Polysemy and Its Translational Challenges: A Comparative Study of Selected English Texts and Their Arabic Translations

Abstract

This study explores the challenges of translating English polysemous words into Arabic with a case study of some excerpts of Paul Torday's Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. Polysemy—where a word possesses more than one meaning—makes it problematic to preserve the subtlety, precision, and intention of the source. Based on Functional Equivalence Theory (Eugene Nida) as its methodology, the research employs qualitative, descriptive, and analytical methods to explore how multi-meaning words are translated into Arabic to decide what translation options are used and verifies how the choices impact retention of meaning, cultural adaptation, and readability. Functional Equivalence Theory is concerned with expressing the functional impact of a text and not word-for-word translation, where cultural appropriateness and source text fidelity are accorded priority. Considering the close meaning of terms like "hope" and "project," lexical vagueness management and culturally distinctive features for translation are pinpointed in the research. The study offers some evidence regarding the fidelity of translation by examining how vagueness and clarity are managed in literary translation between languages and cultures.