Translation of Post-Classical Narratives
An Analysis of the Role of Translation in Arab Criticism and Research
Introduction
In his article “Translation of Post-Classical Narratives” published in the newspaper “Al-Quds Al-Arabi” on 4/1/2023, Saeed Yaqteen addresses a general critical position that has prevailed in Arab universities since the 1980s. He argues that translators, some of whom are critics, anticipate what they will propose to the Arab criticism community. The monetary machine in the West from books and studies in order for them to Arabize it.
Translation and Arab Criticism
Yaqteen argues that critics have been waiting for what translators would present to them from new Western criticism. He notes that it does not matter whether the translation is for a book or for a study. Rather, what is important is what they consider to be relevant and suitable for Arab criticism. The critics were waiting for what the translators would present to them from the new Western criticism, and there is no difference between the text being translated from its original language or from another intermediate language, and perhaps from two languages. Studies of the Formalists, translated from the English language, transferred in turn from the Russian.
Translation and Research
Yaqteen also notes that because the books of the structuralists were popular with Arab critics at the time and still are today, the books of Roland Barthes and Gerard Genet became tempting for these researchers because they do not present themselves to the readers merely as transmitters from the other, but rather as critics on the basis of the behavior in the localization of the translated book. He argues that Arabizing by behavior is a qualitative addition to Arab criticism, which has been afflicted by laziness and poverty, and has become a follower waiting for any new Western criticism to follow.
Example of Arabization
As an example, Yaqteen cites the book “Thresholds” by Gérard Genet, which was translated by Abd al-Haq Belabed and obtained a doctorate in it, then was printed as a book in a prestigious Arab publishing house in 2008. He notes that because the book revolves around the impact that thresholds play in camouflage and temptation, the researcher / Arabizer applied this practically on the cover of the book, so he made his name at the top large, and after it the title “Thresholds” in a large font as well. He argues that this suggests to the reader that the author of the “thresholds” is the researcher Abd al-Haq Belabed, and that he will apply his thresholds to poor Genet, taking him from the corner of the text, and bringing him to the port.
Conclusion
Yaqteen’s call in his article stems from a general critical position that has prevailed in Arab universities since the 1980s, which is represented in the anticipation of translators – some of whom are critics – of what they will propose to the Arab criticism community. He argues that the critics have been waiting for what the translators would present to them from new Western criticism, and that Arabizing by behavior is a qualitative addition to Arab criticism, which has been afflicted by laziness and poverty, and has become a follower waiting for any new Western criticism to follow.
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