Some Pragmatic Aspects of Arabic/English Translation of Literary Texts

The present paper aims to show the relevance of pragmatic theories for the actual work of translators. Based on a selective body of authentic translation examples, the study demonstrates how implicit meaning as encapsulated in several pragmatic phenomena including presuppositions, speech acts, conversational implicatures , and politeness can seriously affect the quality of the translation product. It argues for a pragmatically-oriented process of translation where the main goal of the translator is to strike a balance between what is said and what is meant in human communication. In many cases, this balance should work in favor of what is meant in order to avoid communication breakdowns.