Open AccessTranslation as a Social Activity: Towards a Bourdieusian Understanding of Pickthall’s Translation of the Quran
Author(s) -
Dana Muwafi
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of arabic-english studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.26
H-Index - 3
ISSN - 1680-0982
DOI - 10.33806/ijaes2000.21.2.4
Subject(s) - doxa , field (mathematics) , sociology , habitus , meaning (existential) , epistemology , cultural capital , translation studies , sociological theory , social science , capital (architecture) , linguistics , philosophy , history , mathematics , pure mathematics , archaeology
This paper argued for a fresh understanding of Pickthall’s The Meaning of the Glorious Koran: An Explanatory Translation (1930) in light of Bourdieu’s sociological work. The main objective of this study was to develop an initial sociological model for understanding the production of Pickthall’s English translation of the meaning of the Holy Quran. By hypothesizing a field which could be called ‘the field of English translations of the meaning of the Holy Quran’, the researchers aspired to understand the dynamics of this field and its structure through delineating the socio-cultural and socio-political forces. After conducting an analysis at the macro level, the researchers analyzed the paratextual elements of the translation, the data of which represent the starting point for Bourdieusian insights into the production of Pickthall’s translation. The findings revealed that Pickthall’s capitalization is evident in the paratextual zone to secure his position within the field in question. The study concluded that Pickthall’s is a social activity, situated in a social space, and carried out by translating agents, both individuals and organizations, who are in a ceaseless struggle over accumulating capital at stake in the field.