Al-Kindi Center for Research and Development (KCRD) (E-Journals)
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The Arab Novel Beyond Borders: Gender Identity Construction and Diaspora in Najat El Hachmi’s The Last Patriarch
No full textEnough scholarly interest has been invested in studying diasporic literatures and discourses. However, given linguistic constraints, Moroccan diasporic texts have received little attention. Through the lens of gender theory, this paper attempts to offer some critical reflections on Najat El Hachmi’s The Last Patriarch. It specifically looks at the ways in which gender identities are constructed and transformed within a conservative patriarchal family residing in diaspora far-flung from the homeland. It also examines how binary static identities are reshuffled, making the protagonist engage in a quest for independence and self-assertion. The complexities of immigrant identities, incorporating binary elements such as languages (Amazigh and Catalan), modernity, and tradition, allowed the protagonist to go beyond shame, taboos, and stereotypes to deconstruct the patriarchal figure. As a migrant, El Hachmi’s protagonist presents a critical vision of both realities, thus taking her destiny into her “own” hands and toppling down ‘the last patriarch.
A Review of \u27The Translator\u27s Invisibility\u27 Book by Lawrence Venuti
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The objective of this paper is to shed light on the main elements of Lawrence Venuti\u27s invaluable book: The Translator\u27s Invisibility and foregrounds the importance of his premise. The study traces Venuti’s research project that describes the work nature of the translator of the English language through contrasting the main components of the book and highlighting its relevance. The author\u27s ultimate goal is to change the marginalized status of the act of translation in the perspective of Anglo-American culture. His discourse is addressed to the translators and readership, both beginners and experts, and he advocates a shift in perspective toward the reading and writing of the translation process. The author’s journey to reverse the unjust situation of the field redefines concepts like; ‘domestication’ and ‘foreignization’, revisits the purpose of the act of translation and highlights the importance of the translator\u27s role and identity. Venuti investigates the marginalized situation of the translator, in Anglo-American culture, through reconsidering notions like: Invisibility, Canon, Nation, Dissidence, Margin, Simpatico and concludes with a call to action. Actually, The Translator\u27s Invisibility aims at creating new alternatives in the reality of the field, however, this ambitious aspiration is faced with the arrogant dogma of how the translator is seen by the commissioners which affects the translator\u27s self-value per se. A fact that necessitates more research, investigation and collaboration of efforts, of prominent authors and institutions of the field, in order to adjust the work conditions of the translators and achieve the paradigm shift that an inspirational book like this one forestalls
English Language Teachers\u27 Perspectives on the Integration of Authentic Materials in Reading Classes
No full textDeveloping competency in second language learning requires mastery of reading, which affects other language skills. Reading in the target language exposes learners to a variety of structures and improves their comprehension. English language teachers have started to utilize authentic materials to promote learning experiences and introduce real-world language use to their learners. Authentic materials, such as newspapers, magazines, novels, and short stories, are used in reading classes to expose students to authentic language, promote reading comprehension, and raise cultural awareness. The study aims to explore English language teachers’ views on integrating authentic materials in reading lessons. The study employs quantitative research by using a questionnaire to examine teachers\u27 viewpoints regarding the effectiveness and significance of these resources in preparatory schools. Findings indicate strong consensus among respondents on the important role of authentic materials in English as a Foreign Language reading instruction. The study’s key findings show that even though integrating authentic materials can be challenging when selecting and designing them, most respondents stated that they enable learners to see actual language usage, improve their grammar and vocabulary skills, motivate them, and foster a deeper understanding of the language and target culture
Machine-Learning-based English Quranic Translation: An Evaluation of ChatGPT
No full textTranslating the Holy Quran into different languages is a crucial task. It is a daunting one, given the linguistic complexity and rich cultural context of this holy scripture. The recent advancements in technology, especially in artificial intelligence, brought about a pressing need to explore the potential of machine learning-based tools in easing the translation of religious texts, the Holy Quran in particular. This study explores the potential of adopting ChatGPT, a large language model (LLM) powered by machine learning, in English Quranic translation. The study aims to assess the accuracy, adequacy, and cultural sensitivity of ChatGPT\u27s English Quranic translation and identify potential challenges and limitations of using this tool in this domain. The study employed a comparative analysis approach, evaluating ChatGPT\u27s translation of the El Fatiha Chapter against five human-generated translations using BLEU (Bilingual Evaluation Understudy) and METEOR (Metric for Evaluation of Translation with Explicit ORdering) machine translation metrics. The study also utilized an interpretation of the chapter by El Qurtubi to ensure that ChatGPT has the entire linguistic and cultural context of the chapter. The study\u27s findings indicated that ChatGPT\u27s English translation of El Fatiha achieved a moderate level of accuracy and adequacy with mean BLEU and METEOR scores of 0,48 and 0,78, respectively. However, there were areas where ChatGPT\u27s translation could be improved. The use of ML-based tools such as ChatGPT in English Quranic translation offers promising benefits as it can aid translators in the translation process
Functional Analysis of Thematic Approach to the Division of Surahs in Two English Contemporary Translations of the Qur’an
No full textThematic division of Qur’anic chapters (henceforth, surahs) into paragraphs is a recent trend in translating the Qur’an. This thematic approach refers to the translation of Qur’anic surah based on their underlying themes rather than verse-by-verse translation in a bilingual text. Disregarding source text division, some translators divide each Qur’anic surah into paragraphs with subheadings while translating the surahs into English. This paper aimed to reveal how the division and chosen themes for each paragraph of the surahs often differ among translators who choose this thematic approach to the Qur’an translation. The data is collected from two modern thematic English translations of the Qur’an, namely, The Clear Quran by Khattab (2015) and The Majestic Quran by Hussain (2018). Adopting a descriptive design and qualitative research method, the paper aimed at applying Nord’s model of functionalist text analysis to compare the units of analysis selected from three Qur’anic surahs: Q. 86, Q. 87 and Q. 93. These surahs are particularly chosen because they are divided differently in the two translations. The paper queries the impact of thematic translation and text segmentation on the Qur’an translation process, especially in relation to producing loyalty and functional adequacy in the two translations. Nord’s functional model was used to explore the effect of thematic translation in conveying the functions for the intended readership without betraying their trust in that they are reading God’s word in their own language. The findings emphasise that thematic translation tends to violate rather than maintain the original intended functions (skopos) and loyalty to the source text
A Comparative Study on Three Chinese-English Translations of Culture-Loaded Words in Shui Hu Zhuan
No full textShui Hu Zhuan is one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature, and the cornucopia of culture-loaded words contained in it has now become the focus of translation research. This study delves into the translation of culture-loaded words in Shui Hu Zhuan by meticulously examining three renowned English translations by Sidney Shapiro, Pearl S. Buck, and Dent Young. Adopting a qualitative research approach with descriptive interpretation, the study conducts a descriptive comparative analysis of the translations from four dimensions: official-title words, religious-related words, historical-culture words, and nicknames. From the perspective of functional equivalence, it is found that Buck\u27s version frequently employs literal translation. Dent-Young’s version is characterized by strong readability and flexibility that transcends rigid translation strategies. Shapiro, on the other hand, skillfully combines liberal translation with literal translation, demonstrating a nuanced approach that captures the essence of the original text
Navigating the Convenience Trap with ChatGPT and Google Translate: The Risks of Homogenization in Translation Teaching for Vietnamese Students
No full textThis study examines the potential risks of homogenization in teaching English translation to Vietnamese students due to the widespread use of AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Translate. While these tools offer significant benefits in terms of speed and consistency, their reliance on standardized terms often reduces the richness of expression, leading to homogenization—particularly for less dominant languages such as Vietnamese. By analyzing noun phrases in AI-generated translations and comparing them with textbook-suggested translations from a business translation course, this study highlights notable differences in translation quality, lexical variety, and contextual accuracy. The findings reveal that although AI tools can enhance translation efficiency, their limitations in offering diverse and contextually appropriate word choices highlight the importance of human insight in the translation process. A balanced integration of AI tools with human expertise is crucial for preserving linguistic diversity and achieving genuine cross-cultural understanding
Mu\u27tazlites Band: A Study of the Causes of Weakness and Fading
No full textThe Mu\u27tazilites obtained the concern of many thinkers and researchers, they devoted themselves to studying their ideas and beliefs adopted by the ruling authority since the beginning of the Caliph Al-Ma\u27moon reign (198-218 H./ 813-833 A.D), especially it was connected with the plight of Imam Ahmed Bin Hanbal (241 H./ 855 A.D), but the fame of Mu\u27tazilites started to fade at the beginning of Mutawakkil Caliphate (332 – 347 H./ 943 – 958 A.D), more accurate meaning, their doctrine became no longer an ideological doctrine with followers as another doctrine such as Shia and Sufis, this is in addition to Hanbali doctrine. These all were popular to the public till they led to its sustainability and continuation to the present time. However, the Mu\u27tazilites doctrine was confirmed by the elite intellectuals’ minds. The significance of the study came from many thinkers and historians who dedicated their study to the principles of Mu\u27tazilites. They deeply studied their principles and analyzed them. Thinkers and historians were interested in historical aspects, those important to hasten the end of their doctrine. In addition to the political factors and beliefs, people of the public played an important role in ending their doctrine, which was confined to caliphs and the elite of intellectuals and philosophers. The Mu\u27tazilites stand, and the ruling authority from Ahmed Bin Hanbal contributed to what is known as the plight of having a hostile attitude towards Mu\u27tazilites
Differences and Definitions of the Two Types of Passion Trigger New Ideas: Integration of the Passion and Perseverance Scale and Passion Levels Intervention
No full textThe Dualistic Model of Passion (DMP) divides passion into two categories: Harmonious Passion and Obsessive Passion. These categories are based on how individuals internalize their activities, and they have different characteristics and roles. Harmonious Passion is generally considered healthier and more stable than Obsessive Passion, and it has a more positive impact on the individual. Over the last two decades, the DMP and the Dualistic Scale of Passion(DSP) have been commonly used to examine the effects of Harmonious Passion and Obsessive Passion on individual achievement and burnout in the domains of work, study, and sport et al. Future research could integrate perseverance and passion to develop a scale that better predicts individual achievement. Furthermore, researchers could investigate additional techniques for intervening in passion based on the dynamic variability of passion, using autonomy as a starting point to regulate the type and intensity of passion
Strengthening Ecological Citizenship by the “Sebarang Bersatu” Community Forest in Rehabilitation Forest and Land Former Tin Mining: Case Study in Juru Seberang Village, Belitung Regency
No full textEnvironmental damage due to tin mining, which is not accompanied by environmental preservation in Juru Seberang Village, Belitung Regency, results in drastic changes in physical and chemical properties, including loss of vegetation and potential land degradation which can result in soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, reduced habitat for wild animals and increasing the vulnerability of coastal communities requires strategies to strengthen Ecological Citizenship through forest and land rehabilitation. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data collection techniques are done through observation, interviews, and documentation studies. Data analysis techniques are carried out by collecting data, reducing data, presenting data, and drawing conclusions. The research results show that the strategy for strengthening ecological citizenship designed by the Seberang Bersatu Community Forest (HKm) is to provide activities and programs that prioritize educational, conservation, and tourism values. Inhibiting and supporting factors in achieving the strengthening strategy lie in natural factors and community participation