Translating Emirati Proverbs: Problems and Solutions

Abstract

Proverbs are one of the most interesting fields of study when it comes to examining languages because of the characteristics they hold when it comes to their musical quality and aesthetic sounds they create in each language. This paper focuses on different Emirati proverbs and the assortment of techniques that can be used to translate them into English. It delves into what problems are commonly encountered, what solutions can be utilized and what sort of outcome translators can expect. Overall, this paper contributes to the understanding of proverbs across different languages and cultures.

Study Background

Introduction

Translation plays a significant role in transmitting culture across regional and social boundaries. In fact, many use translation to either narrow the gap or otherwise highlight the great differences between cultures in order to foster greater understanding. Based on this, one of the cultural aspects that gives a glimpse into people’s lifestyles, social interactions, and past experiences is the proverb. Proverbs are language elements that are memorable, short, have a musical sound and deliver profound meaning for a set of identifiable, culture specific actions. They are used in various conversations and social situations because they reflect what many perceive as “universal truths”. According to Mieder (2004), proverbs do not take a straightforward approach, but have hidden meanings, which bring out the real meaning of a proverb. For this reason, they need interpretation and, if stated in other languages, proper methods of translation need to be implemented. Translation of proverbs enhances knowledge of other people’s cultures, languages and literature in general. As stated by Wardhaugh (2010): “differences between different cultures are symbolized by the elements of language such as idioms and proverbs, and studying these languages and the similarities which exist between them”.

The United Arab Emirates is known to be a young country that has just reached the age of 43 years. Before the discovery of oil, the society was divided into urban and rural communities. Urban communities lived near the coast and relied on fishing and trading in the sea, while the rural ones followed a nomadic style of living. Rural people or “Bedouins’ ‘ used to change their location based on the availability of water. This unique way of life had a significant impact on the cultural development of the local population and influenced the creation of local proverbs. The proverbs of the rural community have a Bedouin flavor that distinguishes them from urban proverbs which reflect the lifestyle of the coast and the sea. Proverbs also reflect the crafts practiced by carpenters, farmers, sailors and merchants. Even housewives from both communities have their own proverbs, which are based on their work and daily life experiences.

Objectives of the study

This study aims to:

1. Discuss major translation problems that face the translator in translating Local Emirati proverbs.
2. Identify possible strategies for translating those proverbs.
3. Identify the criteria that would determine the translator’s choice of the best strategy for translating such problems.

Study Questions

The present study attempts to answer the following questions:

1. What are the major problems encountered in translating Emirati proverbs?
2. What are the strategies that can be used in translating those proverbs?
3. What are the criteria that should be used by the translator for selecting the best strategy for translating those proverbs?

Significance of the study

The significance of this study emanates from the following:

1. The study will provide exposure to the Bedouin culture in the UAE and highlight the similarities it has with other local cultures from the point of view of proverbs. Translated texts in this area are almost non-existent.
2. The study will contribute to the extremely limited material available on the problems of translating texts in this genre from Arabic to English.
3. The study will provide a reference for students who intend to conduct further studies on Emirati proverbs.

Limitations of the Study

This study is concerned with the problems and strategies of translating Emirati proverbs into English. Sources on proverbs in the UAE are extremely limited; hence the researcher will draw her examples from a single book written by Obaid bin Sandal and is titled “Local Emirati Proverbs and Folkloric Riddles in the United Arab Emirates.” This study is also constrained by a specific time frame; hence, it will have to be restricted to a specific number of proverbs.

Review of Related Literature

Translating Proverbs

In this section, the strategies often utilized by translators in tackling the translation problems they encounter in rendering proverbs from Arabic to English will be discussed. Since these problems are rooted in the rather unique nature of this genre, further analysis is needed in determining the functions of proverbs, their special characteristics and what methods can be utilized in order to understand them. Then, strategies will be discussed in rendering proverbs from Arabic into English.

Definition and Functions of Proverbs

A proverb can be defined as a wise statement highlighting a brilliant idea, situation, know-how, values and other probable applications. They are statements that indicate suggestions in a given context and can reveal the cultural creativity and innovation within a society. Different cultures have evolved a wide array of characteristic attributes as expressed by the proverbs they use (Al-Zoubi & Al- Hassnawi, 2002). Having a moral component, proverbs are sentences that deliver the folklore of the cultures and often have a “lesson” that they attempt to impart to the reader. They are considered to be fully constructed sentences despite the fact that many are only a few words long. Interestingly they mostly maintain their form or shape when they are transferred from one generation to another with a few changes often being adapted based on changes to the local dialect over time. Norrick (1985) points out that, “Proverbs, like other linguistic expressions, have form and meaning“(as cited in Elyassin, 2005, p.161). Form is a defining characteristic of proverbs, since they are usually said to have a fixed form and often involve different aspects, including linguistic and cultural ones. Since most proverbs can be considered as a representation of certain cultural characteristics of a society, analysis of proverbs helps people of other cultures to understand and appreciate the human experience of individuals from other regions. Most cultures adopt proverbs that modify behaviors and beliefs of its people. Among the definitions of proverbs offered by scholars is that of Norrick (1985). He defines a proverbs as “a traditional, conversational, didactic genre with general meaning, a potential free conversational turn, preferably with figurative meaning”(p.78). Hence, as Mieder (2004) states proverbs do not take a straightforward approach but have hidden meanings, which bring out the real meaning of a proverb.

Proverbs occur in literary works such as prose, poetry, and songs have a musical quality that manifests itself in the alliteration, rhyme and rhythm, which make them close to poetic instruments. Also, these features make the proverb memorable and appealing to the audience. Writers tend to use proverbs due to the emotional effect they leave on the reader. Since proverbs can serve several functions, they are convenient to use in daily conversations among many cultures. These characteristics facilitate memorization and persuasion and help to spread their general usage.

Formal and Stylistic Features of Proverbs

One of the main reasons that make proverbs memorable is the possession of form elements such as rhyming words and alliteration. They also have certain stylistic features such as repetition and dialogue. Russo (1983) points out that:

English proverbs display marked phonetic and structural devices that serve to sharpen verbal expensiveness and thereby point up the proverb’s statement of truth. Most prominent are (1) Rhyme, alliteration, assonance (2) patterned rhythm usually in the service of the balanced structure, (3) binary and sometimes oppositional; (4) repetition of the same word or same grammatical-syntactic structure; (5) vowel harmony (p.121).

What Russo says above applies equally well to Arabic proverbs.

Rhyme

Rhyme is created when two or more words and sentences end in the same sound. It is established by having a similar sound between the words’ endings. Many local proverbs have rhyme manifested in a stop to divide the proverb into two parts. This aspect provides the proverb with an aesthetic value that makes it memorable and poetic as illustrated in the following example of a Emirati Arabic proverb:

“اذن من طين و اذن من عجين“

Literal Translation: An ear of mud and an ear of paste

This proverb is said for a person who doesn’t listen to people’s advice and he/she does whatever suits them. The rhyme is clear in the two clusters عجين من أذن / طين من أذن.

Alliteration

Alliteration is a repetition of the initial sound that occurs in the first word to create an aesthetic value to the text as shown in this Emirati proverb:

“المجهود من بالموجود الجود”

Literal translation: The effort is made with what we worked hard to make.

Elljood b elmawjood min elmajhood

Meaning: A person should do their best, the better their work is, the greater the benefit they get.

Assonance

Internal vowel-rhyme occurs heavily in the local Emirati proverbs. It means repetition vowel sounds in the phrases or sentences to create internal rhyme. One of the examples that demonstrate this feature is the following local proverb:

“الشيفة شيفة و المعاني ضعيفة“

Literal Translation: The appearance is good but the manners are weak.

Meaning: Appearances might be deceiving.

The Arabic vowel ي appears in all the words that make up the proverb to create a sense of internal rhythm.

Dialogue proverbs

A dialogue proverb comes in the form of a dialogue between two characters. These characters can be humans, animals or even inanimate objects. This is demonstrated in the following example:

“شو حدك يالمسمار قال المطرقة“

Literal Translation: “Who made you do it?” The nail was asked. “The hammer”, it answered.

This proverb is said to describe a person who does something against their will or under pressure.

Figurative Language in Proverbs

Most proverbs cannot be translated literally, hence the translator should interpret the meaning of them. Ghazala (2008) states that:

“Proverbs are special, fixed, unchanged phrases which have special, fixed, unchanged meanings. A proverb cannot be translated or understood as a collection of individual meanings of its words. Moreover, proverbs are metaphors that stand for something else” (p.144).

Translation of proverbs is essential in bridging the understanding between the origin of a proverb and the reader (Duff, 1989). This is because the figurative language used in proverbs makes it hard to create total understanding by the reader in a discourse involving a social level. Abu-Ssaydeh (2013) stated that the problem is aggravated in the metaphorical proverbs that are culture-bound because they reflect the element of culture and the environment of a given context. Local Emirati proverbs are rich with metaphors related to the environment and Bedouin culture. An example of a metaphorical culture-bound Emirati proverb is the following:

“صفراء رمل عقرب إنت”

Literal Translation: You are a yellow desert scorpion

This metaphorical proverb describes a sneaky, manipulative and deceiving person.

Personification is another figurative feature of some Emirati proverbs. Personification is to give some human attributes to an idea or an animal as shown in the following example:

“كل أرض شربت ماها ”

Literal translation: “Every land drank its water”

Meaning: When there is a problem and more than one person tries to solve it, it will be solved.

Equivalent English proverb: “One hand doesn’t clap”

Irony is a further figurative characteristic of some proverb; it refers to an expression that is said to mean the complete opposite of something else for humorous or sarcastic effects. Example:

“لمطلقها تدعي وريلها عند تاكل”

Literal Translation: “She eats with her husband and prays for her divorcee”

Meaning: This proverb is used ironically to criticize a person who does not appreciate the kind treatment offered by some people to him/her and tends to favor their opponents.

Humor is also used to create the feeling of amusement or provoke laughter. Some of the local Emirati proverbs show humorous elements. Example:

“صخله عقل العقل و نخلة طول الطول”

Literal translation: One is as high as a palm tree, yet his mind equals that of a goat.

Equivalent English Proverb: “Tall people have no minds”

This proverb indicates that the intelligence of a person is not measured by their height.

Like metaphors, proverbs are culture-bound. They pose a major challenge to the translator because they are deeply rooted in the culture. Richards and Schmidt (2002) define an idiom as, “an expression which functions as a single unit and whose meaning cannot be worked out from separate parts”. Some Local Emirati proverbs are idiomatic as illustrated in the following example:

يوم يشيب ريش الغراب

Literal Translation: When the feathers of a crow turn grey.

Equivalent English Proverb: “when pigs fly”

Strategies of Translating Proverbs

Baker (2011) illustrates the following strategies for translating proverbs:

Translation by Cultural Substitution (p44): To change a culture-specific word or phrase with a TL culture related word. This process creates the same impact on the reader because they can relate the meaning based on the word from their culture; e.g. the owl has a negative connotation in the Arab culture, its equivalent in the Western culture: The crow: which has the same negative connotation

“سجاجينه كثرت الجمل طاح لي”

Literal translation will be “When a camel falls down, many knives are raised to butcher it.”

Meaning: This proverb refers to a situation when a man of virtue falls in trouble many people turn against him.

An Equivalent English Proverb is the Following: “When Strong will fall, Haters shall rise”

تلعب حصانيها في غيبات ذيبها

Literal translation: The fox will play when the wolf is away.

Equivalent English Proverb: “when the cat’s away the mice will play”

2-Translation by paraphrase using unrelated words (p51): Translators have the freedom to paraphrase the word from Language A to language B. They can also explain or add more words to make the reader familiar with the meaning. Example:

“حلاة الثوب رقعته منه و فيه”

Literal translation: The beauty of a dress, is that its patch is from its fabric.

English Translation of the Proverb: It’s better to patch a dress with a similar fabric.

Baker (2011) also proposes some strategies that can be used to translate both idioms and fixed expressions including proverbs:

• To find a proverb in the TL that is close in meaning and form to the SL proverb

Some of the Emirati proverbs have an equivalent proverb in the TL. This makes it easy for the translator to achieve his work with less effort.

e.g.العيلة (العجلة) من الشيطان

Literal Translation: Haste is of the Devil.

• Substitution: To have a proverb that has the same meaning, but it is not same in the form”.

Some of the proverbs in the TL can convey the same meaning as the proverbs in the SL, but they are different in form. In such cases translators should be aware of the meanings of the proverbs in both languages to create the perfect match.

e.g. الصبر مفتاح الفرج

Equivalent English Proverb: Patience is a virtue.

e.g. العوض ولا القطيعة

Equivalent English Proverb: Half a loaf is better than no bread.

Bahameed (2007) refers to a further strategy which involves changing the local proverb’s informal version into a standard one after which the standard language will be translated into the target language. (p.89)

e.g. بو طبيع ما يجوز عن طبعه (informal)

Literal Translation: A man with a habit can’t lose it.

عادت حليمة لعادتها القديمة (formal)

Literal Translation: Halima went back to her old habits

Equivalent English Proverb: “Old habits never die”, “a Leopard can’t change its spots”

With regard to translating proverbs that have metaphorical meanings, Al-Najjar (1984) proposes the following strategies:

1. Translate the SL metaphoric expression literally into the TL
2. If the SL metaphoric proverbial expression is ambiguous between its literal meaning and figurative meaning” (as cited in Bahameed, 2007,91), the translator can translate the metaphoric proverb literally and add a paraphrase that will explain the meaning.
3. The translator can translate the proverb as it is and add a story that underlies the proverb’s figurative meaning.

In his work, Venuti (1998) suggests the strategy of Foreignization in translation. That means that the author of the original text is in peace and the reader is dragged to his zone that makes him feel the cultural and linguistic differences of the foreign text. Another translation strategy discussed Venuti (1998) is domestication technique that makes the translated text sound and read like the original.

Methodology

Data Collection and Analysis

A total of 60 local Emirati proverbs will be randomly selected from a book titled “Local Emirati proverbs and folkloric riddles in the United Arab Emirates” by Obaid bin Sandal (2001). The researcher will take the first two proverbs under each letter in the alphabetically arranged list of proverbs included in the book.

Sources

The sources that will be used in this thesis are:

1. Monolingual and bilingual Dictionaries.
2. Online sources and book for appropriate equivalents for the proverbs in the source text.
3. Translation papers/books in dealing with proverbs.

Procedures

The procedures that will be followed in conducting this study are the following:

1. Collecting the Arabic Emirati proverbs that are appropriate for the study.
2. Providing explanations for each proverb in Arabic and English.
3. Examining the characteristics of those proverbs and identifying potential problems for translating them into English.
4. Discussing possible strategies for translating those proverbs.
5. Determining the best strategies for translating those proverbs based on certain criteria suggested by the researcher.

Translation and Commentary

Emirati Proverb:

بك الكلام، بك من يسمعه

This proverb is often used by the elderly especially grandparents who are fed up and frustrated for giving advice to their young sibilants, relatives, neighbors and friends but receiving little positive response and finding only very few people who actually head their advice. It reflects what may be termed as the “generation gap” which exist in every society and manifests itself in different perceptions and attitudes held by older and younger generations. On the other hand, old people believe that by virtue of their wisdom and enormous experience accumulated over the years the young generation should head their advice and obey their orders. However, young people believe that they are mature enough to determine their own affairs hence they resist any attempt made by the elderly to impose their views, give advice or issue orders.

The Emirati proverb can be divided into two parts: بك الكلام and بك من يسمعه. It characterized by the lexical repetition of the word “بك “. The repetition of this word has an alliteration effect that makes the proverb easy to remember.

Meanwhile, this slang expression makes the proverb semantically opaque to Arab who are unfamiliar with the colloquial Emirati dialect. This difficulty is augmented by the fact that knowledge of the meaning of this slang expression is crucial to understand the overall meaning of the proverb.

The phrase “بك الكلام” actually means:

“it is not just to say something to ensure that it should be listened to”

In the second part of the proverb, a rhetorical question is asked:

“بك من يسمعه” who is listening?”

The implied response for this question would be:

“no one is listening”

As regards to the rendition of this Emirati proverb into English, the slang expression “بك”would constitute a challenge to the translator since s/he would not be able to understand the meaning of the proverb unless s/he decodes the meaning of the lexical item “بك” preferably with the help of a native speaker of the Emirati dialect or by consulting one of the very few sources available on the local Emirati proverbs. As a speaker of the vernacular used in the UAE, the writer of this thesis has faced no difficulty in understanding the meaning of the proverb.

In understanding the proverb into English, the researcher has the following two options:

A. to prepare an equivalent in English that convey the exact intended meaning of the Emirati one. Hence, the proverb may be translated as follows:

“To knock on a deaf man’s house”.

This rendition is perhaps considered as the “best” one as it would be intelligible for not only to the Emirati speaker, but also to an average reader for whom the English is a second language.

B. To paraphrase the meaning of the Emirati Arabic proverb as follows:

“You may give a piece of advice but find no one to head it”.

This rendition may be resorted to the translator only if s/he fails to track down the equivalent English proverb mentioned above.

Emirati Proverb:

إبليس ملعون وكل يلعنه

This proverb is often used in cases where a person makes multiple mistakes involving a particular action or event. It is often a term utilized when someone feels frustrated or even irritated and is actually a very common Emirati proverb that is used across multiple age groups due to the simple fact that people often encounter situations that can frustrate or anger them.

Using direct translation, this Emirati phrase becomes “Cursed be the Devil”. This is meant to imply that the origin of the problem is based on the actions of the devil. Do note though that when an individual does state this, they do not literally mean that the event is the fault of the devil. Rather, it is more accurate to state that they are expressing their frustration through a phrase and not necessarily implying that the devil is causing the mistakes to occur.

However, the problem with the direct translation is that it lacks the cultural backdrop necessary to truly understand the “lesson” that the proverb is attempting to convey. For example, the English proverb “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”, when taken literally implies that the tough should flee. This is of course a mistaken interpretation since it is meant to imply that people should not give up.

In this case, when interpreting this Arabic phrase, it should be based on the implied lesson from the proverb. This can come in variety of different interpretations such as:

“You cannot blame Satan for your mistakes”

This interpretation takes the word “Satan” from the translation and utilizes it as a means of implying that the devil is not responsible for all the negative aspects that occurs in a person’s life.

Another interpretation comes in the form of:

“A man should be responsible for his actions”

This interpretation focuses more on the lesson learned from the proverb rather than a direct translation of the proverb itself. This is similar to another Emirati translation of the proverb “Do not make excuses, make good”, which implies that a person is blaming outside circumstances more than actually developing some means of resolving the problem.

Some distinct features of the phrase can be seen in the use of the phonological repetition in the words “ملعون” and “يلعنه” which focuses on the concepts of “cursed” and “actions”. This is a good indicator for translators when it comes to appropriately interpreting the phrase since these features show that proverb focuses on the results of actions.

The translation strategy that should be adopted when encountering this phrase focuses on keeping the cultural element of the proverb while paraphrasing the terms utilized. This means that the interpretation is not necessarily strict since it focuses on the concept of taking responsibility for your actions which can be described in a large variety of ways such as “We will be known forever by the tracks we leave” and other similar proverbs that focus on responsibility. Utilizing the word “the devil” is not necessary, only conveying the concept of responsibility for your actions is important.

From a linguistical perspective, the Emirati proverb does have a somewhat equivalent English cultural counterpart in the form of the slang phrase “God Dammit!” or in its more linguistically appropriate equivalent: “God Damn It!”. This phrase is similarly utilized when an individual feels frustration or anger over a series of mistakes or when they are feeling particularly irritated over a particular situation. However, given the level of reverence that Emirati culture places on Allah, uttering the English cultural equivalent phrase is considered to be highly inappropriate. This is why instead of the word “God” the “Devil” is used instead as a more culturally appropriate means of expressing frustration.

Emirati Proverb:

ابن آدم أسود راس

This proverb is utilized in situations when it comes to describing the greedy nature of man and is one that is not necessarily used in everyday conversations. This phrase is used in situations where a person has shown himself to act in a way that is exceedingly selfish or greedy and neglects to take other individuals into consideration.

It should also be noted that this particular proverb has little in the way of a direct translation since it utilizes a considerable amount of historical/religious exposition in order to express what it is stating. A direct translation of the proverb would come out vaguely as the “Blackness in the Sons of Adam”. This would cause a considerable amount of confusion for translators since the concepts of “blackness” and “sons of Adam” could refer to a wide variety of different potential translations. It is due to this that the problem faced by translators when presented with this phrase is its general “ambiguity” and “vagueness” since it does not refer to something specific.

Before proceeding, it is first important to note the assonance employed in the use of “ا” and the idiomatic expression found in the proverb. “أسود راس” which refers to “blackness in the minds of man”. The problem when it comes to the word-for-word translation of idiomatic expressions from one language to another is that there is a considerable amount of meaning that is lost. For instance, “أسود راس” from an Emirati perspective refers not to the state of an individual’s mind as being “black”; instead it refers to a pervasive quality within all individuals wherein there is a certain level of what can described as being “evil”, “negative” or an otherwise negative aspect of the self.

This is a necessary point of understanding when it comes to translating this phrase since it helps a person to understand that the Emirati proverb that is being used is not indicative of a particular individual having negative qualities; rather, it refers to something that applies to all people. This helps the translator to understand that this proverb refers to human nature and helps to create the starting point for a contextual translation.

From an Emirati perspective, the proverb can be translated into the following phrases:

(Before proceeding, it should be noted that these are only some of the possible English translation with other possible phrased statements being possible.)

One of the first possible translations is:

“Adam’s son will always have greed in his soul”

This relates to the story of Adam and Eve with Adam being the first man and Eve being the first woman. In this case, this proverb implies that greed has been present in humanity since the start and is likely to continue to have it well into the future.

This type of translation is similar to the following paraphrased translation:

“Humans will always be greedy”

This is a more direct means of addressing the meaning behind the Emirati proverb and immediately recognizable as referring to a situation where an individual has shown themselves to be greedy.

The translation strategy for this particular proverb should not in anyway utilize direct translation. Rather, a considerable amount of paraphrasing is required as well as utilizing local cultural elements in order to better understand it.

Emirati Proverb:

برق وشاف الديك

This proverb is one of the most difficult to translate into another language since its meaning is based on a colloquial expression that has significant cultural ties and requires these ties in order to properly understand it. From an Emirati perspective, this type of proverb is often used to describe individuals who are astonished by small things and think of them as a scale for greatness.

Translating this proverb simply adds more confusion rather than clarity since one of its more direct interpretations consists of the following phrase:

“Lightning enchanted by a peacock”

From a linguistic perspective, this statement makes very little sense; however, this is not to imply that there is no precedent behind similar phrases in the English language that appear to make no sense but actually do have a deeper meaning. For example, the phrase “till the fat lady sings” makes no sense when translated into Arabic, Chinese or any other language; however, it is a well known colloquial expression in the English language which states that a person should not assume the outcome of an event till it is over. This type of example shows that not all Emirati proverbs or colloquial expressions have a definitive counterpart or can have a literal translation that makes sense. What is needed in these cases when it comes to translating them is knowledge of local slang terminology and a sufficient Emirati cultural background in order to understand the basis behind the phrase and develop an appropriate paraphrased counterpart.

Utilizing the Emirati background of the researcher, one possible interpretation of this proverb can be seen in the following example:

“Greatness is not measured by size”

This interpretation is similar to the English idiomatic expression of “great things come in small packages” and is line with the cultural interpretation of the proverb. Paraphrasing and cultural understanding are the only two methods that can be utilized in order for an interpretation of this phrase to make sense.

Emirati Proverb:

تاكل عند ريلها و تدعي لمطلقها

This proverb is commonly used by housewives to describe ungratefulness and is usually directed towards their husbands. It is basically used as a means of indicating dissatisfaction with the husband when it comes to how they treat their wives and how they should be more mindful of what they say and what they do. Proverbs like this are actually quite interesting from a linguistic perspective since it requires that the translator infuse the resulting translation with sufficient levels of irony in order for the message that is being stated by the proverb to be properly received.

This sort of proverb is slightly different from the examples that have been provided so far since a literal translation is possible given the message that is being conveyed. For instance, a literal English translation using pre-existing English proverbs of the phrase takes the form of the following example:

“When you drink water, remember who dug the well”

After reading that phrase, the meaning of the expression can be interpreted as an individual needing to show proper gratefulness for the actions of other people that they benefited from. This helps to explain the use of the proverb when it comes to a wife in Emirati culture addressing the ungratefulness that a husband may sometimes show when it comes to her work around the home.

A translation that is more in line with the Emirati interpretation based on the word-for-word content of the proverb would take the form of the following example:

“She eats with her husband, though praise her divorcee”

The difference between the two translated phrases is immediately noticeable with the second phrase being harder to interpret than the first yet it contains the same general message.

What helps to sufficiently express irony in this proverb is the rhyme in the ريلها و مطلقها which contrasts between husband and the term “divorcee”. It is based on this that a translation strategy involving this phrase can be done with a literal translation; yet, it is recommended that the use of pre-existing proverbs expressing gratefulness from the current lexicon of English proverbs be utilized if the initial translation proves to be too confusing.

Emirati Proverb:

تتمنى القرعى تربي زلوف

The concept behind this proverb is that it is used primarily as a means of commenting on impossible dreams. For example, this proverb can be used to describe a person who cannot accomplish anything yet they are stating that they will achieve something grand or wondrous. What is interesting about this proverb is that it has manifested as a direct result of local Emirati slang language and incorporates more modern day representations and commentary. Simply put, it is “relatively new” in relation to the other proverbs that have been tackled thus far and this helps to explain its wide spread use among many individuals within the urban landscape of the Emirates.

Its construction has many elements similar to English similes as seen in the case of the use of the words “bald lady” (which acts as the tenor) and “long hair” (acting as the vehicle). The assonance in this case comes in the form of “ى” while the alliteration is “ت”. This helps to support the notion that this type of proverb should be considered as a simile and its reconstruction via translation should take this into consideration.

Based on the knowledge of local Emirati slang language, the English translation of this Emirati proverb can be written as:

“A bald lady wishes to be “Rapunzel”

Do note though that this is not a literal word-for-word translation from Arabic to English; rather, this incorporates a cultural equivalent that can be understood. Without a substitution for the original Arabic characterization, it is unlikely that the resulting translation would be understood properly.

The translation strategy for this type of proverb would focus heavily on the use of sufficient cultural substitution using local equivalents in order for it to be understood. Paraphrasing or direct translation will not necessarily work since proper context behind the proverb’s “story” needs to be implemented. This is the reason why the name “Rapunzel” and the phrase “bald lady” was used since it helps to convey the idea of the proverb in a way that can be easily understood by the reader.

Emirati Proverb:

ثوب غيرك اسحبه على الشوك

This proverb is commonly used on careless individuals who do not take good care of the possessions of other people. This applies to situations where an individual either fails to return an item back to its owner or returns it in a damaged state. A direct translation of this proverb is not possible since, like several of the other proverbs that have been analyzed so far, there are considerable cultural elements in the words that need to be taken into consideration. As a result, a direct translation without understanding the cultural nuances would come out as the following example:

“possessions of others, pulled on thorns”

This, of course, does not make any sense from a literal translation point of view and shows the importance of understanding the cultural context behind the phrase. What is interesting though is the presence of a rhyming mechanism as seen in the following statement “غيرك. الشوك” and the presence of an assonance in the form of “و”.

This is an important contextual clue when it comes to translating the proverb since it indicates that there is a specific focus on a particular subject matter and, via the assonance, shows that it focuses on the actions of an individual. Taking the colloquial word “اسحبه” which means “pull” into consideration, the proverb can thus be roughly outlined into something that involves repeated action by a single individual that involves “pulling” or in this case “taking” something. This “something” can be construed as being an object since the phrase does not seem to be indicative of the presence of another individual.

Via these contextual clues, a translator can surmise that the phrase focuses on an individual taking something. However, this is still a rather incomplete understanding of the phrase; what is needed is more contextual clues from a local cultural source to explain that the phrase describes an individual who does not take good care of the possessions of others.

Based on these aspects, a potential English translation of the phrase would take the form of the following example:

“Do not take something from someone else that you cannot care for”

From an Emirati perspective, this is a roughly accurate translation yet is somewhat lacking since the proverb requires the insertion of a certain level of irony into the way that it is conveyed.

A translation strategy for this type of proverb would require significant paraphrasing on the part of the translator and should focus on the concept of “taking” and carelessness”. A direct translation should be avoided and greater context via a descriptive story before the translation is given may be needed.

Emirati Proverb:

جعيدة بيت و لا سفر بنغاله

This is one of the more interesting Emirati proverbs and is used to state that it is better to be handy at home than a burden in travel. While the context is slightly confusing, it can be assumed that it focuses on an individual being more useful at home than going out and traveling around. This particular proverb may have its origins from ancient Emirati culture wherein there was a nomadic aspect to some of the groups that came to constitute the present day population of the Emirates. On the other end of the spectrum, this particular expression does have a certain level of modernity to it as seen in the use of the slang expression “جعيدة” which means “to stay”.

After going over the implied meaning of the proverb, a direct translation is actually possible without necessarily including the cultural context behind the phrase. For example, directly translated, the proverb becomes the following phrase:

“useful at home, do not go out and travel”

The meaning seems to be pretty straightforward and easily understood but it lacks the distinct cultural aspects that make the proverb more meaningful. While the direct translation does help to explain the meaning behind the proverb, it does not sound like a proverb at all and seems to be more of a statement.

It should also be noted that there are some issues when it comes to translating the phrase due to the contrast between جعيدة and “بنغاله”. Translators need to be aware of this contrast (between “going” and “staying”) since it helps immensely in accurately translating the proverb.

Aside from a literal translation, the use of Emirati cultural knowledge and paraphrasing can transform the proverbs into the following more applicable phrase:

“Better useful at home than being useless in travel”

This translation is a more accurate representation of the intended meaning of the proverb and helps to show its cultural origins.

Applying a translation strategy to this proverb should consist of utilizing the words “home”, “travel”, “useful” and “useless” and paraphrasing them in a way that conveys that idea behind the proverb. The main point is to ensure that the translated text emphasizes that a person is more useful staying at home than going out.

Emirati Proverb:

حار كلام الرياييل

This proverb means that the decision taken by men is to be implemented strictly and not to be changed. The historical context behind the origins of this proverb is based on the patriarchal society within Emirati culture wherein it is often men that are placed in positions of leadership. Such a state of affairs has also impacted the way in which society within the Emirates has developed wherein the concept of male domination at home is considered as normal with women/wives often taking up secondary roles within society.

Understanding the socio-cultural basis behind the development of this proverb is important since it enables a translator to understand the notion that decisions made by a man should not be questioned by a woman (do note though that considerable changes have been occurring within Emirati society and women’s rights have improved considerably at the present).

Some unique aspects of this proverb can be seen in the foregrounding of the word حار which is brought before كلام الرياييل to enforce the meaning of the proverb. From a lexical perspective, حار can be considered as having a function similar to an adverb and helps to implement the notion of an “absolute nature” for decisions given by men. This is an important function to take into consideration since, without it, the meaning is slightly changed wherein “strict implementation of decisions” can be turned into “suggested decisions”.

Another aspect that should be noted is that the colloquial word الرياييل which means “men” in the plural form helps the translator to understand that the concept of an absolute decision is not referring to a single man of importance but to all men in general. This is further enhanced by the assonance “ا” in the words of the proverb. Combined, these aspects enable the translator to understand how specific elements of the proverb contribute to the message it is attempting to convey.

One potential translation of the proverb can be interpreted via the following example:

“Decisive words are said by men only”

This is a more literal translation of the phrase and focuses on the core message of the proverb. However, what is lacking is the necessary cultural elements that make it more in line with what an Emirati would understand the proverb as. A more accurate translation via a combination of paraphrasing and an already existing English proverb takes the following familiar form:

“A man’s word is law”

This is a more accurate translation of the proverb and helps to showcase the emphasis placed on the word “man” and “word” within the proverb.

A translation strategy for this type of proverb should focus on paraphrasing the meaning into something that takes into consideration the emphasis placed on the importance of adhering to the decisions made by men since this is the most accurate way of depicting the message of the proverb.

Emirati Proverb:

خذ من مخباه و عيده

This proverb is one of the more archaic examples that has been encountered so far since it is often used to describe a situation where a person deceives others by taking their money and paying them from it. From the onset, this proverb does not seem to make sense since how can a person take someone’s money and pay them from it? A translator would question the accuracy of the translation being given since the way in which the subject matter is oriented does not seem to make sense. One way of looking at this situation is by thinking of it within the context of an English fable (e.g. the Emperor’s new clothes, the pied piper, etc.).

This means that this proverb can allude to a situation where someone is stealing from someone else and is paying them with what they stole from them. Such a situation can allude to a wide variety of different circumstances, with the concepts such as “loan interest” (which is banned by Shariah law) being one of the possible “culprits” behind the origin of this proverb.

This proverb possesses two alliterations in the form of “خ” (which can be considered as “x” based on its literal English translation) and “هـ” (which can be considered as “e” based on its English translation). Aside from this, other interesting aspects of the proverb that a translator should take into consideration come in the form of the contrast between خذ and عيده.

The former can be translated as “take” while the latter can be roughly translated as “anothers possessions”. Combined, these two create a “hint” regarding the appropriate method of translation since it is implied that the proverb deals with taking something from someone.

Utilizing an appropriate Emirati cultural context for the translation, the following English equivalent was created:

“Pay him from his own pocket”

This translation alludes to a situation wherein someone is being paid from their own finances. When examining the context of the proverb, the translated phrase definitely comes close to the desired Emirati cultural meaning of the proverb.

The translation strategy that should be implemented when encountering this particular proverb involves considerable paraphrasing; however, due to the presence of the contrast between خذ” and عيده the translator can more readily detect the type of translation method that can be utilized.

Emirati Proverb:

راعي الخبز يعرف راعي اللحم

This proverb has a rather familiar meaning to individuals that are knowledgeable about different English proverbs. It focuses on the concept of individuals with similar professions and trades and the fact that they enjoy spending time with each other due to their similarities that enables them to relate with one another. Based on this interpretation, one immediate comparison is to the phrase:

“Birds of a feather, flock together”

However, there is a distinct Emirati cultural “spin” to this common saying wherein a more culturally appropriate translation would have the output of:

“Men of similar crafts know each other”

The meaning of this phrase is immediately obvious since it indicates that people that have similar interests or have similar professions are drawn to each other. What is interesting though is that despite the lexical and cultural differences between this Emirati proverb and its English counterpart, it does share a similar structure wherein there is a lexical repetition of the word راعي which is intended to have a musical sound in the proverb. This is similar to its English counterpart and shows a rather interesting correlation between languages that have different cultural origins yet have this one instance of a similar output in the form of a proverb.

Given the similarities between this proverb and its famous English counterpart, a translation strategy would be pretty straightforward wherein all the translator would need to do is paraphrase the Emirati proverb into its cultural equivalent. Creating a functional equivalent utilizing a more unique English phrase is possible but “Birds of a feather flock together” is simply too good a fit when it comes to this proverb.

Emirati Proverb:

رب قطيوك يأذيك

This Emirati proverb focuses on the concept of betrayal and is used in instances where a person is ungrateful to the individual that helped them. An expanded version of this proverb can be seen in the following phrase:

“اعمل خيرا شرا تلقى سو خير و عقه بحر”

This can be interpreted as:

“When you do good to someone, but he is ungrateful to you”

After examining this proverb, the researcher determined that it does have some similar features to the following English proverb:

“biting the hand that feeds you”

Both this and the proverb express the same general idea of ungratefulness being directed at an individual that has assisted another person. In fact, when directly translated, the Emirati proverb also has the same metaphorical basis as its English equivalent since it requires an understanding of Emirati culture in order to deduce its contents. The translation come out as:

“He hath brought a bird to pick out his own eyes”

This is in reference to a person paying for the consequences of assisting another person and shows another similarity to its English counterpart wherein both show that the individual that is helping out another person experienced pain after the assistance they rendered.

This proverb is characterized by the rhyming of قطيوك and يأذيك along with the assonance ي which makes the proverb more generally recognizable by members of the local Emirati population.

The translation strategy for this proverb can use the direct translated equivalent since the concept of a bird pecking out the eyes of a person can be understood within the given context of the Emirati proverb if a sufficient backstory is given beforehand. However, it is recommended that its English equivalent be used instead since it is more straightforward and more widely understood.

Emirati Proverb:

ما بكل من ركب قادوا به

This proverb differentiates itself from the ones that have been presented so far since it is often used by a person to describe their own qualifications. It stresses the importance of choosing a good leader and the reason for that is to make others follow the commands of the one who stated the proverb.

For instance, when translated via Emirati cultural norms, the following possible outcomes can come about:

“Not every king is a leader” or “Not every fast driver can be a racer”

These two translations help to indicate that though an individual may appear to be qualified, they do not necessarily have the talent nor capability to actually accomplish a task. Utilizing this sort of justification, a person can imply that they do possess the necessary talent and capability to get the job done and, as such, should be placed in the position instead of another individual.

A similar proverb does exist in English in the form of the following phrase:

“Not everything that glitters is gold”

What makes this English phrase somewhat more appropriate than the translated Emirati equivalent is that it is more readily and widely understood. It implies that not everything is as it seems and helps people to really think if they are merely being fooled by a facade of an unqualified person that would crack under pressure.

Other aspects of this proverb that help to make it more identifiable comes in the form of the alliteration in كـ and the assonance “ا”.

A translation strategy involving this proverb would involve considerable paraphrasing since a direct translation does not give the intended meaning of the proverb (i.e. the direct translation takes the form of a metaphorical situation involving a leader and a parade that cannot be understood correctly without sufficient cultural knowledge on Emirati culture).

Emirati Proverb:

زنجبيل بترابه أخذه و لا رده على أصحابه

This proverb is used in cases when a person buys something and it does not reach the level of his/her expectations. Basically, it is a proverb that centers on the concept of “buyer’s remorse” wherein due to a particular item or service not living up to the “hype” or expectations that it was advertised for, the buyer winds up regretting having purchased it in the first place. This is an interesting parable since it has its roots in the Bedouin culture of the U.A.E and yet is also applicable in numerous cases in the present.

The proverb was originally utilized when people from different tribes purchased horses, goats and other beasts of burden from traders. In some cases, these creatures were not well trained or had some form of illness that was not detected when they were bought. This caused the buyers to regret purchasing them since, due to their nomadic nature, it is often hard to track down the original seller.

When it comes to its overall structure, the proverb has an assonance “ا” as well as several parts that rhyme such as “هـ”; however, what is truly unique about the proverb is the contrasting aspect of أخذه و لا رده which can be translated into “taking” and “non-satisfaction’.

When translated literally, it can be assumed that someone is not happy with something that they took (or in this case something that they bought). What is necessary to complete the thought process that is being stated is the idiomatic expression زنجبيل بترابه which incorporates the idea of a purchasing decision that the buyer did not like.

When roughly translated into a phrase that can be understood in English, the following collocation was utilized:

“take it or leave it”

While this translation does not encompass the entirety of the idea behind the proverb, it does help to show the fact that the buyer in question has no choice after the purchase had been made. A translation strategy for this type of proverb would heavily depend on utilizing an appropriate collocation as well as having a backstory when utilizing the idea of the proverb in a sentence. A direct translation of the text is not possible due to the cultural elements that have been incorporated in the creation of the proverb.

Emirati Proverb:

سار يداويها سعى في طبوبها

This proverb is utilized in cases where a person is attempting to do an activity that they are not good at and the results are terrible. For example, if a person attempts to cook yet they have no skill in cooking with the inevitable result being nothing more than a massive massive mess.

The proverb posseses sections that rhyme as seen in the case of يداويها and طبوبها which are actually contrasts of each other with one meaning “conflict” and the other “resolution”. However, one word that translators may encounter that could confuse them is طبوبه which is a slang term for “trouble” which requires knowledge of local Emirati modern day culture to properly understand.

When it comes to translating the proverb, it can be interpreted as the following:

“he went to make peace, but he started a war”

This interpretation is more in line with the intended message of the proverb and helps to show the concept of incompetency in action. However, when looking at its application in general English conversations, it may not be as useful. One other method of translation is to paraphrase the proverb into something that can be more commonly utilized. This can take the form of the following phrase:

“He went to fix it, but he made it worse”

This is a more understandable translation that retains the overall message of the proverb while at the same time converts it into a phrase that is more easily understood.

The translation strategy when it comes to this phrase would definite require paraphrasing of the terms “war” and “peace” within the proverb into something that is more applicable to everyday conversations. A direct translation is not recommended since the proverb contains many culturally specific terminologies that would not be understood by the average English speaker.

Emirati Proverb:

شارد و لاجي محدار

The use of this proverb is quite common given its contents since it focuses on when someone does not like to do something and finds an excuse not to do it. It is used in everyday conversations involving individuals who come up with a large variety of different excuses to do a particular job.

The assonance that is present in this proverb is the letter “ا” and the proverb itself utilizes an idiomatic expression in order to convey its intended message. A straight word-for-word translation is not recommended due to the subject matter as well as the presence of The slang word محدار which means “to slide” or “to accelerate” the running process.

The main issue that is encountered when translating this proverb is that the lexical interpretation from Arabic to English does not have a sufficient idiomatic counterpart. This makes it difficult to find something that can be understood given the context of the proverb.

For example, if translated utilizing its Emirati cultural interpretation, the proverb would come out as the following:

“The speed of a snowball”

When looking at this phrase, there does not seem to be a sufficient correlation between it and the concept of avoiding work. The Emirati cultural meaning of the proverb simply does not transfer as well when translated. It is due to this that the translation strategy for this proverb should involve paraphrasing the entire proverb in such a way that the context is retained but the cultural background is removed. This can be done by using the following example:

“all reasons in the world will not move a man who does not want to do something”

This type of example keeps the idiomatic expression via paraphrasing and cultural substitution while at the same time retains the message that the proverb is attempting to convey.

Other possible translation strategies for this proverb involve placing a short exposition prior to the translated phrase or utilizing a more commonly utilized phrase as a substitution such as:

“why do today, what you can put off till tomorrow”

Both strategies would be effective in conveying the necessary message while retaining the “idiomatic picture” of the proverb.

Emirati Proverb:

صبرك على نفسك ولا صبر الناس عليك

This proverb describes a situation where a person should focus on being independent and help themselves rather than expect help from other people. This particular proverb, when directly translated, comes out as:

“Your patience on yourself or people your patience”

This, of course, does not make much sense outside of its Emirati cultural context since it focuses on the concept of “patience” both on yourself and that of other people. However, from an Emirati cultural context, the concept of “patience” equates into the ability of being able to take care of yourself and other people. This proverb originates from ancient Emirati customs when a man comes of age and becomes able to take care of himself and his future family.

Do note though that utilizing the Emirati cultural context in the translation transforms the proverb from the first example provided into the following phrase:

“Better depend on yourself rather than expecting the help of others”

This is a better translation since it makes it is more easily understood to readers and is a lot more straightforward. However, there are some issues with this translation since it is lacking the lexical repetition of صبرك and صبر as well as the rhyming in نفسك and عليك. In other words, the translation does not seem like a proper proverb and seems more like a direct statement.

It is due to this that one translation strategy that can be utilized is to paraphrase the contents into something that is more recognizable as a proverb. This can be done using the following pre-existing English proverb:

“if you want something done right, do it yourself”

This carries the same connotation as the other and is a more easily recognizable proverb.

Emirati Proverb:

ضربني و بكى سبقني و اشتكى

This proverb is one of the more interesting that has been explored so far since it deals with the concept of someone harming you yet they stated that you were the one that harmed them. What makes this concept interesting is that there is little precedent for it among the different English proverbs that are available. For instance, some of the closest approximations come in the form of the statement “crying foul” or “crying wolf” yet each does not truly encapsulate what this Emirati proverb is about.

A direct translation of the proverb comes out as follows:

“Hit me and cried before me and complained”

The direct translation of the proverb is actually easily understood wherein it depicts a scenario where a person was hit yet the individual that hit them is the one that is stating that they are the injured party. However, utilizing the direct translation is not recommended since it is lacking in the aspects that a proverb is made out of.

The direct translation is lacking the assonance in : ضربني and سبقني as well as the rhyme in: بكى and اشتكى which makes it lack the “musical” nature of proverbs.

It is based on this that the translation strategy that can be applied takes the form of paraphrasing the direct translation since it does not contain overly complex Emirati cultural aspects that do not translate well into English. One possible translation that can be understood comes out as:

“He came, we hit, he cried”

This is a translation that tries to retain the assonance and rhyming nature. However, if a more easily understood translation is needed, the direct method is also applicable.

Emirati Proverbial:

ضربة بالبج ولا عشرة بالمطرقة

This proverb is one of the more easily translated ones that is associated with winning/obtaining a large profit instead of the expected small amount. Due to the long history of mercantilism in Emirati culture, a lot of proverbs that it has developed over the years have a mercantile theme to them. Evidence of this can seen in various Emirati proverbs that have thematic elements that focus on improving business practices or even warning people when it comes to different types of business deals.

Unfortunately, a direct translation of this proverb into English is not possible since it utilizes culturally specific terminology that does not translate as well when converted into English. However, just because it cannot be directly translated does not mean that it does have an equivalent English translation in the form of the following phrase:

“to hit the jackpot”

The concept of “hitting the jackpot” is a common English phrase when a person suddenly encounters a situation where they gain more money than they thought they would. This can come either from winning a lottery or simply from a business deal where they gained a considerable amount of money.

The translation strategy for this proverb is to simply use its lexical English counterpart (i.e. to hit the jackpot) since it is the best possible translation that can be utilized.

Emirati Proverb:

قال تيس قال احلبه

This is one of the more confusing Emirati proverbs that were encountered during the research of this paper since it is used to describe a person who argues without knowledge and also does not accept the opinions of other people. While this subject matter may not seem confusing, when translated utilizing its Emirati equivalent the translation comes out as:

“Though a he-goat, he wants to milk it”

When looking at the translated phrase, it does not seem to be intelligible since it apparently does no have any connection to the subject matter. However, there are numerous English proverbs that do share a similarity when it comes to how their direct construction are considerably different from their intended meaning. For example, the phrase “it is not over till the fat lady sings” does not literally mean till a fat lady actually sings; rather, it is meant as a means of indicating that one should not assume the outcome of a situation that is still ongoing.

Taking this into consideration, the concept of a “he-goat” in the translation can have a considerable different meaning that is based on Emirati culture given the intended message that the proverb is attempting to convey.

The translation strategy would thus focus on paraphrasing the entire content of the proverb into something that focuses away from the cultural affiliation into something that is more easily understood. One possible translation comes out as follows:

“If only closed minds came with closed mouths”

This is meant to imply that a person is talking/arguing without taking into consideration other possible viewpoints. This is one of the closest possible translations and is in line with the intended meaning behind the proverb.

Other unique aspects of the proverb come in the form of the lexical repetition of the word: قال which translated means “to”. Its repetition throughout the proverb can be assumed as being similar to its English counterpart wherein it is referencing someone committing a particular act such as “to eat” or “to lie”.

Emirati Proverb:

كثر الدق يفك اللحام

This proverb describes the collection of problems that can be the reason for why people tend to drift apart from their friends and families. It focuses on the concept that too many combined problems can cause people to ignore their family and friends. When looking at this proverb, it is actually quite interesting to note how applicable it is to the present wherein the demands of modern day living at times causes people to drift away from associating with their friends and family.

When attempting to find an applicable English proverb for the translation, the closest possible that was discovered is the following phrase:

“Constant dropping wears away a stone”

The concept of “constant dropping” applies to the numerous problems that a person encounters while the stone in the proverb represents a person. Combined, they imply that constant exposure to problems can wear away a person. This particular translation utilizing an existing English proverb is more easily understood as compared to the version that is based on Emirati cultural understanding which produced the following example:

“Oppression causes rebellion”

While the supposed meaning behind the two statements is the same, the former is a lot more easily understood than the latter.

Based on this outcome, the recommended translation strategy for this proverb would be to avoid the “culturally correct” translation and focus on creating a phrase that can be understood within its own context.

Emirati Proverb:

لا تكثر الدوس على الخلان يملونك

This proverb is used as a way of advising people on how they should interact with their friends. Basically, it states that a person should keep a certain distance between themselves and their friends so that his/her friends will not be bored with him/her. This proverb suggests that the more time you spend around someone, the greater the possibility of you getting irritated by their presence till it reaches a point where you fight with them simply because they are around. Overall, this product is quite interesting since it seems to be a form of basic social commentary when it comes to the interactions between different people.

A direct translation of the phrase would come out as:

“Do not be too close to friends or family, space is needed”

It is basically straightforward given the message that the proverb is trying to convey and is easily understood by people that read it. However, it should be noted that the direct English translation is somewhat “lacking” in the “poetic music” that is normally associated with this proverb. This is due to the fact that some aspects were “lost in translation” so to speak and, as such, if you wish to retain the musical quality of the proverb, utilizing existing English proverbs may be the best solution

For example, there are two possible translations that a person can utilize:

” A little absence does much good” or “familiarity breeds contempt”

Both examples deal with the same subject matter that is being stated in the proverb yet they still retain the “poetic music” that made the Emirati proverb interesting to hear.

Overall, the translation strategy for this type of proverb can utilize either a direct translation or its equivalent English proverb. The choice over which one to use would depend on the context of the usage that the translator is after.

Emirati Proverb:

هبان سكر و هبان منكر

This is one of the more popular Emirati proverbs that is used to describe an individual who is sneaky, indirect and dishonest. It is characterized by the lexical repetition of the word : هبان and the contrast between سكر and منكر. Basically, the contrast and lexical repetitions are meant to denote the difference between how a person is perceived and how they really are like.

However, while this proverb is relatively straight forward in its definition, the word “Hiban” creates a considerable amount of confusion when it comes to direct translations since it basically translate into: “a goat’s skin that is used to keep stuff in a bag”. This, of course, would not make sense when utilized in an English conversation when it comes to the context of this Emirati proverb. This is due to “Hiban” being a relatively “new” slang term that is not immediately understood unless you have a background in the culture of the Emirates. Its vagueness, combined with the contrast between : سكر and منكر, creates a translation that basically examines the difference between two characteristics within a bag made out of goat skin. This does not make any sense; however, this is not to say that there are no lexical equivalents within the English language. For example, the word “weasel” can be used as the name of an animal but it can also be used to describe an individual who informs on other individuals. This type of lexical interpretations is similarly present in this Emirati proverb and helps to explain its rather unusual composition.

A direct translation of the phrase utilizing the Emirati cultural equivalent comes out as:

“To bears two faces in one hood”

This translation implies that a person has a tendency to either lie or show a false persona to the general public. Do note though that the translated proverb paraphrases many of the words from the original content in order for it to be more easily understood.

A direct English equivalent of the phrase could be translated into the following familiar phrase:

“he/she is two faced!”

This translation retains the general idea of the proverb while at the same time utilizes a more familiar expression that is easily understood.

When it comes to the translation strategy for this proverb, paraphrasing is necessary since the direct equivalent simply is not applicable given the type of words utilized.

Emirati Proverb:

هذا يسوي في السما دروب

This proverb is utilized to describe liars; however, it is phrased in an idiomatic way and requires repeated reading in order to understand its full context. First and foremost is the translation of the proverb which comes out as:

“to build a castle in the sky”

Initially, it may not seem that proverb matches its intent of connecting it liars; however, when taking another look at the translation a connect can be seen wherein the concept of building a castle in the sky is completely fictitious and would not be possible. Taking this into consideration, the translation which is based on interpreting the Emirati idiomatic expression makes sense.

Other interesting aspects of the proverb come in the form of the assonance in و and ي which help to add a certain “musical” quality to how the proverb is stated in Arabic.

After careful consideration, it is recommended that the translation strategy for this proverb focus on paraphrasing the words from the direct translation while at the same time attempting to retain the overall idea behind the concept of “lying” and “unattainable situations”.

Emirati Proverb:

واعد اليماميل عشرة

و يالله تصفي على واحد

This is one of the longest proverbs that this paper has encountered so far and deals with a situation wherein there is something that you need to achieve and are relying on someone to help you but they stand you up. This is actually a common situation that can happen to anyone and helps to explain why this proverb is utilized extensively in Emirati day to day conversations.

When looking at the proven, the assonance: “ي” is immediately noticeable which, when combined with the foregrounding of bringing the اليماميل before عشرة, creates the concept of “potential achievement yet abandonment. Basically, the combination of all three factors helps to set the tone of a situation where someone is expecting help but is not given it.

Do note thought that one of the more confusing aspects of this proverb comes in the form of the word “Ymmael” which is the slang term form camel.

While the use of the term may seem unusual, what must be understood is the camels are often connected to the concept of “assistance” since they were used extensively as beasts of burden during Bedouin period of the Emirati culture. Thus, the word is used as a means of implying the expectation of help to be given.

After going over the proverb, it was determined that the most appropriate translation strategy would be to utilize the “meaning” behind the proverb along with a compatible English proverb. This comes out as the following interpretation:

“A friend in need is a friend indeed”

This translated phrase does retain some of the meaning behind the proverb; however, due to the idiomatic nature of the proverb some of the concepts are not present. As such, it is recommended that a backstory is provided in the translation so that the English equivalent can be closer to the intended definition.

Emirati Proverb:

زينك مغطي شينك

This is one of the more familiar proverbs that has been encountered so far since it deals with a situation where someone is not good looking; however, they have good manners or good virtues. It also encompasses aspects related to things looking different to what they really are. For example, a restaurant may look small and not as modern as its surrounding counterparts but it could serve the best food in that area. Just by looking at the definition of the proverb and the example given, the most obvious equivalent it has in the English language is the following phrase:

“do not judge a book by its cover”

It is the most appropriate translation given the context of the proverb.

If you are after a translation that is more in line with the Emirati equivalent, then you first need to take into consideration the contrast between زين , شين (covered and uncovered) and rhyme in the زينك , شينك which focuses on the concept of something being different than what it is further. Furthermore, the metaphorical picture of having the زينك like a cover for the شينك can be considered as something drab or dirty being placed over something that is shiny.

A translation based on the Emirati cultural definition would take the following form:

“drab covering over brilliant material”

While it does imply the same basic concept as its English counterpart, the former is still better than the latter due to its simplicity and the fact that it is widely recognized.

The translation strategy for this proverb would be to utilize its English counterpart from the onset since it is easily understood and simply fits all the criteria for the Emirati proverb.

Emirati Proverb:

نويت أصلي نويت أترياك

This proverb is used to state a situation where a person who needs the help of another person will be forced to wait until that person is free. It is basically a proverb that deals with the concept of being forced to wait due to the person that you are approaching being busy at the time.

When looking at the proverb, one of its most notable aspects is the lexical repetition نويت , نويت which is used to enforce the concept of “waiting”. This is combined with the idiomatic expression of the need for praying while waiting for someone.

This roughly translates as follows:

“I went to pray, I had to wait for you”

The basis behind this translation us due to connection between prayer and patience wherein due to the processes inherent in Arabic prayers, there is often a span of time that is specifically oriented for prayer that cannot be interrupted. This is why the concept of “prayer” is utilized wherein it is meant to imply that a person will need to wait since the other person cannot be disturbed.

The translation strategy for this proverb would be to utilize a literal translation while at the same time using a sufficient backstory so that the meaning can be enhanced.

Emirati Proverb:

وصل العيار بيته

This is one of the more straightforward proverbs that has been encountered so far since it basically states that you should not trust a sneaky person. Basically, it is used as a way of warning people to be on their guard when close to a distrustful individual.

The direct Emirati translation comes out as:

“a sneaky person arrives at your home”

This does not make much sense and, as such, for the translation strategy it is recommended that the entire phrase be paraphrased in order to retain the meaning but change it in such a way that it can be more easily understood.

Taking this into consideration, the following phrase has been developed:

“Freedom given to a tricky person leads to mess”

It is more straightforward and does retain the intended meaning which makes it an appropriate phrase to utilize.

Emirati Proverb:

عاصب راسه بلا وجع

This proverb is normally utilized for individuals who are involve themselves far more than necessary in the affairs of other people without them being asked or requested to involve themselves. It is basically a proverb that is similar to the English concept of “a busy body” which is an individual that pokes their head into the affairs of other people simply because they want to.

When directly translated, the proverb becomes the following:

“a knot tied over a person’s head when they do not have a headache”

This translation alludes to the concept of interference (i.e. the knot) when there is no problem president (i.e. no headache). When looking at this translation, it can be seen that a direct interpretation does not produce a result that can be easily understood. As such, the translation strategy that is recommended for this type of proverb is to paraphrase the concept into something that can be more generally understood.

This transformation can take the form of the following more understandable phrase:

“no body likes a busy body”

Emirati Proverb:

قال تقدم يا موت

قال تقدم يا سبب

This proverb is used to explain that there is always a reason behind a person’s death. Some unique aspects of the proverb come in the form of the lexical repetition of the full first part ” قال تقدم يا” and the personification of موت and سبب in the act of walking.

Combined, these aspects can be translated into the phrase:

“Death always calls for a reason” or “When death will come he will knock on your door”

This is a rather strange proverb given the initial lexical repetition that was mentioned earlier and, as such, it is recommended that the translation strategy attempt to create the same level of personification and repetition in order to help preserve the “musical nature” of this proverb.

Analysis and Results

Discussion and Findings

After going through the procedure of translating and commenting on the various proverbs, several “themes” in translation were noted by the researcher. The first theme was that socio-cultural influences factored heavily into the development of proverbs. It was due to this that some proverbs simply did not make sense when going for a direct translation. At times significant paraphrasing was required in order to sufficiently create an appropriate translation. This shows the importance of having a sufficient understanding of the socio-cultural background of a language prior to translating proverbs. Without this knowledge in place, several terminologies will simply fly over the head of the translator (just like the term “fly over the head”) resulting in erroneous translations. Aside from this, the next theme that was noticed by the researcher was the fact that direct translations are possible, provided that sufficient backstories can be provided in order to help clarify the meaning behind the phrase that was translated. This applies during instances when the researcher wants to retain the overall cultural “meaning” of the proverb without subjecting it to significant amounts of paraphrasing. By adding a story, this helps to create a level of clarity to the translation that enables the Emirati cultural phrase to retain its distinct translation so long as it makes some sense. The last theme that was noted by the researcher was that certain slang phrases and ancient sayings simply do not have equivalents. This is in part due to the unique cultural effects of languages wherein it cannot be expected that all languages share similar characteristics when it comes to developing descriptions or methods of instruction. It is due to this that the researcher determined that simply finding the nearest possible English equivalent was appropriate enough as compared to forcing a translation that would not make sense to an ordinary reader.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Conclusion

Proverbs are one of the most interesting fields of study when it comes to examining languages because of the characteristics they hold when it comes to their musical quality and aesthetic sounds they create in each language. However, they can be very complex when it comes to translating them from one language to another. That is because the translator will be exposed to different challenging elements to be solved that often require a working understanding of the local culture in order to properly understand the context of the proverb.

In this study we aimed to translate a batch of Arabic Emirati Proverbs that were chosen randomly by following different strategies introduced by famous scholars in the translation field. There were some difficulties faced by the translator in the translation process due to the lack of the studies conducted in translating Arabic proverbs and their problems. However, contrasting studies in the general field were of a great help for the translator in making through the complications of the study. The results of the study showed that socio-cultural influences were an important factor to take into consideration when it comes to translating proverbs since some ancient and slang terminologies simply do not have sufficient equivalents in the English language and, as such, require a working understanding of the local language and culture in order to properly translate proverbs.

Overall, the main finding that can be taken from this examination is that translating proverbs should not be approached directly. Just because some words retain their form and meaning when translated into English does not mean that the phrase itself will actually make sense. For example, a phrase such as “till the fat lady sings” would not make sense when translated into Arabic if you are attempting to use it to convey a message. In order to truly translate an Emirati proverb, you need to be able to examine the contextual clues found in the idiomatic expressions, method of applying the assonance as well as what words are utilized to rhyme. Lastly, if all else fails, the translator could simply ask a local to help in interpreting the purpose of particular proverbs and how they can be applied into a conversation. By doing so, a translator can develop sufficient contextual clues in order to create a translation of the proverb that makes sense.

Recommendations

Emirati proverbs are considered as a rich area of study. Therefore more English sources that illustrate on these proverbs need to be published. These sources need to be certified to make sure that the information on Emirati proverbs which will be presented in English are accurate and credible to be used by the translators and the readers.

Many strategies could be used by the translator when S/he faces different difficulties in the process of translating proverbs from SL to the TL. As illustrated within the paper, most of the problem will rise from the fact of the cultural differences between the two languages. For an expert translator who has extended knowledge between Arabic and English languages, it would be easing for him to find the direct equivalent if it does exists in the TL. However, if the translator faces such problems S/he can use the different techniques of translation which were discussed in this paper. Furthermore, though there is a difference between cultures there is common knowledge in a lot of areas. That have being said, the Emirati culture needs to be exposed a lot more to other cultures in order for more research to be conducted on it to increase its visibility. By doing so, this helps to bring to light a truly fascinating culture that has hundreds of years of unique cultural development.

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