Translation irrelevances in the English version of Naguib Mahfouz's the riffraff "al-Harafish”

Abstract EN

One of the main problems that faces the translator is that some words or expressions of the source text do not have equivalents in the target language, so he/she has to go beyond the meaning and try to convey the idea of these words and expressions to the target readers according to their cultural background and environment.

Sometimes the translator fails in translating some words and expressions because of the cultural differences causing translation irrelevances that lead to misunderstanding between the source text and the target readers.

The current research indicates how the translator of Mahfouz's epic of “The Riff-Raff” (AL- Harafish) fails in translating some words and expressions of the source text.

It also shows the reasons and forms of translation irrelevances on the part of the translator.