"I am a Jew from the Soviet Union":
Text, Gender and English in Arabic Translation
by Dr. Aboudi Jawad Hassan
http://www.towerofbabel.com/features/textgenderenglish/text2.htm
Part Two: Text, Gender and English in Arabic Translation
The Analysis
This section of the work will be devoted to the analysis of the three texts. Here all
the problematic sentences in the texts will be analyzed first.
Secondly, to show the urgent need for a disambiguating sentence, one genderfree sentence from each text will be analyzed. By a gender-free sentence is meant
a sentence, which offers no clue whatsoever to help the translator select a
definitive Arabic translation of the ambiguous English sentence. Thirdly the
disambiguating sentence will be analyzed here along with the above two types of
sentence.
In the second stage of the analysis the disambiguating sentence will be further
analyzed in order to show its primary role in disambiguating the text in terms of
gender. It will be translated into Arabic first. Then the clue will be specified and
further examined.
During the analysis, it is supposed that all the elements of the context remain
unchanged (the speaker, the address, and the location and temporal settings).
Because initials and symbols are going to be used in this section a table
containing them is given below.
Symbol
F
M
ANW
MES
Ling
Exling
Sent
Interp
No PATs
Meaning
Female
Male
Assumed Normality of the World
Mutually Exclusive sex
Linguistics
Extralinguistics
Sentence
Interpretation
Number of Possible Arabic Translation
Let us start with text (A), which is, as mentioned earlier, a letter to the editor. The
very first sentence of this text is ambiguous in terms of gender. Let us analyze
this sentence on its own.
Text A (1)
Sent
No PATs
1- I am a Jew from the Soviet Union who wanted to
enjoy greater freedom and higher standards of living
in the West. F/M
‫ أنا يهودي من االتحاد السوفيتي أردت التمتع بقدر‬-1
( )‫أكبر من الحرية ومستوى عيش أفضل في الغرب‬
M
‫ أنا يهودية من االتحاد السوفيتي أردت التمتع بقدر‬-2
‫أكبر من الحرية ومستوى عيش أفضل في الغرب‬
) F(
Ambiguity
ANW
MES
No clues to be guided by
Humans (from both sexes) can be members of any
one faith (by birth or conversation)
F/M
For the reasons mentioned earlier, translation beginners like my first year
students will go for the first translation. It will never occur to them (unless
instructed) that the speaker is feminine. Let us take any other sentence in the
same text. Let us take sentence (2) and analyze it in the same way.
Text A (2)
Sent
No PATs
Ambiguity
ANW
MES
1- I applied to go to the USA but when my papers
were completed and I was given an exit permit, I was
told the Jewish organization that had arranged for my
departure insisted that I go to Israel.
‫تقدمت بطلب للذهاب إلى الواليات المتحدة ولكن عندما‬
-3
‫اكتملت أوراقي وحصلت على سمة الخروج أبلغت أن المنظمة‬
‫اليهودية التي رتبت مسألة مغادرتي أصرت على ذهابي إلى‬
. ‫إسرائيل‬
Unambiguous
Traveling aboard needs some formalities to be done
by both sexes.
Undetermined
This sentence is ambiguous in terms of gender and is absolutely unhelpful to the
translation beginner in order to determine the gender of the speaker of the first
sentence. That is because the sentence is neutral of gender.
Let us go to the end of the text. Here the signature will provide the translator with
compelling evidence that the speaker is female.
Text A (19)
Sent
No PATs
Ambiguity
ANW
MES
(signed by) Rebecca Nudelman
‫توقيع ربيكا نيودلمان‬
Unambiguous
English first names signal a biological difference
Male
This sentence is highly important for Arab translator, particularly professional
ones, because translators in general take it for granted that every “I” in almost
every sentence indicates a singular male speaker.
Unfortunately for the translation beginners, this is not the case in this text. They
therefore usually come up with inconsistent translations in terms of gender when
dealing with texts like the one above.
To avoid such inconsistency in translation, the translator is required to be guided
by clues available in or through the context (like the proper name above).
Now let us turn to text (B). Like (A) this text opens with almost the same
sentence. Here the translator is also in the dark concerning the gender of the
speaker.
Text B (1)
Sent
No PATs
Ambiguity
ANW
MES
(1) I am a Jew. F/M
(2) ‫( أنا يهودي‬M)
(1) ‫( أنا يهودية‬F)
No clues to be guided by
Humans (of both sexes) can be members of any
one faith by birth or conversation.
F/M
Definitely the translation beginners here will come up with cohesive and coherent
Arabic translation for one obvious reason that he/she takes it for granted that
every “I” in any sentence indicates a male speaker. No other sentence in this text
will offer any other clue indicating otherwise. Let us take sentence (2) of this text
and see whether it can change the mind of the translator.
Text B (2)
Sent
No PATs
Ambiguity
ANW
I am 56 years old
‫أبلغ من العمر ستا وخمسين سنة‬
Unambiguous
It is a universal fact that any human (from both
sexes) has a life span.
MES
Undetermined
Undoubtedly the signature of the letter will almost always resolve the ambiguity.
Let us examine how this works.
Text B (12)
Sent
(Signed by)
Stanley Wallinets
No PATs
Ambiguity
ANW
MES
‫توقيع ستانلي والينتس‬
Unambiguous
English first names indicate biological difference
(F)
This sentence seems unimportant to translation beginners because as mentioned
earlier they take it for granted that every “ I “ in any sentence represents a male
speaker. Coincidentally this is the case here. They therefore unknowingly
produce consistent translations in terms of gender.
For contrastive and comparative purposes let us focus our attention on texts (A)
and (B) first and then deal individually with text (C). In text (A) because the
translation beginners feel that every “I” represents a male singular speaker and
because they are inattentive to the importance of the disambiguating clue, they
come up with a translation inconsistent in terms of gender. In Text (B) because
the beginners take every “I” to indicate a male singular speaker and because
there is no clue indicating otherwise, they unknowingly produce consistent
translation in terms of gender.
Now let us go to text (C) and analyze sentence (2), which is ambiguous in terms
of gender.
TEXT (C) (2)
Sent
DHSS F/M
No PATs
As you can appreciate, I am somewhat nervous about
approaching the passport office or my local. DHSS
‫) كما يمكنكم أن تقدروا ظروفي أنا متخوف من االقتراب من مكتب‬1(
‫جوازات السفر أو مكتب وزارة الصحة والضمان االجتماعي في‬
M
.‫منطقتي‬
‫) كما يمكنكم أن تقدروا ظروفي أنا متخوفة من االقتراب من مكتب‬2(
‫جوازات السفر ومكتب وزارة الصحة والضمان االجتماعي في‬
F
.‫منطقتي‬
Ambiguity
No clues to be guided by
ANW
Passport or DHSS offices are open for both sexes
MES
F/M
As it is almost always the case the translation beginners will go for the first
interpretation for the reasons mentioned earlier. Let us select another sentence in
the same text. Let us take sentence (3).
TEXT (C) (3)
Sent
No PATs
I was born in Washington USA in January 1957
Ambiguity
Unambiguous
ANW
Humans of both sexes have birth dates
MES
Undetermined
‫ كانون‬/‫ولدت في واشنطن في الواليات المتحدة األمريكية في يناير‬
1591 ‫ثاني سنة‬
This sentence of course offers no help to the translation beginner in determining
the gender of the speaker in this text. That is because speakers of both sexes can
utter the sentence.
At this stage a gender specific sentence is needed in order to define the gender of
speaker in this text. No other sentence can do that better than sentence (9)
Text (C) (9)
Sent
I married an Englishman in February 1975 but sadly died in
June 1977
No PATs
‫ ولكنه لسوء‬1519 ‫ شباط سنة‬/‫تزوجت رجال انجليزيا في فبراير‬
1511 ‫ حزيران‬/‫الحظ مات في يونيو‬
Ambiguity
Unambiguous
ANW
English common nouns signal a biological difference
MES
M
Like the disambiguating sentence of text (A) this one is highly significant to
translation beginners because it will help them interpret the gender of other
problematic sentences in this text. In this text however depending on the same
disambiguating clue used in text (A) i.e. the signature surely will be of no help
because the initials of the signed name are absolutely unhelpful. Instead there
exists a clue of a different kind. Unlike disambiguating clue of text (A), the clue
of text (C) comes in a full non-elliptical sentence occurring almost in the middle
of the text.
From the above analysis, one can notice that in terms of gender, sentences in
these three texts can be classified into:
(i) gender problematic sentences
(ii) gender-free or gender unproblematic sentences
(iii) gender specific sentences.
Now let us move on to the second and last stage of the analysis which is the
analysis of the gender specific sentences.
Text A (19)
Sent
Signed by Rebecca Nudelman
Interpret
‫توقيــع ربيــكا نودلمــان‬
Clue
Rebecca
Ling/ Extrling
Linguistic
Type
Proper name
The disambiguating clue in this gender-specific sentence determines
the sex of the speaker in the first sentence of text (A). This in turn
necessitates formal changes in most cases in gender problematic
sentences and perhaps in other sentences in the text.
In this instance as we have seen the translator clings to this linguistic clue. In
case he/she is unable to find such a clue, he/she has to expand the context to
find an extralinguistice one.
Now let see the disambiguating bit in text (B).
Text B (12)
Sent
(1) Signed by Stanley Willinets
Interpret
‫توقــيــع ستـــانلـــي والنـيتــس‬
Clue
Stanley
Ling /Extrling
Linguistic
Type
Proper name
The appropriateness and consistency of these beginners’ spontaneous
translations are supported by the change of sex signaled by the
masculine expression “ Stanley” in this gender specific sentence and
the absence of any other clue indicating otherwise. There is no need
therefore to change formally any item in the gender problematic
sentence because the beginners unknowingly come up with the proper
translations.
Now let us examine the disambiguating sentence in text (C)
Text (C) Sentence (9)
I married an English-man in February 1975 but sadly died in
June 1977
Sent
Interpret
‫ ولكنه لألسف‬1519 ‫ شباط سنة‬/‫تزوجت رجال انجليزيا في فبراير‬
1511 ‫ حزيران‬/‫مات في يونيو‬
Clue
Englishman
Ling/ Extrling
Linguistic
Type
Common noun
Generally what has been said about the disambiguating clue of the
gender specific sentence of text (A) is applicable to the one in (C). It
differs from text (A) in the following aspects.
1. The disambiguating expression is linguistically different. It is a
common noun.
2. It determines the sex of speaker in more than one sentence in the text. It is
crucial to sentence (2), (12) and (13).
3. It is supported by a clue in another gender specific sentence
which is sentence (11).
4. Although this text has also the same linguistic clue as the one in
text (A) (the signature), this clue is absolutely of no use. What has
been analyzed here shows that in texts like the ones we have
examined, the translator is required to probe the text in order to
find clues clarifying the gender of the speaker. Moreover it has been
noticed that any changes in the gender-specific expression results
in a formal change in the gender-problematic sentence signaling a
change in the gender of the speaker. As for the gender- free
sentences, they have no influence whatsoever on determining the
gender of the speaker.
Conclusion
If our approach is plausible and our choice of
data is convincing, we may come up with the
following concluding notes:
1. An unambiguous translation of a
gender problematic sentence can be
secured by expanding the context to
the limit where a clue (linguistic or
extralinguistic) can be spotted . This,
at the text level, will in turn lead to a
cohesive, coherent and sexually
accurate translated text.
2. Any change in the gender – specific
sentence results in a formal change in the
gender- problematic sentence signaling a change
in the gender of the speaker.
3. A gender – free sentence is unhelpful in
securing an unambiguous translation of the
gender- problematic sentence.
4. Linguistic clues are not the only
one which enable the translator or the
translation beginners to obtain an
unambiguous translation. This implies
that extralinguistic clues are as
important as the linguistic ones in
disambiguating the gender of the first
person singular. Non-linguistic clues
need
separate
and
detailed
investigation for consideration of time
and space
Text (A)
I am a Jew from the Soviet Union who wanted to
enjoy a greater degree of freedom and a higher
standard of living in the West. I applied to go to
the United Sates but when my pap ers were
completed and I was given an exit permit I was
told that the Jewish Organization that had
arranged for my departure insisted that I go to
Israel.
I was assigned to a flat in one of the Jewish
settlements on the Occupied West Bank. It did
not take me long to discover the burning hatred
between the Jews and the Palestinian Arabs. At
first I sided with my Jewish neighbors who
resented the presence of Arabs, but then I
learned there was an Arab side, too. The
settlement I lived on was built on land taken
from Arabs, whose ancestors had inhabited that
land for generations. Jews in the settlement
treated the Palestinian people like subhuman.
They were referred to as two – legged animals
and scum of the Earth. They were taunted and
jeered at all the time. The Jewish settlers strutted
around with powerful weapons while the
Palestinians were not permitted to own any kind
of weapon. If a teenager threw a stone at a
soldier or an Israeli vehicle, he could be thrown
in prison for months. I learned what Jewish
racism is really like.
I was appalled at the hypocrisy of the Jewish
settlers- talking so much about human rights
violations in the Soviet Union but treating their
own Arab population much worse than I or my
friends were ever treated in the Soviet Union.
The brutality of my fellow Jews sickened me.
When I would protest against these things, my
neighbor would just laugh at me and say: “those
dirty Arabs don’t deserve any better” I could no
longer stand seeing people treating another
group the way they were once treated themselves
in Eastern Europe and I applied for permission
to come to the United States. It took me six
years to get out of Israel.
I can understand all too well why the
Palestinians have been rioting. Jews in the West
Bank are arrogant bullies and oppressors.
Oakland, Pittsburgh post. Gazette, January 13,
1988.
Text (B)
I am Jewish. I am 56 years old. I lived through Hitler war in England my
schooldays with many Jewish children who were refugees from Germany, and
shared the incredulous horror of the world as news came of the atrocities
committed by the Nazis against our people.
I felt pride that Jews themselves had never sought wars and that after such
experiences could never persecute other people as they had been persecuted. I
enjoyed my teens in the Jewish Youth Movement. I recall how we rejoiced when
at last our brethren fought for and gained the Promised Land.
In my innocent, I was unaware at that time that anyone else lived in Palestine
except for the British who had no right and a handful of nomadic Arabs.
So as I read Eyeless in Gaza italic (Feb. 12) written by a young woman who is not
by race a Jew, Arab or Briton, I wept literally. Now I wonder why I should remain
a Jew?
How can I continue to claim or confess – membership of this once – proud race
which has suffered so much yet given so much to mankind?
How can my brethren do these things to another people?
Above all, perhaps, how may I speak again of the wisdom and intelligence we
Jews have been proud of?
I ask these question gravely , for on the conclusions , I reach I will decide
whether I can go on calling myself a Jew.
Stanley Walinets,
London SW17
Text (C)
Where Do I Belong?
Dear Sir, Strange as it may nationality and I do
not have a passport.
As you can appreciate, I am somewhat nervous
about approaching the passport office or my
local DHSS office.
I was born in Washington, USA in January 1957.
My father was also born in Washington (as were
his parents). My mother, however, was British
(as were her parents) being born in 1922. my
parents were married in England in May 1954
and live in America.
In September 1964 my parents were divorced in
America and I (aged 7) was brought to England
by my mother. We have lived in England ever
since.
(9) I married an Englishman in February 1975,
but sadly he died in June 1977. I have one
daughter, born in England in 1976, but sadly he
died in June 1976.
I am currently employed in England, pay UK
tax, have a National Insurance number.
(11) And receive a Widow’s Allowance.
(12) Am I British?
(13) Am I entitled to a UK passport? Could I also
claim US citizenship? What is the position with
my daughter? Although I am resident in the UK,
am I technically domiciled here. And is that the
same as nationality/citizenship.
JE
UK.
Translation of text (A)
‫أناا يهوديااة ماان االتحاااد السااوفيتي أردت التمتااع بقاادر أكبار ماان الحريااة و مسااتوى عاايش أفضاال فااي الغاارب (‪)2‬‬
‫تقدمت بطلب الذهاب إلى الواليات المتحدة و لكن عندما اكتملت أوراقي و حصلت علاى سامة الخاروج أبلغات أن‬
‫المنظمة التي رتبت مسألة مغادرتي أصرت على الذهاب إلى إسرائيل ‪.‬‬
‫وهناك خصصت لي إحدى الشقق في إحدى المستوطنات في الضفة الغربية‪ .‬و لم يمر وقت طويل حتاى اكتشافت‬
‫الحقد المتأجج بين اليهاود و الفلساطينيين العارب‪ .‬فاي البداياة انحازت إلاى جاناب جيراناي اليهاود الاذين يمقتاون‬
‫وجود العرب بين ظهرانيهم و لكن بعدها علمت أن هناك طرفا عربياا أيضاا‪ .‬إذ أن المساتوطنة التاي كنات أعايش‬
‫فيها بنيت على أرض أخذت من العارب وكاان قاد ساكنها أجادادهم مناذ عادة أجياال وكاان اليهاود فاي المساتوطنة‬
‫يعاملون الفلسطينيين و كأنهم أدنى من البشر وكان يشار إليهم علاى أنهام حيواناات ذات سااقين وح الاة األرض‬
‫وكانوا دائما عرضة للسخرية و اإلهانة‪ .‬وكان المستوطنون اليهود يتبخترون مدججين باألسلحة الفتاكة فيما لام‬
‫يساامل للفلسااطينيين بااامتالك أي نااوا ماان أنااواا األساالحة‪ .‬و إذا مااا رمااى طفاال حجااارة علااى جناادي أو عربااة‬
‫إسرائيلية يلقى به في غياهب السجن لعدة شهور‪ .‬لقد عرفت حقيقة العنصرية اليهودية و ماهيتهاا‪ .‬لقاد أصاابني‬
‫الفزا من نفاق المستوطنين اليهود الذين يتحدثون عن انتهاكات حقاوق اإلنساان فاي االتحااد الساوفيتي ك يارا و‬
‫لكنهم يعاملون السكان العرب عندهم معاملة أسوأ من المعاملة التي تلقيتها أناا أو أي مان أصاحابي فاي االتحااد‬
‫و السوفيتي ‪ .‬إن فظاعة إخواني اليهود قد أمرضتني‪.‬‬
‫و عندما كنت احتج على أعمالهم هذه يضحك علي جيراني و يقولون أن أولئك العرب القذرة ال يستحقون أفضال‬
‫من ذلك‪ .‬لم أعد أستطيع رؤية أناس آخرين بنفس المعاملة التي كانوا يعاملون بها في أوربا الشارقية يوماا ماا‪.‬‬
‫و بقيت ست سنوات حتى استطعت مغادرة إسرائيل‪.‬‬
‫إنني أقدر جيدا األسباب التي دفعت الفلسطينيين إلى الوقوف بوجه اإلسرائيليين‪ .‬إن اليهاود فاي الضافة الغربياة‬
‫مستأسدون متغطرسون ومضطهدون‪.‬‬
‫التوقيع‬
‫ربيكا نيدلمان (‪)15‬‬
‫)‪Translation of Text (B‬‬
‫المحنة التي يواجهها اليهود في كل مكان‬
‫سيدي‬
‫أنا يهودي أبلغ من العمر ستا وخمسين سنة قضيت أيام دراستي خالل حرب هتلر مع العديد من األطفاال اليهاود‬
‫الذين كانوا الجئين من المانيا و تشاركنا الرعب الفظياع الاذي سااد العاالم عنادما وصالتنا أخباار األعماال البشاعة‬
‫التي قام بها النازيون ضد أبناء شعبنا‪.‬‬
‫شعرت بالفخر لكون اليهود أنفسهم ال يريدون أبدا الحروب و أنهام بعاد كال الاذي ماروا باه ال يمكانهم ظلام شاعب‬
‫آخر م لما ظلموا‪.‬‬
‫تمتعت بوجودي في حركة الشبيبة اليهودية و أنا في العقد ال اني من عماري و أتاذكر كياف كانات بهجتناا عنادما‬
‫أخيرا قاتل إخواننا وحصلوا على أرض الميعاد ببر ائتي تلاك كال ماا كنات أعرفاه فاي ذلاك الوقات هاو أناه ال أحاد‬
‫يعيش على أرض فلسطين سوى البريطانيين الذين لم يكن لهم الحق في ذلك و حفنة من العرب الرحل‪.‬‬
‫و لذا بكيت ‪ ..‬بكيت بكل معنى الكلمة و أنا أقرأ مقالة "دون عيون في غزة " المنشورة في عادد فبرايار ‪ /‬شاباط‬
‫و التي كتبتها طبيبة شابة ليست في األصل يهودية ال عربية و ال بريطانية‪ .‬و اآلن أتساءل لماذا يجب علاي أن‬
‫أكون يهوديا ؟‬
‫كيف يستطيع إخواني عمل م ل هذه األشياء ضد شعب آخر؟‬
‫وقبل كل شيء كيف يمكنني الحديث مرة أخرى عن الحكمة و الذكاء الصافتين اللتاين افتخرناا بهماا نحان اليهاود‬
‫لفترة طويلة؟‬
‫أنا أطرح هذه األسائلة بشاكل جادي ألناه عناد التوصال إلاى إجاباات واضاحة ساأقرر فاي مساألة مواصالة ادعاائي‬
‫بكوني يهوديا‪.‬‬
‫التوقيع‬
‫ستانلي والينتس‬
‫)‪Translation of Text (C‬‬
‫إلى أي من البلدين أنتمي‬
‫سيدي‬
‫قد يبدو األمر غريبا إنني ال أعرف جنسيتي و ليس لدي جواز سفر ‪ .‬وكما يمكنكم أن تقدروا ظروفي أنا متخوفة‬
‫شيئا ما من االقتراب من مكتب الجوازات أو المكتب المحلي لوزارة الصحة والضمان االجتماعي في منطقتي‪.‬‬
‫ولدت في واشنطن في الواليات المتحدة األمريكية في يناير ‪ /‬كانون ثان سانة ‪ 1519‬كماا ولاد أباي فاي واشانطن‬
‫وكذلك الحال مع أبويه‪ .‬إال أن أمي كانت بريطانية الجنسية وكذلك الحال مع أبويها وولادت فاي سانة ‪ .1522‬وقاد‬
‫تزوج والدي في إنجلترا في مايو‪ /‬أيار ‪ 1531‬وبعدها سافرا للعيش في أمريكا‪.‬‬
‫في سبتمبر‪ /‬أيلول سنة ‪ 1591‬تطلق والدي في أمريكا وجلبتني أمي إلى إنجلترا و منذ ذلك الحاين و نحان نعايش‬
‫في إنجلترا تزوجت رجال إنجليزيا في فبراير شباط سانة ‪ 1591‬ولكان لساوء الحاظ ماات فاي يونياو‪/‬حزيران سانة‬
‫‪ . 1511‬اشااتغل حاليااا فااي إنجلتاارا وأدفااع ضاارائب فااي المملكااة المتحاادة وعناادي رقاام ضاامان اجتماااعي واسااتلم‬
‫مخصصا األرامل‪.‬‬
‫هل أنا بريطانية ؟‬
‫هل أنا مخولة الستالم جواز سفر بريطاني ؟ و ما وضع ابنتاي ؟ و باالرغم مان إقاامتي فاي المملكاة المتحادة هال‬
‫هذه اإلقامة قانونية ؟ وهل هذا األمر هو نفسه الجنسية ؟‬
‫التوقيع ‪ :‬جي إي‬
‫المملكة المتحدة‬
Bibliography
I-Brown, G and Yule, G. Discourse Analysis, Cambridge University Press, 1983.
2- Canterino, V. Syntax of Modern Arabic Prose, Indiana University Press, 1975.
3- Guiora, A. Z. "Language and Concept Formation Across Lingual Analysis"
Behavior Science Research, Vol. 18 No3 Fall, 1983.
4- S. Lotfi, S. Context-Based Approach to Disambiguating the Gender of the First
Person Singular when translating into Arabic, Unpublished Research Paper
Presented
to King Fahd High School of Translation, 1990.
5- Wright, W. A Grammar of Arabic Language, Cambridge University Press, 1967.
Aboudi Jawad Hassan
Ajman University of Science and Technology – Abu Dhabi – UAE