Arabic and Turkish are two important languages of the followers of Islam. Both languages also hold great recognition generally all across different platforms. Arabic is a liturgical language. It is one of the ancient languages and belongs to the Arab people. People often stumble on proactive questions if Arabic is an Islamic language. Though the holy book Quran is in Arabic language but this language has its own identity too. It is part of the United Nation’s six official languages. It’s a Semitic language and originated in the 6th century. It soon made its way to Africa and Asia. The Islamic conquests throughout the seventh century also made this language popular and it reached Middle Eastern countries. Arabic being an ancient language soon started to prosper.
However, incorporating new words and technological changes remained a challenge for the people to integrate the Arabic language due to its complex linguistic features as compared to other Indo-European languages.
The Turkish language on the other end is part of the Turkic language family which falls in the Atlantic language group. This is the language of Turkey, Cyprus, and a few parts of Europe and the Middle East. The Turkish language also enjoys a great history and a rich cultural background. This language is the descendant of Ottoman Turkish as well as its predecessor. It came to Anatolia by the Seljuq Turks during the late 11th century. Interestingly, the Turkish language has absorbed a lot of Arabic and Persian words. They also adopted the Arabic script to write this language. It was after the Turkish Republic in 1923 that they replaced the Arabic script with the Latin alphabet. Though there was great backlash, resistance, and disputes the authorities managed to declutter the Turkish language from different foreign elements and words.
Religion and culture play a big role in every language. When it comes to Arabic and Turkish translation services these languages are no different and belong to one of the popular religions i.e. Islam. Therefore, considering religious and cultural factors in these languages vigilantly and thoroughly for accurate translation is a must.
Religious Considerations
Here are a few religious considerations which can help with smoother translation.
Terminology
Religion can not be detached from language and culture. Translators must understand the religious vocabularies and expressions attached to certain phrases and words. Many terms often go beyond a simple word and deeply represent a culture. Translators should know the religion a bit to deal with the religious concepts and terminology to avoid inaccuracies and most importantly offensive interpretations.
Arabic and Turkish people very commonly speak this term inşallah or inşaallah which indicates their belief in their creator, the Almighty, exactly telling about if God wishes and grants. If the translators do not get the context and make a wrong translation this can make the masses furious. Similarly, Alhamdu Lilah (Praise be to Allah) and Masha Allah (God has done/willed it) are also common terms and expressions that Arabic and Turkish speakers utter a lot.
Sensitivity and respect
Religion is itself a sensitive subject and in a world where religious harmony is encouraged we all are supposed to respect other religions. Therefore, this goes without much emphasis that religious text and references should be translated thoughtfully and carefully. This text requires extra care and respect in translation. Moreover, translators should reserve original intent and meaning without modernizing or secularizing the text.
Cultural context
Turks have taken most of their culture from the Arabs due to the shared religion and other similar traits. Though both of these come from different backgrounds in terms of ethnicity and land, it would be safe to say that Persian culture has a stronger impact on Turks than Arabs. Turks take Iran as Europeans take Greece. The religion again intervenes with its significance. Religious practices are similar in both cultures. Understanding the religious context of a text is pivotal to conveying the full underlying meaning. There are certain religious sects and groups inside the Arabs and Turks. While working on Arabic document translation services it is extremely crucial to look for the relevant sector and the religious interpretations. Overlooking this factor can spark controversies as these are sensitive matters.
Social taboos and sensitivities
Each culture has taboos and being an outsider and foreigner you need to respect that as per their societal norms. Religion also plays its part when it comes to taboos among the Arab and Turkish cultures. The translators need to be aware of these to produce accurate Arabic and Turkish translations. There are rights associated with each gender and though things have been modernized, there are people who practice the religion as it originally commanded to. Translating the content without getting actual context can put you in legal trouble. So to avoid potentially offensive and culturally and religiously inappropriate translations, make sure that you hold a great grip on your subject and languages.
Conclusion
Arabic and Turkish are two popular yet complex languages. These have distinct linguistic features. Also, both languages belong to similar religions and a somewhat shared culture. Therefore, it is extremely crucial to consider the religious intricacies while making translations. Businesses and companies should also realize the role of religion and cultural influence to ensure the translations are culturally and religiously appropriate.
