Utilizing Cultural Conceptualizations as a Literary Translation Strategy and Framework in Rendering Arabic Culture-Specific Puns in the Poetry of Ghazi Al-Gosaibi

This descriptive qualitative study examines how cultural conceptualizations function as a literary translation strategy for Arabic culture-specific puns in two poems by Saudi poet Ghazi Al-Gosaibi—“Love… and the Black Ports” and “Song in a Tropical Night”—rendered into English by translators Sargon Boulus and Joon-Stubbs. Recognizing that pun translation demands advanced linguistic dexterity and deep knowledge of both source and target sociocultural contexts, the research analyzes patterns, types, and social allegory within the original Arabic pun discourse and proposes an approach that maps these elements onto English cultural conceptualizations.

Findings show that Boulus and Joon-Stubbs remain accurate and faithful to the Arabic wording, chiefly employing literal and faithful translation techniques while leveraging cultural conceptualizations to preserve meaning. This strategy proves pivotal in bridging communicative and cultural gaps, enabling puns to traverse language boundaries effectively. The study concludes that deploying cultural conceptualizations enhances the rendering of Arabic culture-specific puns and offers practical implications and recommendations for translators facing similar cross-cultural challenges.