The Georgetown Guide to Arabic-English Translation

Mughazy, a well-respected scholar of Arabic linguistics and a Georgetown Languages board member, takes a practical approach to the task of translating nonfiction from Arabic to English. Using Optimality Theory from linguistics, he provides a new way, based in linguistics, of looking at best practices for translation with the goal to find the most accurate translation. He aims to approach translation more scientifically (identify the problem, test hypotheses, selecting the best option and finding patterns) than those who use the more widely known literary translation theory. Although there are several books out on this topic, none address it as Mughazy has. This is a unique approach that offers a new, more practical way for those with advanced knowledge of Arabic to learn how to translate. As more schools begin or consider beginning translation programs, this book may find a larger audience over the years. Mughazy's book is rich with authentic examples, exercises (answer key included), and includes very valuable appendices for the learner. As Clara told me, "This is a book I wish I had had in grad school."