WORD-LEVEL NON-EQUIVALENCE IN TWO ARABIC TRANSLATIONS OF ORWELL’S ANIMAL FARM: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF LEXICAL CHOICE AND TRANSLATION ORIENTATION.

Abstract

This study examines how translation by a more general word (superordinate) and translation by a more specific word (hyponym)/using a hyponym (added specificity) function as word-level solutions in two Arabic translations of George Orwell’s Animal Farm by Shamel Abaza and Mahmoud Abdelghani. Using Baker’s (1992/2011) framework of word-level non-equivalence as the main theoretical lens, the research adopts a descriptive and comparative qualitative methodology to identify and analyze lexical differences between the English source text and the two target texts. This study focuses on 18 specific lexical items selected from the original 36. This narrowed focus ensures that the most relevent items receive a thorough analysis without sacrificing depth. Each item was examined in context and coded as translation by a more general word (superordinate), translation by a more specific word (hyponym)/using a hyponym (added specificity), or no clear shift, depending on whether the Arabic rendering broadened, narrowed, or maintained the semantic scope of the source term. The findings indicate that using a superordinate occurs more frequently than using a hyponym (added specificity), especially in culture-bound expressions and farm-specific vocabulary where Arabic tends to prefer broader labels, paraphrase, or familiar terms. Using a hyponym (added specificity) appears more selectively, often through added specifying features or narrower lexical choices that increase explicitness. The analysis also addresses how translators opt for these techniques by showing that they function mainly to manage word-level non-equivalence related to lexical gaps, cultural gaps, and stylistic constraints, and it considers whether the resulting choices lean toward domestication or foreignization in effect. The comparison suggests differences in translator tendency: Abdelghani more often preserves descriptive detail and specificity, while Abaza more often reduces or neutralizes marked items for fluency and accessibility. Overall, the study demonstrates that using hyponyms and superordinates allows the translator to make context-based decisions. These adjustements determine the level of specificity and cultural depth present in the Arabic translation.

Date of Award	2026
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	HBKU College of Humanities and Social Science