Challenges in Translating Rhetorical Questions in the Holy Qur’an: A Comparative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1203.19Keywords:
Arabic, English, rhetorical questions, Qur’an translationAbstract
Rhetorical questions in the Holy Qur’an are one of the most critical devices in argumentation and persuasion. This study aims at shedding light on the linguistic challenges encountered by seven Qur’an translators in translating rhetorical questions in the Holy Quran into English. The sample of this study included fifteen rhetorical questions selected based on specific criteria from different Surahs in the Holy Qur’an. The translations of the seven Qur’an translators were then analyzed and discussed based on the linguistic approach as a theoretical framework. The study revealed that Qur’an translators tend to use semantic translation rather than pragmatic one in rendering the Qur’anic rhetorical questions into English to maintain the rhetorical features of the Holy Qur’an. Furthermore, the study showed that Qur’an translators convey only some of the illocutionary forces that are embedded in such questions.
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