Conceptual Imagery in the Apocalyptic Scenes in Two Arabic Translations of Milton’s Paradise Lost:

A Sociological-Stylistic Approach

Abstract

This study compares conceptual imagery in the apocalyptic scenes in two Arabic translations of Milton’s Paradise Lost (2005). Milton’s apocalyptic vision in Paradise Lost poses a lot of problems for translators having different backgrounds and dispositions. Furthermore, the fact that Paradise Lost draws heavily on conceptual imagery, whether nonsensory or nonvisual, leads to different interpretations in the process of translation. Thus, comparing the conceptual imagery in the apocalyptic scenes in two distinct translations of Milton's Paradise Lost is the primary goal of this work. It also sets out to examine the role of habitus and the role of field in generating the translators’ strategies for translating conceptual imagery. The two translations are selected according to two criteria: the translator’s religion (Muslim vs. non-Muslim), and the translator’s habitus. This study is grounded on translation approaches. The investigation of the translation is supported by Bourdieu’s sociological theory and its relation to translation studies. The findings show that both translators have varying dispositions, orientations, and perspectives that lead to a significant discrepancy between their translations and interpretations of conceptual imagery.