Faults of Translating Fallacies From English into Arabic

Abstract

This research deals with the study of faults and problems that occur when translating fallacies from English to Arabic, focussing on the extent to which the translator is able to maintain the semantic, textual and pragmatic meanings of the source text. Fallacies are defined as patterns of reasoning that seem logical or ostensibly convincing, but they involve a defect in the logical structure of argument, and are clearly in advertising discourse and other types of persuasive discourse. Translating this type of discourse is a special challenge;  the role of the translator is not limited to conveying of the text, but also requires maintaining the structure of the argument and its persuasive strength,  as well as its rhetorical and pragmatic effect on the recipient.

This study adopts a case study method to analyse four advertising texts in English that include multiple types of fallacies. The study also deals with the translations of these texts into Arabic, which was completed by four students from the Department of Translation at Arts college at the University  of Tikrit. The analysis focusses on the translation strategies adopted by the students, while evaluating their success in  maintaining the meaning and pragmatic function of the fallacies contained  in the original texts. Baker's (2018) method to translation equivalence analytical framework was adopted as a primary reference in this research.

The results reveal several frequent translation problems including semantic distortion, pragmatic weakness, and omission of basic elements, as well as intensifying or modifying the original meaning. Analysis shows that some translations successfully maintain the structure of the fallacy, while other translations weaken or change their argumentative and pragmatic effect. The study concludes that the successful translation of fallacies requires more than just a literal linguistic transfer, as translators must maintain both the semantic meaning and the pragmatic function of the fallacy. Therefore, it is recommended that more attention to the develop linguistic, analytical and pragmatic proficiency of students.