'al-bahr' in the Holy Quran and Translation Variations: A Study upon Three Translations of the Holy Quran

Abstract

Recent translation studies principally concentrate on the quality of translation. They also focus on terms and their significance in drawing the scope of meaning. From this point, the present study is launched to explore the translation of the term "bahr" (= sea) in the Holy Quran through three spaced translations; a term that has a special image in Arabic literature and is used in many different situations to address an audience closely connected with desert. Have these translations succeeded in conveying a term that has signified "something" more or less than sea? Through a survey of thirty-nine verses, the study has found out that the broad meaning of the term "bahr" has narrowed down by time which reflects the fact that maintaining term meaning has the main concern even in dealing with authoritative texts. In addition, definiteness is brought to light through this paper as a translation norm mistreated in many cases.