The Semantics of “Eat” and the problems of translating it into Arabic

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Chinese dep. , faculty of arts , Fayoum uni.

Abstract

The verb “eat” in the Chinese language carries multiple meanings that go beyond its literal sense of consuming food. It encompasses various other connotations, making it a linguistically rich tool with significant social and cultural implications.
Translators may face a choice between literal translation, which might fail to convey the associated meanings, and interpretive translation, which can be clearer but may lose some cultural nuances. Therefore, this research aims to find a strategy for translating the verb “eat” with preserving its cultural connotations.
The study concludes that the verb “eat” in Chinese is rich in meanings related to various aspects such as suffering, jealousy, and anger. It also identifies translation strategies for these different connotations and emphasizes the importance of deeply understanding the cultural and expressive context to ensure an accurate translation—one that gives the reader the impression of an originally written Arabic text not a translated one.

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