Question

In Reading Darwin, Elshakry demonstrates the negotiated nature of translation between language, and more broadly across cultural, intellectual and religious traditions. Please identify one instance in which a scientific term in translation exemplifies this historical reality. In other words, what is one historical example of a scientific term or idea being interpreted, appropriated or domesticated for their readers by an Arabic translator?

Answer 1

One example of a scientific term being negotiated in translation is the Arabic translation of the term "evolution" during the translation of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species.

In Arabic, the word "evolution" was translated into "taṭawwur" (تطور), which originally meant "development" or "growth" in Arabic. However, the translator added a footnote to clarify that the term referred specifically to Darwin's theory of evolution, as the Arabic language did not previously have a term for this concept.

The Arabic translator also had to navigate the cultural and religious implications of Darwin's theory in the Arabic-speaking world. For example, the translator chose to use the Arabic word "khalaqa" (خلق), which means "to create," instead of "ibda'" (ابداع), which means "to originate," to describe the process of natural selection. This choice was likely made to avoid offending readers who believed in a divine creation of life.

Overall, the Arabic translation of Darwin's work illustrates the complex process of negotiating scientific ideas across different cultural and linguistic contexts. The translator had to adapt the language and terminology to make the ideas accessible to Arabic readers, while also navigating the cultural and religious sensitivities of the time.