Beyond the Dictionary: Translating Arabic Idioms into English or Kannada
On a 10-item translation section, 31 candidates meet two Arabic expressions: «العملُ يدٌ واحدةٌ لا تُصفِّقُ» and «انطلقَ على قدمٍ وساقٍ». They must render them into English or Kannada; each item carries 2 marks and the suggested time is five minutes. The answer key accepts «Work needs cooperation» and «He set off with great speed». Eight candidates translate the first as «Work is one hand that does not clap» and the second as «He set off on foot and leg». A debate starts: one student says a literal image should never be changed; another says idioms must always be replaced by target idioms. The teacher has the scripts and must decide whether to award partial credit. The board notes that the exam rewards meaning and natural target language, not word-for-word equivalence.
1. Should «Work is one hand that does not clap» receive full, partial, or zero credit? Answer with a principle, not a preference.
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Award full or near-full credit if the target proverb is current and the meaning survives. In English, 'one hand does not clap' is a recognized proverb for cooperation; the image is transparent and the sense «العمل يحتاج تعاونًا» is intact. In Kannada, use the current equivalent rather than a calque. The governing principle is that translation is judged by meaning and naturalness, not by whether the image is preserved. If the examiner's key is strictly semantic and the target image is not idiomatic, give partial credit-1 of 2-for correct sense but awkward target language. Zero would be defensible only if the rendering misleads.
2. «He set off on foot and leg» is not acceptable. Identify the translation error and give two acceptable renderings, one in English and one in Kannada.
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The error is literal decoding of an idiom. «على قدم وساق» does not describe body parts; it means 'at full speed' or 'with all energy'. 'On foot and leg' is not natural English and produces a wrong image. Acceptable English: 'He set off at full speed' or 'He set off with great energy'. Acceptable Kannada: «ಅವನು ಅತ್ಯಂತ ವೇಗವಾಗಿ ಹೊರಟನು». The candidate should translate the function of the phrase, not its dictionary parts.
3. A candidate proposes adding a footnote explaining the Arabic idiom. Is that a good exam strategy? Justify in three sentences.
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No. A footnote is outside the translation and usually outside the marking scheme; it signals that the candidate could not find a target equivalent. Use a natural equivalent, or if none exists, a plain paraphrase that keeps the meaning. Footnotes also consume time in a five-minute section and may be treated as extraneous material.