Introduction

The art of translation transcends the mere act of converting words from one language to another. When faced with creative texts such as literature, poetry, or other artistic forms of writing, translators embark on a captivating endeavor akin to the artistry of remixing music. This study investigates the process of translating creative texts, with a particular focus on the works of esteemed Palestinian author Sanaa Shalan.

Translation studies acknowledge the inherent challenges involved in translating creative works into another language. While accuracy in conveying factual content remains important, translators must also strive to capture the author’s distinct voice, style, and the overall aesthetic impact of the work. This necessitates navigating the intricacies of language, cultural references specific to the source text, and the beauty of figurative language.

Given these challenges, this study delves into the strategies that translators utilize to achieve this balance during the translation process. We will meticulously examine how they navigate the aforementioned challenges, specifically focusing on Sanaa Shalan’s work and the cultural context it embodies. By drawing a parallel between translation and the art of remixing, this research aims to explore several key questions: to what extent can the concept of “remixing” be applied to the translation of creative texts, and how does this approach influence the target audience’s experience of the translated work compared to the original? Furthermore, how do translators approach creative texts with a thoughtful blend of freedom and ingenuity? Additionally, we will consider the effectiveness of the “remixing” metaphor in conceptualizing the translation of creative texts, and how this approach influences the target audience’s experience compared to the original work.

1. Literature Review

The intricate dance of translating creative text has long been explored within translation studies. Here’s a glimpse into some existing theories and frameworks that inform our understanding of this process:

• Equivalence Theory: This theory, championed by scholars like Eugene Nida, emphasises achieving functional equivalence in the translated text. This means the target text should elicit a similar response in the target audience as the original text did in its source language audience. However, with creative text, achieving functional equivalence often necessitates going beyond literal meaning and focusing on capturing the overall style, tone, and emotional impact.

• Literary Translation Theories: Theorists like Lawrence Venuti and Susan Bassnett highlight the inherent challenges of translating literature. They argue that a strict focus on fidelity to the source text can sometimes obscure creativity and artistry of the original work. They propose strategies like “domestication” (adapting the text to the target culture) or “foreignisation” (preserving elements that may seem unfamiliar to the target audience) to achieve a balance between faithfulness and readability.

• Cognitive Approaches: Recent research explores the cognitive processes involved in creative text translation. Studies suggest that translators engage in a complex interplay between understanding the source text, making creative choices, and anticipating the reception of the target audience. This approach emphasises the translator’s role as a skilled negotiator, navigating the gap between languages and cultures.

• Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS): This framework analyses the translator’s decision-making process and the specific strategies employed during translation. By examining translated works alongside their source texts, DTS offers insights into the challenges and creative solutions translators encounter when working with creative text.

This brief overview highlights a few ongoing discussions within translation studies. By exploring these theories and frameworks, we gain a deeper appreciation for the complexities and artistry involved in translating creative text.

2. Creative Translation: The Art of Remixing in Sanaa Shalan’s Works

In the realm of translation, particularly when dealing with creative texts, the process transcends the mere conversion of words from one language to another. This study adopts the metaphor of remixing to describe the intricate and artistic endeavor of translating literature, poetry, and other forms of creative writing. By focusing on the works of esteemed Palestinian author Sanaa Shalan, we aim to explore how translators reinterpret the creative essence of the original text, much like a remix artist adds new elements to produce a fresh variation. This investigation delves into the translation techniques used, highlighting the challenges posed by figurative language and cultural references, and examines how translators balance fidelity to the original work with creative freedom. Ultimately, the study seeks to illuminate the parallels between translation and remixing, emphasizing the translator’s role in breathing new life into a text while maintaining its core artistic and emotional impact.

• The Art of the Remix: This metaphorical comparison suggests that the translation process goes beyond simply conveying the literal meaning of the words. It acknowledges the translator’s role in reinterpreting the creative essence of the original text, akin to how a remix artist might add new elements or manipulate the original sounds to produce a fresh variation.

• Translation Techniques Used: By analyzing specific passages from Sanaa Shalan’s work in the original Arabic and existing translations, this study identifies the translator’s choices and how they dealt with challenges like figurative language and cultural references. This approach helps to highlight the intricacies of the translation process and the creative decisions involved.

• Translating Creative Texts: This study focuses on translating literature, poetry, or other forms of creative writing, where capturing the author’s style, voice, and emotional impact is as crucial as conveying the factual content. The emphasis is on understanding how translators balance these elements to produce a faithful yet creatively engaging translation.

• Melodies of the Palestinian Sanaa Shalan: The text being translated might be particularly evocative or musical in its use of language. The title “Melodies” evokes a sense of rhythm, flow, and figurative language, suggesting the translator will need to find creative parallels in the target language to preserve the beauty of the original work.
  By comparing translation to remixing, this study explores how translators can approach creative texts with a degree of freedom and ingenuity. The aim is not only to deliver the literal meaning but also to infuse the translated work with elements that resonate with the target audience, similar to how a remix breathes new life into a familiar song.

• Differences Between Remix Art and Traditional Translation: The concept of “remix art” differs from traditional translation in that it allows for a more precise artistic approach. While traditional translation focuses on accuracy and fidelity to the original text, remix art emphasizes creative reinterpretation. This approach can involve adding new cultural references, reimagining figurative language, and enhancing the emotional impact to better connect with the target audience.

3. Exploring translation techniques: bridging cultural divides

3.1. Translation Analysis: Conveying Main Events and Actions, and Presentation of the Corpus

3.1.1. Presentation of the corpus

The Art of the Remix	Google Translation	The Original Text
Her feet were martyred in the battle, as were all her family members. They were gathered around a short wooden table, waiting for the call to Iftar, when a Zionist shell devoured them. Eid came and she was alone in the hospital. Her friends at school visited her, accompanied by some of their teachers. They were all wearing identical leather shoes provided by a donor from outside Palestine in a large shipment sent as a gift from his shoe factory. Her shoe was next to her head. It was her share of the Eid gift, but she no longer had feet to wear it. Her friends felt guilty as they strutted in front of her in their new shoes, while she was helpless and without feet. The sun set below the horizon, painting the wing with colors of sadness and hope. Barefoot angels, their laughter muffled, surrounded her bed, with every step a silent prayer. Illusory shoes danced on her feet, a testament to the spirit that refused to be trapped. Her heart, a cracked mirror reflecting their love, the leather shoes, once a symbol of charity and compassion, now as neglected as husks. Instead, the cold ground hugged their soles. The air was full of unspoken apologies, and her smile, though tense, held a hint of triumph. They finally learned the true meaning of walking in someone else’s shoes – not with borrowed soles, but with open hearts. On the second day of Eid, the hospital floor shone and turned into a field of emerald grass. Her phantom feet, led by the whispers of the wind, danced between the blades, her laughter echoing in the silent pavilion. The smell of spices and laughter filled the air, like a ghostly feast where her family, despite their distance, was present in every beat of her heart. As the sun went down, casting long shadows, she realized that love, like a stubborn vine, can flourish even in the cracks of loss. In the quiet of the amber, a new feast was born, a feast in which the feast was not about food, but about a shared grief and a bond forged in the fires of loss.	Feet its feet were martyred in the battle, as were all of its people. They were gathered around a short wooden table, waiting for the Maghrib call to prayer in order to break their fast, when a Zionist shell devoured them. Eid came and she was alone in the hospital. Her friends at school visited her, accompanied by some of their teachers. They were all wearing similar leather shoes provided by a donor from outside Palestine in a large shipment sent by Heba from his own shoe factory. Her shoe was next to her head. It was her share of the Eid gift. She no longer had feet to wear her gift. Her friends felt guilty as they strutted in front of her in their new shoes while she was helpless and without feet. On the second day of Eid, they all came to visit her, barefoot and without new shoes, strutting proudly on her sad Eid.	اقدام قدماها استشهدا في المعركة كما استشهد اهلها جميعا، كانوا متحلقين على طاولة خشبية قصيرة ينتظرون آذان المغرب كي يفطروا عندما التهمتهم قذيفة صهيونية. جاء العيد وهي وحيدة في المشفى، زارها أصدقاؤها في المدرسة برفقة بعض معلماتهم، جميعهم كانوا يلبسون أحذية جلدية متشابهة قدمها متبرع ما من خارج فلسطين في شحنة كبيرة أرسلها هبة من مصنعه الخاص للأحذية. حذاؤها كان إلى جانب رأسها، هو حصتها من هدية العيد. لم تعد عندها قدمان لتلبس هديتها. شعر أصدقاؤها بالذنب وهم يختالون أمامها بأحذيتهم الجديدة وهي كسيرة الخاطر دون قدمين. في اليوم الثاني من العيد جاءوا جميعا لزيارتها حفاة الأقدام دون أحذية جديدة تختال بفخر في عيدها الحزين. (Shalan, 2014, pp. 11–12)

3.1.2. Translation analysis: conveying the main events and Actions

In this passage, translation serves as a conduit for vividly depicting the sequence of events and actions. It seamlessly captures phrases like “feet were martyred”, “Zionist shell devoured them”, and “Eid came and she was alone”, ensuring clarity and accessibility. Beyond literal rendering, figurative language such as similes, metaphors, and personification enriches the narrative, illustrating emotions and complexities. Through indirect translation techniques like equivalence and reformulation, underlying meanings are clarified, while sensory details and emotional language vividly animates the scene. Together, these elements forge a compelling tale that resonates with the resilience of the human spirit amidst profound adversity.

• Direct Translation: The passage primarily relies on direct translation, clearly conveying the main events and actions. Phrases like “feet were martyred”, “Zionist shell devoured them”, and “Eid came and she was alone” are straightforward and easy to understand.

• Figurative Language:

1. Simile: “Her feet were martyred”, compares her lost feet to the sacrifice of martyrs, emphasizing the severity of her loss.

2. Metaphor: “The sun set below the horizon, painting the wing with colors of sadness and hope” depicts the sunset as a reflection of her mixed emotions.

3. Personification: “Barefoot angels, their laughter muffled, surrounded her bed” personifies angels as comforting figures, providing solace to the girl.

4. Symbolism: “The leather shoes, once a symbol of charity and compassion, now as neglected as husks” symbolizes the loss of empathy and compassion in the face of tragedy.

5. Imagery: “The air was full of unspoken apologies” creates a vivid image of the friends’ unspoken remorse.

• Indirect Translation. Equivalence/Reformulation: “Her shoe was next to her head. Her friends felt guilty as they strutted in front of her in their new shoes, while she was helpless and without feet” is an indirect translation. The source text doesn’t explicitly state the friends’ guilt, but the underlying meaning is reformulated for clarity.

• Other Techniques

1. Sensory Details: “The smell of spices and laughter filled the air”, “the cold ground hugged their soles” – these details engage the reader’s senses and bring the story to life.

2. Emotional Language: “her smile, though tense, held a hint of triumph”, “a shared grief and a bond forged in the fires of loss” – these words evoke strong emotions in the reader.

The combination of these techniques creates a powerful and moving narrative that goes beyond the literal translation of words. The figurative language and indirect translation add depth and nuance to the story, while the sensory details and emotional language bring it to life. The story is a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of tragedy.

3.2. Exploring Narrative Techniques for Depth and Impact

3.2.1. Presentation of the Corpus

The Art of the Remix	Google Translation	Original Text
Hitting the target: He doesn’t like to play football, but he likes to watch his cousins play in that small square in the old city hidden behind the old houses and cellars. He promised his mother that he would return home before sunset, but the setting sun suddenly fell on the place without fear, so he hurried home carrying his promise to his mother before dark. Relatives and friends encouraged him to finish the last round of the play and determine the winner according to the final score. He hoped from the bottom of his heart that the last minutes would pass quickly in order to achieve the decisive goal. He quickly returns home before his mother gets angry. Minutes passed until the enemy decided to enter the match in the final moments of his rounds. He entered the game without permission. And hit the ultimate goal. He fired a deadly missile at the bodies of young players who did not return home before dark. He fled, not towards the sanctuary of the homeland, but rather into the depths of the labyrinthine alleys, and the weight of false promises clinging to his torn breath. The sunset, which was a harbinger of homecoming, now paints the city of nightmarish colors. The boy who hated football escaped from its harsh echo, carrying not a result, but a burden heavier than any trophy. This is no longer a story of lost sunsets and parental scolding. It was a descent into the shadows, a stark canvas where innocence collided with darkness, and where the rules of the game were rewritten in the crimson ink of violence.	He does not like to play football, but he submits to watching his brothers, cousins, and friends playing it in that small square in the old city hidden behind ancient houses and basements. He promised his mother that he would return home before sunset, but sunset descended suddenly on the place, and without fear, he ran to land with his promise to his mother, and left to return to his home, before darkness fell. Friends, relatives, and friends gave him time to finish the last round of the play and determine the winner according to the final result. He was hoping from the depths of his heart that the last minutes would pass quickly so that he could achieve the decisive goal, so he would quickly return to his home before his mother would get angry because he was late for the agreed-upon return date. The minutes passed and the Zionist enemy decided to enter the game in the final moments of its rounds. He had entered the game. Without asking permission, he hit the final goal. He fired a missile that took the arena off its feet and destroyed the bodies of the young players who would not wait for their mothers on time, and would not return to their homes before dark. (https://translate.google.com/?sl=ar&tl=, s.d.)	لا يحب ممارسة لعبة كرة القدم، ولكنه ينصاع لمراقبة اخوانه وابناء عمومته و اترابه يلعبونها في تلك الساحة الصغيرة في المدينة القديمة المتوارية خلف البيوت والسراديب الاثرية وعد امه بأن يعود الى البيت قبل الغروب ،ولكن الغروب هبط على حين غرّة على المكان دون ان يخفّ راكضا للبر بوعده لأمه، و يغادره ليعود الى بيته ،قبل ان يخيّم الظلام استمهله الاتراب و الاقارب و الاصدقاء كي ينهوا الجولة الاخيرة من اللعب، و يحدّدوا الفائز وفق النتيجة النهائية كان يتمنى من اعماق قلبه ان تمر الدقائق الاخيرة سريعا كي يحقّق الهدف الفيصل، فيعود سريعا الى بيته قبل ان تغضب والدته لتأخره عن موعد العودة المتفق عليه، الدقائق مضت ثقيلة اى ان قرر العدو الصهيوني ان يدخل اللعبة في اللحظات الاخيرة من جولاتها، لقد دخل اللعبة دون استئذان، و أصاب الهدف النهائي، لقد اطلق صاروخا شلع الساحة من مكانها، و فتك بأجساد اللاعبين الصغار الذين لن يوافوا انتظار والدتهم في الميعاد، و لن يعودوا الى بيوتهم قبل حلول الظلام (Shalan, 2014)

3.2.2.Beyond Words: crafting depth in narrative through language techniques

• Direct Translation: Much of the passage uses direct translation, effectively conveying the basic events and actions. Phrases like “doesn’t like to play football”, “promised his mother”, and “entered the game without permission” are clear and straightforward.

• Figurative Language:

1. Simile: “He fled, not towards the sanctuary of the homeland, but rather into the depths of the labyrinthine alleys” compares his escape to a maze, highlighting his disorientation and fear.

2. Metaphor: “The sunset, which was a harbinger of homecoming, now paints the city in nightmarish colors” depicts the sunset as a symbol of fear and foreboding.

3. Personification: “The weight of false promises clinging to his torn breath” personifies the boy’s guilt and regret, making it a tangible presence.

• Indirect Translation: equivalence/Reformulation: “He hoped from the bottom of his heart that the last minutes would pass quickly in order to achieve the decisive goal” is an indirect translation. The source text doesn’t explicitly state his desire to win, but the underlying meaning is reformulated for clarity.

• Other Techniques:

1. Sensory Details: “the setting sun suddenly fell on the place”, “the boy carrying not a result, but a burden heavier than any trophy” – these details engage the reader’s senses and create a vivid atmosphere.

2. Emotional Language: “He fled in terror”, “the weight of false promises”, “nightmarish colors” – these words evoke strong emotions in the reader.

The combination of these techniques creates a powerful and moving narrative that goes beyond the literal translation of words. The figurative language and indirect translation add depth and nuance to the story, while the sensory details and emotional language bring it to life.

3.3. Exploring Translation Techniques and Emotional Depth in Literary Analyses

3.3.1. Presentation of the Corpus

Google Translation	The Art of the Remix	The Original Text
He is gentle and sensitive in nature. He serves his alleged homeland, Israel, even if he tramples on all of humanity. He hates the color red because he hates seeing blood, and therefore he does not practise his sinful hobby, which is killing Palestinians, except with his eyes and soul closed so as not to see the blood of his victims. (https://translate.google.com/history? sl =ar, s.d.)	Sharon: He served a cause he believed in, a homeland he felt obligated to defend. Kindness simmered beneath the surface, a stark contrast to the brutality his duty demanded. He was a man of surprising sensitivity, burdened by a secret loathing – the color red. It wasn’t the vibrancy that repelled him, but the crimson tide it represented – the blood spilled in the name of his cause. His greatest torment wasn’t the act of killing itself, but the act of witnessing it. He performed his grim duty with eyes squeezed shut, his soul recoiling from the inevitable carnage. It wasn’t a hobby, not a source of pleasure, but a horrific necessity he endured, all the while yearning for a different life, a life where the color red wouldn’t be synonymous with a battlefield nightmare. He serves his alleged homeland, Israel. He is kind and has a sensitive nature, even if he tramples on all of humanity. He hates the color red because he hates seeing blood, and therefore he does not practise his sinful hobby, which is killing Palestinians, except with his eyes and soul closed so that he does not see the blood of his victims.	هو رقيق حساس الطباع! يخدم وطنه المزعوم اسرائيل ولو داس على البشرية جمعاء، هو يكره اللون الاحمر لانه يكره رؤية الدّماء، ولذلك هو لا يمارس هوايته الآثمة، وهي قتل الفلسطينيين، الا مغمض العينين والروح كي لا يرى دم ضحاياه! ص145 (Shalan, 2014)

3.3.2. Techniques of Translation and Emotional Depth in Literary Analysis

• Direct Translation: The passage primarily employs direct translation to ensure clarity and fidelity to the original text’s meaning. Phrases such as “served a cause”, “felt obligated”, and “greatest torment” are conveyed straightforwardly.

• Figurative language:

1. Simile: “Kindness simmered beneath the surface” uses a simile to illustrate his concealed compassion.

2. Metaphor: “crimson tide” metaphorically represents bloodshed.

• Indirect Translation: equivalence/reformulation: The indirect translation is seen in phrases like “loathing – the color red”, reformulating concepts for enhanced clarity.

• Sensory Details: Phrases like “eyes squeezed shut” and “soul recoiling” utilize sensory details to vividly portray his emotional response.

These techniques collectively contribute to a vivid depiction of the character’s inner conflict. While direct translation maintains clarity, figurative language and indirect translation delve deeper into the emotional complexity of the text, enriching the reader’s understanding of the character’s internal struggles.

3.4. Translation Techniques and Emotional Narratives in Literature

3.4.1. Présentation of corpus

Google Translation	The Art of the Remix	The Original Text
His book, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, is the holiest thing he has ever accomplished. He covers it with pride, care, and reverence, and flees with haste and caution from Zionist racists who stone him for treason, throw spit at him, and flog him by saying: Ilan Pappe, you traitor, you agent of the Arabs. He does not care after realizing the brutality of his people. Finally, he can live in peace and die with satisfaction. He wrote the truth that his people wanted to feed into oblivion. (https://translate.google.com/? sl =en&tl =ar&text, s.d.)	His book, “Ethnic Cleansing in Palestine”, is the holiest thing he ever accomplished. He treats it with pride, care, and reverence, and escapes quickly and carefully from the racist Zionists who stone him for treason, spit on him, and flog him, saying: “Ilan Pappe, you traitor, you agent of the Arabs.” He does not care about what he suffers, but finally, his bold pen wrote the whole truth with complete fairness after he realized the brutality of his people. Finally, he can live in peace and die content. He wrote the truth that his people wanted to forget.	كتابه التّطهير العرقي في فلسطين هو أقدس ما انجزت نفسه، يتأبط باعتزاز وحرص واجلال، ويهرب على عجل وحذر من عنصريين صهاينة يرجمونه بسبّة الخيانة، ويرشق ونهبب صافهم، ويجلدونه بقولهم: ايلان بابيه يا خائن، يا عميل العرب لا يبالي بعد ان أدرك وحشية شعبه، اخيرا يستطيع ان يعيش بسلام وان يموت برضا فقد كتب الحقيقة التي اراد شعبه ان يطعمها للنسيان (Shalan, 2014: 146 )

3.4.2. Translation Techniques and Emotional Narratives in Conveying Truth and Resilience

• Direct Translation: The passage uses direct translation extensively to maintain fidelity to the original text’s meaning and nuances. Key phrases such as “holiest thing”, “pride”, “care”, “reverence”, and “truth” are faithfully rendered.

• Figurative Language:

1. Metaphor: The metaphorical use of ‘His book,’Ethnic Cleansing in Palestine,’ is the holiest thing he ever accomplished’ compares the significance of the book to a sacred achievement.

2. Simile: “He treats it with pride, care, and reverence” uses a simile to highlight the author’s respectful attitude towards his work.

3. Personification: “His bold pen wrote the whole truth with complete fairness” personifies the pen, attributing human qualities to emphasize its role in conveying truth.

• Emotional Language: Words such as “holiest”, “pride”, “care”, “reverence”, “brutality”, “peace”, “content”, and “forget” evoke strong emotional responses, underscoring the author’s emotional journey and the weight of his writing.

• Rhetorical Techniques: Rhetorical questions: “He does not care about what he suffers?” prompts reflection on the author’s resilience in the face of adversity.

• Imagery:

1. Visual imagery: Descriptions of escaping from Zionist racists who physically and verbally assault him create vivid imagery of persecution.

2. Emotional imagery: “He can live in peace and die content” creates a poignant image of the author’s sense of fulfillment after completing his mission.

• Narrative Techniques:

1. Show, don’t tell: The passage vividly portrays the author’s experiences and emotions through detailed descriptions and actions rather than mere exposition.

2. Use of dialogue: Dialogue between the author and his oppressors adds authenticity and immediacy to the narrative.

These translation techniques effectively convey the author’s emotional turmoil, the harsh realities he faces, and the profound significance of speaking truth to power despite personal risk.

3.5. Exploring Translation Techniques and Symbolic Imagery in Depicting Resilience and Identity

3.5.1. Présentation of corpus

Google Translation	The Art of the Remix	The Original Text:
The trumpet is blown again, and all of humanity is sent, willingly or unwillingly, into a great gathering. Everyone is carrying their deeds on their necks, except for the Palestinians, for they are carrying Palestine on their heads, standing before the Lord to intercede for it for themselves, for their families, and for all those who sacrificed for it. (https://translate.google.com/? sl =ar&t, s.d.)	Resurrection: When the final trumpet sounds and the world stands revealed, a different summons will resound. All humanity, bound by their deeds, will gather. The weight of their choices, heavy stones around their necks. But the Palestinians, they will stand tall, bearing on their heads not burdens, but the very soil of their stolen Palestine. Their ordeal is a testament woven with love, a tribute to an unbroken bond. For the love between a people and their land transcends even the fabric of time, a love that whispers of a future where threads are rewoven and the lost masterpiece recreated.	ينفخ في الصور نفخة ثانية، فيبعث البشر أجمعون كرها وطوعا، البشر في محشر عظيم الجميع يحملون اعمالهم فوق اعناقهم، ـالا الفلسطينيين فانهم يحملون فلسطين على رؤوسهم، يقفون بها امام الرّب ليتشفّعوا بها لهم وللأهلين ولكل من ضحى لأجلها. 157 ص (Shalan, 2014 )

3.5.2. Translation Techniques and Symbolic Imagery in Conveying Resilience and Identity

• Direct Translation: The passage relies heavily on direct translation to preserve the original text’s meaning and flow. Key phrases like “blows into the trumpets”, “great gathering”, and “carrying Palestine on their heads” are faithfully translated.

• Figurative Language:

1. Metaphor: “When the final trumpet sounds and the world stands revealed” metaphorically depicts the end times as a revelation.

2. Simile: “The weight of their choices, heavy stones around their necks” uses a simile to illustrate the burden of one’s actions.

3. Personification: “For the love between a people and their land transcends even the fabric of time” personifies love, attributing human qualities to emphasize its enduring nature.

• Emotional Language: Words such as “summons”, “love”, “testament”, “unbroken bond”, “transcends”, “future”, “rewoven”, and “recreated” evoke strong emotional responses, highlighting themes of resilience, love, and hope.

• Imagery:

1. Visual Imagery: Descriptions like “standing tall” and “bearing on their heads the soil of their stolen Palestine” create vivid images of strength and resilience.

2. Emotional Imagery: “The weight of their choices, heavy stones around their necks” conjures an image of burden and responsibility.

• Symbolic Language:

1. The trumpet symbolizes a call to action or revelation.

2. The stones symbolize the weight of responsibility and consequence.

3. Palestine symbolizes home, identity, and the struggle for justice.

• Narrative Techniques:

1. Vivid Descriptions: The passage vividly describes the gathering of humanity and contrasts it with the unique plight of the Palestinians.

2. Shift in Focus: It shifts from a global scenario to a specific focus on the Palestinians, underscoring their distinct experience and resilience.

3. Repetition: The repetition of “love” emphasizes its importance and power in the narrative.

The translation techniques employed effectively convey the profound message of the passage: the enduring connection between a people and their land, the weight of responsibility, and the hope for justice and renewal. Each technique contributes to painting a vivid picture of resilience, love, and the struggle for identity and justice amidst adversity.

4. Findings

Translation is not merely a mechanical transfer of words from one language to another; it is an art that requires creativity and sensitivity to bridge cultural gaps and convey the essence of the original message effectively. A skilled translator goes beyond literal translation, aiming to capture the emotions embedded in the text and resonate with the target audience. This involves maintaining the authenticity of the original work while ensuring accessibility and engagement through innovative approaches. Navigating through complex emotions, cultural subtleties, and figurative language, translators uphold the author’s distinctive style and tone, thereby fostering understanding and connection between diverse cultures by adeptly adapting cultural references. Creative techniques such as equivalence, reformulation, and adaptation play a crucial role in ensuring clarity of messages without compromising the original intent, striking a delicate balance between accuracy and emotional impact. Additionally, preserving the source culture through intentional inclusion of unfamiliar elements enriches the target audience’s understanding and appreciation of new cultural perspectives.

• Translation is an Art: It goes beyond mere words; it demands creativity to span cultural divides and convey the essence of the original message.
  A good translator captures emotions and resonates with the target audience, maintaining the authenticity of the original while ensuring accessibility and engagement through creative solutions.
  Translators navigate complex emotions, cultural nuances, and figurative language, preserving the author’s unique style and tone to build bridges between cultures by adapting references.

• Creative Techniques: Equivalence, reformulation, and adaptation clarify the message while staying true to the original intent, balancing accuracy with emotional impact.
  Preserving the Source Culture: Intentionally incorporating unfamiliar elements introduces new cultures to the target audience.

Conclusion

As we conclude this exploration of translating creative texts, a chorus of voices resonates in our minds. We’ve delved into the intricate realm of wordplay, cultural subtleties, and the delicate balance between fidelity and innovation. The translator emerges not just as a conduit of words, but as a bridge builder, interpreter, and artist.

Every translation becomes a new thread woven into the tapestry of human experience. It broadens our worldview, fosters empathy, and sparks conversations across cultural boundaries. As new creative works emerge, so too do the challenges and joys of translating them.

Each translation serves as a bridge, a remix that introduces us to new worlds and ignites the flame of human connection. As Gregory Rabassa, the renowned translator, aptly put it, “Translation … is not just a matter of words: it is about making an entire culture understandable.”

Let us continue to build these bridges – one word, one story, one culture at a time. The translator’s task, much like the art of translation itself, remains a captivating enigma, navigating shades of interpretation rather than stark black-and-white boundaries.