Strategies of Translating Arabic Metaphors into English: Elias Khoury's Gate of the Sun as an Example

Abstract

Translating metaphors is fraught with many obstacles. This is especially the case when translating literary works between Arabic and English. This research aims to discuss the strategies a translator adopts in rendering complex metaphors from Arabic into English. Elias Khoury's Gate of the Sun has been chosen as a case in point, where 24 examples of translated metaphors are selected. The study illustrates how the selected metaphors are either original or stock. The translator adopted two strategies when translating metaphors. The first aimed at maintaining the metaphorical force by reproducing the original metaphor in the target text, while the second involved replacing the metaphor with its ground. The translator adopts four strategies in translating stock metaphors, thus relating the analysis with the TT culture and context. The study shows that 41.7% of the selected metaphors are translated using the One-To-One Literal Translation method, whereas 41.7% of the metaphors are translated using the Literal Translation of the Meaning method, and 16.6% idiomatic translation. The researcher highlights areas where the translator makes efforts to bring about a representative rendering of the author's intended message. This study seeks to establish certain patterns used in translation that can be considered potential strategies for translators in dealing with difficult and nuanced metaphors in literary translation.