Translation(3) Lecture[3] Style of fronting & style of parallelism Eman Baghlaf

Style of Fronting Fronting or foregrounding: It means to move a word, a phrase or a clause from its original place in the middle or at the end of a sentence to the beginning (or the front position) of that sentence. This can be understood by recognizing the normal word in English language. For example, a declarative sentence has the following normal order: Subject -Verb-Object/ Complement, when a sentence starts with an object, this object is fronted. E.g.: “Allah she worshiped”, instead of : “She worshiped Allah”. Likewise, a complement is usually positioned after the verb: E.g. : “in my room he slept”, instead of : “ he slept in my room”.

As he had been caught red-handed, the criminal was sentenced to death. As to clauses, the normal clause order in English is the main clause, first, then subordinate clause. When the subordinate clause is placed before the main clause, it is fronted. For example, As he had been caught red-handed, the criminal was sentenced to death. Subordinate clause Main clause

The reasons for using fronting : Emphasis Both the glorified “الله”and “ غرفتي” are not in their normal positions in Arabic, yet they have to be in such a position to reflect the same function of emphasis and surprise aimed at in the English original. Allah she worshiped الله عبدت She worshiped Allah عبدت الله In my room he slept في غرفتي نام He slept in my room نام في غرفتي

Cause and effect The subordinate clause is fronted because it includes the cause of the criminal’s sentencing to death. That’s, the sentence has the relation of cause and effect. Cause: catching the criminal red-handed Effect: sentencing him to death

The conditional clause The second clause is conditioned by the first. This is a good reason for fronting the latter, despite being subordinate. In Arabic, this order should be retained to convey the same condition. If you apologize, I will forgive you إذا اعتذرت ،فسوف أسامحك

Fronting is used not only at the sentence level, but also at the text level. For example, Round a centrally –placed coffee-table there are three armchairs . To the left of the fireplace is alcove with built- in bookshelves. To the right, a table carrying a television set. Against the wall facing the fireplace stands an upright piano. حول طاولة صغيرة متمركزة في الوسط، يوجد ثلاثة كراسي. إلى الجهة اليسرى من الموقد فجوة فيها رفوف كتب. إلى الجهة اليمنى طاولة عليها جهاز تلفاز . على الحائط مقابل الموقد ينتصب بيانو عمودي. يوجد ثلاثة كراسي حول طاولة صغيرة متمركزة في الوسط. فجوة فيها رفوف كتب إلى الجهة اليسرى من الموقد. طاولة عليها جهاز تلفاز إلى الجهة اليمنى. ينتصب بيانو عمودي على الحائط مقابل الموقد.

Style of Parallelism Parallelism: When two structures are identical to one another, they are described as parallel. Such parallelism can be important to meaning implying a balance between two or more messages.

E.g.: My father is ill. My mother is sad. My sister is worried. والدي مريض ، أمي حزينة ، أختي قلقة The structures of these three short sentences are parallel. The sentences are well-balanced, not only in structure but also in meaning. That is my father fell ill, my mother felt sad for him, and my sister was worried about him or about both. Nouns (subjects) Verbs Adjectives (complements) My father Is ill My mother sad My sister Worried

Other possible translations: أبي مريض لذا أمي حزينة عليه. وكذلك أختي قلقة عليه أبي مريض مما سبب الحزن لأمي والقلق لأختي Although these are acceptable translations, they are rather explanations. More importantly, they disregard the stylistic device of parallelism which has the functions that are inseparable from meaning

These three sentences have identical parallel structures: #1 Another example: I always advise my brother not to get nervous when he is dejected. He usually wants me not to be passive when he is angry. Bothe of us often ask our parents not to be worried when we are different. These three sentences have identical parallel structures: #1 I always advise my brother He usually wants me Bothe of us often ask our parents S+ Adv.+V+O

#2 Not to get nervous Not to be passive Not to be worried #3 When he is dejected When he is angry When we are different not+ to+V+C(adj) Adv.+ S+V+C(adj)

The function of parallelism is balancing and counter- balancing the three interconnected parts of the message. 1-I always advise my brother أنصح اخي دائماً Not to get nervous ألا يكون عصبياً When he is dejected عندما يكون مكتئباً 2-He usually wants me يريدني عادةً Not to be passive ألا أكون سلبياً When he is angry عندما يكون غاضباً 3-Bothe of us often ask our parents كلانا غالبا مايرجو والديه Not to be worried ألا يكونا قلقين When we are different عندما نكون مختلفين

The difference in word order is unimportant The difference in word order is unimportant . What is important is to retain the word class( i.e. noun ===noun , adj===adj ect) of the original in Arabic, and to use a parallel Arabic word order. Thus, the style of parallelism is functional , implying a significant part of meaning. Therefore, in translation into Arabic we should insist on imitating this type of style to reflect the same function.

When it is not possible for students to produce parallelism in Arabic, they can solve the problem by ignoring it , with a loss of rhetoric, aesthetic effect as a part of the meaning, though.