Exploring Morphosyntax-related Semantic and Pragmatic Dimension Losses in Three English Translations of the Meanings of Sūrah AlKahf: A Comparative Pragmalinguistic Analytical Study

Abstract

The current research paper explores some morphosyntax-related semantic and pragmatic dimension losses in three English translations of the meanings of Sūrah AlKahf of Mohammed A.S Abdel- Hakeem, Mohammed M. Pickthall, and Mohammed Khan and Mohammed Taj Al-Din Al-Hilai . Also, the study aims at probing the reasons that lead to these semantic and pragmatic losses, either partial or complete. The two researchers utilized the qualitative descriptive paradigm, which is proper and apt to this study because the Holy Quran rendition is multiplex and cannot be deeply examined adopting another alternative research paradigm. Markedly, the qualitative descriptive paradigm is apt to analyze the data extracted from the three translations of Mohammed A.S Abdel- Hakeem, Mohammed M. Pickthall, and Mohammed Khan and Mohammed Taj Al-Din Al-Hilai Abdel of Surah AlKahf .The study indicated losses in renditions, tense, verbs, losses of consistency and morphosyntax grouping, and culture-specific terms. The study also revealed that the morphosyntax-related semantic and pragmatic dimension losses might lead to meaning losses, fixed expressions, idioms, or culture-specific terms. This study recommends that the translators of the Holy Quran in general and the translators of Surah AlKahf, notably, employ suitable translation strategies to decrease the morphosyntax-related semantic and pragmatic dimension losses in the translation of the Holy Quran.