Translating Culture-specific Items in the Noble Quran Which Relate to Arabian Habits

Abstract

Culture-specific Items (CSIs) refer to several elements only shared by a group of people. Such cultural gaps, and thus language gaps, constitute a serious challenge to translators. It becomes harder when rendering CSIs in the Noble Quran – a miraculous religious text. The present research explores the strategies adopted by 10 translators of the Noble Quran in conveying the effect of 10 examples of CSIs related to Arabian habits. It is found that, on the one hand, the overwhelming majority is conveyed through Literal Translation. On the other hand, only in a minority of cases, Addition or Paraphrase is chosen to provide some background information about those habits which were common when those verses were revealed.