Assessing English Translation of Historical Intertextuality in Maḥfūẓ's Cairo Trilogy

Abstract

By skillfully integrating a wide range of scholarly and intercultural references into his novels, the Egyptian novelist Najīb Maḥfūẓ has differentiated himself as an author of exceptional prowess. To convey his intended meanings, he has made extensive use of historical allusions, including (past figures and events). In the present study, we attempt to assess the translation of these types of intertextuality utilized in Maḥfūẓ's Cairo trilogy via adopting the criteria of "accuracy, clarity and naturalness" proposed by Larson in 1984. This study follows a qualitative descriptive approach to analysis. We aim to discover the tactics utilized in translating historical intertextuality into English and to identify the challenges faced by the subject translators and the reasons behind them. The current study hypothesizes that irrespective of what method the translators use to translate historical intertextuality, the translator's historical and cultural background would seriously influence the output of the translation process. The study concludes that intertextuality is a crucial device for all language users since no speech ever starts in a vacuum, and it is via intertextuality that our old legacy is continually refreshed and viewed from different points of view. It further concludes that intertextual expressions that are more culturally specific are the most challenging and he translator's familiarity with the previous texts of SL plays a significant role in the process of deciphering the meaning of intertextual texts.