Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the translation strategies employed by undergraduate students in the translation of idioms from English into Urdu. To achieve this, a translation test was administered, incorporating Fernando's (1996) classification of idioms into three distinct categories: literal idioms, semi-idioms, and pure idioms. This test consisted of two parts: de-contextual idioms and context base idioms. Later on, an analysis of data collected from both de-contextual and contextual translations of idioms was analyzed employing translation strategies expounded by Baker and Newmark as the guiding framework. A significant number of students exhibited a lack of familiarity with the accurate use of translation strategies during the de-contextual translation of idioms, leading them to literal translation, resulting in numerous inaccuracies in their renditions of idiomatic expressions. Consequently, literal idioms are easy to translate but when it comes to semi-idioms and pure idioms, they get confused and lead to mistranslation.

Key Words

Translation of Idioms, Translation Strategies, Contextual and De-contextual Idioms, Urdu, English

Introduction

Language is a source of communication acquired by the speakers of every community. It has denotative and connotative meanings. The denotative meaning is precise or literal meaning that is also called “dictionary meaning” whereas, the connotative meaning is quite different from the literal meaning as it is always translated figuratively. In this case, the meaning of constituents in a collocation does not convey the meaning or sense of whole sentences. Such collocated expressions include metaphors, similes and idioms. Out of these, idioms are widely used in everyday language and are inalienable parts of every language. An idiom consists of figurative words that require knowledge about the form, content and cultural background of the source language (SL) and target language (TL). According to Langlotz (2006), the overall meaning of idioms is quite different from the meaning of their lexical constituents. This is the reason that a problem always arises when constituents of idioms are translated. For example, the sentence “A pain in the neck” will be translated into Urdu as "???? ??? ???" (garden me dard- pain in the neck) instead of"?????? ???? ???? ???" (pareshan karny wala shakhs- irritating person). The idiom here is translated word by word by considering the individual words of the idiom rather than translating the idiom as a whole. Langlotz (2006) states that idioms are complex for having some specific form, meaning and sociolinguistic features. Idioms are the most important forms of language and are culture-specific. Therefore, idioms carry differences in religion, geography, ideology, and social aspects of languages that make translation difficult from one language to another. The process of translating idioms needs a translator to have a good deal of knowledge of both languages and cultures under study. However, the way idioms can be translated depends on the context in which they are used. Various translation strategies can help translators to better comprehend the meaning or sense of idioms while translating from SL into TL. In case idioms do not have their equivalent in another language, the translator should not delete the idioms from his text but he should clarify the sense in the context they are used for better understanding. There are many translation strategies discussed by many translation experts but the strategies adopted in this research work as a model, are proposed by Baker (1992) and Newmark (1988) collectively as the use of their strategies is seen in great proportion in data analysis.

Literature Review

Idioms cannot be translated literally as said by Nida (1964), therefore the most appropriate strategy for the translation of idioms is to translate them in such a way that the meaning of SL can be understood in TL. The proper way for translating idioms is to study idioms carefully and then decide on a suitable strategy to translate them. In this section, research in different contexts is taken into consideration for finding translation strategies. Among the scholars exploring the intricacies of translating idioms, Al-Shawi and Mahadi (2012) stand out for their in-depth research, delving into the complexities of translating idioms between Arabic and English. Their study encompasses a comprehensive examination of social, cultural, and linguistic aspects, proposing valuable translation strategies to surmount the challenges faced when rendering idioms from the source to the target language. The results of the study had shown that problems in translating idioms were the differences between SL and TL due to the cultural gap, and social and religious factors between the two languages. The strategies that helped the translator in translating were: Using similar idioms as in TL, using idioms having a similar meaning but a dissimilar form, and paraphrasing. Furthermore, Saputro (2012) undertook a qualitative inquiry, exploring the translation of idiomatic expressions encountered within the acclaimed literary works, "Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows," as published by Bloomsbury. This investigation was conducted with a thoughtful consideration of the translation strategies advocated by Baker (2001) for rendering idioms with finesse and accuracy. The results showed that several strategies are applied, for example, idioms of similar meaning but dissimilar form, idioms of similar meaning and form, paraphrasing and also translation by omission. The researcher also concluded that translation of idioms into the target language could be difficult but the stylistic meaning should be kept in consideration without losing the beauty of the text. Similarly, Khawaldeh et al. (2016) investigated the translation strategies used by Jordanian learners of English at Hashemite University in Jordon while translating idioms into Arabic. For this aim, a test and questionnaire were designed and given to 150 respondents to solve. The analysis of the test showed that 69% of students mostly relied on context to guess the meaning of idioms. This implied the importance of teaching and learning idioms in context as context helped in understanding idioms. However, some idioms were having an equivalent meaning in Arabic that was easy to understand. Another researcher, Balfaqeeh (2009) made research on the extent that how far the domesticated or foreign translation strategies were preferred by Arab readers. This study was both qualitative-quantitative in the form of interviews and surveys as research tools. The result of the study had shown that domesticated strategies were preferred by Arab readers. Most of the idioms and cultural expressions were translated by Arab readers using Arabic equivalents. Similarly, Khosravi and Khatib (2012) worked on the strategies used in the translation of idioms in the novels “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee and “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck from English into Persian. The study was based on Baker's techniques for translating idioms including idioms with similar meanings and forms, idioms with similar meanings but dissimilar forms, paraphrasing, and omission. The analysis of the research showed that the most frequently used translation methods were paraphrasing and using idioms with similar meanings and forms. Similarly, Sadeghi and Farjad (2014) conducted a study to investigate Baker's classification of strategies employed by translators when translating idiomatic expressions from English to Persian. They selected a sample of 60 intermediate-level students (both male and female) whose major was English language translation. The analysis of the questionnaire revealed that students had followed two more strategies other than Baker’s strategies and the strategies used by them were: translation of idiom using a similar form and meaning, translation of idiom using similar meaning but a dissimilar form, translation by paraphrase, translation by deletion, literal translation and translating idioms with non-idioms. Thus, the study concluded that the use of each strategy depended on the student’s prior knowledge of the target language and contextual use of idioms.

Research Methodology

The researchers choose descriptive research for the current study. This design enables flexibility to the researcher as it helps in getting the opinions of respondents on a problem. The researchers have used translation tests for data collection. However, the research is mixed-type in nature. It is qualitative as it deals with examining the strategies used by them in finding an equivalent in TL where the numerical analysis of data obtained through research instruments and generalization of outcomes through representative samples made the research quantitative as well.

A convenience Sampling method is adopted for the current study. It is the most appropriate method to take a sample from those students who are easy to contact or reach. It gives the researchers flexibility and more convenience to approach samples and collect data from them. All the selected samples in this method volunteered to participate and attempt to answer willingly. About 100 students (male and female) were selected out of which 31 were male and 69 female students out of 4 educational institutions, namely University of Malakand (UOM), Abbottabad University of Science & Technology (AUST), Havelian; Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM) and Govt. Post Graduate College (GPGC), Haripur.  

The researchers devised a translation test for undergraduate English students and gave them to translate idioms from English into Urdu. The test consisted of two parts: in the first part, the students were asked to translate the de-contextual English idioms into Urdu, allowing an assessment of students’ competency and the translation strategies they employed. In the second part, the English idioms were used in context and the reason for focusing on contextual idioms was to judge whether context plays a role in finding out the equivalent in the target language i.e., Urdu or not, and the use of translation strategies by them. The translation test encompassed nine idioms, chosen according to three kinds of idioms: literal idioms, semi-idioms and pure idioms as given by Fernando (1996) according to the degree of opacity. Every idiom represented its own kind. After getting the translation test prepared, the researchers were verified by two research experts who verified the validity of the test. Idioms for the translation test were sourced from reputable references, including the “Dictionary of American Idioms”, “Chambers Idioms” and “The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms”.

The theoretical framework used in this study is based on the classification of idioms proposed by Fernando (1996), and translation strategies proposed by Baker (1992) and Newmark (1988). The semantic classification of idioms depends on the degree of semantic isolation and the degree of opacity (Fernando, 1996). For this reason, idioms are divided into three categories: “pure idioms, semi-idioms, and literal idioms.”

Results and Discussion

Students’ Strategies in Translation of De-contextual Idioms

Participants were presented with a list of nine de-contextualized English idioms, and they were required to provide their translations into Urdu. The idioms included in the test were carefully chosen to represent a range of difficulty levels based on Fernando's (1996) classification of idioms into literal idioms, semi-idioms, and pure idioms, each with varying degrees of opacity. The participants' translations were then evaluated and categorized into four groups: correct answers, acceptable answers, wrong answers, and unanswered questions. Correct answers indicate the accurate and appropriate translation of the idiomatic expressions, while acceptable answers reflect translations that, although not entirely precise, still capture the essence of the idioms. Wrong answers represent translations that significantly deviate from the idiomatic meaning, and unanswered questions indicate that the participants did not attempt to provide a translation for certain idioms.

The table shows the results of strategies used by students in the translation of de-contextual idioms:




 

Table 1

Students’ Strategies in the Translation of De-contextual Idioms

De-Contextual Idioms	Correct Answer		Acceptable Answer		Wrong Answer		No Answer
	Freq	Percent	Freq	Percent	Freq	Percent	Freq	Percent
From A to Z	66	66%	29	29%	05	5%	00	00
A child’s play	69	69%	19	19%	12	12%	00	00
Break the record	67	67%	19	19%	14	14%	00	00
Know the ropes	00	00	21	21%	66	66%	13	13%
Break the ice	00	00	30	30%	44	44%	26	26%
Foot the bill	00	00	28	28%	32	32%	40	40%
Bite the dust	04	04	06	6%	55	55%	35	35%
A pain in the neck	09	9%	00	00	55	55%	36	36%
Pink slip	00	00	06	6%	70	70%	24	24%

 




The table presents the results of a translation test conducted as part of a research study on the translation of de-contextualized idiomatic expressions from English into Urdu. The first idiom, “from A to Z” shows the highest translation score as it belongs to the literal idiom category and is very easy to understand. The results have shown that 66% of students have translated this idiom correctly by using an idiom having a similar form and meaning such as ? ?? ? ?? (alif se ye tak- from A to Z) whereas, 29% of respondents have given acceptable answers by paraphrasing using related words or descriptive equivalent and synonymy, such as ???? ?? ??? ?? (shoroh se akhir tak- from beginning to an end),???? ???? (mukammal krna- to complete),???? ?? ???? (sare ka sara, all in all). However, 5% of them have made a wrong translation by using irrelevant words like ?? Z ?? A(A se Z tak- from A to Z).

The second idiom, “a child’s play” is translated correctly by 69% of students. 67% of students translated it by using an idiom of similar form and meaning such as ???? ?? ???? (bachon ka khel, child’s play) while 2% of them translated it by using an idiom having a similar meaning but dissimilar form as ????? ???? ?? ???   (baayein hath ka kam, very easy task). However, 19% of respondents have also given acceptable answers by paraphrasing using related words or descriptive equivalents and synonymy, such as ??? ???? (bhot asan, piece of cake). While 12% of students made a mistranslation such as ?????? ??? (shararti bachy, naughty kids),?? ???  (kam aqal, unwise).

The third idiom, “break the record” is translated correctly by 67% of students by using an idiom of similar meaning and form as, ?????? ????? (rekard torna- to perform better than others) while 19% have translated it by paraphrasing using related words or descriptive equivalent and synonymy such as?? ?? ??? ??? ???? (sb se aghe nikal jana, to take a lead)?? ?? ????? ???? ???? (sb ko pechy chorh dena- to leave everyone behind)??????? ???? (karnama krna- great achievement). However, 14% have answered incorrectly as, ???? ????? ???? (hisab braber krna, to take an account),????? ???? (mashoor hona- to get famous),???? ?? ?? ???? (akhiri had tak jana- to go to last limits)

The fourth idiom, “know the ropes” is translated by 21% of respondents by using a translation strategy, i.e. translation by compensation such as ????? ????? (tareeqa janna- to know the way),???? ???? (waqif hona- to get aware) whereas, this idiom is translated incorrectly by 66% of respondents because of using literal translation or irrelevant translation as, ????? ?? ?????  (rasiyon ko janna- to know the ropes) However, 13% of respondents have given no answers.

The fifth idiom, “break the ice” is answered as acceptable by 30% of students whereas 17% of students translated it by using a translation strategy, i.e. translation by compensation such as ?????? ????? (khamoshi torhna- break the silence) while 13% of them translated it by paraphrasing using unrelated words as  ??? ????    (pehel krna- to take a start),??? ???? ???? (baat shoroh krna- to start a conversation). However, 44% of them translated inappropriately by using literal translation and irrelevant translation as

???? ??? ?? ?????? (mushkil kam kr dikhana- to show difficult task done),??? ????? (baraf torhna- break the ice) whereas, 26% of respondents have left the idiom unanswered.

The sixth idiom, “foot the bill” has been translated as acceptable by 28% of students. They translated it by using a translation strategy i.e. translation by compensation, such as ?? ??? ???? (bill ada krna- to pay the bill),???? ??? ???? (paisy ada krna- to pay money). However, 32% of them have translated this idiom incorrectly as,???  ?? ?? ??????  (bill paarhna, to tear the bill), ??? ??? ?? ???? ??? ??? ?? ???? (kisi chez ki fikar na krna- not worry about anything) whereas, 40% of students have given no answers.

The seventh idiom, “bite the dust” is translated correctly by 4% of respondents by using an idiom having a similar meaning but dissimilar form as ???? ????? (dhul chatana- to bite the dust) while 6% of respondents translated it as acceptable by paraphrasing using unrelated words or paraphrase such as ?? ???? (mar jana, to die),???? ????? ?? ?????? (khaliq-e-haqiqy se ja milna- to pass away). However, 55% of students translated it incorrectly and 35% of them have left it unanswered.

The eighth idiom, “pain in the neck” is translated as correct by 9% of students by using an idiom having a similar meaning but dissimilar form as ??? ?? (dard-e-sir- headache),??? ??? ?? ???? (naak me dum krna- to irritate) however, 55% of students have translated incorrectly by using literal translation and irrelevant translation as ???? ??? ???? (garden me dard, pain in the neck),

?? ???? (be-aram- unrest) ??? ??? ?????  (galy me takleef- pain in the throat),????? ??? ???? (takleef me hona- to be in pain) while 35% of students have given no answers.

The ninth idiom, “pink slip” is translated as acceptable by 6% of students by using modulation?????? ???? (isteefa dena- to resign), ????? ???? ??? ???? (nokari khatry me parhna- to get the job in danger),?????? ???? (barkhast krna- to fire from job) while 70% of students have translated incorrectly as ????? ???? (gulabi parcha- pink slip),????? ?? ???? (dastaras se bahir- out of control),???? ?? ???? ???? (hath se phisal jana- to get a slip from hand) however, 24% of students have given no answers.

The results of Table 1 reveal that the translation of de-contextual idioms is much more difficult for respondents that resulted in nonsense expressions or an inability to find an equivalent in the target language. Most of the students are quite unfamiliar with English idioms and their translations into Urdu. The use of literal translation leads to mistranslation as idioms usually carry figurative meanings. However, it has also been observed that translation strategies like componential analysis, through translation, shifts or transposition, recognized translation, couplets, and notes were not followed by any of the respondents.

 

Students’ Strategies in Translation of Contextual Idioms

The following table shows the translation strategies used by students in the translation of contextual idioms from English into Urdu:




 

Table 2

Students’ Strategies in the Translation of Contextual Idioms

Contextual idioms	Correct answer		Acceptable answer		Wrong answer		No answer
	Freq	Freq	Freq	Percent%	Freq	Percent%	Freq	Percent%
Statement 1	30	30	65	65	00	00	05	05
Statement 2	80	80	15	15	05	05	00	00
Statement 3	90	90	00	00	00	00	10	10
Statement 4	00	00	56	56	26	26	18	18
Statement 5	00	00	47	47	38	38	15	15
Statement 6	00	00	81	81	10	10	09	09
Statement 7	04	04	27	27	41	41	28	28
Statement 8	34	34	10	10	38	38	18	18
Statement 9	02	02	37	37	39	39	22	22

 




The table reveals the use of different strategies by students while translating contextual idioms from English into Urdu such as:

Statement (1) He has studied the subject from A to Z.

In translating this idiom, table (3) shows that 30% of students translated this statement correctly by using its equivalent in form and meaning in Urdu such as,   

?? ?? ??? ?? ? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????

(us ne alif se ye tak sara mazmoon parh liya- he studied the subject from A to Z)

Whereas, 65% of respondents have provided acceptable answers by paraphrasing using related words or descriptive equivalent and synonymy as

?? ?? ????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ????

(us ne mazmoon sara ka sara parh liya- he studied the subject completely)

 ?? ?? ????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ?? ??? ???

(us ne mazmoon ko shoroh se akhir tk parh liya- he studied the subject from start to the end)

However, 5% of them left the statement unanswered.

Statement (2) Climbing hill is a child’s play to experienced mountaineers.

This statement is translated correctly by 80% of students by using an idiom having similar meaning and form such as,

????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ???? ?? ???? ??

(tajurba kar paharh charhny walon k liye paharh par charhna bachon ka kheil hai- climbing hill is a child’s play to the experienced mountaineers)

While 15% of them have provided acceptable answers by paraphrasing using related words or descriptive equivalent and synonymy as,

???? ?? ???? ????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ??? ?? ???? ??? ???

(paharh sar krny walon k liye paharh charhna bhot hi asan kamhai- climbing hill is very easy for mountaineers)

Whereas 5% of students have translated this statement incorrectly due to irrelevant translation as,

????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ??? ???

(tajurba kaar paharh charhny walon k liye paharh per charhna bachon ka kam hai- climbing hill is a children’s work for mountaineers)

Statement (3) He has just broken the record for the number of pies eaten in half an hour.

This idiom is translated correctly by 90% of respondents by using a translation strategy i.e. using an idiom having a similar meaning and similar form as,

?? ?? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ????

(us ne adhy ghanty me mithai khany k tamam record torh diye- he broke the record of eating sweet in half an hour)

?? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ?? ?????? ??? ???

us ne adhy ghanty me ziada biscuit khany ka record torh dia- he broke the record of eating a biscuit in half an hour)

However, this statement is left unanswered by 10% of respondents.

Statement (4) he will be very good once he knows the ropes a bit better.

This statement is translated by 56% of respondents as acceptable by paraphrasing using unrelated words or paraphrasing and translation by compensation such as,

?? ??? ???? ???? ??? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???? ????? ?? ??? ??

(woh bhot acha hoga ager who ek dafa sb kuch achy tareeqy se jan ly- he will be very good if once he knew the ways better)

?? ????? ?????????? ?? ?? ???? ???? ??? ?? ???? ????? ???

(woh ziada behter ho jai ga jab usko apny kam ki samjh ajaigi- he will get better when he understood his work)

However, 18% of students have given no answers and 26% of students have translated it as incorrect by literal translation instead of figurative translation and irrelevant translation such as  

(woh behter hojaiga jese hi woh rassi seekh jai ga- he will be good as he learned the rope)

  ?? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ?????????? ??

(jb usy mushkilat ka andaza hoga tau woh behter ho jai ga- when he will assess the difficulties, he will be good)

??  ??  ???  ?????  ???? ???? ??  ??? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?????

(woh us waqt ziada behter hoga jab usy apny hudood ka pata hoga- he would be better when he would know his limits)

Statement (5) let's break the ice by inviting our new neighbours for a meal.

47% of students have provided acceptable answers for the translation of this statement. They have adopted a translation strategy i.e. paraphrasing using unrelated words or paraphrase such as,

??????? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?? ???? ??? ???? ???

(chalo apny parhosiyon ko khany pr bula kr jijak khatam karty hain- let’s resolve the hesitation by inviting our neighbors on a meal)

??? ?? ??? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ??

(chalo hum pehel krty hain apny naye parhosiyon ko khany per bula kr- let's take an initiative by inviting our new neighbours to a meal)

???? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ?? ???? ????

(apny naye parhosiyon ko khany per bula kr faasly kam karty hain- let's reduce the distances by inviting our new neighbours for a meal)

??? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ????? ?? ???? ???? ????

(chalo naye parhosiyon ko khany per bula kr nayi guftagu ka aaghaz krtyhain- Let's take a start new conversation by inviting new neighbours on a meal)

However, 15% of students have given no answers while 47% of them translated incorrectly due to literal translation and irrelevant translation such as,

??? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? ????

(chalo naye parhosiyon ko khany per bula kr baraf torh den- let's break the ice by inviting new neighbours on a meal)

???? ??? ??????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? ?? ???

(apny naye hamsaiyon ko dawat per bula kr raaz faash kr den- let's reveal the secret by inviting new neighbours on the feast)

???? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?????

(apny parhosiyon ko khany per bula kr ek missal qaim kr den- let's set an example by inviting our neighbours on a meal)

Statement (6) my boss took me for lunch and the company footed the bill.

81% of students have provided acceptable answers by paraphrasing using unrelated words or paraphrasing and translation by compensation such as,

???? ??? ???? ????? ?? ?? ??? ??? ????? ?? ?? ??? ????

(mere boss mjhy khany per ly gye aur company ne bill ada kiya- my boss took me on lunch and the company paid the bill)

However, 9% of students have left the statement unanswered while 10% translated it incorrectly due to irrelevant translations as,

???? ??? ????????? ?? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?? ????

(mere boss mjhy khany per ly gye aur baqi sab jal gye- my boss took me on lunch aur rest of all got jealous)

Statement (7) the soldier was too young to bite the dust.

Only 4% of students have answered this statement correctly by using an idiom having a similar meaning but dissimilar form such as,

???? ???? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????? ????

(fauji dhul chataany k lye bht chota tha- the soldier was too young to bite the dust)

???? ???? ???? ????? ?? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?

(sepahi abi dhul chaatany k lye nihayat jawan tha- the soldier was too young to bite the dust)              

Whereas, 27% of students have translated it as acceptable by paraphrasing using unrelated words or paraphrasing such as,  

 ????? ??? ?? ????? ??? ???

(sepahi bhot hi jawani me mara- the soldier died too young)

 ???? ????? ??? ?? ???? ????? ?? ?? ???

(fauji jawani me hi khaliq-e-haqiqy se ja mila- the soldier passed away in youth)

????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ???? ????

(fauji marny k lye bht jawan tha- the soldier was too young to die)

However, 28% of students have given no answers while 41% of them have translated it as incorrect due to irrelevant translations such as,

????? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ????? ????

(sepahi itni mushkilat ka samna krny k liye bht chota tha- the soldier was too young to face the difficulties)

????? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???? ????

(sepahi jang larhny k lye jawan tha- the soldier was young to fight a war)

Statement (8) People who are always complaining are a pain in the neck.

34% of students have translated this statement correctly by using an idiom having a similar meaning but dissimilar form such as,

?? ??? ?? ?? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?? ??? ??????????

(woh log jo hr waqt shikayat krty hain woh dard-e-sir huty hain- those who complain all the time are irritating)

?? ??? ????? ??? ???? ???? ??? ?? ??? ??? ?? ?? ????????

(jo log hamesha gily shikwy krty hain woh naak me dum krty hain- those people who always complain, tease a lot)

Whereas, 10% of respondents have provided acceptable answers by paraphrasing using unrelated words or paraphrasing and by using modulation such as,

????? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ???? ??? ???? ??

(jo log shikaayat krty hain un se banda tang rehta hai- one gets fed up from complaining people)

?? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ???? ????

(jo log shikayaat krty hain woh musibat huty hain- the people who complain are troublesome)

However, 18% of them have provided no answers while 38% of respondents have translated this statement incorrectly by using literal translation or irrelevant translation.

?? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?? ??? ????? ???? ????

(jo log shikayat krty hain woh galy ka dard hty hain- the people who complain are throat aches)

 ??? ?? ????? ???? ??? ??? ?? ????? ???? ????

(log jo hamesha garden me dard ki shikayat krty hain- the people who always complain about pain in neck)

 ?? ??? ????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ????

(jo log shikayaat krty hain garden per bhoj huty hain- the people who complain are a burden on the neck)

Statement (9) I received my pink slip last week and I am now looking for a new job.

Only 2% of respondents translated this statement correctly by using an idiom having a similar meaning but dissimilar form such as,

???? ????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??? ????

(mjhy pichly hafty hi apni nokari se hath dhona parha aur ab me nayi nokari ki talash me hon- Last week I was deprived of my job and now I am looking for a new job)

Whereas, 37% of respondents have provided acceptable answers by paraphrasing using unrelated words or paraphrasing and modulation such as,

???? ????? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ??? ????

(mjhy pichly hafty hi asteefa mil gia aur ab me nayi nokari dhond rha hn- last week I get my resignation and now I am looking for a new job)

 ???? ????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ??? ??? ?? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??? ????

(mjhy pichly hafty nokari se nikala gia aur ab me nayi nokari ki talash me hn- last week I was fired from my job and now I am looking for a new job)

However, 22% of students have not answered this statement while 39% of them translated it as incorrect either by literal translation or irrelevant translation such as,

 ????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ??? ??? ?? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??? ????

(pichly hafty mjhy gulabi slip mili aur ab me nayi nokari ki talash me hn- last week I got my pink slip and now I am looking for a new job)

???? ???? ???????? ????? ???? ??? ??? ?? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??? ???

(mjhy mera certificate pichly hafty mila aur ab me nayi nokari ki talash me hn- last week I received my certificate and now I am looking for a new job)

 ??? ?? ????? ???? ???? ???? ???? ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??? ????

(me ne pichly hafty apni degree mukammal ki aur ab me nayi nokari ki talash me hn- I completed my degree last week and now I am looking for a new job)

The results of this research question show that Baker’s and Newmark’s strategies are used by students while translating de-contextual and contextual idioms which are: “using an idiom having similar meaning and form, using an idiom having similar meaning but dissimilar form, translation by paraphrase using related words or descriptive equivalent, paraphrase using unrelated words or paraphrase, translation by cultural equivalent, translation by omission and translation by compensation, translation by synonymy, translation by functional equivalent, translation by modulation.” However, the figure (1 and 2)  show the use of these strategies in de-contextual translation of idioms. 




Figure 1

Strategies used in Translating De-contextual Idioms



Figure 2

Strategies used in Translating Contextual Idioms

In figures (1 and 2) It has been observed that 200 students have used the strategy using an idiom having similar meaning and form for the translation of literal idioms in the translation of both de-contextual and contextual idioms. 37 students used an idiom having a similar meaning but a dissimilar form in the translation of de-contextual idioms which increased to 82 students in the contextual translation of idioms. The strategies, paraphrasing using the related word or descriptive equivalent and synonymy were used by 105 students in the translation of de-contextual idioms while in the contextual translation of idioms, the number of students increased to 147. Whereas, paraphrasing using unrelated words or paraphrasing was used by 39 students in the de-contextual translation of idioms increased to 329 students in the contextual translation of idioms. Translation by omission was used by 38 students in the de-contextual translation of idioms while in the contextual translation of idioms, the number of students increased to 58. Translation by cultural equivalent was used by 38 students in the de-contextual translation of idioms while in the contextual translation of idioms, the use of this strategy increased to 58 students. Translation by functional equivalent was used by 48 students in the de-contextual translation of idioms while in the contextual translation of idioms, the frequency increased to 63. Translation by compensation was used by 92 students in the translation of de-contextual idioms which increased to the number of 171 students. Translation by modulation is used by 6 students during the de-contextual translation of idioms whereas, the frequency increased to 47 in the contextual translation of idioms. However, the strategies like using an idiom having a similar form and meaning, using an idiom having a similar meaning but a dissimilar form, paraphrasing using related words or descriptive equivalent, synonymy and paraphrasing using unrelated words or paraphrases were used by most of the students than any other translation strategy. Therefore, it has been found that the use of translation strategies was more in contextual translation than the de-contextual translation of idioms as context gives more freedom in understanding the sense and meaning of idioms. 

Conclusion

The findings show that students encountered difficulties while translating from English into Urdu. The primary difficulties they faced include were the inability to deduce the appropriate meaning of idioms, find equivalents in the target language, the cultural gap between SL and TL, grasp the figurative meaning of idioms, and the lack of familiarity with idiomatic expressions. The social context has an important role in facilitating the figurative meaning of idioms, leading to inaccurate responses. However, students’ translations of de-contextualized idioms usually ended up with unsatisfactory results because an idiom is largely tied to the situation that gives it meaning. Therefore, considering the context becomes essential for achieving correct translations In addition, most of the students didn’t know about the accurate use of translation strategies. While translating from English into Urdu, the students stuck to the literal translation which makes the translation of most of the idioms incorrect. strategies like using an idiom having similar meaning and form, using an idiom having similar meaning but dissimilar form, paraphrasing, translation by omission, etc. While this approach proved successful for translating literal idioms, difficulties arose with semi-idioms and pure idioms, as these expressions must be treated as unified units to yield acceptable translations. Consequently, better understanding, using and translating idioms, and using accurate strategies to solve the problem of non-equivalence and familiarity with differences between source and target languages need mastering. Students need increased exposure to the use of idioms in schools and universities to extend their idiom-related knowledge.

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