Translating Taboo Expressions in the Qur’an: An Analysis of Muhammad Thalib’s Translation

Deni Maulana, Muhammad Zaky Fakhruddin

Abstract


In Arabic rhetoric, kināyah refers to an expression that may convey both denotative and connotative meanings, unlike majāz, which primarily carries connotative meaning. The Qur’an frequently employs kināyah to express sensitive topics, including taboo expressions related to genital organs and sexual relations. This study aims to analyze the translation of taboo expressions related to genital organs in Muhammad Thalib’s (MT) translation of the Qur’an. This research employed a descriptive analytical method with a content analysis approach. The findings reveal that MT applies different translation techniques depending on the semantic orientation of the expression. When Qur’anic taboo expressions are conveyed connotatively, MT tends to employ modulation techniques by shifting the meaning from physical organs to sexual acts in order to achieve pragmatic clarity and legal explicitness. In contrast, when the expressions are interpreted denotatively, MT predominantly employs literal translation techniques to preserve lexical meaning while maintaining linguistic politeness. The study further demonstrates that the translation of Qur’anic taboo expressions involves not only linguistic transfer but also rhetorical, pragmatic, and cultural considerations. These findings contribute to Qur’anic translation studies by highlighting the relationship between kināyah, taboo expressions, and translation techniques in rendering sensitive religious discourse.

Keywords


Expressions; Taboo; Translation

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/alsuniyat.v8i2.88734

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