Sense-for-Sense Translation and the Dilemma of Comprehensibility in Translating Jordanian-Laden Proverbs: A Literary Perspective

Abstract

Arising from the fact that there is always a top priority in choosing the appropriate equivalence with texts that are not straightforwardly understood we argued that cultural approximation strategies such as functional equivalence or what Fredrich Schleiermacher termed “domesticized translation” can be the best choice in translating culturespecific items i.e., proverbs and proverbial expressions. In this paper, we investigated the translatability of a number of culturally-laden expressions, mainly prevailing in Jordan. We also suggested translations that, we believe, captured the intended messages of the origin. Refuting arguments that advocated the employment of word-for-word translation, we argued that sense-for-sense and/or domesticized translation can function more faithfully and naturally within texts loaded with cultural components provided that translators should prove fluent and competent in the TL culture. Our argument is highly based upon our strong sensation that the audience in the TL doesn’t want to experience hard times in decoding much foreignized terms but he or she wants to feel at ease by living and dealing with domestic experiences that reflect upon his/her culture.

Key words: Equivalence; Word-for-word translation; Sense-forsense translation; Text-typology; Domesticing translation; Foreingized translation