The Translation of Reporting Verbs in English and Persian

Ardekani, M.A.M.

Babel 2002 48 (2)125-134
(ReLIS:jul:oibfdn:y:2002:v:48:i:2:p:125-134)

Abstract:

The reporting verbs in English can be divided into 4 groups: (1) those concerned with the content, like: argue, define, explain, agree, protest, stipulate, confide, confirm, enumerate, classify, narrate, persuade, threaten, warn, caution, retort, etc. (2) those related to the mode of utterance, such as: whisper, bark, bleat, shout, chant, gasp, mutter, mumble, stutter, ejaculate, etc. (3) those pertaining to the nature of the report, e.g., say, tell, answer, ask, question, enquire, order, command, interrupt, etc. and (4) non-reporting verbs which imply reporting like : He nodded 'Yes', She smiled 'Yes, please He frowned 'No'. By contrast, in Persian and perhaps Arabic, the reporting verbs are not that varied. The Holy Quran is filled with ghol (tell, say), ghala, etc. They usually use the blanket term ghoft or ghala (he said) and leave the rest to the imagination of the reader/hearer. My experience tells me that there must be a balance between their faithful translation and their omission. If you err on the side of the entire transference of them, you will produce an odd, artificial translation. If you ignore them altogether and translate them into a blanket term, you have not done justice to the source text. The paper devotes itself to the speculation of the ways of their translation, citing examples from diverse sources both English and Persian.

Keywords: Verbos ; Traducción ; Inglés-Arabe
Pages: 125-134
Volume: 48
Year: 2002
Issue: 2

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