Misinterpretation in Literary Translation in Gibran Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the difficulties that translators who deal with the English and Arabic language may face when translating literary expressions. Particularly, it aimed at answering the following questions: 1. What are the main difficulties, related to translation that may lead the translator to misinterpret the source text (English) into (Arabic)? 2. What are the elements that should be taken into consideration to translate, interpret adequately from ST to TT? To achieve the goal of this study, the researcher selected The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran translated work from English to Arabic following the two translations by Tharwat Okasha and Antonious Bachir. The researcher focused on two key elements which are subjectivity and equivalence taking into account many odd elements that are mainly related to literary works such as cultural aspects and linguistic as well as extra-linguistic features of the language. The results show that in order to avoid misinterpreting the source text, the translator has to carefully select the equivalent words and expressions taking into account all aspects of the source language as well as being objective while translating. Adequate literary translation must bring an equivalent and objective production of the source text’s style, meaning, and sometimes structure. Otherwise, the subjective and distinctive literary use in the original text will not transmit the three aspects in the target text.