Problems of Translating Definite and Indefinite Articles from English into Arabic

A study of definite and indefinite articles is one of the most problematic areas in the fields of syntax, grammar, and translation. No doubt, the articles system differs greatly from one language to another, and; therefore one of the biggest problems for translators tackling the translation of articles from English into Arabic is the difficulty of specifying the type of reference each article involves in its cotext and context. This study mainly aims at: (1) giving a comprehensive study of definite and indefinite articles in English and Arabic; (2) specifying and selecting different samples of definite and indefinite articles from books of English grammar; (3) comparing and contrasting articles systems in English and Arabic; (4) showing the type of reference each article involves in its cotext and context; (5) showing how the specified samples are realized in Arabic; and (6) specifying the method of translation that has been used by the subjects. To achieve the objectives above, the study hypothesizes that: (1) the translation of definite and indefinite articles poses serious problems for translators as well as learners of English and Arabic because of the different types of references these articles involve; (2) since, there is no complete formal correspondence between articles systems in English and Arabic; therefore, translators who adopt a dynamic equivalence are more successful than those who adopt a formal equivalence; and (3) nil-equivalence of indefinite articles between English and Arabic poses serious problems for translators and contrastive analysts. To test the validity of the hypotheses, this study draws on a miscellany of data sources for its analysis. Sixty seven samples of different patterns with different reference were translated from English into Arabic by six M.A students in the Department of Translation. English texts with their renderings have been analysed by using tables in terms of reference (e.g., generic, specific, and unique) and type of translation methods. The main findings the study arrived at are: (1) despite the fact that there is a formal correspondence between the English definite article “the” and the Arabic definite article “أل التعريف” on the word rank as well as phrase rank, this generalization does not always work, since in many cases the translation equivalence of the English zero article happens to be definite article in Arabic; (2) with reference to definite generic, reference, a formal correspondence has been achieved between the definite article in English and its equivalence “أل التعريف” in Arabic; (3) as far as definite specific reference is concerned, formal correspondence has been achieved by most subjects with few exceptions. The study ends with some conclusions, suggestions for future studies and recommendations for pedagogical implications.