Selected Qur’anic English Translation of Near-Synonyms as a Modal: Challenges and its Solutions

Abstract

Synonymy is one of the core issues in linguistics in general and in translation studies in particular that need further attention of translation scholars and linguists. Translating the Holy Qurʼan presents a multifaceted challenge for translators. They must strive to convey the intended semantic message of the meanings of the Holy while finding accurate lexical equivalents in the target language. Obviously, the inherent divinity of the Holy Qurʼan presents a significant hurdle for translators. Achieving a perfect translation of its meaning is considered impossible for any human. This is because the full depth and wisdom of the Holy Qurʼan are said to be boundless, like a vast ocean with no shore. Consequently, the role of translators becomes one of striving for accuracy, faithfully conveying the intended meaning to the best of their ability. This study aims at examining complicated nature of synonyms in the Holy Qur’an in an attempt to investigate its problematic nature in relation to translation procedure. Special emphasis was paid to the translation of near synonyms in the Holy Qur’an as translator is expected to achieve a high level of accuracy while rendering the exact meanings of the synonymous items in the Holy Qur’an.  This study ends in some findings which proved that that certain words in the Qurʼan can't be perfectly translated into other languages. This is because languages have different sets of words and phrases.