Université Frère Mentouri , Constantine

Laboratoire Traduction et Langues

Revue Internationale de Traduction Moderne
Numéro spécial “ 09”

BENNACER Fouzia
University Center AbdelhafidBoussouf /Mila. Algeria

Translating Idioms using Internet-based Translators: Pros and Cos

Date de soumission : 29/07/2021 date d’acceptation : 29/08/2021

Abstract
Learning a new target language is a process in which students cannot get involved
unless they go through translation; they tend to translate words, phrases and whole
collocations. In this sense, the translation of idioms may present a major challenge
and a source of error, especially these days since most learners tend to use the rapidly
applicable internet-based translators such as “Google Translation” and “Reverso”.
Henceforth, the present study is an attempt to show the efficiency/non-efficiency of
such a kind of translation in relation to idioms. Giving concrete examples, it is
claimed that these applications are useful only in case there are similarities between
the idioms used in the mother tongue/culture and the target language/culture.
However, in case idioms imbed different cultural perspectives or indirect
implications, translation results in a complete loss of the meaning, if not a meaning
that increases cultural misunderstanding and conflict.
Keywords: idioms, internet-based translators, google translation, Reverso, cultural
similarities and differences.

[Link]
Languages differ all over the world, however, they still share common
similarities which allow for translation and make communication possible between
people from different backgrounds. Translation involves analysis/ decoding of a
message, and restructuring/ recoding it using the signs of a target language rather than
the signs of the source language, besides ‘meaning’ transfer. In other words, to
substitute linguistic elements without altering meaning (Mahdy Mohammed & Salah
Mahdi, 2018; Bassnett, 2002).
Université Frère Mentouri , Constantine
Laboratoire Traduction et Langues
Revue Internationale de Traduction Moderne
Numéro spécial “ 09”

The rapidly developing technologies have been of beneficial use in various

domains and field, and translation is no exception. Computer applications and
software and other computer assisted/aided translation (CAT) tools have been
continuously developed to help translators and students translate numerous texts in a
short time. Among these, we find Google translation and Reverso which are the most
commonly used online translators in Algeria. However, if it is a matter of fact that the
problem of equivalence in translation causes trouble for human translators, can these
online tools help translators with the matter? Can they provide appropriate equivalents
for all linguistic/ culture specific elements? Furthermore, if idioms are culture-bound
and represent a major challenge for human translators, how can online translators
approach them and to what extent their performance results in accuracy and
correctness?
Henceforth, this study is a descriptive and comparative one, it aims to
investigate how idioms should be translated from English to Arabic and vice versa,
and to find out how Google translation and Reverso approached some idiom examples
to be able to decide at the end on the efficiency regarding idiom translation.

1. TranslatingIdioms

Crystal (1980 p. 179) stated that idioms are expressions used “in GRAMMAR
and LEXICOGRAPHY to refer to a SEQUENCE of WORDS which is
SEMANTICALLY and often SYNTACTICALLY restricted”. Similarly, Baker
(1992, p. 63) advocated that idioms are "frozen patterns of language which allow little
or no variation in form and often carry meaning which cannot be deduced from their
individual components". In other words, the semantic meaning of the idiomatic
expression is different from the literal meaning of its composing individual words.
Besides, variability in word display is not permitted. For instance, the meaning of the
idiom “to run oneself out” (to be completely exhausted) cannot be understood from
the meaning of the individual words comprising it, as we cannot change the structure
of the expression or replace one word by an equivalent alternative (Awwad, 1990).
Université Frère Mentouri , Constantine
Laboratoire Traduction et Langues
Revue Internationale de Traduction Moderne
Numéro spécial “ 09”

Many idioms are colloquial and used in informal conversation (Wyatt, 2006). Idioms
“carry a heavy semantic load that is culture-specific” (Awwad, 1990 p. 59)
English idioms can be classified into three types; the first one is lexemic
idioms, these can be verbal (verb+ particle combination; e.g., break in), nominal (e.g.,
hot dog), adjectival (e.g. his hair is pepper and salt), and adverbial (e.g., she run after
him hammer and tongs). The second type is phraseological idioms (e.g., to fly off the
handle), and the last one is proverbial idioms (e.g., don’t wash your dirty linen in
public) (Awwad, 1990 p. 58). The same threefold classification -lexemic,
phraseological and proverbial- is applicable for Arabic idioms.
Due to the fact that each structure/ language represents a separate reality
(Sapir, 1956 cited in Bassnett, 2002), translating idioms is a task during which a
number of problematic issues arise. In this vein, Baker (1992 p.65) posited that "the
main problems that idiomatic and fixed expressions pose in translation relate to two
main areas: the ability to recognize and interpret the idiom correctly, and the
difficulties involved in rendering the various aspects of meaning that an idiom or a
fixed expression conveys into the target language". Echoing the same idea, Awwad,
(1990 p. 59) explained that one expression may have two meanings, a literal meaning
and an idiomatic meaning. For instance, the Arabic expressions ‘‫ 'فتح الباب‬can be
translated as ‘he opened the door’ which is the literal meaning, and ‘he established a
precedent’ which is the idiomatic meaning (Awwad, 1990 p. 58). Besides, cultural
differences result in another major obstacle; cultural beliefs and realities differ and
this is apparent in the language used in idioms, thus, we may find idioms that tackle
the same idea but in different language; for example, the English idiom ‘a fox is not
taken in the same snare twice’ has an equivalent in Arabic which is ‫'المؤمن ال يلدغ‬
'‫من الجحر مرتين‬, as we may find no corresponding idiom in the target culture.
Not only translators face difficulty in translating idioms, students also come
across problems of idiom recognition, finding equivalents in the target language,
finding a similar counterpart in the target language with a different context of use,
finding both the literal and the idiomatic meaning of an expression in the same text,
and the difference between the convention, context and frequency of use in both
Université Frère Mentouri , Constantine
Laboratoire Traduction et Langues
Revue Internationale de Traduction Moderne
Numéro spécial “ 09”

languages (Davies, 2004 p. 193). In other words, besides difficulty in recognizing the
idiom, it is difficult to find a corresponding one in both meaning and form in the
target culture (Mollanazar, 2004; Straksiene, 2009).
In the case of having Arabic and English as source and target languages,
idioms may be ranged into four main categories:
1. Expressions and functions correspond in both languages.
2. Functions correspond in both languages but expressions are completely
different
3. Functions correspond but expressions differ slightly
4. Both expressions and functions differ and are language specific (Awwad, 1990
p. 59)

Awwad (1990) further explained that translators face no/ less difficulty with
the first and the third categories, yet they have to work harder to find corresponding
idioms with the second and the fourth category and if not possible resort to translating
meaning. Furthermore, the bigger the gap between the SL and the TL, the more
difficult the translation will be (Al-Shawi& Mahadi,2012).
Hence, idioms are culture bound, therefore, a successful translation of idioms
requires the translator to acquire in-depth knowledge of both the source and the target
languages (Awwad,1990). Besides the intercultural competence, Baker (1992 pp 26-
43) posited four main strategies to translate idioms:
1. Using the equivalent idiom with similar form and meaning.
2. Using an idiomof similar meaning but different form (finding a semantic
equivalent).
3. translation by paraphrasing, using a single wordor a group of words which
roughly corresponds to the meaning of the source idiom, yet is not anidiom
itself.
4. translation by omission, the idiom is completely omitted.

However, Bassnett (2002) echoed Levý’s view that the act of contracting or omitting
difficult expressions while translating is immoral. Rather, the translator should find
solutions adopting the functional meaning, therefore, idiom “substitution is made not
Université Frère Mentouri , Constantine
Laboratoire Traduction et Langues
Revue Internationale de Traduction Moderne
Numéro spécial “ 09”

on the basis of the linguistic elements in the phrase, nor on the basis of a
corresponding or similar image contained in the phrase, but on the function of the
idiom” (Bassnett, 2002 p. 32).
Thus, if it is suggested that it is the task of the translator to intuitively find
solutions for translation problems such as untranslatability (Bassnett, 2002), how can
Computer-assisted/aided Translation tools (CAT) solve similar problems?
2. Computer-Assisted/Aided Translation Tools

Computer-assisted/aided Translation is that type of translation done through

the use of computer applications and software. CAT can provide cheap automatic
translation of large volumes, deal with numerous languages, memorize previously
translated terminology and texts i.e. CAT can help translators perform better (Ulitkin,
2011). Yet, CAT applications and software cannot deal with meaning variation
imbedded in literary and cultural terms (Costales, 2010; Mahdy Mohammed & Salah
Mahdi, 2018).
The 1990s signaled the appearance of the third generation of MT which
shifted from translation based on grammatical rules to that based on bodies of texts,
besides integrating human-assisted translation, and “Expanding the translation
memory and enriching it with large text codes, bilingual or multilingual dictionaries,
and lexicons of proverbs, idioms and special combinations” (Mahdy Mohammed &
Salah Mahdi, 2018 p. 343).
Thus, it is worth testing whether the available CAT tools, and mainly the most
used ones, are enriched with data that enable them translate idioms appropriately, or
their translation results in error?
3. The Study

The aim of this study is to test the extent to which online translation
applications -mainly Google translation and Reverso Translation – can be helpful and
accurate in the case of translating idioms from English to Arabic and vice versa. it is
assumed that these applications are useful only in case there are similarities between
the idioms used in the mother tongue/culture and the target language/culture.
Henceforth, the study is guided by the following research questions:
Université Frère Mentouri , Constantine
Laboratoire Traduction et Langues
Revue Internationale de Traduction Moderne
Numéro spécial “ 09”

- can students and translators rely on Google translation and Reverso in

translating idioms from English to Arabic and vice versa?
- To what extent these online applications are accurate in translating idioms?
- In what categories of idioms they are more accurate?
[Link] Collection
Idioms used in the present study are collected from different sources: Awwad
(1990), Assaf (2016), Faid (2003), Al-Shawi&Mahadi (2012) and Spears (2007).
Idioms are divided into four main categories following Awwad (1990) classification,
in other words, category one deals with idioms that have equivalents in both form and
meaning in the target culture, the second and the third categories deal with idioms that
have equivalents in meaning but they differ in form completely or slightly
respectively. The last category covers examples of idioms that are culture specific and
for which no equivalent can be found in the target culture.
Having different idiom categories necessitate the use of different strategies to
translate them into the target language. For an appropriate translation of the selected
idioms, the researcher used the strategy of finding the equivalent idiom with similar
form and meaning (with the first category), the strategy of Using an idiomof similar
meaning but different form (with the second and the third categories), and
paraphrasing (with the fourth category).
Another translation is undertaken via Google Translation and Reverso to be
compared with the human translation in an attempt to find out the extent to which
these CAT tools can provide the users with appropriate idiom translation.

[Link] and Analysis

Table1. Examples of Idioms Translated from English to Arabic.
English idioms Associative Google Reverso Corresponding
meaning translate Arabic idioms
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Laboratoire Traduction et Langues
Revue Internationale de Traduction Moderne
Numéro spécial “ 09”

Or word- word
translation
C he pokes his nose he interferes ‫يدس أنفه في كل شيئ يلقح أنفه في يدق أنفه في كل‬
A in everything with ‫شيئ‬ ‫شيء‬ ‫كل‬
T everything (MT)
E though it does ‫دس أنفه في‬
G not concern ‫شيئ‬ ‫كل‬
O him (T I C)
R he is light-handed Having a ‫إنه خفيف اليد‬ ‫يده خفيفة وهو خفيف‬
Y light, delicate ‫اليد‬
touch
she’s up to her Very busy or ‫هي غارقة حتى أذنيها وهي تصل إلى انها تصل الى‬
1 ears having more ‫اذنيها‬ ‫أذنيها‬
than what she
can manage
Pull the rug out To make ‫يسحب السجادة من سحب البساط اسحب البساط‬
from under someone’s ‫من تحت‬ ‫من تحت‬ ‫تحت‬
plans fall
through.
To hold out the to offer to end ‫غصن‬ ‫يحمل غصن زيتون إلمساك غصن ليحمل‬
olive branch a dispute and ‫الزيتون‬ ‫الزيتون‬
be
friendly; to
offer
reconciliation.
C Between the devil In a difficult ‫الشيطان‬ ‫بين المطرقة والسندان بين الشيطان بين‬
A and the deep blue situation ‫والبحر والبحر األزرق‬
T sea where there ‫العميق‬ ‫األزرق العميق‬
E are two
G equally
O unpleasant
R choices
Y At sixes and Lost in ‫الستات‬ ‫رأسا على عقب في حالة من عند‬
sevens bewilderment; ‫والسبعات‬ ‫الفوضى‬
2 At loose ends
Armed to the Heavily ‫مدججين بالسالح‬ ‫مدججين‬ ‫مدجج بالسالح‬
teeth armed with ‫بالسالح‬
deadly
weapons
Like a bear with a To behave in ‫المقطوع مثل الدب ذو مثل الدب برأس‬ ‫كاألفعى‬
sore head a very bad- ‫مؤلم‬ ‫ذنبها الرأس المتقرح‬
tempered and
angry way
Once in a blue Something ‫مرة في العمر مرة واحدة في مرة واحدة في‬
moon extremely rare ‫القمر األزرق‬ ‫القمر األزرق‬
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in occurrence
C To lose one’s To lose ‫أن يفقد رأسه‬ ‫يفقد صوابه أن يفقد المرء‬
A head control and ‫رأسه‬
T not act in a
E calm way
G She was the apple Her father’s ‫كانت قرة عين أبيها كانت تفاحة كانت قرة عين‬
O of her father’s eye favourite ‫والدها‬ ‫عين والدها‬
R A thorn in the Repeatedly ‫شوكة في الحلق شوكة في اللحم شوكة في الجسد‬
Y flesh annoys others
and cause
3 them pain
Cannot make Not able to ‫ال يمكن أن‬ ‫ال يعرف رأسه من ال يمكن صنع‬
head or tails of understand ‫تجعل الرأس أو‬ ‫رجليه رأس أو ذيل‬
something something ‫الذيل لشيء ما‬ ‫من شيء‬
At one’s beck and Ready to obey ‫إشراف‬ ‫تحت‬ ‫رهن اإلشارة في بيك واحد‬
call something ‫المرء واتصاله‬ ‫والنداء‬
‫رهن اإلشارة‬
(T I C)

C To get in Dutch To be in ‫يقع في مشكلة مع لدخول اللغة للحصول على‬

A with somebody trouble with ‫شخص ما الهولندية مع اللغة الهولندية‬
T somebody ‫مع شخص ما‬ ‫شخص ما‬
E Work one’s To work very ‫يبذل قصارى جهده شغل أصابع مرر أصابعه‬
G fingers to the hard ‫حتى العظم‬ ‫الشخص إلى‬
O bone ‫العظم‬
R Lip service Expressed in ‫خدمة الشفة‬ ‫مجرد كالم الكالم األجوف‬
Y words but not
4 backed by
deeds
Not to let grass To take action ‫ترك عدم ترك العشب‬ ‫ال يضيع الوقت عدم‬
grow under one’s immediately ‫العشب ينمو ينمو تحت قدميه‬
feet without ‫تحت أقدامه‬
hesitation
Lose one’s heart Fall in love ‫تفقد القلب‬ ‫يقع في الحب يفقد المرء قلبه‬
with someone
Note: TIC refers to translation in context. MT refers to machine translation
As shown in the table, Internet-based translators failed to provide an
appropriate translation for the majority of idioms. Statistically speaking, both gave
appropriate translation in two instances of category one, one in categories two and
three, while category four distinguished between Reverso with one correct translation
and Google Translation with none. With some examples, the Internet-based
translators provide the appropriate meaning of the idiom (which is literal in the first
Université Frère Mentouri , Constantine
Laboratoire Traduction et Langues
Revue Internationale de Traduction Moderne
Numéro spécial “ 09”

category) but not its equivalent in the target culture, yet, it cannot be considered as an
appropriate translation since idioms should be translated via giving an equivalent in
the target language, and paraphrasing can be resorted to in case the idiom is culture
specific. The few cases where Internet-based translators exceptionally provided
appropriate translation can be explained by being programmed with such information.

Table2. Examples of Idioms Translated from Arabic to English.

Arabic Idiom Associative Google Reverso Corresponding
meaning translate English idiom
or word- word
translation
C ‫يطعن في الظهر‬ To betray stabbed in Stab in the Stab in the back
A the back back
T ‫دم بارد‬ A purposely Cold blood Cold blood Cold blood
E ruthless and
G unfeeling
O manner
R ‫يلعب بالنار‬ To do playing with playing Play with fire
Y something fire with fire
dangerous or
1 risky
‫دموع التماسيح‬ Sorrow that is Crocodile Crocodile Crocodile tears
unsincere Tears Tears
‫حصة األسد‬ The largest Lion's share lion's share Got the lion’s
part or most of share
something
C ‫سبق السيف العذل‬ To try to The sword It was too Lock the barn
A prevent or preceded late door after the
T rectify a the horse is stolen
E problem after humiliation
G damage has
O already been
R done
Y ‫الصبر مفتاح الفرج‬ Patience is the Patience is Good things Everything
only key to get the key to come to comes to him
2 rid of troubles relief those who who waits
wait
‫كل ممنوع مرغوب‬ Forbidden All All Forbidden fruit
things seem forbidden is Forbidden is sweetest
more appealing desirable Desired
‫إن كنت ريحا فقد‬ if you are If you are a If I was If you are
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‫ القيت إعصارا‬strong, you are wind, you wind, I had Marconi I am

facing have met a a hurricane. Einstein
someone hurricane
stronger than
you.
‫ تبخرت األحالم‬Feeling Dreams Dreams Broken dreams
disappointed evaporate evaporated
for not
achieving a
goal
C ‫ يمسك بزمام األمور‬To be in Take Hold all the To hold the
A control control cards reins
T Hold all the
E cards
G ‫ كان كبش الفداء‬Bears the Was the Was the He was the
O blame for scapegoat patsy scape-goat
R others
Y ‫ ذئب في جلد حمل‬Dangerous wolf in A wolf in A wolf in
3 person lamb skin the skin of a sheep’s
pretending to lamb clothing
be harmless
‫ آذان صاغية‬Listening all ears Friendly All ears
eagerly and ears
carefully All ears
(TIC)
‫ظهره مسنود‬ He is his back is It's a He is backed up
supported by propped up mascot
somebody else
C ‫مقطوع من شجرة‬ He has no cut from a Cut from a rootless
A relatives tree tree
T ‫أفل نجمه‬ Said when lower star Let go of Becomes
E one's fame ‫نجم‬ his star. unpopular
G fades away.
O ‫ أتى على األخضر‬To be greedy, Came on It came on He destroyed
R ‫واليابس‬ to destroy green and the green. everything
Y everything dry And to
4 Epps
‫مكلل بالغار‬ Glory gained Laureate Boiled with He is glorious2
by someone laurels
for being
genius in art or
science
‫ الخروج من عنق‬To get out of a out of the Get out of Getting out of
‫الزجاجة‬ difficult bottleneck the bottle's trouble
situation neck.
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Idioms in category one are similar in both form and meaning, as a result the
translation provided by Google Translation and Reverso are to the point. In category
two, idioms have equivalents in meaning but not in form, a fact that led to error
occurrence, Google translation found none while Reverso found one equivalent. The
third category imbeds idioms that have the same meaning but slightly differ in form
and internet-based translators scored 2out of 5 for each. An interesting note to be
mentioned here is that Reverso provided inappropriate equivalent idioms in some
instances which means that it is enriched by some idiomatic expressions, still used
inappropriately. The fourth category represents idioms that are culture particular,
hence, that require paraphrasing meaning. Internet-based translators failed to translate
the meaning in all the chosen examples.
Conclusion

To conclude, when translating idioms from English to Arabic, internet-based

translators’ performance was weak with an average of four appropriate replies out of
Twenty idioms for Google translation, and five out of twenty for Reverso. Then, in
translating idioms from Arabic to English, their performance was a little better, yet
not satisfactory with an average of seven appropriate translations out of twenty for
Google Translation, and eight out of twenty for Reverso.
Thus, it can be claimed that such type of translation can be helpful in the case of
ordinary texts but not in the case of idioms. Still, they may help to a limited degree
with idioms that have equivalents in the target language which are similar in form and
meaning, and a more limited scope with those having equivalents in meaning and
different forms.
However, despite the lack of efficiency and competence noticed in the use of CAT in
translating idioms, still their translation is not wholly a failure, translators have to pay
attention to these defects to be able to overcome them and to benefit from the
advantages that CAT afford.
Université Frère Mentouri , Constantine
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- ‫ القاهرة‬- ‫ عالم الكتب‬- - ‫بحوث في العربية المعاصرة‬2003 ‫ وفاء كامل فايد‬.‫د‬