Nuanced Meanings Gets Lost in Translation

Nuanced Meanings Gets Lost in Translation

When someone translates a text, their translation is not the same as the original text. It is rather their understanding of the meaning of the original text. There although translations can give one a general understanding of the text, they are not the equivalent to the actual text. For example, in American culture one often hears the expression “you are my dog” or “dog is man’s best friend.” As Americans who understand the place of dogs in this culture, we can easily understand not only the literal meaning of these phrases, but their deeper cultural connotations as well.

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If these same phrases are translated into a language and culture that do not take dogs as pets, but rather view them as unclean and wild animals, a literal translation will not suffice. Rather it will require further commentary onto what these phrases mean in the original language and culture. Similarly, the Quran was revealed in Arabic in a particular context and must be understood in that context.

The Arabic Language is Rich

The Arabic language has a very complex system of grammar and word formation. One statement can mean many things, and this is only possible in the Arabic language. Arabic is syntactical which means it cannot be compared to any other languages in terms of grammatical rules.

The shortest wording without any loss in the meaning is only in the Arabic language. It is also the most advanced language amongst world languages in terms of eloquence, literature and fluency. Thus, no other language can express the meanings in the world.

Because Arabic is a highly developed language, a translation of a text like the Quran never fully convey its deeper message. Despite pre-Islamic Arabs being highly skilled in Arabic, the Quran’s literary style stunned all of the poets and language experts of the time.