Translation Case Study: First Year Master a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment for the requirements of a

Figure 07
: General percentage of appropriate and inappropriate guesses…………………. 39 
Figure 08
: Student‟s strategies from English into Arabic………………………………….. 43
Figure 09
: Total percentage of student‟s strategies from English into Arabic……………...44
Figure 10
: Student‟s strategies from Arabic into English………………………………….. 47
Figure 11
: Total percentage of student‟s strategies from Arabic into English …………….. 48 
 
 
ix 

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List of Abbreviations 
SL.
Source Language 
TL. 
Target Language 
SC. 
Source Culture 
TC. 
Target Culture 
TR.
Transparent Idioms 
S-TR.
Semi-Transparent Idioms 
S- OP.
Semi Opaque Idioms 
 OP.
Opaque Idioms
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
x 

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General Introduction 
1. Statement of the Problem 

Language is a system of communication that is used by a particular community of 

speakers. It has literal and figurative meanings. The literal meaning is the direct reference of 
words or sentences to objects. The figurative sense, however, is different from the literal one 
in the sense that it is used for giving an imaginative description or a special effect. In this 
case, the meaning of individual words in an expression has nothing to do in the 
comprehension of the whole meaning. Such a meaning characterizes notions like metaphors, 
similes and idioms. Idioms have a great extent use in everyday language, and they are 
considered as one of the most frequently used means of non-literal language. Their frequent, 
spontaneous and appropriate use is usually a mark of good English, and an indication of 
native or near native command of the language. In this respect, ESL/EFL learners do their 
best to use and, especially, to translate idioms correctly and efficiently in order to achieve 
idiomacity and provide a native like language. The problem, however, is that despite recent 
development in the field of translation theory and application, idiomatic expressions still pose 
a serious challenge for translators and foreign learners.