Strategies used by EFL Saudi University Students in Translating English Idioms into Arabic

Abstract

The present paper investigates the strategies used for the translation of idiomatic expressions from English into Arabic. This research is based on Baker’s strategies for translating idioms. It focuses on three strategies which include: using an idiom of similar meaning and form, using an idiom of similar meaning but different form, and translation by paraphrase. A translation test was used for data collection. The sample consists of a chosen sample subjects of (251) EFL students at King Khalid University. The study adopted the descriptive-analytical method. The data were analyzed with the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) Program. The findings provided that “translation by paraphrase” is the most common used strategy by EFL Saudi students in translating English idioms into Arabic. Then comes the strategy of “using an idiom of similar meaning and form”. Furthermore, the results showed that the least used strategy is “using an idiom of similar meaning but different form”. In addition to the students’ test, the researchers distributed a questionnaire to 16 instructors of translation to identify the strategies and difficulties faced by EFL Saudi students in translating English idioms into Arabic. Based on the findings of this research, it is recommended that, in addition to having enough knowledge in terms of the theoretical translation issues and the translation strategies suggested by different linguists, a translator should have a good command of the Source Language (SL) idiomatic expressions.