Additions & Deletions in Translation of Chapter Two of Carlyle’s ‘Heroes & Hero-Worship’: Applying Venuti’s Theory

Abstract

his research investigates the additions and deletions in the target text (Arabic) of Chapter two of the English Carlyle’s Historic book ‘Heroes & Hero-Worship’ through the lens of Venuti’s theory of domestication and foreignization. It applies a descriptive qualitative method. Domestication and foreignization reflect cultural or ideological motives of the translator.

Research questions examine the notable additions and deletions in the Arabic translation of Carlyle’s “The Heroes”, Chapter two, whether the previous alterations reflect a strategy of domestication or foreignization, how these strategies express cultural, religious, or ideological factors, and how they influenced translation. Moreover, they present how the translator had chosen domestication or foreignization to  describe Carlyle’s portrayal of the Prophet and Islam.

The research concludes that the translator deletes some clauses or phrases that are related to Christianity, Western culture or any term related to non-Islamic or Arabic culture; and adds from Islamic –Arabic culture terms or phrases, and that is expressed domestication strategy.  On the other side, retaining some of the Western terms and writers’ names is foreighnization. Thus, domestications are more than foreignizations, and they are reflected through deletions more than additions.