Arabic-L:LING:Dr. Deeb's corrected post

[Dilworth Parkinson]

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Arabic-L: Sat 01 Sep 2007
Moderator: Dilworth Parkinson <dilworth_parkinson at byu.edu>
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1) Subject:Dr. Deeb's corrected post

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1)
Date: 01 Sep 2007
From:moderator
Subject:Dr. Deeb's corrected post

For some reason Dr. Deeb's post arrived to me garbled.  Here is what  
he originally wrote.  I'll copy it with and without formatting below  
so hopefully most will be able to read the Arabic.--dil


Random Observations on Three Words


In translation, one searches for either the equivalent of the word in  
the source text, coins a new word, or attempts a brief definition.    
Translations from Greek, Latin, German, practically all languages  
bear testimony to this linguistic process.

I'm amused that a latter-day writer would claim that Arabic has no  
one-word translation of terms like "compromise" and "integrity."    
The implication is that Arabic is an impoverished language!  Such  
people who are inured in "fast food culture," and consequently  
wrestle with a sense of insecurity about their Arabic, and its  
alleged poverty in translation, should realize that "compromise" is  
essentially a net product of three combined Latin words <con  
(together or jointly) + pro (forth) + mittere (send)>.

I'd argue, further, that knowledge of etymology, while not a  
prerequisite, may prove useful in translation.   It would at least  
temper hasty assumptions that Arabic lacks equivalents for words like  
"compromise" and "integrity."

I. Compromise (v. & n.):
¨  to come to agreement by mutual concession
¨  to find or follow a way between extremes; the process of
     compromise may involve arbitration, tolerance, balance
     or making concessions
¨  (derogatory) to make a shameful or disreputable concession <to  
compromise one's ideals, standards, principles or morals>

Arabic equivalents are as folloows:

ـــ(1) تراض، تسوية، حل وسط، اتفاق لحل  
نزاع؛ مهادنة ، هدنة؛ صلح

ــ(2) توصلا | توصلوا إلى حل وسط، اتفقا |  
اتفقوا على فض نزاع، تراضيا | تراضَوْا

ــ(3)  وضعه في موضع الشبهة ، فضحه ، عرضه  
للألسنة

¨  to compromise oneself; to compromise one's ideals, standards,  
principles, reputation, &ct.:

   (يمتهن/ يبتذل نفسه أو مبادئه ؛ يضع  
نفسه موضع الشبهة )

¨  adjectival or participial form: compromised:
(مشبوه ), (متهم )


In international negotiations, "compromise" often acquires negative  
connotations, and becomes synonymous with " capitulation," in which  
one or more negotiators make concessions in principles, objectives or  
land.  Arabic rendering of "compromise" in such cases may be  
qualified from:   (تسوية /  معاهدة صلح ) to  
(تسوية /  معاهدة استسلام ).

The compromise truce of al-Hudyabiyah between the Prophet Muhammad  
and Quraysh, in 628 CE, is variously referred to as ( عهد ),  
(مَعْهَدة ) (معاهدة), (هدنة ), and to a lesser  
extent, as (صلح ).  Although it was a master plan leading to the  
conquest of Mecca,  cUmar b. al-Kha ṭṭāb had, at first,   
reservations about it as a form of
  (دَنـِـيــََِّـة  | daniyyah , i.e., humiliation), to  
Islam.



II. Integrity (quality of being honest and having high moral  
principles):

استقامة، نزاهة، أمانة، كمال الأخلاق،  
سلامة الخلق؛ اكتمال، وفور

III. Privacy:
خصوصية، (أمور) شخصية، أمر خاص؛ سرية؛  
خَلوة، عزلة

As an aside, I note that some colleagues on the list use the wrong  
voweling of ( خَلوة / khalwah) as (khulwah)!

MD


PS:

  ( الحديبية) is written with or without a shaddah on the last  
yā'. ِ I have an irritating problem with the tansliteration of the  
guttural letter; it turns out as a blank square!  I would appreciate  
your kind help on this.

-- 
M. Deeb
English, Comparative Literature & Cultural Studies



Random Observations on Three Words


In translation, one searches for either the equivalent of the word in  
the source text, coins a new word, or attempts a brief definition.    
Translations from Greek, Latin, German, practically all languages  
bear testimony to this linguistic process.

I'm amused that a latter-day writer would claim that Arabic has no  
one-word translation of terms like "compromise" and "integrity."    
The implication is that Arabic is an impoverished language!  Such  
people who are inured in "fast food culture," and consequently  
wrestle with a sense of insecurity about their Arabic, and its  
alleged poverty in translation, should realize that "compromise" is  
essentially a net product of three combined Latin words <con  
(together or jointly) + pro (forth) + mittere (send)>.

I'd argue, further, that knowledge of etymology, while not a  
prerequisite, may prove useful in translation.   It would at least  
temper hasty assumptions that Arabic lacks equivalents for words like  
"compromise" and "integrity."

I. Compromise (v. & n.):
¨  to come to agreement by mutual concession
¨  to find or follow a way between extremes; the process of
     compromise may involve arbitration, tolerance, balance
     or making concessions
¨  (derogatory) to make a shameful or disreputable concession <to  
compromise one's ideals, standards, principles or morals>

Arabic equivalents are as folloows:

ـــ(1) تراض، تسوية، حل وسط، اتفاق لحل  
نزاع؛ مهادنة ، هدنة؛ صلح

ــ(2) توصلا | توصلوا إلى حل وسط، اتفقا |  
اتفقوا على فض نزاع، تراضيا | تراضَوْا

ــ(3)  وضعه في موضع الشبهة ، فضحه ، عرضه  
للألسنة

¨  to compromise oneself; to compromise one's ideals, standards,  
principles, reputation, &ct.:

   (يمتهن/ يبتذل نفسه أو مبادئه ؛ يضع  
نفسه موضع الشبهة )

¨  adjectival or participial form: compromised:
(مشبوه ), (متهم )


In international negotiations, "compromise" often acquires negative  
connotations, and becomes synonymous with " capitulation," in which  
one or more negotiators make concessions in principles, objectives or  
land.  Arabic rendering of "compromise" in such cases may be  
qualified from:   (تسوية /  معاهدة صلح ) to  
(تسوية /  معاهدة استسلام ).

The compromise truce of al-Hudyabiyah between the Prophet Muhammad  
and Quraysh, in 628 CE, is variously referred to as ( عهد ),  
(مَعْهَدة ) (معاهدة), (هدنة ), and to a lesser  
extent, as (صلح ).  Although it was a master plan leading to the  
conquest of Mecca,  cUmar b. al-Kha ṭṭāb had, at first,   
reservations about it as a form of
  (دَنـِـيــََِّـة  | daniyyah , i.e., humiliation), to  
Islam.



II. Integrity (quality of being honest and having high moral  
principles):

استقامة، نزاهة، أمانة، كمال الأخلاق،  
سلامة الخلق؛ اكتمال، وفور

III. Privacy:
خصوصية، (أمور) شخصية، أمر خاص؛ سرية؛  
خَلوة، عزلة

As an aside, I note that some colleagues on the list use the wrong  
voweling of ( خَلوة / khalwah) as (khulwah)!

MD


PS:

  ( الحديبية) is written with or without a shaddah on the last  
yā'. ِ I have an irritating problem with the tansliteration of the  
guttural letter; it turns out as a blank square!  I would appreciate  
your kind help on this.

--
M. Deeb
English, Comparative Literature & Cultural Studies


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