Lost in Translation: A Translation Quality Assessment of Culture-Specific Items in the English Translation of Ali Al-Muqri's Adeni Incense

Abstract

This study investigates the quality of the English translation of Ali Al-Muqri's novel Adeni Incense (bukhūr adanī) (2014), published by Dar Al Saqi and subsequently translated into English by Christiaan James and released by Dar Arab in 2023, using the House (2015) model for Translation Quality Assessment. A qualitative approach is used to highlight the cultural context of the ST and the implications of its overt and covert translation on the representation of the Yemeni global identity. The study concludes that the novel was translated overtly. Yet, some covertly translated sections demonstrate that a translation of a text rich in cultural elements can be adjusted to enhance the transference of the source-text culture. The research found the House (2015) model valuable for assessing the translation of a cultural text, especially for illuminating the relationship between language, power, and ideology.