The Effect of Letter Translation in Highlighting Acculturation in "Midaq Alley " by Naguib Mahfouz & Its English Translation by Trevor LeGassick

Abstract

This paper highlights the critical role that letter translation plays in fostering cultural cross-fertilization through the process of acculturation in the novel "Zikaq Almadaq " by Naguib Mahfouz. The concept of letter translation, as developed by French critic Antoine Berman, aims to preserve the original text's identity while avoiding distortion. Since language is an intrinsic aspect of identity and a representative of culture, translating a work from one language into another inevitably involves either emphasizing or distorting its identity and culture. Identity and culture are the broad psychological and intellectual frameworks that society uses to represent its existence. This study explores the potential of letter translation to highlight and create cultural cross-fertilization, as well as its ability to absorb elements of Arabic (Egyptian) culture, integrate them into the translation, and transform them into a different cultural act without distorting or compromising the original principles. We adopted a descriptive, analytical, and comparative approach to selected words and phrases from the novel that encapsulate the Egyptian cultural and identity environment. These elements were translated based on the letter translation approach, including local linguistic expressions, religious and political beliefs, proper and place names, local dress, and popular foods. The study reveals that letter translation fulfils the task of accepting the other and extending hospitality, fostering an atmosphere of cultural cross-fertilization by emphasizing linguistic differences.