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Poorsadami A, Ali Asvadi A A, zaredorniani I. (2027). Analysis of the Translation of Cultural Elements in the Novel Naqat Ṣāliḥa Based on Peter Newmark’s Model. , JSAL. 10(1),
URL: http://jsal.ierf.ir/article-1-266-en.html

Analysis of the Translation of Cultural Elements in the Novel Naqat Ṣāliḥa Based on Peter Newmark’s Model

Ala Poorsadami¹, Ali Asvadi Ali Asvadi ^*², Isa Zaredorniani³

1- Student of univercity kharazmi
2- Associate professor, department of Arabic Languge and Literature, University of Tehran. Tehran, Iran. , asvadi@khu.ac.ir
3- Associate professor, department of Arabic Languge and Literature, University of Tehran. Tehran, Iran.

Abstract: (52 Views)

Literary translation transcends the mere formal transfer of lexical items, serving as an intercultural process for recreating the worldview, beliefs, and living patterns of the source text. Due to its accumulation of desert climatic terminology, tribal structures, and ancient traditions, Saud Al-Sanousi’s novel Naqat Ṣāliḥa presents fundamental challenges in cultural transference. Despite the significance of this literary work, examining its Persian translation through the lens of translation criticism frameworks has remained largely neglected. This study aims to analyze the representation and evaluate the translation strategies of the novel’s cultural components based on Peter Newmark’s theoretical framework and twelve-fold strategies, thereby elucidating the extent of translation success and its inherent challenges. Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach, the research utilizes purposive sampling. Out of a total of 58 extracted cultural elements, 35 prominent instances bearing the highest semantic load and translation challenges were selected from Newmark’s five categories (ecology, material culture, social culture, organizations/customs, and gestures/habits) and compared with the source text. Data analysis was conducted through a four-stage framework: identifying the cultural element, determining the category, identifying the translator’s strategy, and comparatively assessing translation success. The findings reveal that the translator has employed a pluralistic approach. Ecological elements (such as native plants like Al-Arfaj and Al-Hamḍ, and the term Al-Nāqa al-Khalūj) and material culture (such as ghutra, iqal, and thawb) posed the greatest challenges. In rendering these items, borrowing and direct transfer coupled with cultural equivalence contributed to preserving local color; however, in certain instances—due to the absence of precise biological equivalents or the neglect of paratextual explanations (such as the mistranslation of Hamḍ as “acid” or the ambiguity of Khalūj)—semantic transfer fell short. Furthermore, in the domain of gestures and behavioral habits, the predominance of literal translation hindered the complete representation of emotional layers and the characters’ identity bond with the desert ecosystem.

Keywords: Peter Newmark’s Theory, Cultural Elements, Literary Translation, Naqat Ṣāliḥa, Saud Al-Sanousi, Translation Strategies

Type of Study: Research | Subject: Linguistic research
Received: 2026/08/8 | Accepted: 2026/11/9 | Published: 2027/03/1

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