Equivalences of Similes and Compound Adjectives in Translation of Sermons and Letters of Nahj al-Balagha based on Pierini’s Domestication Model (Case Study: Bahrampour’s Translation, 2017)

Abstract

One of the challenges that translators of literacy and non-literary texts face is rendering and finding equivalents for figures of speech. In this regard, translating simile and compound adjectives are of great importance. Most of the challenges in translating such figures of speech are due to cognitive and cultural differences between the source and target languages. By paying attention to the differences, translators can overcome the challenges. Using a descriptive-analytical method, this study dealt with the nature, function, and criteria of categorizing similes and compound adjectives in Bahrampour’s translations of Sermons and Letters of Nahj al-Balagha. Applying Pierini’s (2007) model, the study then explored the strategies used for dealing with problems in translating the figures of speech. Pierini uses domestication strategy for translation in such cases. Considering the strategy, he introduces two strategies for compound adjectives and six strategies for translating similes. The results show that when translating all compound adjectives and similes, the used translation methods that are based on domestication of language and culture, are appropriate and applicable; since in this translation, Bahrampour has used a literary method and the correspondence shows the closeness between source and target languages.

Keywords

• translation strategies
• pierini
• simile
• compound adjectives
• nahj al-balagha
• bahrampour’s translation