Translating the illocutionary functions of Arabic diminutives into English

Abstract EN

The study investigates the illocutionary functions of diminutive in Arabic and the methods through which diminutives can be translated from Arabic into English.

It hypothesizes that giving an appropriate TL equivalent of an Arabic diminutive lexical item depends upon the translator's awareness of the function performed by this diminutive in the text in which it is employed.

It is found that there are seven functions performed by Arabic diminutives three of them, i.e.

minimization, pejorativization and hypocoristic are symmetrical with English, whereas the remaining functions, i.

e., propinquitization, paucitization and aggrandizement are asymmetrical with English.

It is also found that the methods used to translate such functions diversify in view of the fact that the two languages exhibit convergence and divergence in respect of diminutive usage.