Proposing a Solution to solve the Polysemy of Words in Translating the Quran; (a Case Study of the Three Words "Tāmmah", "Sāhira" and "Da'ḥā" in Russian Translations by Krachkovsky and Zinalouf )

Authors

  • Hemmatzadeh Shahram Assistant Professor, Department of Russian and Slavic Languages, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
  • Heydari Abravan Zahra PhD student in theology, Department of Theology, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52547/iarll.19.193

Keywords:

Polysemy, Linguistics, Translation of the Qur'an, Russian translations of the Qur'an, Lexicology

Abstract

Polysemy refers to a specific type of linguistic relationship in which a linguistic unit refers to several different meanings that are conceptually related to each other. This issue is of special importance in the discussion of translating the Qur'an because the translator has to choose an equivalent and in fact the best equivalent for that word in his Qur'anic context and choosing a concept means guiding the Qur'anic text in the flow of that concept. In the present article, considering the specific structure of the text of the Qur'an, what is the best way to eliminate the ambiguity of words in its translation? To answer this question, three words "daḥā دحا", "tammat:طامه" and "sāhira: "ساهرةin Surah Naze'at: nâze'at have been examined by data analysis method in the text of the Qur'an. The best and most documented equivalent in the translation of the Qur'an can be obtained if the semantic context of the word and the specific context of the Qur'an, which is called Seyagh, are used simultaneously at three levels of words, verses and verses before and after. It has been studied in two Russian translations by Krachkovsky and Zinalouf.

Extended abstract:

Polysemy is a term in Linguistics, which refers to the existence of several connected meanings in one semantic unit generally is a word. This linguistic-cognitive concept has also been referred by the Scholars of the Islamic Studies Tradition, and it has been considered as "Spiritual Sharing" or "Semantic Aspects". In Linguistic, the opposite discussion of "Polysemy" is "Homonymy". The most important method that linguists propose to distinguish polysemy from homonym is the study of historical course of common words through Etymology. But this suggestion is not enough to remove the polysemy in Quranic words, because the roots of many words cannot be discovered and examined in terms of their historical course, and they may have undergone semantic changes over the centuries.

Therefore, new methods must be sought to solve problems related to the translation of the Qur'an into other languages. Because of the growing Muslim population of the world, the neglect of translating the Qur'an and not criticizing it by scientific societies and translation publications in the world, in addition to reducing contact with its Muslim audience and ignoring their Bible, in a way They will also deprive themselves of communication with the multifaceted text of the Qur'an, which also has wonderful in-text and structural features.

Consequently, seems that criticizing the translations of the Qur'an in various aspects will be a valuable work by these scientific circles. In-text studies of the Qur'an show that the text itself can be used to solve this problem, and this article intends to use the in-text tools to examine the polysemy in translations of the Qur'an.

Accordingly, the method in this paper is data analysis and conclusions based on them. The results show that if the semantic context of the word and the specific context of the Qur'an, which is called Seyagh, are used simultaneously in three levels of words, verses and verses (before and after), the best and most documented equivalent in the translation of the Qur'an can be achieved. It has been studied in two Russian translations, Krachkovsky and Zinalf.

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- Zammit Martin (2002). A Comparative Lexical Study of Quranic Arabic. Leiden, Brill. [In English].

- Ibn Darid Mohammad Hasan (1988). Jomhora al-Lugha', first edition. Beirut. [In Arabic].

- Ibn Faris Ahmad (1404 AH). Mucjam Maghaees al-lugha, first edition, Qom. [In Arabic].

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- Javaheri sayed Muhammad Hasan (1384 SH). Study on various types of translation. Quranic Researches Journal. 42. [In Persian].

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- Duaas Ahmad Obaid (1425 AH). Ecrabs of the Holy Quran (v3). Damascus, Dar al-Farabi for Enlightenment. [In Arabic].

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- Rezvani Elaheh and Behzad Ghansouli (1390 SH). Polysemy in the Holy Quran: A Case Study of the Translation of the Word Sedition. Language and Translation Studies. 44(4). [In Persian].

- Mahmoud Shahbazi Ali Asghar Shahbazi (1393 SH). Polysemous Vocabulary and Its Importance in Quran Translation. Journal of Quran and Hadith Translation Studies (v1). [In Persian].

- Sadr Mohammad Baqir (1978 SH). Lessons in the Science of the Principles of Jurisprudence. Beirut. Dar al-Kutub al-Lobnani. [In Arabic].

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- Tabarsi Fadl Ibn Hassan (1375 SH). Majmac al-Bayyan in the Interpretation of the Qur'an. Tehran. Nasser Khosrow Publications. [In Arabic].

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- Neigiri Abdullah Ibn Foadi (no data). Al-Hussein Al-Rusin in the Science of Reconciliation. First Edition. Researcher, Muhammad Saleh Hussein. Nigeria. Dar al-Alamah. [In Arabic].

Published

2021-10-16

How to Cite

Hemmatzadeh Ш., & Heydari Abravan З. (2021). Proposing a Solution to solve the Polysemy of Words in Translating the Quran; (a Case Study of the Three Words "Tāmmah", "Sāhira" and "Da’ḥā" in Russian Translations by Krachkovsky and Zinalouf ). Issledovatel’skiy Zhurnal Russkogo Yazyka I Literatury, 10(1), 193–210. https://doi.org/10.52547/iarll.19.193

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Articles