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Abstract
The translation of speech acts, particularly apologies, presents a significant challenge due to their cultural specificity. This study attempts to examine the translation techniques utilized to render apology utterances at the micro level in Naguib Mahfouz’s novel “Sugar Street.” Using a descriptive qualitative method, apology expressions identified in the Arabic source text and their English translations were analyzed according to Molina and Albir’s (2002) classification of translation techniques. The investigation found 51 instances of translation techniques applied to 10 apologetic utterances, some of which required more than one technique. The study showed that the most frequently used strategy was "established equivalent," which allowed the translator to transmit the core illocutionary impact of Arabic apologies in a natural and conventionalized manner for English readers. This study emphasizes the relevance of pragmatic equivalency in literary translation. It also contributes to cross-cultural pragmatics by demonstrating how culturally embedded speech acts are negotiated and reconstructed during translation, providing useful insights for both literary translators and scholars.
Keywords: Translation Techniques, Arabic Apology, Sugar Street
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References
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