Translatability of English and Arabic Hypothetical/Unrealizable Propositions

Abstract

Although translation is a means of intercultural communication, it represents a challenge when it comes to rendering the intended meaning of some propositions, particularly because every language has its distinctive features and structures that may not be accurately rendered into the target language. This challenge is reinforced when translation occurs between two languages that belong to different origins such as English and Arabic. This paper explores the translatability of a grammatical construction (viz. Hypothetical or unrealizable proposition) from English to Arabic, and vice versa. The paper shows—through examples from both languages—that regardless of how carefully translation is conducted, incomplete meanings are usually rendered into the other language. It, moreover, asserts the interlanguage translatability of such propositions and notions. In principle, but by no means exclusively, Arabic is treated as a source language and English as a target language for the purpose of translation. But in many places, this order is reversed. The analysis has implications for translation-related courses, particularly in crucial areas such as legal translation where accurate meanings are carefully searched for.