Politeness in the English Translation of Arabic Speech Acts in the novel The Bamboo Stalk

Abstract

This article examines the translation of politeness strategies from Arabic into English in Saud Alsanousi’s novel, “The Bamboo Stalk (2015)”. Drawing on Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness theory, the study analyzes how Arabic speech acts, specifically requests, apologies, and formulaic expressions are adapted to fit English-language norms. A qualitative analysis of key examples reveals a systematic pattern: Arabic collectivist, honor-based, and religiously inflected politeness is frequently rendered through English strategies that prioritize individualism, autonomy, and secular deference. Positive politeness shifts to negative politeness, bald-on-record commands are softened, and off-record indirectness is often made explicit. While pragmatic equivalence is largely preserved, the cultural motivations and emotional weight of the original politeness are shifted. The article argues that these shifts constitute a form of cultural negotiation, positioning the translator as a mediator between divergent social ideologies. Thus, the translation of politeness in “The Bamboo Stalk” not only reflects but also embodies the novel’s central theme of hybrid identity.