Shakespearean language and figures of speech in Romeo and Juliet: a translator's insights

الملخص EN

This paper highlights and discusses the type of language used in Shakespeare’s play of “Romeo and Juliet” (Shakespeare, 2011), which is usually referred to as Shakespearean language.

in addition, it discusses and exemplifies the types of figures of speech employed in “Romeo and Juliet”.

the aim behind bringing out and analyzing such aspects is to raise translators’ awareness of the difficulties they may encounter when indulged in translating literary works as such, and to provide a possible method to overcome such difficulties.

our investigation shows that translating literary works in general, and “Romeo and Juliet” in specific demands a certain suggested method in order to render close or similar versions of the original texts, due to the complex archaic and / or Shakespearean language used, and due to the meanings of some of the figures of speech which require careful analysis and study of the text and what lies beyond the text.

the method that we suggest for translators who are involved in the translation of Shakespearean language and / or Shakespeare’s figures of speech is the use of both semantic and communicative (pragmatic) translations, as some instances would be translated appropriately by following a semantic approach only, and others would be translated appropriately by following a communicative one only.

however, in order to conduct such a method successfully, a translator must be an expert in the field, skillful, and have a deep and thorough understanding of Shakespeare’s time, works, and style.