A to Z of Arabic–English–Arabic Translation by Roznak Husni and Daniel L. Newman (review)

A to Z of Arabic–English–Arabic Translation is the logical companion book to Advanced English–Arabic Translation as it is also designed for practical use instead of just occasional reference. An important advantage of this book, as stated in its introduction, is that it is "not a grammar book … or treatise on translation theory or a historical overview of Arabic–English translation" (11). Rather, from a practical translation perspective, it is much more. Moreover, the authors' intent is "never to discuss grammatical points per se, but only in relation to their difficulty in translation" (12). These features, combined with the theoretical underpinnings and practical nature of the discussions followed by illustrative examples, set A to Z of Arabic–English–Arabic Translation far apart from traditional grammatical texts. In translation, there is very seldom a one-to-one correspondence between target text and source text, and this premise forms the very foundation of this book. The authors' brief and lucid treatment of the conditional (future conditional, non-past hypothesis, and past hypothesis, 115–21) is but one of many examples of a practical grammatical discussion followed by English examples and their faithful Arabic translations. As a professional translator and Arabic linguist, I find it very instructive to see an English or Arabic example and then compare it to its corresponding translation.

Another feature I find particularly refreshing is that the authors use contemporary examples taken from the media and literature. This only strengthens the book's value for students of modern curricula, who have most likely been exposed to language instruction centered on the notion of communicative competence.

The authors employ a judicious approach in selecting the grammatical topics to be discussed and include common issues associated with both Arabic–English and English–Arabic translation, which only adds to its value as a pedagogical aid. As a sampling, these encompass the adverbs already/just/yet, conditional sentences, principal versus principle, comparative and superlative adjectives, and if/whether.

This book has clearly been designed to be practical from the outset and to be used on a regular basis. Grammatical items that may present difficulties for Arabic–English–Arabic translation are discussed in a very digestible manner—I am reminded here of the venerable Wright's A Grammar of the Arabic Language. Unfortunately, since I did not know Latin—or any of the myriad other languages used except for English, German, and Arabic—when I was an undergraduate, this volume was of limited use to me. In stark contrast, the authors of A to Z of Arabic–English–Arabic Translation do not endeavor to provide an in-depth analysis of every aspect of a grammatical point but offer coherent explanations and present Arabic–English–Arabic translation strategies that can be used by both students and translators.

Due to their own individual merits, both A to Z of Arabic–English–Arabic Translation and Advanced English–Arabic Translation can function on their own as references for students or professional translators. However, their versatility also makes them ideal components of an advanced Arabic–English translation course. Being a professional translator and an Arabic language specialist, I recognize the need for more easily accessible language materials that are written with the student/translator in mind.

The Internet has revolutionized the translation industry and has increased freelance translation opportunities as never before. Since language does not exist in a vacuum, the language programs from which students (and future translators) graduate need to incorporate theory and its practical applications into their curricula, as they are part and parcel of one another. But not only that; they are also integral to preparing students to become competent language professionals. Kudos to the authors of A to Z of Arabic–English–Arabic Translation and Advanced English–Arabic Translation for successfully combining theoretical and practical instruction, thus ensuring the pedagogical value of their books for years to come. [End Page...