Some problems of translating metaphorical expressions in the Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth into Arabic

Abstract EN

This paper aims at examining metaphor in the Shakespearean great tragedy Macbeth and its four realizations in Arabic by Matraan, Jamaal, Jabra and Abu-Hadeed.

as a result, it tests the following hypotheses: 1.

the disagreement among the four translators of Macbeth can be explained through the application of Newmak's (1982) procedures for rendering metaphor.

2.

transferring the metaphorical SL image to TL is the most appropriate procedure for rendering metaphors in Macbeth.

3.

using explanatory footnotes helps to eliminate the ambiguity and cultural shock of metaphor.

with regard to the renderings of the English metaphorical expressions, the findings of our study reveal that the four translators handle metaphor in Macbeth differently, and employ variably the seven translation procedures.

by examining the four Arabic renderings of metaphor, the study has proved that the four translators varied in conveying the same effect and shock of Shakespeare’s metaphor to Arab readers.

moreover, it has revealed that rendering the source language metaphorical image to the target language is the most appropriate procedure for rendering metaphor in Macbeth.