Quranic Metaphors Translation

This study examined the translation of Quranic metaphors based on Mandelblit’s (1995) Cognitive Translation Hypothesis (CTH), including a metaphors translation model, summarized as three plans: (a) similar mapping conditions (SMC) with the same or similar wording in translation, (b) SMC but with different wording in translation, (c) and different mapping conditions (DMC). Forty-three Quranic metaphors and their translations by Saffarzadeh (2001) and Arberry (1955) were selected randomly and explored to see in what plan their CTH Quranic metaphors could be placed and how they translated them. Twenty-one metaphors turned out to be SMC and 22 were DMC. Twelve metaphors could be SMC and were rendered in similar wording, four could be SMC and rendered literally by both translators, three metaphors could be SMC and translated in similar wording by Saffarzadeh, three could be SMC and were translated literally by Arberry, and no SMC metaphor to be translated in different wording by either. Also, out of 22 DMC Quranic metaphors, 21 were rendered literally by both translators and one in different wording by both. It was concluded that SMC and DMC conceptual metaphors in Arabic-English conceptualization exist in the Quran, and similar conceptualizations facilitate metaphor translation, while differences can do the opposite.