Semantic Loss in the Translation of the Quran

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to examine semantic loss in the translation of the Quran with reference to the analysis of the two translators of surah AL- Waqia The English translations were selected from the two works of John Arberry “The Koran Interpreted” and Abdullah Yusuf Ali ”The Holy Quran: text, translation and commentary”. It also attempts to investigate to what extent Yusuf and John had succeeded in achieving cultural equivalence in translation of surah AL - Waqia and as a reference Several interpretations have been used .The basic hypothesis adopted in this study sets out that the English translation of the surah will show partial and complete semantic loss of meanings mostly due to mistranslations, semantic complexity of the vocabularies and culture. To test this hypothesis the Comparative analytical descriptive methodology is used.