THE DISTORTION ANALYSIS TOWARDS SURA AL-KAUTSAR
SAIDAH TURAHMAH
(1110026000033) . LINGUISTICS II FINAL PAPER
Introduction
Nida and Taber said (as cited in Widyamartaya,
1989) that Translation is the removal of language from the original language to
the language used by the user or translator. Translating focus in reproducing
in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source language
message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style.
Quran is the
primary Islamic holy book published by Prophet Muhammad through Gabriel angel.
It contains 30 sections, 114 surahs and 6,666 verses. The first Sura al-Alaq showed in 610 AD, when
Prophet Muhammad forty years old he received the first revelation in cave Hira close
to Mecca based on Islamic library (“History of the Quran”,2013). Muhammad as
the last Prophet spread the kindness and brings the alteration from the
confusion era into a bright period. Translation of certain parts of the Quran
started in the life of the Prophet Muhammad. It has been reported that when
Jaafar ibn Abu Talib (cousin of the Prophet Muhammad) recited the first forty
verses of chapter Mary (Maryam) in the court of emperor Najashi, these verses
were translated there and then into Amharic (local language).
In this analysis
paper, I focus about differences between translations in electronic sources
such web and English translation version for Quran. Stressing in Quran meaning
and context of distortion in web translator. I use the theory
of distortion analysis for translation. Looking
twisting facts with
machine translation of original digital translator
and find an analysis
to be used as a reference in the use of translation in the holy book the Quran which is the holy
book of Muslims around the
world.
Theoretical Framework
the image of Islam (which was dubbed as Mohammadanism) and Muslims
got tarnished in the west because most of the western translators of the Quran
deliberately distorted its meanings and in the absence of an authentic
translation by a person of faith (Muslim) there was no source to put the record
straight and remove and eradicate such misconceptions and present the meanings
of the Quran in its pristine purity.
Because of many failed Quran translations and lead much public
criticism, I took a piece theory from web sources. This theory said that Translation
of the Qur'an has always been a problematic and difficult issue in Islamic
theology (“Quran Translation”, 2013). Failure in translation is usually caused
by a lack of knowledge about
something that is interpreted or
translated, and the abuse which is also called distortion in translation.
Distortion or literally called significant
deviations players turn facts on something
fatal or bad in
the eyes of the media or the public around (“meaning distortion”, 2013).
However distortion also has a variety of applications such as distortion in music
terms, it means that
the tone deviation means making more unique tone and has impression in the ears
of the listener / audience. Distortions in
linguistic widely used in research for a new
style or media
trend of things that
trigger conflicts in society because of an
error in interpret or make sense of a language. Distortion
picks in varieties forms:
1.
Music
distortion, a noisy voice appears from electronic
reproduction of sounds or music. It always connect to the tones and music
waveform compared to an input. Clipping, compression, non-linear behavior of
electronics component, modulation, aliasing and mixing phenomena or power
supply inefficiencies can cause distortion in music based on definition of
music distortion (“Audio distortion”, 2013)
2.
Cognitive
distortion, thinking out of the groove so that the detected brain disorder or disharmony
logic of thought and body language. In Aaron beck opinion, cognitive distortion
is errors in thinking which prevalent in many forms of mental illness including
mood and anxiety disorder. Cognitive distortions are ways of that negatively
skew the way in which we see the world. Cognitive therapist has identified a
number of cognitive distortions that seems to be particularly prevalent among
people with OCD. OCD cognitive distortion include: over-importance of though,
overestimation of danger, inflation of responsibility, need for certainty,
intolerance of emotional discomfort was argued (Kelly,2011)
3.
Historical
distortion, richardstansfield (2011) argues that historical changing something
into something that is not true or not acceptable. An review history can evoke
a sense of curiosity and maximize the past memory which appears recently. There
is a lot of history covered and eliminate an important point itself.
4.
Translation
distortion, extension the worse meaning of language into other language. It can
cause the public controversy and language in daily use.
From this theoretical framework, I analyze and wants to prove how
influences the meaning of popular machine translation such as Google and the
interpreter translator to translate one of chapter in the holy Quran like sura
al-Kautsar.
Sources
Of 114 letters in the Quran, I
took the letter al-Kauthar as data analysis. Al-Kauthar is the shortest letter
which is in the holy book Quran, and a chapter of the most discussed in the forum
because of the beauty sound and its meaning, which means a pond or a lake
Kauthar contained in heaven and keep abundant goodness and favor contained to
be given to people who are willing to worship the almighty God Allah with all
sincerity.
The rapid technological
developments that are actually capable of translating any human controlled now,
handle able by search engines like web translators are more scattered on the
internet. Machine translation is officially issued by the combined company
Google in October 2007 which is the first app released by translation of the
web for the year.
Analysis
(إِنَّا
أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ)
In Google Translation : I given you Kawthar
Interpreter translation :
Lo! We have given thee Abundance
The first verse actually means I have given you a lot of favor and pleasure. Many pleasures which the almighty of God Allah had given to Prophet Muhammad on earth.
The word (إِنَّا) inna refer to sincerity from the
almighty God Allah. This sincerity connects to Prophet Muhammad. This word
means verily, truly, certainly. That means the exclamation point in
beginning verse of this Sura. In this section, I have not found something worse
in English translation of this section because the pressure word has the same
meaning in some language including English and Arabic.
(أَعْطَيْنَاكَ) a’thainâka slice from the word (أعطى) a’thâ| means
giving which always used in allocation of one’s private property. In Google Translator,
it explains about giving something to someone. I found the different meaning in
this section. It refer to a given that explain in both translation. First, the
explanation about present associated with a precious giving. But the second one
tells about the worthless present or something less desirable.
(الْكَوْثَرَ) al-kautsar based on the Quran interpreter Muhammad
Shakir, the word (الْكَوْثَرَ) al-kautsar
is untranslatable in detail of the end verse or in the whole verse. In
translator machine, the word (الْكَوْثَرَ) al-kautsar
also could not be reach to translate. (الْكَوْثَرَ) al-kautsar in real meaning is much/plentiful/considerable.
It shows that a situation where someone feel more than enough (Hornby,2004). This word use to say something excessively or in great qualities. A
figure who had given a big play role named Kautsar.
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ
Google Translation : Season for the Lord and sacrifice
a
English translator : Therefore pray to your Lord and make a sacrifice
The word (فَصَلِّ) fashalli
in this section divided into two words (ف) Fa and (صلى) Shalli. The word (ف) as a conjunction and appears in beginning sentence or verse. Literally
(ف)Fa means so/therefore/then/undoubtedly (Mahmud
Yunus, 1972). Then, word (صلى) Shalli
It express how people can closest with their creator (the almighty God Allah)
especially Sholat. It has different meaning with pray in English. Pray
is the whole meaning about liturgy, a fixed form of public worship used in
churches (Hornby, 2000). It seems Sholat and Pray has a far meaning from the
original context. Sholat means do regularly based on Islamic rules from the
procedures,times, actions, until Sunnah (behavior following the Prophet
Muhammad) but Pray has a large meaning in all religion to closest with the
action towards the God. Because almost all English users from European who
Christianity. So, the word pray usually uses in Churches activities
refer to liturgy. An Islamic narrator Ibn ‘Abbâs express that word (فَصَلِّ) fashalli
aims to order the implement of five
times sholat. The important thing of sholat in this meaning is sholat for Idul
Adha celebration which do before implement the sacrifice of animals. So many
ways of pray but the simple one is pray. The almighty God Allah love Prophet
Muhammad when he prays for his follower.
The word (لِرَبِّكَ) detached
into three words (ل)li
, (ربّ)rabbi (ك) kâf.
(ل)lam as preposition to explain in front of noun. (ربّ)rabbi means the almighty God Allah. Allah is the God in
Islam it has distinction meaning with the Lord. Word of the lord , the
pressure sense concerning with men of high social class and also a nobleman
(“lord”, 2013) although the lord in this meaning concerning with the God. I do
not think about the God same as human. Human is the creation of the God. There
is separated purpose between meaning of Lord and The almighty God. The almighty
God Allah has the power towards the universe which place human in it.
The word (ك) kâf, concerning with object in the sentence. It means (ك) kâf always appears after noun such (ربّ)rabbi and then it will perfect if they joined (رَبِّكَ) rabbika
imply to your almighty God Allah. (ك) kâf especially
intended to the Prophet Muhammad because his patient and steadiness toward the
infidels who hate him.
Cut of (انْحَرْ) inhar
cut become (نحر) nahr
in literally means chest or a part of body near of breast. In English (نحر) nahr interpreted as slaughter in killing
context. There is separate difference between chest and slaughter.
The chest uses for physics of human. Based on al-Misbah interpreter (Shihab,
2007) said that the word (انْحَرْ)inhar means put
both hands in the chest. It also interpreted as a pray which do in Idul Adha
celebration (Qurban). Kurban is activity to butch the animals based on Islamic
rules. the Qurban animals such camel, cow, goat and sheep.
The slaughter meaning often applies
in scared accident of human. It consists of meaning in crime context. The real
meaning of (انْحَرْ) inhar in this section is sacrifice. The animal
sacrifice is command of the almighty God in Islamic worship context. The
command such exclamation, invitation and must as Muslim who care others. In
every results of animal sacrifice will distributed to needy people. It shows
that Islam learn how to love each other without look at status or position
because both are unimportant things. In the sense of almighty God Allah, the
great requirement is only has Taqwa. According to Islamic dictionary,
(“Taqwa”,2013) Taqwa is a concept in Islam
that is interpreted by some Islamic Scholars as God consciousness. It has many
further understandings and interpretations. Taqwa may mean piousness, fear of
Allah, love for Allah, and self restraint. Having Taqwa allows a person to be
constantly aware of both God's presence and attributes and a reminder of their
relationship and responsibility to God as His creation and servant. The
scholars explain that the way to taqwa is through obedience of God, avoiding
disobedience, and striving to stay away from doubtful matters.
The whole verse explains
about the exclamation from the almighty God Allah about pray such shalat
and qurban. The pleasure of life should be grateful to share the others.
I found the English translation version of this part is worse at all.
إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ
Google translation : Jyllands Posten
Interpreter translation : Lo! it is thy insulter (and not
thou) who is without posterity.
(إِنَّ) inna
this cut interpreted as (Lo!). The word Lo means an exclamation
using in old English and humor context. It clarifies about the use in the holy
Quran. The holy Quran is the sacred object from the almighty God Allah. So, we
could not state that this verse is humor. Humor comes from something or someone
make a joke and aims to entertain. It is not appropriate to apply in the holy
Quran. Humor and Holy cannot function coincide.
In Tafsir al-Misbah (Shihab,2007) explain that the word (شَانِئَكَ) syâni’aka drawn from (شنآن) syana’ân means hatred.
The holy Quran apply this word to shows in respect to hatred thing out of
context. The utterance of syaaniaka often is spoken in infidel’s scope who
hates the prophet Muhammad. Towards this case, it cause the infidels could not
reach good deeds from the almighty God. Clearly, the word (شَانِئَكَ) syâni’aka concerning with statement in hate
expression context. In this context, that expression refers to the Prophet
Muhammad when the infidels banter him. They dislike the prophet Muhammad and
his descent. Therefore, they promise he cannot life calmly and wants to kill
his descents.
he word (لأبتر) al-abtar cut from word (بتر) batara which means disconnected
in many contexts. In animal context, (بتر) batara uses for
something broken off from animal’s body such as tail. In this part of verse, (بتر) batara means snap
connect between good deed and humankind which concern in the almighty good
decision. (لأبتر) al-abtar at the
same context also appears in one of the
hadith of Prophet Muhammad “in every important duty and it did not begin
with basmallah, thus it brings in Abtar (disconnected your good deeds and
blessing)”
Something worse appears when I tried to translate the last verse of
this chapter. I type à (إِنَّ
شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ) and then the translator machine of Arabic into English shows
this result (Jylland posten). Based on Wikipedia (“Jylland Posten”,
2013) explain that Jylland Posten is the name of controversial newspaper which
exhibit the cartoon of Prophet Muhammad in 2005s. At that time, this
controversial newspaper gets criticism all over the world, and provokes some
terrorist against the newspaper. The meaning behind is an accident of Prophet
Muhammad when the infidels mock him while the Jylland Posten also contains
something taunt Prophet Muhammad use those cartoon.
Conclusion
The above analysis, I argued
a lot about the meaning
of the translator with a search engine called google. In this
analysis I found some significant differences as well as differences not
significant (meaning understood).
In the first verse is not found significant differences between machine
translation with the original
interpreter but the
second verse found some pieces worth fewer
words in context such as: Fashalli, Lirobbika,
and Nahr that has specific meaning but is
more generally defined by expert interpreters
and translation engine.
On the third or
last paragraph, indicate insignificant whole meaning
/ translation of
(إن شانئك هو الأبتر) to Jylland Posten even though both
have the same background of
ridicule to the prophet
Muhammad. Application of the theory that Translation of the Qur'an has always been a
problematic and difficult issue in Islamic theology (“Quran Translation”, 2013)
Translating scriptures such as the Quran is
the hardest part for interpreters and translators of the
Quran which also includes the work should not be done
by just anyone as a form of
preservation of meaning and form are valid for life. The difficulties
always find in some text translation but the most difficult thing is translate
the origin language such Arabic into other language which some of terms is
untranslatable. Therefore, the interprter should understand the original and
classic arabic in many contexts for the best quality translation. The theory of
difficulties translation can be prove that all of the the holy Quran translator
have difference meaning.
References
The Holy Qur’an
History of Quran. (2011, May). Retrieved from
Yunus, Mahmud (1972) Kamus
Arab-Indonesia. Jakarta, Indonesia: Mahmud Yunus Wa Dzuriyah
Hornby AS (1948) Oxford
advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English. Oxford, UK: Oxford University
press
History of the Holy Quran.(2000).
Retrieved from
Widyamartaya, A. (1989). Seni menerjemahkan.
Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Penerbit Kanisius
Road A & Daryaganj. (2006) Dictionary of holy
Quran. New Delhi, India: Mehra Offset Press
Mahsun. (2005) Metode penelitian bahasa.
Jakarta, Indonesia: Raja Grafindo Persada
Shihab, Quraish M. (2003)Tafsir al-Mishbah pesan,
kesan dan keserasian Al-Qur’an. Jakarta, Indonesia: Lentera Hati
Jylland Posten.
(2012, November). Retrieved from
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyllands-Posten
Kelly (2011) Cognitive
Distortion. Retrieved from
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