A Semantic Review of Qur’ānic Near-Synonyms, English and French Translations

Abstract

This study examines the nuances among the chosen near-synonyms and the extent to which the translators considered such nuances in the selected translations of the Qur’an. It seeks to identify the meanings of two sets of near-synonyms in their Qur’anic contexts based on the Qur’ānic exegeses. It also highlights the differences in meaning that exist among these near-synonyms and the extent to which the semantic differences among those near-synonyms are preserved in translation. This study is grounded on the RC-S approach by Murphy as a theoretical framework for data analysis. The obtained results show that there are some differences in meaning among the chosen near-synonyms and that some of such nuances are not preserved in the English and French translations. Thus, the study recommends that the differences in meaning among the near-synonyms should be identified before translating the Qur’ānic texts, and subsequently, the identified differences should be reflected in the translation.