had changed the original text in the translation and this had caused a semantic difference between the source and destination text; 2) The translator's "ennoblement" is a decision to be reader-oriented and to achieve a destination text that is more beautiful than the source text; 3) "ennoblement" and "expansion" are effective in "clarifying" the translation; 4) The "rationalization" of translation is unavoidable due to the grammatical differences of the source and target languages.The present research is innovative compared to the works that have discussed the types of translation based on Antoine Berman's model. It is dependent on three factors: 1) the application of all thirteen tendencies that transform the original text in the analysis of the translation of Imam Khomeini's political-divine testament and avoiding act selectively in this field; 2) the structural and content expansion of disruptive tendencies; 3) Focusing the analytical part of the research on translation learning from Persian to Arabic.Research MethodologyThe current study methodology is both descriptive and analytical. The objective of the description is to address the theoretical framework of the investigation. At this stage of study, commonly accepted generalisations are often outlined, and the gathered data is not subjected to analysis. During the analytical phase, the research model is applied to the text being studied. This essay examines the translation process of Imam Khomeini's political-divine testament, using Antoine Berman's concept of the transforming tendencies of the original text. The goal is to uncover the effects of deforming tendencies in the translation from Persian to Arabic.ConclusionOut of the thirteen tendencies that alter the structure of the original text, 10 have influenced the translation of Imam Khomeini's political-divine testament.1) Rationalisation: This inclination entails repositioning adjectives, transforming nouns into verbs, simplifying the lexical chain, altering the placement of verbs, and converting noun phrases into verbs. It also involves eliminating redundant words, adding or removing inflections, converting unfamiliar terms into familiar ones, and vice versa. The change in the text of the Imam Khomeini's testament in translation has been most influenced by converting complex statements into simple ones. Additionally, additional instances, particularly related to grammar, can be identified that contribute to the imparting of wisdom.2) Clarification: The act of clarifying the translation of the testament of Imam Khomeini has occurred in two ways: firstly, by clarifying the element of the original text in the translated text after adjusting it to Arabic grammar; and secondly, by considering and defining the concept of the element of the original text in the destination.3) Expansion: The translation of the testament of Imam Khomeini has been carried out in two ways: creating synonyms and transforming words into phrases. Both approaches share the characteristic of including superfluous text in the final output.4) Ennoblement: This movement involves translating the testament of the Imam Khomeini into the Arabic language. In this revision, the objective is to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the target text by rephrasing the sentence structure and incorporating eloquent punctuation marks.5) Qualitative Impoverishment: Inevitable qualitative impoverishment occurs when translating the testament of Imam Khomeini due to the reliance on the word form in the language. Excluding the lexical borrowings between Persian and Arabic, it is impossible to rectify the deficiency in the quality of other terms.6) Assimilation: Assimilation refers to the process of reviewing and amending the source text before translation in order to prepare it according to the preferences of the translator. The translation of the Imam Khomeini’s testament undergo significant changes, mostly due to a trend towards assimilation.7) Destruction of Rhythms: The destruction referred to in the translation process of the Imam Khomeini’s testament has frequently occurred for two reasons: firstly, the utilisation of punctuation marks that deviate from the original text, such as quotation marks, brackets, and solid lines to separate sentences; and secondly, the implementation of substantial alterations in the context of the source text.8) Destruction of Underlying Networks of Signification: The network of signifiers and implicit meanings is destroyed when certain signifiers or crucial words from the original text are not translated. The translation of the imam's testament has partially dismantled the network of symbols and underlying connotations.9) Destruction of Linguistic Patternings: The identified tendency indicates Antoine Berman's scepticism towards translators and his pessimistic view of translation. He has observed that the target text lacks the original organisation of the source text because of the employment of morphing tendencies. Additionally, these justifications put the Imam's testament translation at risk of destruction due to systemic tendencies.10) Destruction of Vernacular Network or Their Exoticisation: The destruction of native language networks occurs when native languages and culturally-specific terms are ignored or eliminated from local varieties of the standard language. On the other hand, innovation happens when elements of the native language are emphasised in the standard written language, such as through the use of italics or bold writing. It has been hard to translate the Imam's testament into the framework that has been talked about because of changes in some culturally specific language. There has been no innovation in this context.Three out of the thirteen tendencies that alter the structure of the original text were not influential in the translation of Imam Khomeini's political-divine testament.1) Quantitative Impoverishment: This case demonstrates that synonyms or lexical variations associated with a certain meaning in the testament of the Imam were translated using only one term, neglecting the presence of other words with similar meanings.2) Destruction of Expressions and Idioms: Berman examines two factors to elucidate this phenomenon. Firstly, the significance of proper nouns in the main text's discourse. Secondly, there is a lack of interchangeability among idioms. He regarded the act of removing the listed things and substituting them with indigenous items as indicative of the obliteration of the original text's expressions and terminology in the translation. Upon examining and analysing the testament of the Imam, it was determined that the original text remained unaffected by the localization of phrases and idioms during the translation process, thus preserving its discourse intact.3) The Effacement of the Superimposition of Languages: This trend aims to eradicate the linguistic variations present in the source text throughout the translation process. This inclination has not had an opportunity to influence the translation of the testament of Imam, as the language used in the text of the testament of Imam does not encounter linguistic variety.
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