Girls of Riyadh: Issues of Translation and Ideology

A Master of Arts thesis in Translation and Interpreting by Solafa Al Jerjawi entitled, "Girls of Riyadh: Issues of Translation and Ideology," submitted in June 2011. Available are both hard and soft copies of the thesis.

Abstract

Ideology interference is said to be unavoidable in translation, since translation is subjective by definition. However, when the translator's ideology interferes in the translation process to the extent of changing the voice and message of the source text problems/issues of interest arise. In this thesis, ideological bias in the translation of Girls of Riyadh is examined in the light of its impact on changing the message of the source text (ST) communicating a new one to the target text (TT) readership. Relevant examples of ideological bias are analyzed highlighting the message shift and ideological interference. In Girls of Riyadh bias is reflected in the translator's conscious choices of omitting, adding, down-toning and exaggerating certain ideas/references in the English translated work. In spite of the fact that translators are required to subject the ideological interference to conscious control and take as an objective stand as possible in order to prevent bias from silencing the voice of the ST and changing its message. This issue becomes doubly important when the author happens to also be the translator or co-translator of their own work. In Girls of Riyadh the interference seems to accentuate and amplify the bias revealing an agenda that is not present in the Source Text.