Functional Equivalence And Discourse Restructuring In The Translation Of Qurʾānic Wāw: A Comparative Study Of Qarai, Abdel Haleem, And Khattab
Auteurs : Mahmoud Montasser .
Résumé
This study examines the translation of the Arabic particle wāw in Qurʾānic discourse using a function-sensitive, three-layer analytical model. The study investigates how wāw is rendered across three English translations (Qarai, Abdel Haleem, and Khattab) within a purpose-built dataset of selected Qurʾānic verses. The analysis integrates (i) a functional taxonomy of wāw (additive, narrative, contrastive, circumstantial, resumptive, oath, and complex), (ii) translation strategies (Formal Equivalence, Dynamic/Meaning-based Equivalence, and Communicative/Discourse Restructuring), and (iii) surface realisation patterns in English. Findings indicate a systematic gradient linking discourse function to translation intervention. Additive and oath uses show high structural stability and preference for Formal Equivalence, while circumstantial and complex configurations require Communicative/Discourse Restructuring due to higher discourse load. Narrative, contrastive, and resumptive functions occupy intermediate positions with variable strategy selection. Across translators, variation is less dependent on individual translator identity than on the functional type of wāw, suggesting that discourse function is a primary constraint shaping translational behaviour. The study reconceptualises wāw as a multi-level discourse operator rather than a purely coordinating conjunction and demonstrates that Qurʾānic translation involves discourse reconfiguration conditioned by functional complexity rather than lexical substitution alone.
Mots clés
Qurʾānic translation ; discourse markers ; Arabic cohesion ; functional-pragmatic analysis ; translation equivalence ; discourse reconstruction ; lexical substitution
