as a lexicalized stock metaphor, because it shared between two languages, and can be understood without context of the sentence. The
phrase “mother town” is available in Arabic and English as an idiom.
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The topic of this metaphor is the center where people live. And the ground is the role of mother as the central life of her child.
4 Translation Analysis
The metaphor word “umm” in this verse is translated by Yusuf Ali into “centre” and Asad translates it into “midst”. The technique of this
English translation is reproducing source metaphor into sense or ground in TL. Both translations do not present major problem in understanding
this verse, although those can ommit the beatifull metaphor of the source language.
The other translators are rendering source metaphor systematically by the same vehicle mother in English versions. This source metaphor
does not seem to create major problems as it shares the same usage with the English language where mother is used also to express mother
country or mother city. These translations also represent the image behind the source language. this type of translation is better than the first one.
2. Non-Lexicalized Metaphor
a. Chapter al-Baqarah 187
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Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 2000, op. cit 864. See also al Munjid fi Lughah wa al A’lam Beirut: Dar el- Mashreq, 1984, p. 17
1 Translations
a Yusuf Ali: Permitted to you on the night of fasts, is the approach to
your wives. They are your garments and ye are their garments. p. 73. b
Pickthall: It is made lawful for you to go unto your wives on the night of the fast. They are raiment for you and ye are raiment for them. p.
49. c
Hilali and Khan: It is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night of As-Saum the fasts. They are Libas
[i.e. body-cover, or screen, or Sakan i.e. you enjoy the pleasure of living with them
– as in Verse 7:189 Tafsir At-Tabari] for you and you are the same for them. p. 38.
d M Asad: It is lawful for you to go in unto your wives during the night
preceding the [days] fast: they are as a garment for you, and you are as a garment for them. p.39.
2 Context of the Verse
It was in that circumstance that the revelation was sent down and let Muslims eat and drink during the length of night and associate sexual
intercourse with their own wives as well.
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3 Types of Metaphor
The word libas has a literal meaning clothes, dress raiment or garment.
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In this verse, it used to express the function of husband and wife and to analogize the relationship between them. This SM can be
74
Al Muntakhab fi Tafsiri al Qur’an 1968, op.cit. p. 42
75
Hans Wehr 1980, op.cit. p. 855
considered as a conventional non-lexicalized metaphor. The word libas used any in Arabic; it is common to say that wife is the garment of his
husband.
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The topic of this metaphor is the mutual comfort and protection of wife and husband, where the ground is the usage of clothing
that protects man against heat and cold, and against the danger of foreign bodies scraping or penetrating the skin. On the other hand, it is also an
ornament for a person. 4
Translation Analysis In this verse, the two English translators have chosen the same
vehicle in the target language garment and raiment Hilali and Khan produce the same word in the target language or they only make
transliteration with its explanation in parentheses. The first technique in this translation or reproducing the same vehicle in the target language
will resolve a deep question among the target reader, this due to the different usage between the target and source language. English langauge
has no the same expression as in the source language. The second technique or transliteration by Hilali and Khan
however, keeps the situation, as it is to tease the target reader to check the image behind the source language. The metaphor mentioned in this
verse is a hint to all of literal meanings. The last translation by Asad, although it does not bring direct understanding to the target readers, it
can avoid them from any interpretation of the verse. In this case,
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Al Jauhary, As-Suhhah fi al- Lughoh. www.alwarraq.com
Translating into sense or translating metaphor into the same vehicle with addition of the topic are the compatible techniques for this verse.
b. Chapter al-Furqaan 47
