A Concise Review of the Principles and Procedures of ‘Explicitation’ as a Translation

Universal
[PP: 50-59]
Dr. Mohammad Amin Hawamdeh
Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Jerash University
Jordan
Dr. Khaled Saleem Alzu’bi
Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Jerash University
Jordan
Email: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to concisely review the concept of explicitation as a translation
universal in terms of both principles and procedures. In three main sections, it presents the related
theories from Nida (1964) to Becher (2010) along with a number of previous studies and discusses how
explicitation occurs in the form of textual additions in parentheses (TAiPs) in translating a Quranic text
(cf. Hawamdeh, 2017). Explicitation is said to be a translation strategy used to achieve the intended SL
meanings and secure their appropriate interpretations in the TL as translation is not merely to substitute
original codes with other equivalent ones. Many implicit, connotative, pragmatic, cultural, stylistic and
associative meanings require a variety of techniques if the translator really seeks natural or appropriate
equivalents. Explicitation can best appear as an addition on both levels of cohesion and coherence; it
simply means making a text to be rendered clearer and more intelligible for its potential receptors. For
the purpose of taming the SL text, Nida rationalizes nine explicitation norms, Toury (1995) mentions
two types of translational shifts and Newmark (1988) argues that adding new information depends on
the text-type and needs of the TL audience. Explicitation can be concluded to be the translating process
itself or at least a technique for improving or adapting the TL text. The implicatures encountered in the
language of religion, for instance, are almost explicitated into such a completely different language as
English by means of various types of TAiPs.
Keywords: Explicitation, Textual Addition, Translation Universals, Quranic Text, Arabic-English
ARTICLE The paper received on Reviewed on Accepted after revisions on
INFO 21/11/2020 20/12/2020 15/01/2021
Suggested citation:
Hawamdeh, M. & Alzu’bi, K. (2020). A Concise Review of the Principles and Procedures of ‘Explicitation’ as a
Translation Universal. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 8(4). 50-59.

1. Introduction equal effect on the TL audience is certainly

In planning a translation strategy, the to be taken into account for producing the
translator is to make a new (not one-time) same message in the TL text intended by the
decision for each unmatched element or any SL author.
of its uses. Having analyzed and carefully Translators generally omit, add or
studied the SL text and determined the substitute for preserving or reproducing the
equivalents, the translator may use a variety semantic and stylistic features of the SL text.
of procedures. Such strategies or procedures To effectively translate is to retain "the
vary in importance according to the SL/TL factual information contained in the SL text"
textual elements and contextual factors. In (Meethan and Hudson, 1969: 242) and to
fact, to translate is to perform a highly ensure both "the linguistic cohesion and
complicated blend of actions (e.g. replacing conceptual coherence" of the SL text (Hatim
SL lexical units by TL lexical ones, and Munday, 2004: 48). Now, how
restructuring phrases or clauses, changing efficiently translation might be defined is
the word order, omitting certain elements still a common question tackled by too many
and adding others). Definitely, languages are scholars and researchers in their books and
of different equipment for expressing the studies. Translation has been considered to
same extralinguistic contents and "important be an operation for:
semantic elements carried implicitly […] a) "conveying the same meaning of a
may require explicit identification in the spoken/written utterance taking place in
receptor language" (Nida, 1964: 277). An
A Concise Review of the Principles and Procedures of… Mohammad Amin Hawamdeh & Khaled Saleem Alzu’bi

one language into another language" This universal feature of translation

(Rabin, 1958, p. 123); was, however, denied by others for being
b) "replacing textual material in one vague or elusive (e.g. Becher, 2010: 1;
language with an equivalent textual House, 2004: 193). It can be a very generic
material in another language" (Catford, term to include additions, footnotes or
1965, p. 1, p. 20); commentaries somewhere in the text (cf.
c) "reproducing in the TL the closest Nida, 1964). Baker (2001: 81) defines
natural equivalent of the SL message in explicitation as “the broader concept that
terms of meaning and […] style" (Nida encompasses the more specific concept of
and Taber 1969, p. 12); addition.” In actual fact, both (textual)
d) "expressing in another language of what addition and explicitation can be
is expressed in another, by preserving synonymously handled (e.g. Alcaraz and
semantic/stylistic equivalences" (Dubois, Hughes, 2002: 183-185) depending on the
1973, cited in Bell, 1991, p. 5); kinds of things one may accept as
e) "referring to the transfer of thoughts and explicitation (Pym, 2005: 2). In one way or
ideas from one (source) language to another, the strategy of addition is
another (target) language" (Brislin, 1976, customarily discussed in relation to
p. 1); explicitation as just omission is to
f) "rendering the meaning of a text into implicitation. As a reader and writer at the
another language in the way the author same time, the translator’s explanations may
intended the text" (Newmark, 1988, p. be included, implicatures spelled out and
5); connectives added so as to help enlarge the
g) "rendering what is expressed in one given text’s readability. It is a phenomenon
language or a set of symbols by means that “frequently leads to stating SL
of another language" (Snell-Hornby, information in a more explicit form than the
1988, p. 39); original" (Shuttleworth and Cowie, 1997:
h) "replacing a representation of a SL text 55).
in one language by a representation of an Explicitation is one of the translation
equivalent TL text in another" universals by which the implicit status of a
(Hartmann and Stork: 1972, cited in text is amplified. Addition can appear as one
Bell, 1991, p. 7); of its typical manifestations or a rise in the
i) "changing an original written text in the TL text’s level of explicitness (e.g. Baker,
original verbal language into a written 1992; Laviosa, 1998). It is a transfer
text […] in a different verbal language" operation (Blum-Kulka, 1986: 21; Heltai,
(Munday, 2001, p. 5); 2005: 45) that can have several types
Having read up the definitions according to the nature of the given text (e.g.
above, one can conclude that translation is to literary or religious). The textual additions in
explain, explicate or explicitate a given text parentheses (TAiPs) are one of these types
in another linguistic system and cultural (cf. Hawamdeh, 2017). The translator may
background. The concept of explicitation add to the SL text yet in a positive and
was first introduced by Vinay and Darbelnet constructive manner (cf. Nida, 1964) but has
(1958/1995) as "the process of introducing to show respect to the language into which
information into the TL which is present he/she translates as much as to the original
only implicitly in the SL, but which can be one (Hatim and Mason, 1990: 9-10). It is a
derived from the context or the situation" (p. matter of linguistic and cultural conciliation
8). As a universal feature. It was also between such two completely different
developed by many others (e.g. Nida, 1964; languages and cultures as Arabic and
Blum-Kulka, 1986; Baker, 1993; Klaudy, English. Thus, the present study:
1998, 2008; Pym, 2005; Heltai, 2005; a) Concisely reviews the related theories
Saldanha, 2008). Vinay and Darbelnet and previous studies on explicitation and
(1958/1995: 342) add it as "a stylistic b) Discusses the nature of TAiPs as a form
technique which consists of making explicit of explicitation in translating a Quranic
in the target language what remains implicit text.
in the source language because it is apparent 2. Related Theories
from the context or the situation." It was also In his analysis of dynamic-
seen as inherent in the process of translation equivalence, Nida (1964) identifies three
"regardless of the increase traceable to techniques of adjustment in the translating
differences between the two […] systems process. Concerned with what (not with
involved" (Blum-Kulka, 1986: 19). why) the translator does for dynamically
rendering the SL text, such techniques are

International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460

Volume: 08 Issue: 04 October-December, 2020
Page | 51
International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460
Volume: 08 Issue: 04 October-December, 2020

addition, subtraction and alteration for d) Doublets as two semantically

adjusting the SL text and finding the closest supplement expressions in place of one
natural equivalent. In other words, the text is (e.g. answering, said) to be almost
adjusted for correct equivalents not for obligatory in some languages in certain
tempering its SL message. It is "to permit contexts.
the adjustment of the form of the SL It has been also proposed that the
message to the requirements of the [TL] frequency of explicitation is related to the
structure, produce semantically equivalent degree of the translator’s experience. In this
structures, provide equivalent stylistic respect, Levý (1965) assumes that
appropriateness and carry an equivalent explicitation is a hallmark of translator’s
communication load" (Nida, 1964: 226). style with limited experience whereas Blum-
Minor changes are necessary; however, the Kulka (1986) gives evidence of explicitation
changes could be sometimes radical as a from professional translators as well
close equivalent is utterly meaningless or (Englund-Dimitrova 2005: 22). On a related
carries a wrong meaning. The technique of topic, the nature and frequency of
addition in particular depends on the explicitations can help decide the adequacy
audience for whom the translation is and/or acceptability of a translation. In
designed; it may be reflected in the text or actual fact, a translation to be adequate is the
by marginal notes (p. 227). one that "realizes in the target language the
Nine types of addition in translation textual relationships of a source text with no
are detailed by Nida (1964) in his book breach of its own [basic] linguistic system"
Toward a Science of Translating. The first (Even-Zohar, 1975, cited in Toury, 1995:
four of them can be explicitatively 56). In this respect, Toury (1995) also argues
considered as features or macro-explicitative that "the most adequacy-oriented translation
norms while the last five ones as devices or involves such shifts [i.e. explicitations] from
micro-explicitative norms: the source text" (p. 57). He differentiates
1. Macro-explicitative norms: between two types of shifts in relation to his
a) Fitting out elliptical expressions as notion of translational norms:
ellipses might be omitted in one 1. obligatory shifts as language-pair-
language but not permitted in another on dependent dictated by the syntactic and
the basis of parallel/nonparallel semantic differences in languages, and
structures. 2. Non-obligatory shifts as norm-dependent
b) Obligatory specification as there is no and initiated by literary, cultural or
obvious determined indication or there ideological considerations.
are multiple indications, particularly the The notion of textual addition in
deictic units of speech (e.g. pronouns). translation is also addressed by Newmark
c) Amplifications from implicit to explicit (1988). To add information is either to i)
status as "important semantic elements culturally account for the difference between
carried implicitly in the [SL] text may the SL and TL cultures, ii) technically relate
require explicit identification" (p. 228). to the topic itself or iii) linguistically explain
d) Answers to rhetorical questions as they the wayward use of a word. Any addition
mustn’t be expanded by any appending must depend on the requirements of the TL
questions unless the former ones are readership and the type of text whether it is
answered in some place of the text. expressive, vocative …etc. (p. 91). The
2. Micro-explicitative norms: additional information within a text is
a) Classifiers as convenient devices for (procedurally) of various forms: additions
building meaningful redundancy into an can be made in round brackets including
overloaded text, particularly for proper material as part of the translation or in
names and borrowed terms. square brackets making corrections of the
b) Connectives as transitions consisting of given material. Newmark also emphasizes
the repetition of segments of a preceding that the translator may have to add
text and only increasing the total volume information as an alternative to the
of the text not adding information. translated word, adjectival clause, noun in
c) TL categories as the translator must apposition, participial group, in brackets
judge where the absence of such often for a literal translation of a transferred
categories is stylistically noticeable and word, in parentheses as the longest form of
where they add aspects to the narration addition and lastly a classifier (p. 92).
in the TL. What is more, Pym (2005) shifts
explicitation into the terminology of risk

Cite this article as: Hawamdeh, M. & Alzu’bi, K. (2020). A Concise Review of the Principles and Procedures of
‘Explicitation’ as a Translation Universal. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 8(4).
50-59.
Page | 52
A Concise Review of the Principles and Procedures of… Mohammad Amin Hawamdeh & Khaled Saleem Alzu’bi

management (or hypothetical risk aversion). or culture as devices or processes followed

He stresses that "where there are greater by a translator in converting a SL text into a
risks; there are greater opportunities for risk TL one (cf. Nida, 1964). Additions in the
minimization" (p. 10). The elements are translated product are considered as the
there: prudence, Gricean cooperation, result of expressing explicitly the implicit
relevance to a new reception situation, the meanings of the SL text; such grammatical
ethics of service, damage control or remedy. additions are due to missing categories and
For all of these things, a translator could categories being of more than one function
have reasons to be risk-averse; otherwise, (Vaseva, 1980, cited in Klaudy, 1996).
he/she is given to minimizing risks or does Generally speaking, a textual addition can
not want to take risks in his/her own name. take several forms (roles) in translation; it
This hypothesis was accepted by some can be an explicit statement of some
researchers (e.g. Seguinot, 1988; Pym, 2005) information merely implied or hinted at in
but rejected by others (e.g. House, 2004; the SL text.
Puurtinen, 2004; Dosa, 2009). Except for the Olohan and Baker (2000) argued that
idea that explicitness only means explicitation refers to the spelling out, in a
redundancy, Séguinot (1988: 106) agreed target text, information that is implicit in a
that that a translation entails a process of source text; in other words, it was seen as
explicitation. It is "[a] technique of making the introduction of extra information
explicit in the TL information what is occurring by the use of supplementary
implicit in the SL text" (Klaudy, 1996: 99). explanatory phrases in translation and the
Actually, to explicitate is to go beyond expansion of condensed passages. In this
cohesive explicitness. sense, to explicitate was found as a
A newer definition by Pápai (cited in distinctive feature of the translation product,
Becher, 2010) that explicitation is brought so justifying why translations are longer
about by filling out a SL text based on the than their originals. In point of fact, textual
translator's conscious desire to explain the addition (or explicitation) in translation
meaning to a TL reader. It reads that being a procedure comprising explication,
explicitation is "a technique of resolving explanation, compensation and
ambiguity, improving and increasing amplification, textual addition is mostly
cohesiveness of the [source text] and also of obligatory in nature so that the TL would
adding linguistic and extralinguistic sound grammatical or semantically
information" (p. 6). In actual fact, the significant. Additions can sometimes come
strategies of explicitation exist in cohesion in the form of connectives or (cohesive)
by means of clause connecting devices. links between two ideas, sentences, words or
Some sorts of explicitation appear to be phrases and answers to rhetorical questions.
linked with markers of cohesion as knitting Considered as the difference to be
the TL text together and other expansions deliberately or instinctively created between
show an addition of lexical units of language the SL and TL texts, explicitation can be
in the TL because of explaining a potential identified as the discrepancies or the gaps
information deficit on the translator's part or that often distinguish SL texts from TL
are related to the addition of recurrent texts. It is a stylistic and strategic technique
specialized terms. A range of factors seem to of translation by which adjustments are
influence the choice of explicitation: made and the SL meaning is specified as the
1. the translator’s view of the suitable structural, stylistic and rhetorical differences
relation between a proto- and meta-text between such two languages as Arabic and
and English are compensated. In contrary to
2. the allowable amount of freedom and implicitation, Klaudy and Károly (2003
intrinsic features in the process of cited in Pym, 2005) stressed that
translating. explicitation should occur as either:
3. Previous Research a) a SL unit of a more general meaning
Based on the related theories above, replaced by a TL unit of a more
explicitation obviously has a purpose in special meaning,
translation. On the translator's part, an b) the complex meaning of a SL word
addition should coherently appear part of the distributed over several words in the
text; otherwise, it is a type of translational TL text,
error or an over-translation. Several c) one sentence in the SL divided into
purposes for textual addition have been set two or several sentences in the TL or
in translation as necessitated by the d) SL phrases extended or elevated into
requirements of the SL/TL genre, text-type clauses in the TL …etc.

International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460

Volume: 08 Issue: 04 October-December, 2020
Page | 53
International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460
Volume: 08 Issue: 04 October-December, 2020

For the relationship between Hasan's (1976) indicators of cohesive

explicitation and (textual) addition, it would explicitness in English to its German texts as
appear that explicitation is simply the follows:
insertion of additional words or morphemes. a) reference, denoting the cohesive ties
According to Heltai (2005) to explicitate is where the same referential meaning is
to replace morphemes with less represented,
phonological substance and/or lexical b) substitution and ellipsis, replacing
meaning(s) with morphemes having more one item by a weaker one or even by zero,
phonological substance and/or lexical c) conjunction, specifying the way in
meaning" (p. 46). On the other hand, he which what is to follow is systematically
considered addition as the addition of extra connected to what has gone before, and
words (free morphemes) in the TL text, but d) lexical cohesion, replacing a lexical
it could be regarded as involving bound item with a general one, (near-) synonym,
morphemes. Accordingly, explicitation hyponym… etc.
could be a strategy by which information not As a broad term in translation,
linguistically coded in the SL is expressed explicitation was also identified by Klaudy
by a linguistically coded form in the TL text, (2008) as a technique of making explicit in
or it could be the case of "increasing the the TL text information what is implicit in
level of linguistic coding" (p. 49). Heltai the SL one. She provides four types as
concluded that addition does not always lead follows:
to explicitation but explicitation leads to a) Required by the syntactic and semantic
addition as the latter cannot automatically structures of languages, obligatory
lead to easier processing and less ambiguity. explicitation is necessary for
Informativeness as a pragmatic- grammatical and meaningful TL
cognitive principle can also have a role in sentences.
explicitating implicature in translation. In b) Explicitation can be also optional
this respect, Espunya (2007) investigated a wherever caused by the differences in
corpus of connectives used in translating the text-building strategies and stylistic
complex sentences (containing V-ing free preferences between languages.
adjuncts) from English into Catalan. In fact, c) However, the differences of culture or
the relationship between the propositional shared knowledge between languages
contents of a free adjunct and the matrix cause pragmatic explicitation; implicit
clause in a complex sentence was not information needs to be made explicit.
linguistically specified but ought to be d) Lastly, explicitation is caused by the
inferred. Espunya focused on any nature of the translating process and,
connecting words making inter-clausal thus, translations are often longer than
discourse relationships explicit in broad the originals.
genre categories (e.g. popular fiction). This Textual additions as a form of
principle was of less significant application explicitation have roles or purposes as they
than such principles as explicitation as a adapt the translated text to the TL
general translational tendency. In addition to readership. By analyzing a few English
condition-concession, these relationships translations of Surah Yasin, Khan (2008)
could be: temporal (in the form of ascertained four common stylistic features,
simultaneity, anteriority and posteriority) or among which was addition. Khan stressed
causal (in the form of reason, result, that any addition in translation leads to
purpose, manner and instrument). filling out elliptical expressions, obligatory
For patterns of explicitation as specification, grammatical restructuring and
occurring between the SL and TL texts, amplification from implicit to explicit status,
Hansen-Schirra, et al (2007) investigated connectives and categories of the reader's
explicitness/implicitness and related language. As a literal translation is
phenomena of translated texts on the level of ambiguous to the TL reader, a competent
cohesion. Hansen-Schirra et al argued that translator could add "footnotes or marginal
the cohesive features had been the object of notes or short explanatory notes" (p. 99). In
research in Translation Studies as indicators translating the Quran, such notes help
of explicitation. The texts arising from overcome linguistic and cultural
explicitation were found to be more explicit discrepancies of both Arabic and English
than their counterparts in terms of their and add useful information for better and
lexico-grammatical and cohesive properties. easy understanding of the message.
The study was based on Halliday and

Cite this article as: Hawamdeh, M. & Alzu’bi, K. (2020). A Concise Review of the Principles and Procedures of
‘Explicitation’ as a Translation Universal. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 8(4).
50-59.
Page | 54
A Concise Review of the Principles and Procedures of… Mohammad Amin Hawamdeh & Khaled Saleem Alzu’bi

Baleghizadeh & Sharifi (2010) 1975) and then investigated the mechanisms
studied the explicitation of implicit logical and strategies of translating the same. They
links between sentences and clauses in found hidden information for which the
translation from Persian into English. They translators' knowledge could help make clear
found that (i) different junctives in the TL the implicated meaning(s) and, hence,
sentential structures to explicitate different produce an appropriate translation of the
(additive, adversative, causal and temporal) Quran. The CIs and maxims were eventually
types of logical relations between the SL found to be well-explicated in some verses
sentences and clauses; and (ii) cohesive ties by either the use of footnotes or parentheses.
added between the TL sentences for making 4. Translating the Quranic Text as a
explicit different types of logical (additive, Special Case of Explicitation
adversative and causal) relations between A formal correspondent cannot be
the SL sentences and clauses. Such junctives always the true choice particularly in a
and cohesive ties were to connect two religious context. In translating the Quran,
sentences creating texture and signal the Hawamdeh (2017) developed a model of
coherence relations in the TL text. Among textual additions in parentheses (TAiPs) to
the potential causes behind the explicitation either continue or interrupt the TL reader's
of implicit logical relations between flow of attention based on Nida's (1964) two
sentences and clauses were: types of addition: filling out ellipses and
a) the structural differences and text- giving specification. The continuative TAiPs
building strategies between the two fill out elliptical expressions in the form of
languages and automatic additions or ready adjustments as
b) the translator's endeavor to make the text no problems exist in determining the exact
cooperative to the TL reader by using words to be added and ellipses are formulaic
natural cohesive patterns and providing even if non-evident. For the interruptive
more communicative clues. TAiPs, on the other hand, they appear due to
Almost rejecting the fact that the essential need for avoiding ambiguity in
translators need to follow a universal the TL formations or the fact that greater
strategy of explicitation, Becher (2011) specificity may be required so as to avoid
tested Klaudy’s (2009) Asymmetry misleading reference. They can be based on
Hypothesis in that an explicitation in a SL- parallel or non-parallel structures; if parallel,
TL direction is not always counterbalanced they are evident enough to determine the
by an implicitation in a TL-SL direction. In number and/or nature of an addition.
point of fact, a translator would prefer using In this respect, a TAiP to be
explicitations and often fails to perform functional is considered in terms of two
optional implicitations. The motivations for criteria: continuing the flow of attention and
which the translators usually insist on being kept up in parentheses. In rendering
adding (or even omitting) information are into English such a claimed-to-be holy text
highly reasonable. Becher found that as the Quran, the TAiPs in the Hilali and
translators add/omit connectives in order to Khan Translation (HKT) for instance—as
comply with the communicative norms of officially approved yet severely criticized
the TL community, exploit specific features for its too many insertions—could be
of the TL system, deal with specific processed by being either excluded at all
restrictions of the TL system, avoid from the translated text, parenthetically
stylistically marked ways of expression and included as just encountered in the text,
optimize the cohesion of the TL text. He included into the text but out of parentheses
found ‘explicitation’ to have implied or let merely replace its corresponding SL
subjects, cohesion and coherence and unit of language (cf. Hawamdeh, 2018). The
grammatical meanings. first two ways seem to be formal or
In reference to the translation of conservative whereas the last two ones seem
religious texts, Sharifabad and Hazbavi to be conversely dynamic or alternative. For
(2011) stressed that a large proportion of the further details on this binary model of
Quran consists of implied meanings and processing as to the translation of a Quranic
conversational implicatures (CIs); namely, text, let us see the following quartette
those chapters narrating conversations. considering both types of TAiPs in such
Comparatively analyzing three English verses as contained in the HKT:
translations of Surah Yusuf in light of some 1. "and truly I am one of the Muslims
useful exegeses of the Quran, they firstly (submitting to your Will)“ (Quran,
analyzed the CIs and their related maxims: 41:33).
quality, quantity, relation, manner (cf. Grice,

International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460

Volume: 08 Issue: 04 October-December, 2020
Page | 55
International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460
Volume: 08 Issue: 04 October-December, 2020

2. "if you turn away (from the obedience to three forms in a translation: something
Allah), He will exchange..." (Quran, expressed in the translation not in the
47:38). original, something implied or understood
3. "the revelation of the Book (this Qur'an) through presupposition in the source text
is from Allah..." (Quran, 45:02). overtly expressed in the translation, or an
4. "thereafter either for generosity (free element in the source text given greater
them without ransom) or..." (Quran, importance in the translation by focus,
47:04). emphasis, or lexical choice" (p. 108). In fact,
Table: 1 Types of TAiPs in some verses as the harder the SL text is, the harder the
contained in the HKT translators work but the more likely they
make their renditions explicit (Pym, 2005).
One might admit that translators use
explicitation for introducing accurate
semantic details into the TL text, for either
clarification or due to the constraints of the
TL itself. Being a sort of over-translation if
it is excessive (cf. Gutt, 1991), more
communicative clues are provided by
translators than non-translators as their TL
audiences have fewer shared cultural
references (cf. Pym, 2005).
Being inherent in translation, TAiPs
overlap with explicitation and such other
terms as ellipsis and redundancy. The
translation of a Quranic text is two major
phases. One is primary to explicitate the SL
text and textualize the TL one; this process
interlingually occurs from Arabic into
English and intralingually within the
resultant text. The secondary phase is
intersemiotic; to translate is to communicate
As a binary pattern, the classification the effect from its SL setting to the potential
above represents the literal-liberal disparity TL readership. In other words, the translator
in translation as referred to by almost all the is an explicitator, textualizer and
approaches to equivalence. The translation communicator. Eventually, ‘translationality’
of the Quranic text, however, as observed in shall put forward such a collective concept
the related literature (e.g. Siddiek, 2012) has of faithfulness as per which a TAiP is
been of only three types: literal translation something expressed in the translation not in
as a word is replaced with an equivalent the SL text, something implied or
word(s) keeping the structure, translation of understood through presupposition in the SL
meaning as a word is replaced with an text overtly expressed in the translation or
equivalent word(s) being far from the SL something in the SL Text given greater
features and free translation as the Quranic importance in the translation by focus,
message is dynamically rendered by an emphasis or lexical choice.
interpretation. Being form- or meaning- 5. Conclusion
based, translation is also proposed by Larson Adding information may turn out to
(1984) to be of four levels. The first two are be an essential strategy in rendering the
literal, word-for-word sounding like implicit SL elements, particularly the
nonsense with a little communication value culture-bound ones. Depending on the type
while the other two are idiomatic, sense-for- of audience, the purpose of this technique is
sense to reproduce the SL meaning in a to adjust the form to the TL requirements,
more adequate or acceptable manner. produce semantically equivalent structures,
Actually, a second type in a triplet can be provide stylistic appropriateness and carry
divided into two aspects as one belongs to an equivalent communication load.
the first and the other to the third. Considering these aims, it could be argued
Rather than any specific differences that no treatment possible for the unmatched
between two given languages, explicitation elements of culture consistently exists in
is seen as the process of translating itself. translation. In point of fact, no unique
According to Séguinot (1988), it can "take solution might exist for a particular text-type

Cite this article as: Hawamdeh, M. & Alzu’bi, K. (2020). A Concise Review of the Principles and Procedures of
‘Explicitation’ as a Translation Universal. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 8(4).
50-59.
Page | 56
A Concise Review of the Principles and Procedures of… Mohammad Amin Hawamdeh & Khaled Saleem Alzu’bi

or a given cultural element that could be "[t]he higher degree of explicitness

utilized by a translator each time it appears. in the TT is a result of a translation
Instead, the translator can choose from operation used by translators to explicate, to
among possible strategies or techniques by bring to the surface linguistic or not
considering the linguistic or referential linguistic information contained in the ST in
nature of a term or concept to be a non-explicit, allusion-like or vague form,
cohesively/coherently rendered and the with the purpose of ensuring easier or more
communicative nature of the translating secure interpretation” (p. 46).
process itself. References
Illustrations (e.g. textual additions, Alcaraz, E. V., & Hughes, B. (2002). Legal
footnotes… etc.) in translation are Translation Explained: Volume 4 of
necessarily and consciously to be presented Translation Practices Explained.
as part of the text. They are essential to the London: St. Jerome Publishers.
reader’s full visualization of the SL Baker, M. (1992). Alice Testpost: A
meaning. However, the number and style of Coursebook on Translation. London,
illustrations, their point of insertion and the UK: Routledge.
kind of information that they convey can all Baker, M. (1993). Corpus Linguistics and
determine whether such textual additions Translation Studies: Implications and
may justifiably be considered an integral Applications. Text and Technology: In
part of the text (Chaparro, 2000: 23). The Honour of John Sinclair, 233.
translator is to have a profound Baker, M. (2001). Norms. M. Baker (Ed)
understanding of the etymological and Routledge Encyclopedia of
idiomatic correlates between the two Translation Studies, 189-193.
languages (Kasparek, 1986: 135). For Baleghizadeh, S., & Sharifi, A. (2010).
appreciating the richness of the SL words Explicitation of Implicit Logical Links
and easily translating them into the TL, the in Persian-English Translation.
associated meanings of the given SL words Translation and Interpreting 2(2), 57-
as obvious in the original are to be 65.
effectively grasped. In this respect, two Becher, V. (2011). When and Why
approaches might useful: Translators Add Connectives: A
1. The linguistic approach is relatively Corpus-based Study. Target, 23(1),
limited and inadequate as translating 26-47.
cannot be merely reduced to a linguistic Becher, V. (2010). Abandoning the Notion
exercise and the translator strictly of Translation-inherent Explicitation.
encodes and transmits his/her thought to Against a Dogma of Translation
a reader who in turn receives and Studies. Across Languages and
decodes the message so as to arrive at Cultures, 11(1), 1-28.
the intended meaning. Bell, R. T. (1991). Translation and
2. An effective approach applies to a Translating: Theory and Practice. New
religious context by which the same SL York and London: Longman.
impact must be attained by the TL reader Blum-Kulka, S. (1986). Shifts of Cohesion
as the translator conveys as much and Coherence in Translation. In
information as needed so that the TL House, J., & Blum-Kulka, S. (Eds.)
readership can recover the intended Discourse and Cognition in
meaning from both what is said and the Translation and Second Language
cognitive context. Acquisition Studies, 17-35.
In another respect, explicitation was Brislin, R. W. (1976). Translation:
considered as the difference to be Application and Research. New York:
deliberately or instinctively created between Garden Press, Inc.
the SL and TL texts. It can be identified as Catford, J. C. (1965). A Linguistic Theory of
the discrepancies or the gaps that often Translation: An Essay in Applied
distinguish SL texts from TL texts. It is a Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford
stylistic and strategic technique of University Press.
translation by which adjustments are made Chaparro, A. (2000). Translating the
and the SL meaning is specified as the Untranslatable. Journal of Iberian and
structural, stylistic and rhetorical differences Latin American Studies, 6(1), 19-28.
between such two languages as Arabic and Dósa, I. (2009). About Explicitation and
English are compensated. Pápai (2002: 488, Implicitation in the Translation of
cited in Heltai 2005) proposed that: Accounting Texts. SKASE Journal of

International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460

Volume: 08 Issue: 04 October-December, 2020
Page | 57
International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460
Volume: 08 Issue: 04 October-December, 2020

Translation and Interpretation, 4(1), Kasparek, C. (1983). The Translator's

25-32. Endless Toil. The Polish Review,
Englund-Dimitrova, B. (2005). Expertise 28(2), 83-87.
and Explicitation in the Translation Khan, M. (2008). Stylistic and
Process. Amsterdam-Philadelphia: Communicative Dimensions in
John Benjamins. Translations of Sūrah Yāsīn into
Espunya, A. (2007). Is Explicitation in English. A Doctoral Dissertation,
Translation Cognitively Related to National University of Modern
Linguistic Explicitness? A Study on Languages, Islamabad.
Interclausal Relationships. Belgian Klaudy, K. (2008). Explicitation. In Baker,
Journal of Linguistics, 21(1), 67-86. M., & Saldanha, G. (Eds.), Routledge
Grice, H. P. (1975). Logic and Conversation. Encyclopedia of Translation Studies,
Cole, P., & Morgan, J. L. (Eds.) 104-108.
Syntax and Semantics (3): Speech Klaudy, K. (1998). Explicitation. In Baker,
Acts, 41-58. M. (Ed.) Routledge Encyclopedia of
Gutt, E. A. (1991). Translation and Translation Studies, 80-85.
Relevance: Cognition and Context. Klaudy, K. (1996). Back-translation as a
Oxford, UK: Blackwell. Tool for Detecting Explicitation
Halliday, M. A. K. & Hasan, R. (1976). Strategies in Translation. Translation
Cohesion in English. London, UK: Studies in Hungary. Scholastica, 99-
Longman. 114.
Hansen-Schirra, S., Neumann, S., & Steiner, Larson, M. L. (1984). Meaning-based
E. (2007). Cohesive Explicitness and Translation: A Guide to Cross-
Explicitation in an English-German language Equivalence. Vol. 366.
Translation Corpus. Languages in Lanham, MD: University Press of
Contrast, 7(2), 241-265. America.
Hatim, B., & Mason, I. (1990). Discourse Laviosa-Braithwaite, S. (1998). Universals
and the Translator. London, UK: of Translation. Baker, M. (Ed.)
Longman. Routledge Encyclopedia of
Hatim, B., & Munday, J. Translation Studies, 288-291.
(2004). Translation: An Advanced Levý, J. (1965). Will Translation Theory Be
Resource Book. London, UK: of Use to Translators? Italiaander, R.
Psychology Press. (Ed.), 77-82.
Hawamdeh, M. A. (2017). An Analysis of Meethan, A., & Hudson, R. (1969).
the Textual Addition in Parentheses Encyclopedia in Linguistics,
Strategy in the Translation of a Information and Control. Oxford, UK:
Quranic Text. A Doctoral Dissertation, Pergamon.
University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Munday, J. (2001). Introducing Translation
Malaysia. Studies: Theories and Applications.
Hawamdeh, M. A. (2018). Explicitation by London: Routledge.
Textual Addition in Parentheses in Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of
Translating the Quranic Text into Translation. New York: Prentice Hall
English. International Journal of Press.
Applied Linguistics & English Nida, E. A., & Taber, C. R. (1982). The
Literature, 7(7), 202-208. Theory and Practice of Translation.
Heltai, P. (2005). Explicitation, Leiden: E. J. Brill.
Redundancy, Ellipsis and Translation. Nida, E. A. (1964). Towards a Science of
In Károly, K., & Fóris, Á. (Eds.) New Translating: With Special Reference to
Trends in Translation Studies, 45-74. Principles and Procedures Involved in
Hilali, M. T., & Khan, M. M. (1977). The Bible Translating. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
Noble Quran in the English Language. Olohan, M., & Baker, M. (2000). Evidence
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Darul Salam for Subconscious Processes of
Bookstore. Explicitation? Across Languages and
House, J. (2004). Explicitness in Discourse Cultures, 1(2), 141-158.
across Languages. Juliane House, Puurtinen, T. (2004). Explicitation of
Werner Koller, Klaus Schubert (Eds.): Clausal Relations. Translation
Bochum: AKSVerlag, 185-207. Universals: Do Exist, 48, 165.

Cite this article as: Hawamdeh, M. & Alzu’bi, K. (2020). A Concise Review of the Principles and Procedures of
‘Explicitation’ as a Translation Universal. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies. 8(4).
50-59.
Page | 58
A Concise Review of the Principles and Procedures of… Mohammad Amin Hawamdeh & Khaled Saleem Alzu’bi

Pym, A. (2005). Defining Explicitation. In

Károly, K., & Foris, Á. (Eds.) New
Trends in Translation Studies, 29-43.
Rabin, C. (1958). Linguistic Comments on
the Problems of Translating SY
Agnon. Kuval Shay, Ramat Gan: Bar
Ilan University Press.
Saldanha, G. (2008). Explicitation Revisited:
Bringing the Reader into the
Picture. Trans-kom, 1(1), 20-35.
Séguinot, C. (1988), Pragmatics and the
Explicitation Hypothesis. TTR
Traduction, Terminologie, Rédaction,
1(2), 106-114.
Sharifabad, E., & Hazbavi, A. (2011). The
Quran Translators' Explicitation
Procedures in Chapter Yusuf.
International Conference on Language,
Literature and Linguistics. IPED, 26,
376-383.
Shuttleworth, M., & Cowie, M. (1997).
Dictionary of Translation Studies.
Manchester, UK: St. Jerome.
Siddiek, A. G. (2012). Viewpoints in the
Translation of the Holy Quran.
International Journal of Applied
Linguistics and English Literature,
1(2), 18-25.
Snell-Hornby, M. (1988). Translation
Studies: An Integrated Approach.
Amsterdam: John Benjamins
Publishing Co.
Toury, G. (1995). Descriptive Translation
Studies and Beyond. Amsterdam and
Philadelphia: John Benjamins
Publishing Co.
Vinay, J., & Darbelnet, J. (1995).
Comparative Stylistics of French and
English: A Methodology for
Translation. Trans. (1958) by Sager, J.
C., & Hamel, J. Amsterdam and
Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies (www.eltsjournal.org) ISSN:2308-5460

Volume: 08 Issue: 04 October-December, 2020
Page | 59