An ongoing project on assessing the english translation of complete taḍmin (implication of meaning)‎ in the Qur'an : the seventh Sürah (chapter)‎ Al-Aſrāf

Abstract EN

This paper is a part of an in-progress project which investigates four English translations of complete tadmin in the whole Qur'an.

Taḍmin involves the presence of an explicit verb, noun or adjective, followed by an explicit preposition with which it is not standardly collocated, and the expression of additional meaning through an implicit verb, noun or adjective, which standardly collocates with the explicit preposition.

This study is an extension of Nouraldeen (2020; 2021a; 2021b; 2022a; 2022b), which have investigated six chapters so far.

Using the four-element model that was put forward in Nourladeen (2020, p.

240) and modified twice in Nouraldeen (2021a, p.

293; and 2022b, p.

144), this paper proceeds by discussing, analysing and assessing four English translations of complete tadmin in the seventh surah (chapter) al-Afrāf.

The importance, and also the challenge, of complete tadmin lies in its invisibility to the translator and its absence in English.

The theoretical framework of this study is established within the theories of Vinay and Darbelnet (1995, p.

342) and Dickins et al.

(2017, pp 48-56), which suggest 'explicitation' of the ST, leading to 'loss' and 'gain' in the TT.

Textual analysis is applied to the ST and the TT based on two sources and three dictionaries.

None of the four translators are aware of taḍmin in translating the Qur'an, except for Abdel Haleem, Hammad and Khattab in ayah 1, who translate the four elements of complete tadmin, and Abdel Haleem in translating ayah 5.

The Qur'anic style should be taken into consideration when translating the Qur'an unless the translation would sound awkward in English.