We have looked at many examples of literary translation across genres in this course. This final exercise draws upon the assignment about lyrics that was done in the last two weeks of class.
Below you will find three songs, performed by Sabah, Feiruz and Abdel Halim. Choose ONE of them and please write a blog posting of about 200-300 words in which you evaluate the translation strategies employed in transforming the Arabic version into English. Please make reference to specific examples from the lyrics.
Remember that translation of lyric is one of the hardest things you can do, since songs often contain figurative & idiomatic speech as well as cultural references. All of that can be rhymed, written in the correct register and needs to be singable!
Choose three main points for the song you choose and explain how you think the translator made his/her choices. Feel free to provide alternative translations for expressions. You do not need to retranslate the entire song!
Choice A - Oh don’t be shy - يا دلع
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Oh don’t be shy, oh no don’t! …Flirt! with all the pretty girls you want |
يا دلع يا دلع دلع .. وبالحلوين تطلع |
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My soul loves your soul. …on fire you set my heart |
روحي حبت روحك .. وقلبي فيك تولع |
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Oh don’t be shy, oh no don’t Just flirt! Flirt! |
يا دلع يا دلع دلع |
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You are the only love of my heart…oh you’ve got the sweetest heart! |
قلبي غير قلبك ما حب .. يلي قلبك اطيب قلب |
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If you croon to me about love, I will just sit and listen, Rapt! |
انت غنيلي عالحب .. وانا بقعد بتسمع |
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Oh don’t be shy, don’t be shy…. Just flirt! |
يا دلع يا دلع دلع |
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Confusion let’s forget…and tell me that you love me with your heart |
لا تضيع ولا تضيعني .. دقة قلبك سمعني |
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I love you, don’t make me suffer…A lot of pain my heart has felt |
وبحبك لا تلوعني .. قلبي من الحب ملوع |
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Oh don’t be shy, oh no don’t…just flirt |
يا دلع يا دلع دلع |
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Your beauty makes my heart melt…don’t cause sorrow in my chest |
مغروم بحسنك مغروم .. لا تخليلي بقلبي هموم |
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Oh you are so charming…I love it when you flirt |
يا تسلملي شو مهضوم .. وشو بيلبقلك تدلع |
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Oh don’t be shy, oh no don’t…just flirt! FLIRT! FLIRT! |
يا دلع يا دلع دلع |
كلمات: توفيق بركات
الحان: فريد الأطرش
Translators:
Omar Baroudi
Tamara Arnaout
Choice B - I love you hopelessly / أهواك بلا أمل
| I love you hopelessly | أهواك بلا أمل |
| Your eyes, your eyes smile at me | و عيونك تبسم لى |
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Your rosy lips entice me Oh so, irresistibly |
وورودك تغرينى بشهات القبل |
| I love you with a heart |
أهواك و لى قلب |
| inflamed with passion |
بغرامك يلتهب |
| You embrace it. It nestles. |
تدنيه فيقترب |
| You dismiss it. It is estrnaged. |
تقسيه فيغترب |
| In darkness it is crushed |
فى الظلمة يكتئب |
| Exhausted, it just lulls |
و يهدهده التعب |
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So it melts and it pours A river of pearly tears My love… Ah restless I await during nights So long until the moon says to me Darling, what is wrong_ With an enamored heart I reply Oh dear moon, It’s I, For I have loved and lost Ohhh so hopelessly. |
فيذوب و ينسكب كالدمع في المقل فى السهرة أنتظر و يطول بى السهر فيسائلنى القمر فأجيبه و القلب أحببت بلا أمل.. |
Composed by Zaki Nassif, Sung by Feirouz
Translators: section 1, ENGL 262, Fall 2014-15
Choice C - Shaghlouni / For nights…
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For nights… |
شغلوني |
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For nights, I’ve been thinking of you and only you |
شغلوني وشغلوا النوم عن عيني ليالي |
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For a moment I’d cry and for another, I’d cry even more |
ساعة أبكي وساعة يبكي علي حالي |
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For nights, no matter what, My precious promise to you lies |
ليالي ليالي عهد وغالي مهما جرال |
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Beauty was a meaningless affair, A flower whose fragrance I’d smell there |
كان الجمال عندي زهرة وبتعدي ما بين خيال العين |
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Then I’d forget her Between a glimpse and a dream |
أعشق جمالها يوم ويفوت عليها النوم أنساها بعد يومين |
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So why did my thoughts Go towards her unconsciously? |
ايه اللى خلى الفكر يبوح ويقابله من غير ما يقولي |
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So how did the eyes of my soul sneak up And fall in love secretively? |
مين اللى قال لعيون الروح تعشق هواك وتشوفه قبلي |
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For nights, I’ve been thinking of you and only you |
شغلوني وشغلوا النوم عن عيني ليالي |
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For a moment I’d cry and for another, I’d cry even more |
ساعة أبكي وساعة يبكي علي حالي |
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For nights, no matter what, My precious promise to you lies |
ليالي ليالي عهد وغالي مهما جرالي |
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You whose love preoccupied me But wasn’t on my mind Who knows what the future holds for us? |
ياللي هواك جالي وما كان على بالي مكتوبلي ايه وياك |
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I’m afraid your love would slip away And your heart would be indifferent to me |
خايف يهون حبي ويهون عليك قلبي والقى الدموع تهواك |
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Promise me that your love Would always be on my mind And I would be in your heart everyday |
عاهدني تشغل قلبي عليك وتنشغل اكتر مني |
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Promise me when I miss your eyes You will not stay far away. |
اوعدني لما اشتاق لعينيك ماتجيش في يوم وتغيب عني |
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For nights, I’ve been thinking of you and only you |
شغلوني وشغلوا النوم عن عيني ليالي |
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For a moment I’d cry and for another, I’d cry even more |
ساعة أبكي وساعة يبكي علي حالي |
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For nights, no matter what, My precious promise to you lies |
ليالي ليالي عهد وغالي مهما جرالي |
Translators:
Nadim Badra, Aya Saadeh, Oliver Soufan