Aspects to Translating Literature

Aspects to Translating Literature 1.) Introduction Translating texts requires skill, ability on the part of a translator in understanding the terms used in the source language (SL). As experts have pointed out, translation does not fully transfer the meaning of the terms from the SL toward the target language (TL) in which the texts are being translated. But in order to get closely as much as possible to the exact meaning of the term, translators follow a basic rule to put into mind the cultural nuances of the original term while finding their equivalent terms in another language (e.g. Arabic to English). In addition, because these terms have additional symbolic value as religious terms, translators must bear in mind of being careful in the translation. Toury (198 in Venuti ed.) himself highlights the role of translation in retaining the cultural nuances of the texts by saying that translators have a task â€Å"to fulfill a function allotted by a community to an activity, its practitioners and their products in a way deemed appropri ate to its terms of reference.† This researcher intends to ascertain the skill and success of Issam Diab in translating Ar Raheeq al Makhtoom, the memoirs of the Prophet Mohammad, from Arabic into English. Titled The Sealed Nectar, the memoirs records the life of Mohammad, while also discussing the socio-ecnomic background of Arabia during his lifetime. It was originally written by Saifur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri. 2.) Review of literature in brief Translation experts have pointed out various concerns in ensuring the translation of works from different languages. These range from defining when translations â€Å"formally† diverge from the literal meanings (Catford 141 in Venuti ed.) to ascertaining the equivalence of word meanings (Nida and Taber,) But all point to the problem of retaining the message of a text translated from SL to TL as much as possible. In addition translators have to consider the referential meanings of the words that they correspond so that they can define the exact meanings of the SL-based words that they are going to use. Culture aspects Studies such by Ahmed Elimam being conducted at the University of Manchester have tried to show the challenges in translating Arabic-language texts to English. Translators undertaking these projects faced the fact that there is a large diversity in terms of structural, grammatical, and semantic structure between the two languages. In addition they have to consider keeping as close as possible to the Arabic heritage the translated works. They also have to make sure that they words in Arabic which, by virtue of having deep cultural connotations, One can see this in the ongoing project to translate the Q’uran from Arabic to English as shown by Elimam. In this project, a team of translators tried to examine 10 translation of verses from the Q’uran and examine what are the grammatical and syntax changes were done in order to adjust in from the transfer of meaning from Arabic to English. Another continuing study made at the University of Manchester was of Ashraf Abdul Fattah was on comparing the changes of conjunction and passivisation in the translated works of Arab authors. This time the focus was on how changes in conjunction were made between the original and translated work made by the same authors. One can see here the attempt to verify if an author trying to translate his own works to another language can effectively transfer meaning given the differences in languages. 3). Issues in translation Translation studies have pointed out that there are terms in texts which must be carefully analyzed by a translator before proceeding in the translation proper. These terms are called â€Å"sensitive terms† which are defined as words considered central to the beliefs of the people owning the original texts. These may pertain to sacred teachings, quotations by the religions’ prophets or sages. Because of these, it is vital for translators to understand the religious beliefs, traditions and nuances behind the SL before undertaking any translation of religious texts. However, similar to translating works in other genres, translators have to deal with linguistic and cultural challenges before even being able to translate a work. According to Toury (199 in Venuti ed.), the main challenges faced by translators involve the systematic differences between languages (in terms of grammar, syntax, sentence structure), the variety in textual traditions contained in the texts to be translated, and also the â€Å"cognitive ability† of the translator to comprehend and transmit the meanings of the original texts from the original language to another language. In translating these terms, it is essential to consider first some important aspects in translation: translation shifts, kinds of norms types of equivalence, and emotive meaning. These factors determine how closely concise has a translator managed to express in the TL the meanings and terms originally expressed in the source language SL of a text . Translating texts involve changes in the use of grammar, contexts, and sentence structure, said Cartford (141 in Venuti ed.) in a seminal study on translation shifts. These translation changes are categorized as level shifts and categorical shifts. Level shifts occur in translation when the meaning of an SL item, at one linguistic level, changes meaning at another linguistic level of the TL. In particular, this kind of shift occurs when the translator attempts to translate the meanings at the phonological and graphological meanings but the result will be only a shift from grammar to lexis levels. Categorical shifts occur when there are variations in rank, structure, class, term in systems while a text is being translated from the SL to the TL. But Cartford (141 in Venuti ed.) qualifies this description by saying that there is a categorical shift when there is some form of formal correspondence between SL and TL. Structural shifts are the most common kind of categorical shifts and are noticeable in total translations, phonological and graphological translations Cartford (143 in Venuti ed.) added. Class shifts happen when the meaning of an SL item changes at a different translation level. Unit changes are observed when there is â€Å"a formal departure† in translation equivalent in one rank of the SL to another rank in the TL. Finally, intra-system shifts occur in cases where changes happen within the systems of both of SL and TL, where these systems still correspond to the languages’ â€Å"formal constitution.† However this must be qualified if the translation â€Å"involves selection of non-corresponding term in the TL system† Toury (199 in Venuti ed.) noted that translators are constrained by a wide range of â€Å"social regulations† which govern the behavior of a cultural community. This implied that there are particular cultural contexts which must be retained in the translation of terms from one language to another. At one pole of this continuum, are the absolute rules. These rules include local laws, ethics and traditions. At the other end are the idiosyncracies which pertain to the particular practices of individuals exhibited according to a particular situation. Located in between these far ends of the socio-cultural regulation scale are the norms which refer to the generally flexible set of rules governing particular situations in a context. These three kinds of social regulations influence translation because texts contain particular contexts which could only be explained through understanding these social regulations. Toury (200 in Venuti ed.) also pointed out that translation is a norm-governed activity because it also follows a set of rules pertaining to usage and transfer of meaning. This is flexible because each language has its particular meaning and context, hence the rules in terms of grammar and syntax may not be always be applicable. As he notes in his article, translation is being governed by norms depending on: Being a text in a certain language, and hence occupying a position, or filling a slot, in the appropriate culture, or a certain section thereof; Constituting a representation in that language/culture of another, preexisting text in some other language, belonging to some other culture and occupying a definite position. In translation, there are two large categories of norms which must be considered in planning and doing a translation of a work, namely: preliminary norms and operation norms. Preliminary norms pertain to the rules and policies governing the choice of text types to be translated and also the â€Å"tolerance† for translation (referring to the feasibility of translating terms which may have very specific cultural contexts not available in the language of the translator.), said Toury. Operational terms, he added, refer to the actual decisions made in the course of translations such as the distribution of textual material, verbal formulation and the like. Falling under operational norms are matricial (referring to the determination on the very existence of a textual material) and textual norms (which govern selection and usage of textual material to be translated.) Toury said that in general preliminary norms predominate over operational norms because the former lays down the structural basis in conducting a translation work (203). However despite this, the norms may still intersect, depending on the translation processes ensuing in a work. He also explained that multiplicity of norms still remain because each culture retains standards of regulating behavior even as they interact with other traditions. As a result translators have to face it and try to resolve them rather than just â€Å"ignore.† In Toury’s own words: â€Å" They only mean that real-life situations tend to be complex; and this complexity had better be noted rather than ignored, if one is to draw any justifiable conclusions. As already argued, the only viable way out seems to be to contextualize every phenomenon, every item, every text, every act, on the way to allotting the different norms themselves their appropriate position and valence† (205 in Venuti ed.) Another point of concern among linguist and translators is the equivalence of translating a meaning from the SL to the TL. Nida and Taber (200) defined equivalence as â€Å"very close similarity in meaning as opposed to similarity to form.† However, translation theorists have various concepts to explain and classify equivalence. Hoang pointed out in an online presentation that Nida and Taber had already gave out formal and dynamic equivalence in 1982 while Jakobensen theorized in 1959 equivalence can be achieved by a translator by using loan translations, neologisms, semantic shifts and circumlocutions. In 1992 Mona Baker came out with her own set of kinds of equivalences. These are â€Å"word level equivalence,† â€Å"equivalence above word level,† â€Å"grammatical equivalence† â€Å"textual â€Å"equivalence† and â€Å"pragmatic â€Å"equivalence.† Baker’s classification falls under the â€Å"formal’ equivalence category which focuses on how translators can use the forms of the texts in getting the closest meaning for an SL word, said Hoang. â€Å"Word level equivalence† refers to the attempt by a translator to find a corresponding meaning of one word from the SL to the TL. This effort entails a translator ensuring as much as possible that the counterpart word of the TL closely hews to the context of the original word from the SL. There are cases however when the texts between SL and TL do not correspond close enough to allow for the use of word level equivalence. In this case the translator must use the â€Å"equivalence above word level.† Here, the translator must find meanings which, while not be closely relate the corresponding TL word with the original SL word, must at least be related enough for the meanings to be still correlated. In the third strategy, the translator uses it when the correspondence between the two texts would only be found between the grammatical structures of the text. As a result, the translator has to analyse the grammatical correspondence between the texts of SL and TL, where despite the variety in the structural order of morpheme, syntax, and sentence orders, the same concepts or meaning can still be correlated between the two texts. However, there are instances when there is little correspondence in the verbal and grammatical structures of the SL and TL texts because there of a high diversity in the order of word and grammar structure. In light of this, the translator has to find correspondence in the overall textual structure of the SL and TL texts. He has to ascertain that the overall context in the SL text is still expressed in the TL version even though there are variations in grammar and syntax structures. If all these strategies still would not be able to correspond meaning between the SL and TL, then the translator has to use the pragmatic equivalence mode. Here, the translator uses the implied meanings of the SL text in order to at least express them in the TL . Another aspect in translating concepts from SL to TL is the use by translators of referential meanings. Nida (56) defines â€Å"referential meanings† as the use of â€Å"words as symbols to refer to objects, events, abstracts and relations.† The implication of this concept in translation is that translators have to consider the exact meanings of words based from OL in the translation of texts. (This is called denotation in grammar) This importance is highlighted by the fact that there is a diversity of meanings within those cultures and more so when translators try to get these exact meanings. One way to ensure this is to consult authoritative dictionaries of the SL concerned. One last aspect to consider in translation is the effect of emotive meanings to the translators. The Summer Institute of Linguistics online glossary defines â€Å"emotive meanings† as â€Å"affective meaning,† while terms related to it are â€Å"connotation/connotative meanings.† In sum, emotive meanings are definitions which have an association with a thing or concept even though these may not have direct conceptual relationship. The translators have to consider this while translating works from SL to TL because there are chances when the meanings that they try to correlate from SL to TL may just be a connotative meaning. Another way is to verify the specific contexts when these words are used. Aims The researcher aims to test, compare and synthesize the discussions above on various translation principles by conducting a review of â€Å"The Sealed Nectar (Ar Raheeq al Makhtum).† An English translation of the memoirs of the Prophet Muhammad was made by Issam Diab and was published in Saudi Arabia. With this translated memoir as the locus of the study, this researcher aims to fulfill the following aims: For the translation shift aspect, the researcher proposes to compare the source language (Arabic) and target language (English), identifying the translation shifts that happened in the book, and justifying the translator’s choice in making these translation shifts. As for the normative aspect, the researcher proposes to find out a.) if the translated version of the memoirs has consistency in the kind of norms and equivalence used even as it approached referential meaning. And b.) if the translated version has consistency in the kind of norms and equivalency while appr oaching emotive meaning. Finally, the researcher intends to contextualize the findings in the fact that many of the â€Å"sensitive terms† may be religious in nature This is study is made also with the aim of understanding the cultural and linguistic nuances distinguishable between English and Arabic. The researcher would like to point out in particular that the Arabic used here was the version spoken during the time of Muhammad, hence it is necessary to understand the historic-cultural background of the narrative. In addition the researcher would like to find out if there possible refinements which could be recommended for Diab’s work. Aside from it, the researcher will also cite these recommendations as possible future references with regard to translations of memoirs, specifically Arabic memoirs. Hypotheses and Research questions The research would like to resolve in this study the following hypotheses regarding the translation of â€Å"sensitive terms† in The Sealed Nectar. The researcher hypotheses that : there is consistency in the kind of norms and types of equivalence used while approaching referential meaning of sensitive terms either in the translation of religious texts or the book there is consistency in the kind of norms and types of equivalence used while approaching emotive meaning of sensitive terms either in the translation or the book. The researcher also hopes to answer specific questions in the course of this study. These are: what are the translation shifts adopted by the translator while tackling sensitive terms? to what extent do the kind of norms and type of equivalence represent consistency in approaching referential meaning. to what extent do the kind of norms and type of equivalence represent consistency in approaching emotive meaning. what are the most successful techniques and strategies used by the translator in conveying the meaning? what are the least successful techniques and strategies used by the translator in conveying the meaning? Approach As part of analyzing the â€Å"sensitive terms† used in the book The Sealed Nectar, this researcher intends to use the qualitative method of research. As generally known in academic and research circles, the qualitative method is used when the focus of the study intends to look at observing at particular characteristics of the sample subject which may be distinct from the general population. For this purpose, the researcher will both utilize three kinds of qualitative methods: book review analysis, documentary research and contrastive analysis. This researcher believes that it is necessary to use three kinds of methods because of the range of issues involved in the study and that each method have their particular loci. Initially the researcher will utilise the book review analysis to get a grasp of what they entire work contains, and to ascertain the particular context of the ‘sensitive terms† included in the book In this regard, this writer proposes to first utilise the book review analysis in studying the work The Sealed Nectar He will primarily use the linguistic perspective in dissecting the translation merits of this book because his focus would be on how Issam Diab translated â€Å"sensitive terms: from Arabic to English. In the context of this analysis, this writer proposes also to use a) the British National Corpus and b.) an authoritative Arabic dictionary to assist him in comparing the â€Å"sensitive terms† which are the foci of this research. Then the researcher will apply the documentary analysis method to compare the details from the book with details from other pertinent documents. These documents may include other Arab dictionaries, additional biographies on Mohammad, other Arab-language dictionaries and authoritative history books on Arabia. For the final part of the evaluation process, the researcher will apply the comparative analysis method wherein the findings from the two methods would be examined against each other. The researcher will then draw conclusions from this comparative study and then synthesise it with previous findings on translation to In the process of evaluating the translation, the researcher will cite previous theories and principles on translation, then use these as benchmarks in how successful was the English translation of Diab of Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum in terms of transferring most of the original meaning from the original Arabic to English. In this aspect, this writer will primarily use the theories enunciated by Catford (141-147 in Venuti ed.) on translation shifts, Toury (198-211 in Venuti ed.) on translational norms, Baker on types of equivalence, and Nida (56-90) on referential meaning. But the researcher is open to using other kinds of research methodology if circumstances would warrant it. For example, the interview approach would be utilised if the researcher thinks there is a need to consult scholars on Arabic language, studies and literature. This is because the historical context of the narrative is key to understanding whatever â€Å"sensitive terms† which are enclosed in the work. Aside from that, it may be helpful if the researcher can get insights from these scholars regarding English translations of Arabic language works. This is because from their expert opinions, the researcher may further understand the change of nuances in translation, but not only from a purely technical aspect (translations shifts etc.), but also from the point of view of rhetoric and literary excellence. Tools For the purpose of this study, the research will use the following research tools in analyzing the Diab’s translation work: British National Corpus. an authoritative Arabic dictionary (preferably with references to Arabia during the time of Mohammad), two other biographies of Mohammad, and authoritative history books on Arabia. The reason behind citing these documents as tools in analyzing The Sealed Nectar is that the researcher wants to ensure that the needed details with regard to the study are utilized. The British National Corpus would serve as a guide on English words used in the book, to get the proper context of their usage. Then this will be complemented by the use of an Arabic language dictionary, to see how the original meaning and nuances of the SL based original version of the biography Then to put context into the analysis, the researcher will cite history books on Arabia to verify the authenticity of particular historical instances mentioned in the book. The res earcher thinks that a combined use of textual and historical analysis will help elucidate details on the accuracy of Diab’s translation. Scope While other interested researchers may find a whole range of translation issues in analyzing The Sealed Nectar, this writer intends to focus more on the accuracy of translating â€Å"sensitive terms† in the translation work. This is because these terms are loaded with religious meanings, which make these terms more challenging to translate as compared to other terms. In addition, the languages used have different nuances (Arabic as against modern English) which entails additional challenges in ensuring that the meanings of the terms do not get lost in translation. Tentative Outline of Paper : Within an allotted timeframe of a minimum of three years, this writer proposes an outline of the paper’s body: Chapter One: Linguistic analysis of sensitive terms in translation à   6 -12 months Chapter Two: Cultural, historical, and rhetorical aspects of the translation à   6-12 months Chapter Three: Evaluating the translation à   3-6 months Chapter Four: Summary, implications and recommendations à   3-6 months The writer intends to use the Sealed Nectar and the tools mentioned above in the first two years of the study. While he may formulate preliminary findings in the course of the study, the researcher intends to finalize them in the last year of the study through evaluation and formulation of summary findings and recommendations. The researcher takes note that accomplishing these aims may overlap depending on the availability of resources and the rate of research/analysis work. Books Nida, E, and Taber C. The Theory and Practice of Translation. Boston: Brill, 2003.pp. 56- 90 Chapters in Books Catford, J.C.. Translation Shifts.' The Translation Studies Reader. Ed. Lawrence Venuti. London: Routledge, 2000. 141-147 Toury, Gideon. Nature and Role of Norms in Translation.† (orig. 1978, rev. 1995) The Translation Studies Reader. Ed. Lawrence Venuti. London: Routledge, 2000. 198-211 Websites: Ar Raheeq Al Maktoom. University of Arkansas. July 28,2009 Translation Equivalence. Hoang. October 19 2008. July 28, 2009 . Elimam. University of Manchester. July 28, 2009 . Abdul Fattah. University of Manchester. July 28, 2009 Glossary. Summer Institute of Linguistics. July 28, 2009 . Aspects to Translating Literature Aspects to Translating Literature 1.) Introduction Translating texts requires skill, ability on the part of a translator in understanding the terms used in the source language (SL). As experts have pointed out, translation does not fully transfer the meaning of the terms from the SL toward the target language (TL) in which the texts are being translated. But in order to get closely as much as possible to the exact meaning of the term, translators follow a basic rule to put into mind the cultural nuances of the original term while finding their equivalent terms in another language (e.g. Arabic to English). In addition, because these terms have additional symbolic value as religious terms, translators must bear in mind of being careful in the translation. Toury (198 in Venuti ed.) himself highlights the role of translation in retaining the cultural nuances of the texts by saying that translators have a task â€Å"to fulfill a function allotted by a community to an activity, its practitioners and their products in a way deemed appropri ate to its terms of reference.† This researcher intends to ascertain the skill and success of Issam Diab in translating Ar Raheeq al Makhtoom, the memoirs of the Prophet Mohammad, from Arabic into English. Titled The Sealed Nectar, the memoirs records the life of Mohammad, while also discussing the socio-ecnomic background of Arabia during his lifetime. It was originally written by Saifur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri. 2.) Review of literature in brief Translation experts have pointed out various concerns in ensuring the translation of works from different languages. These range from defining when translations â€Å"formally† diverge from the literal meanings (Catford 141 in Venuti ed.) to ascertaining the equivalence of word meanings (Nida and Taber,) But all point to the problem of retaining the message of a text translated from SL to TL as much as possible. In addition translators have to consider the referential meanings of the words that they correspond so that they can define the exact meanings of the SL-based words that they are going to use. Culture aspects Studies such by Ahmed Elimam being conducted at the University of Manchester have tried to show the challenges in translating Arabic-language texts to English. Translators undertaking these projects faced the fact that there is a large diversity in terms of structural, grammatical, and semantic structure between the two languages. In addition they have to consider keeping as close as possible to the Arabic heritage the translated works. They also have to make sure that they words in Arabic which, by virtue of having deep cultural connotations, One can see this in the ongoing project to translate the Q’uran from Arabic to English as shown by Elimam. In this project, a team of translators tried to examine 10 translation of verses from the Q’uran and examine what are the grammatical and syntax changes were done in order to adjust in from the transfer of meaning from Arabic to English. Another continuing study made at the University of Manchester was of Ashraf Abdul Fattah was on comparing the changes of conjunction and passivisation in the translated works of Arab authors. This time the focus was on how changes in conjunction were made between the original and translated work made by the same authors. One can see here the attempt to verify if an author trying to translate his own works to another language can effectively transfer meaning given the differences in languages. 3). Issues in translation Translation studies have pointed out that there are terms in texts which must be carefully analyzed by a translator before proceeding in the translation proper. These terms are called â€Å"sensitive terms† which are defined as words considered central to the beliefs of the people owning the original texts. These may pertain to sacred teachings, quotations by the religions’ prophets or sages. Because of these, it is vital for translators to understand the religious beliefs, traditions and nuances behind the SL before undertaking any translation of religious texts. However, similar to translating works in other genres, translators have to deal with linguistic and cultural challenges before even being able to translate a work. According to Toury (199 in Venuti ed.), the main challenges faced by translators involve the systematic differences between languages (in terms of grammar, syntax, sentence structure), the variety in textual traditions contained in the texts to be translated, and also the â€Å"cognitive ability† of the translator to comprehend and transmit the meanings of the original texts from the original language to another language. In translating these terms, it is essential to consider first some important aspects in translation: translation shifts, kinds of norms types of equivalence, and emotive meaning. These factors determine how closely concise has a translator managed to express in the TL the meanings and terms originally expressed in the source language SL of a text . Translating texts involve changes in the use of grammar, contexts, and sentence structure, said Cartford (141 in Venuti ed.) in a seminal study on translation shifts. These translation changes are categorized as level shifts and categorical shifts. Level shifts occur in translation when the meaning of an SL item, at one linguistic level, changes meaning at another linguistic level of the TL. In particular, this kind of shift occurs when the translator attempts to translate the meanings at the phonological and graphological meanings but the result will be only a shift from grammar to lexis levels. Categorical shifts occur when there are variations in rank, structure, class, term in systems while a text is being translated from the SL to the TL. But Cartford (141 in Venuti ed.) qualifies this description by saying that there is a categorical shift when there is some form of formal correspondence between SL and TL. Structural shifts are the most common kind of categorical shifts and are noticeable in total translations, phonological and graphological translations Cartford (143 in Venuti ed.) added. Class shifts happen when the meaning of an SL item changes at a different translation level. Unit changes are observed when there is â€Å"a formal departure† in translation equivalent in one rank of the SL to another rank in the TL. Finally, intra-system shifts occur in cases where changes happen within the systems of both of SL and TL, where these systems still correspond to the languages’ â€Å"formal constitution.† However this must be qualified if the translation â€Å"involves selection of non-corresponding term in the TL system† Toury (199 in Venuti ed.) noted that translators are constrained by a wide range of â€Å"social regulations† which govern the behavior of a cultural community. This implied that there are particular cultural contexts which must be retained in the translation of terms from one language to another. At one pole of this continuum, are the absolute rules. These rules include local laws, ethics and traditions. At the other end are the idiosyncracies which pertain to the particular practices of individuals exhibited according to a particular situation. Located in between these far ends of the socio-cultural regulation scale are the norms which refer to the generally flexible set of rules governing particular situations in a context. These three kinds of social regulations influence translation because texts contain particular contexts which could only be explained through understanding these social regulations. Toury (200 in Venuti ed.) also pointed out that translation is a norm-governed activity because it also follows a set of rules pertaining to usage and transfer of meaning. This is flexible because each language has its particular meaning and context, hence the rules in terms of grammar and syntax may not be always be applicable. As he notes in his article, translation is being governed by norms depending on: Being a text in a certain language, and hence occupying a position, or filling a slot, in the appropriate culture, or a certain section thereof; Constituting a representation in that language/culture of another, preexisting text in some other language, belonging to some other culture and occupying a definite position. In translation, there are two large categories of norms which must be considered in planning and doing a translation of a work, namely: preliminary norms and operation norms. Preliminary norms pertain to the rules and policies governing the choice of text types to be translated and also the â€Å"tolerance† for translation (referring to the feasibility of translating terms which may have very specific cultural contexts not available in the language of the translator.), said Toury. Operational terms, he added, refer to the actual decisions made in the course of translations such as the distribution of textual material, verbal formulation and the like. Falling under operational norms are matricial (referring to the determination on the very existence of a textual material) and textual norms (which govern selection and usage of textual material to be translated.) Toury said that in general preliminary norms predominate over operational norms because the former lays down the structural basis in conducting a translation work (203). However despite this, the norms may still intersect, depending on the translation processes ensuing in a work. He also explained that multiplicity of norms still remain because each culture retains standards of regulating behavior even as they interact with other traditions. As a result translators have to face it and try to resolve them rather than just â€Å"ignore.† In Toury’s own words: â€Å" They only mean that real-life situations tend to be complex; and this complexity had better be noted rather than ignored, if one is to draw any justifiable conclusions. As already argued, the only viable way out seems to be to contextualize every phenomenon, every item, every text, every act, on the way to allotting the different norms themselves their appropriate position and valence† (205 in Venuti ed.) Another point of concern among linguist and translators is the equivalence of translating a meaning from the SL to the TL. Nida and Taber (200) defined equivalence as â€Å"very close similarity in meaning as opposed to similarity to form.† However, translation theorists have various concepts to explain and classify equivalence. Hoang pointed out in an online presentation that Nida and Taber had already gave out formal and dynamic equivalence in 1982 while Jakobensen theorized in 1959 equivalence can be achieved by a translator by using loan translations, neologisms, semantic shifts and circumlocutions. In 1992 Mona Baker came out with her own set of kinds of equivalences. These are â€Å"word level equivalence,† â€Å"equivalence above word level,† â€Å"grammatical equivalence† â€Å"textual â€Å"equivalence† and â€Å"pragmatic â€Å"equivalence.† Baker’s classification falls under the â€Å"formal’ equivalence category which focuses on how translators can use the forms of the texts in getting the closest meaning for an SL word, said Hoang. â€Å"Word level equivalence† refers to the attempt by a translator to find a corresponding meaning of one word from the SL to the TL. This effort entails a translator ensuring as much as possible that the counterpart word of the TL closely hews to the context of the original word from the SL. There are cases however when the texts between SL and TL do not correspond close enough to allow for the use of word level equivalence. In this case the translator must use the â€Å"equivalence above word level.† Here, the translator must find meanings which, while not be closely relate the corresponding TL word with the original SL word, must at least be related enough for the meanings to be still correlated. In the third strategy, the translator uses it when the correspondence between the two texts would only be found between the grammatical structures of the text. As a result, the translator has to analyse the grammatical correspondence between the texts of SL and TL, where despite the variety in the structural order of morpheme, syntax, and sentence orders, the same concepts or meaning can still be correlated between the two texts. However, there are instances when there is little correspondence in the verbal and grammatical structures of the SL and TL texts because there of a high diversity in the order of word and grammar structure. In light of this, the translator has to find correspondence in the overall textual structure of the SL and TL texts. He has to ascertain that the overall context in the SL text is still expressed in the TL version even though there are variations in grammar and syntax structures. If all these strategies still would not be able to correspond meaning between the SL and TL, then the translator has to use the pragmatic equivalence mode. Here, the translator uses the implied meanings of the SL text in order to at least express them in the TL . Another aspect in translating concepts from SL to TL is the use by translators of referential meanings. Nida (56) defines â€Å"referential meanings† as the use of â€Å"words as symbols to refer to objects, events, abstracts and relations.† The implication of this concept in translation is that translators have to consider the exact meanings of words based from OL in the translation of texts. (This is called denotation in grammar) This importance is highlighted by the fact that there is a diversity of meanings within those cultures and more so when translators try to get these exact meanings. One way to ensure this is to consult authoritative dictionaries of the SL concerned. One last aspect to consider in translation is the effect of emotive meanings to the translators. The Summer Institute of Linguistics online glossary defines â€Å"emotive meanings† as â€Å"affective meaning,† while terms related to it are â€Å"connotation/connotative meanings.† In sum, emotive meanings are definitions which have an association with a thing or concept even though these may not have direct conceptual relationship. The translators have to consider this while translating works from SL to TL because there are chances when the meanings that they try to correlate from SL to TL may just be a connotative meaning. Another way is to verify the specific contexts when these words are used. Aims The researcher aims to test, compare and synthesize the discussions above on various translation principles by conducting a review of â€Å"The Sealed Nectar (Ar Raheeq al Makhtum).† An English translation of the memoirs of the Prophet Muhammad was made by Issam Diab and was published in Saudi Arabia. With this translated memoir as the locus of the study, this researcher aims to fulfill the following aims: For the translation shift aspect, the researcher proposes to compare the source language (Arabic) and target language (English), identifying the translation shifts that happened in the book, and justifying the translator’s choice in making these translation shifts. As for the normative aspect, the researcher proposes to find out a.) if the translated version of the memoirs has consistency in the kind of norms and equivalence used even as it approached referential meaning. And b.) if the translated version has consistency in the kind of norms and equivalency while appr oaching emotive meaning. Finally, the researcher intends to contextualize the findings in the fact that many of the â€Å"sensitive terms† may be religious in nature This is study is made also with the aim of understanding the cultural and linguistic nuances distinguishable between English and Arabic. The researcher would like to point out in particular that the Arabic used here was the version spoken during the time of Muhammad, hence it is necessary to understand the historic-cultural background of the narrative. In addition the researcher would like to find out if there possible refinements which could be recommended for Diab’s work. Aside from it, the researcher will also cite these recommendations as possible future references with regard to translations of memoirs, specifically Arabic memoirs. Hypotheses and Research questions The research would like to resolve in this study the following hypotheses regarding the translation of â€Å"sensitive terms† in The Sealed Nectar. The researcher hypotheses that : there is consistency in the kind of norms and types of equivalence used while approaching referential meaning of sensitive terms either in the translation of religious texts or the book there is consistency in the kind of norms and types of equivalence used while approaching emotive meaning of sensitive terms either in the translation or the book. The researcher also hopes to answer specific questions in the course of this study. These are: what are the translation shifts adopted by the translator while tackling sensitive terms? to what extent do the kind of norms and type of equivalence represent consistency in approaching referential meaning. to what extent do the kind of norms and type of equivalence represent consistency in approaching emotive meaning. what are the most successful techniques and strategies used by the translator in conveying the meaning? what are the least successful techniques and strategies used by the translator in conveying the meaning? Approach As part of analyzing the â€Å"sensitive terms† used in the book The Sealed Nectar, this researcher intends to use the qualitative method of research. As generally known in academic and research circles, the qualitative method is used when the focus of the study intends to look at observing at particular characteristics of the sample subject which may be distinct from the general population. For this purpose, the researcher will both utilize three kinds of qualitative methods: book review analysis, documentary research and contrastive analysis. This researcher believes that it is necessary to use three kinds of methods because of the range of issues involved in the study and that each method have their particular loci. Initially the researcher will utilise the book review analysis to get a grasp of what they entire work contains, and to ascertain the particular context of the ‘sensitive terms† included in the book In this regard, this writer proposes to first utilise the book review analysis in studying the work The Sealed Nectar He will primarily use the linguistic perspective in dissecting the translation merits of this book because his focus would be on how Issam Diab translated â€Å"sensitive terms: from Arabic to English. In the context of this analysis, this writer proposes also to use a) the British National Corpus and b.) an authoritative Arabic dictionary to assist him in comparing the â€Å"sensitive terms† which are the foci of this research. Then the researcher will apply the documentary analysis method to compare the details from the book with details from other pertinent documents. These documents may include other Arab dictionaries, additional biographies on Mohammad, other Arab-language dictionaries and authoritative history books on Arabia. For the final part of the evaluation process, the researcher will apply the comparative analysis method wherein the findings from the two methods would be examined against each other. The researcher will then draw conclusions from this comparative study and then synthesise it with previous findings on translation to In the process of evaluating the translation, the researcher will cite previous theories and principles on translation, then use these as benchmarks in how successful was the English translation of Diab of Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum in terms of transferring most of the original meaning from the original Arabic to English. In this aspect, this writer will primarily use the theories enunciated by Catford (141-147 in Venuti ed.) on translation shifts, Toury (198-211 in Venuti ed.) on translational norms, Baker on types of equivalence, and Nida (56-90) on referential meaning. But the researcher is open to using other kinds of research methodology if circumstances would warrant it. For example, the interview approach would be utilised if the researcher thinks there is a need to consult scholars on Arabic language, studies and literature. This is because the historical context of the narrative is key to understanding whatever â€Å"sensitive terms† which are enclosed in the work. Aside from that, it may be helpful if the researcher can get insights from these scholars regarding English translations of Arabic language works. This is because from their expert opinions, the researcher may further understand the change of nuances in translation, but not only from a purely technical aspect (translations shifts etc.), but also from the point of view of rhetoric and literary excellence. Tools For the purpose of this study, the research will use the following research tools in analyzing the Diab’s translation work: British National Corpus. an authoritative Arabic dictionary (preferably with references to Arabia during the time of Mohammad), two other biographies of Mohammad, and authoritative history books on Arabia. The reason behind citing these documents as tools in analyzing The Sealed Nectar is that the researcher wants to ensure that the needed details with regard to the study are utilized. The British National Corpus would serve as a guide on English words used in the book, to get the proper context of their usage. Then this will be complemented by the use of an Arabic language dictionary, to see how the original meaning and nuances of the SL based original version of the biography Then to put context into the analysis, the researcher will cite history books on Arabia to verify the authenticity of particular historical instances mentioned in the book. The res earcher thinks that a combined use of textual and historical analysis will help elucidate details on the accuracy of Diab’s translation. Scope While other interested researchers may find a whole range of translation issues in analyzing The Sealed Nectar, this writer intends to focus more on the accuracy of translating â€Å"sensitive terms† in the translation work. This is because these terms are loaded with religious meanings, which make these terms more challenging to translate as compared to other terms. In addition, the languages used have different nuances (Arabic as against modern English) which entails additional challenges in ensuring that the meanings of the terms do not get lost in translation. Tentative Outline of Paper : Within an allotted timeframe of a minimum of three years, this writer proposes an outline of the paper’s body: Chapter One: Linguistic analysis of sensitive terms in translation à   6 -12 months Chapter Two: Cultural, historical, and rhetorical aspects of the translation à   6-12 months Chapter Three: Evaluating the translation à   3-6 months Chapter Four: Summary, implications and recommendations à   3-6 months The writer intends to use the Sealed Nectar and the tools mentioned above in the first two years of the study. While he may formulate preliminary findings in the course of the study, the researcher intends to finalize them in the last year of the study through evaluation and formulation of summary findings and recommendations. The researcher takes note that accomplishing these aims may overlap depending on the availability of resources and the rate of research/analysis work. Books Nida, E, and Taber C. The Theory and Practice of Translation. Boston: Brill, 2003.pp. 56- 90 Chapters in Books Catford, J.C.. Translation Shifts.' The Translation Studies Reader. Ed. Lawrence Venuti. London: Routledge, 2000. 141-147 Toury, Gideon. Nature and Role of Norms in Translation.† (orig. 1978, rev. 1995) The Translation Studies Reader. Ed. Lawrence Venuti. London: Routledge, 2000. 198-211 Websites: Ar Raheeq Al Maktoom. University of Arkansas. July 28,2009 Translation Equivalence. Hoang. October 19 2008. July 28, 2009 . Elimam. University of Manchester. July 28, 2009 . Abdul Fattah. University of Manchester. July 28, 2009 Glossary. Summer Institute of Linguistics. July 28, 2009 .

The Treatment of Somali Refugees in Kenya and Ethiopia: an Assessment

Introduction1.1 BackgroundAfter the end of the Cold War, the international community had to build an entirely new agenda for human rights, democracy and development in the world’s most troubled regions (Forsythe, 2006: 210-215; Normand & Zaidi, 2008: 316-323). In Africa, conflicts in the Congo, Rwanda and Somalia left the region tormented by an ongoing refugee crisis. The lack of stable political institutions and representative democracy in these countries necessitated the revision of international legal standards, in order to cope with the refugee crisis and to provide security and shelter. With over 3 million recognized refugees at present, Africa is considered by the UNHCR the biggest challenge, absorbing the largest proportion of the budget and humanitarian programmes (Zolberg et. al, 1989). This paper will focus on the treatment of Somali refugees in two of the neighbouring countries – Kenya and Ethiopia, which reportedly host the largest proportion of the refugees at present (UNHCR, 2011a;b;c). The reason why Somali refugees were chosen as the subject of this paper is because this is one of the longest ongoing political and humanitarian crises, and its implications upon regional politics and the local populations are perpetual. It also demonstrates the discrepancies in international law in dealing with displacement and human right violations of the Somali refugees. The paper will assess the treatment of refugees in these two countries. Based on this assessment, the author will make recommendations for the improvement of the treatment of the refugees.1.2 Res earch questionThe purpose of this essay is to explore the treatment of Somali refugees in Kenya and Ethiopia. Their treatment will be looked at through the prism of basic human rights conventions and will ideally seek to provide a broader understanding on the status of the refugees in a global era. It will highlight the main challenges, which refugees from Somalia face on the territories of Kenya and Ethiopia and will explain how these challenges are posed by inconsistencies in international law. In order to do this, the author will first critically approach the definition of the term â€Å"refugee†. Next, the author will attempt to trace whether basic provisions stipulated by the 1951 Convention on the Status of the Refugees have been met by the authorities in Ethiopia and Kenya. Before this, a brief historical overview of the main events leading to the refugee crisis will be provided. The Somali refugee crisis – the prelude In Somalia, the transition to political independence has been scarred by factionalism and division. In the early 1990s, the clan based opposition groups ousted the military government, which led to the outbreak of decade long civil war, throughout which various factions were competing for power (Waldron & Hasci, 1994). In 2004, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was formed. Its opposing faction was the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), which soon lost power to the TFG in the south. Subsequently, the TFG split into radical groups, Al-Shabaab being one of them. Since then, the Al-Shabaab has been fighting the TFG over political and economic supremacy (UNHCR, 2011c). The civil war resulted in the displacement of millions of Somali people, turning them into the third largest refugee group in the world, after the Iraq and Afghanistan refugees (UNHCR, 2011c). Apart from Western countries such as UK and Italy, Somali refugees travel to neighbouring countries, mostly Ethiopia and Kenya. As of July 2011, on the territory of Ethiopia there were 160,000 Somali refugees, residing in six large camps in the eastern and south-eastern part of the country. In 2011 the number of new arrivals increased dramatically with up to 23,000 people arriving per month. In Kenya, currently there are around 280,000 Somali refugees, and as of July 2011, their number has dramatically increased because of the draught in East Africa (UNHCR, 2011b). 3. Problems of definition The purposes if this essay would not be fulfilled, if the author does not provide a definition of the term â€Å"refugee†. According to Article 1 (2) of the 1951 UNHCR Convention on the Status of the Refugees, the term â€Å"refugee† shall apply to any person who: â€Å"[†¦]owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country [†¦]† (UNHCR, 1951). The same definition can be found in the OAU 1969 Convention on the Refugees in Africa (Article 1). The main criticism, which this definition obviously provokes, is the lack of prescriptions for the state of origin, and the obligations of the host countries. The definition exhausts the basic connotation of a refugee, which has not changed much to this day, but does not define the responsibilities and actions, which the host authorities are obliged to take under international law. The definition explains the confines of the country of persecution, but not the terms of protection of refugees in foreign territories. This is not a technical flaw of the definition, as embedded in the convention, but a general weakness of international law, when it comes to the treatment of refugees in host countries (Marfleet, 2006; 9-20; Gibney, 2005:6-13). This raises several issues related to legitimacy, and they are not, as proposed by Zolberg et.al (1989) related to the debate who is a refugee under international law. These controversies are related to the lack of legally binding prescriptions for the host countries, sheltering refugees. Despite the fact that there has been ongoing development of the understanding of the term persecution since 1951, it remains unclear how persecution of refugees can be prevented in the host territories. Therefore, it is important to trace the implications of this inconsistency in terms of policy and treatment of the Somali refuges in Ethiopia and Kenya and identify problems, which might arise from the lack of a clear definition of persecution and the responsibilities of the host countries. The following sections will demonstrate the practical implications of this gap in international law in relation to the treatment of Somali refugees in Kenya and Ethiopia. 4. Treatment of Somali refugees in Kenya According to the UNHCR, more than 600, 000 Somali refugees are now residing in neighbouring countries (2011). At present, Kenya is the country, where largest proportions of the Somali refugees are seeking shelter. Currently, it is hosting around 280 000 refugees, residing in three large camps, located in the North Eastern Daabab camps (UNHCR, 2011b). Although it is clear that Kenya has been unable to cope with the intense wave of Somali immigrants without the assistance of the international community, in 2010, Amnesty International has reported grieve violations of rights of the refuges on behalf of the Kenyan authorities (Amnesty International Report AFR 32/015, 2010). The report says that thousands of refugees were forcibly returned to Somalia, and asylum was not provided to the individuals which claimed for it. The report also reveals the implications of the fact that a large proportion of the refugees were not screened because of the closure of the immigration centre at the Kenya-Somali border. It was closed because Kenyan authorities were concerned that ongoing violence in Somalia and persistent acts of terrorism could spread on their own territory (Amnesty International Report AFR 32/015, 2010). The other conclusions of Amnesty International are related to police harassment in the camps, and violation of the principle of no n-refoulement (Amnesty International Report AFR 32/015, 2010). The principle of non-refoulement, which is embedded in the UNHCR Convention for the Refugees prohibits â€Å"the expulsion, extradition, deportation, return or otherwise removal of any person in any manner whatsoever to a country or territory where he or she would face a real risk of persecution or serious harm† (UNHCR Convention on the Status of the Refugees, 1951). The report reveals that when the Kenyan authorities closed the border, around 4000 Somalis were trapped alongside and 360 were refouled. In 2009, 93 Somali asylum seekers were forcibly refouled back to Somalia. It is now clear that by choosing to close its border, Kenya has violated the principle of non-refoulement of the UN and the 1967 Protocol, as well as its own 2006 Refugee Act. Further implications of the closure of the transit border centre is that the newly arrived refugees are no longer screened for health purposes, and some of them have suffered exhaustion and malnutrition on their way to the camps (which are located about 80 km from the border). Another type of violations is related to the security and well being of the refugees, often threatened by the Kenyan security forces. As of December 2010, issues related to limited access to water, shelter, sanitation and other essential services due to overcrowding have been reported. In addition, the refugees are not allowed outside the camps unless in exceptional circumstances such as relocation to third countries (Amnesty International, 2010). Other violations include sexual harassment, forced marriages in the camps, as well as the involuntary recruitment of refugees for military service. Based on this report, it is not difficult to determine that Kenyan authorities have allowed the unlawful treatment of Somali refugees by local militias, and have committed violations related to their treatment on the territory of the host country. In sum, a closer look at the treatment of the Somali refugees in Kenya reveals that there have been violations of key provisions, related to the status of the refugees. From a legal perspective, this is due to the fact that there are no legally binding provisions, which define the responsibilities of the host countries, or penalties in case of violations. By no legally binding it is meant that the existing rules and regulations remain prescriptive of how the hosting countries need to treat refugees, seeking shelter on their territory. As stated earlier before, there is not a clear definition of persecution and the counter-measures, which it entails, therefore the actions of the Kenyan authorities remain unaddressed under international law. As the next section will reveal, the situation in Ethiopia is quite similar. 5. Treatment of Somali refugees in Ethiopia As mentioned earlier in the essay, Ethiopia is the country, where the second highest proportion of Somali refugees resides. An estimate of 280, 000 refugees have fled to Ethiopia since the beginning of the conflict in Somalia more than two decades ago. They have been accommodated in eight camps along the Ethio-Somali border (UNHCR, 2011). Similarly to the case in Kenya, the refugees are denied access to education and work opportunities, as well as free movement and access to healthcare. According to Markos (2011), the main reasons for the unlawful treatment of the Somali refugees in Ethiopia generate from the gap between national legislation and international legal standards, related to the status of the refugees. Despite the fact that Ethiopia has ratified key international refugee instruments such as the 1951 Convention, the 1967 Protocol and the 1969 OAU Convention, the treatment of the Somali refugees on the territory of the country is a signifier that constraints to the implemen tation of their provision on national level are ostensible. Understandably, the Ethiopian authorities are trying to protect their scarce national resources and infrastructure, which explains why their tolerance to the refugee influx is not high (Waldron & Hasci, 1994). From the perspective of the international community however, this does not ameliorate the fact that many Somalis face grieve human rights violations in the camps on the territory of Ethiopia. Some of the key provisions of the 1951 Convention have been violated such as the right of freedom, the right to choose their place of residence, the right to move freely within the country, as well as the access to elementary and religious education. In sum, although the situation with the treatment of the refugees in Ethiopia is not so grieve as the one in Kenya, Somali refugees in Ethiopia still face deprivations and human right violations. This is due to the scarce resources in the country, as well as the gaps in national legislation, which do not allow the direct implementation of key provisions of international law, related to the status of the refugees. Based on the above observations on the treatment of the refugees in these two countries, a brief set of recommendations will be provided in the following section. 6. Recommendations This section will provide a brief set of recommendations for policy reform and action for the improvement of the treatment of Somali refugees in Kenya and Ethiopia. The recommendations have been divided in four groups – general recommendations, recommendations for Kenya, recommendations for Ethiopia, and recommendations for the international community.6.1 General recommendationsThe previous sections have shown that without clear definition on persecution and the responsibilities of the host countries, it would be impossible to provide shield of refugees and displaced people under international law. Therefore, a revision of the legal provisions related with the refugees is necessary. In the near future however, a revision of existing refugee legislation might be a cumbersome and formidable process, because it would involve redrafting existing legislation, its ratification and its incorporation into host countries’ judiciary system. In addition, it is not clear how this would help overcome other challenges, related to refugee protection, such as the ones mentioned by Landgren (1998) – agents of persecution; the notion of political offence in extradition treaties; the criminalization of illegal departure; and the precipitation of repatriation. Despite the fact that the principle of non-refoulment remains one of the strongest refugee rights, and despite the presence of â€Å"minimum rights clauses† for the treatment of refugees in the 1951 Convention, their enforcement in countries, where poverty and political instability are persistent, remains a challenge. As a result, existing legislation needs to be revised in order to meet the new security threats, raised by globalization and the incapacity of many states to protect their own civilian populations. At present, the definition of the term refugee is problematic because it does not provide a clear direction of what responsibilities the host countries need to have. Therefore a revision of the definition, as well as existing legislation is necessary. As a result, the responsibilities of the host countries-signatories to the refugee instruments should be legally binding.6.2 Recommendations for KenyaThe most important recommendation for the Kenyan authority is to open the border control camp which would facilitate the registration of the refugees, and the access of the newly arrived to healthcare, food and clean water. At present Kenyan authorities are concerned that if the border is open, this might provide access to Kenya of the militant members of Al-Shabaab, which is a major security threat for the civilian population (Daily Mail, 2011). However, a stronger border control and the allocation of additional police and military units, which would perform thorough checks on those wishing to cross the border, is a possible solution. The most important recommendation for the Kenyan government in order to improve the situation with the refugees is to ensure that the security forces do not violate the principle of non-refoulement. This can take place if more international observers are allowed in the camps and on the Somali-Kenyan border.6.3 Recommendations for EthiopiaIn Ethiopia, the revision of national legislation is crucial for the implementation of the international provisions, related with the rights of the refugees. In a country with feeble political and judiciary institutions, the process will be cumbersome, but legal revision is necessary in order to provide refugees and asylum-seekers protection.6.4 Recommendations for the international communityAs far as the actions of the international organisations, regional organisations and the donor countries are concerned, they need to be related with raising awareness of the situation, and stronger measures related to monitoring and accountability of the actions of the security forces on the territory of both countries. This means that institutions such as the UNHCR, and regional organisations such as OAU and ACHPR (African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights) need to play a more proactive role in liaising with local governments and observing the situation in countries like Kenya and Ethiopia. This can be implemented using two channels – a liaison with government agencies, and regular reports, provided by non-governmental organizations on the situation within the camps. It is important that efforts for the protection of the refugees are made on all four of the above levels. Only the vertical harmonization of actions between national authorities and the international community, wrapped in an appropriate legal framework, can eventually lead to the creation of a safer environment for the Somali refugees, and the determination of their international status in the global era. Conclusion This paper has shown that despite the efforts of the international community, there are problems, related with the treatment of Somali refugees in Kenya and Ethiopia. The lack of commitment of the host countries, and the lack of coordination between national governments and international organisations have perpetuated the crisis. In order to fulfil its commitments for democratization and political stability on the African continent, the international community needs to revise key legal provisions relating to the status of the refugees, and to ensure that there are no constraints for their implementation on national level. In addition, the international status of the refugees needs to be determined, in order to give them legitimacy and protection in a global world. Bibliography Amnesty International (2010) â€Å"From life without peace to peace without life. The treatment of Somali Refugees and Asylum-seekers in Kenya†, 8 December, Index: AFR 32/015/2010, Available at: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AFR32/015/2010/en/1eb8bd34-2a5c-4aa4-8814-83e0e8df8ebf/afr320152010en.pdf Retrieved: 12.02.2012 Daily Mail (2011) â€Å"Somalian militants vow revenge suicide attacks after Kenyan army crosses border following kidnappings†, updated 17 October, 2011 Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2050240/Somalian-militant-group-Al-Shabab-threatens-Kenya-suicide-attacks.html Retrieved: 15.04.2012 Forsythe, D. (2006) Human Rights in International Relations, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Gibney, M.J. (2005) The Ethics and Politics of Asylum. Liberal Democracy and the Response to Refugees, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press OAU (1969) Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, Available at: http://www.africa-union.org/Official_documents/Treaties_%20Conventions_%20Protocols/Refugee_Convention.pdf Retrieved 12.02.2012 Marfleet, P. (2006) Refugees in a Global Era, Basingstoke: Macmillian Markos, K. (2011) The Treatment of Somali Refugees in Ethiopia under Ethiopian and International Law, International Journal of Refugee Law, Vol 9, Issue 3, p. 365-391. Landgren, K. (1998) â€Å"The Future of Refugee Protection: Four Challenges† Journal of Refugee Studies, Vol. 11, Issue 4, Pp. 416-432 Normand, R. & Zaidi, S. (2008) Human Rights at the UN: The Political History of Universal Justice, Indiana University Press UNHCR (1951) Convention Relating to the Status of the Refugees, Resolution 2198, Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/3b66c2aa10.html Retrieved 12.02.2012 UNHCR (1967) Protocol Relating to the Status of the Refugees, Resolution 2198, Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/3b66c2aa10.html Retrieved 12.02.2012 UNHCR, UN Refugee Agency (2011a) â€Å"Ethiopia. 2012 UNHCR country operations profile – Ethiopia†, Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/page?page=49e483986 Retrieved 12.02.2012 UNHCR, UN Refugee Agency (2011b) â€Å"Kenya. 2012 UNHCR country operations profile – Kenya† Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/page?page=49e483a16&submit=GO Retrieved 12.02.2012 UNHCR, UN Refugee Agency (2011c) â€Å"Somalia. 2012 UNHCR country operations profile – Somalia† Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/page?page=49e483ad6&submit=GO Retrieved 12.02.2012 UNHCR (2011d) â€Å"The International Protection of Refugees: Interpreting Article 1 of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees†, Available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/3b20a3914.pdf Retrieved 12.02.2012 Waldron, S., Hasci, N. (1994)â€Å"Somali refugees in the Horn of Africa: state of the art literature review†, Report No.3, Refugee Studies Programme, Queen Elisabeth House, Oxford: Oxford University Press, Zolberg, A., Zuhrke, A. & Aguayo, S. (1989) Escape from Violence. Conflict and Refugee Crisis in the Developing World. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Cultural Background Summary

Personal Cultural Background A person’s identity is unique and has a foundation of various sources. These sources may be different for every person, ranging from a person’s upbringing to a person’s religion. This paper will define cultural background and examine the multiple sources that make up my own personal cultural background that helped mold my individual identity. Furthermore, the paper will speculate on the extent to which my current identity has been molded by assimilation, acculturation, or climate of pluralism. People are unique because no one identity is the same. Every person has his or her own unique identity, which are created by a person’s cultural background, or personal experiences. Cultural background is a primary source of identity. Self-definition, expression, and sense of group belonging are aspects of a person that derives partly from his or her cultural background. An individual’s cultural background, or personal experiences, influences the individual’s behavior, attitude, values, and way of thinking. Although numerous people can experience same situations, the individuals’ perceptions of the events are what make the experiences different from one another. For example, two students take the same test and they both fail; however, one student decides to start studying harder and the other student drops out of school. Both students had two experiences that were the same (e. g. the test and failing), however, the students had two different outcomes (e. g. studying harder and dropping out of school). Next, the paper will examine the multiple sources of my cultural background. My personal cultural background that makes up my identity consists of multiple sources. These sources have influenced me to live the type of lifestyle I live; to behave the way I behave; and to perceive the world the way I do. Several environments have contributed to my cultural background. These environments consists of my family and upbringing, school, church, past relationships, work, and past life experiences. Each of these environments played an important role in how I view the world and have instilled in me morals, ethics, and values. Although these sources have been influential in my life getting me to the point I am currently at in my life, life experiences have the potential and power to change how I perceive the world and my behavior, ethics, and values. My upbringing and the various environments I have been in have helped me evolve into my own individual person. These sources have allowed me to be able to â€Å"think outside the box† of societal norms. My family and other interpersonal relationships have been the most influential part of my current identity. These relationships have taught me respect, ethics, values, and, communication skills. Additionally, these relationships have taught me to be able to adapt successfully to change; to strive for the best and to be the best person I am capable of being; and to not settle for less than my own standards. A person’s cultural background is created by personal experiences individuals go through. However, the individual’s perception of those experiences is what makes every individual different and unique. My own personal cultural background consists of sources such as my personal upbringing, personal religious beliefs, personal values, and personal ethics. My current identity has been molded by pluralism and multiculturalism, or processes that except experiences that alter existing behaviors and beliefs. As cultures continue to interact and intertwine, cultural identities and personal identities will always be constantly changing.

Organizational Culture Essay - 1812 Words

Organizational Culture Organizations have personalities like individuals and like individuals, they have enduring and stable traits that help us predict their attitudes and behaviors. An organization’s culture may be hard to define but it has a major impact on the behavior of individuals in the organization. To understand one’s behavior in an organizational culture it helps to understand the dominant culture in an organization and to figure out how individuals come to learn that culture and how the culture affects them. Defining Organizational Culture (7 Characteristics) There seems to be wide agreement that organizational culture refers to a system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the organization from other†¦show more content†¦Appraising the organization oil these seven characteristics, then, gives a composite picture of the organizations culture. This picture becomes the basis for feelings of shared understanding that members have about the organization, how things are done in it, and the way members are supposed to behave Culture is a Descriptive Term Organizational culture is concerned with how employees perceive the seven characteristics, not whether they like them. That is, it is a descriptive term. This point is important because it differentiates the concept of organizational culture from that of job satisfaction. Research on organizational culture has sought to measure how employees see their organization: Are there clear objectives and performance expectations? Does the organization reward innovation? Does it encourage competitiveness? In contrast, research on job satisfaction seeks to measure affective responses to the work environment. It is concerned with how employees feel about the organizations expectations, reward practices, methods for handling conflict, and the like. Although the two terms undoubtedly have characteristics that overlap, keep in mind that the term organizational culture is descriptive, whereas job satisfaction is evaluative. Contrasting Organizational Cultures Organization A This organization is a manufacturing firm. Managers are expected toShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Culture And Organizational Culture1647 Words   |  7 PagesThe importance of culture in the organization The organization culture as a leadership concept has been identified as one of the many components that leaders can use to grow a dynamic organization. Leadership in organizations starts the culture formation process by imposing their assumptions and expectations on their followers. Once culture is established and accepted, they become a strong leadership tool to communicate the leader s beliefs and values to organizational members, and especially newRead MoreOrganizational Culture Essay731 Words   |  3 Pages Edgar Schein, a famous theorists dealing with organizational culture, provides the following definition for the term: A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems that has worked well enough to be considered valid and is passed on to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems. (organizationalculture101) However, organizational culture is more than sharing assumptions used by a grou p to solve problems;Read MoreOrganizational Culture Essay1236 Words   |  5 PagesOrganizational culture Culture is something that encompasses all of us. It helps us to understand how things are created, acknowledged, developed and managed. In this context, culture helps to define and understand an organisation and how it works and manages. Organizational culture is a shared value system derived over time that guides members as they solve problems, adapts to the external environment, and manage relationship (Schein in Wooten and Crane 2003, Vol. 21(6), p.276). OrganisationalRead More Organizational Culture of Alibaba 1463 Words   |  6 Pagesestablished a strong company organizational culture based on a shared mission, vision and value system as the cornerstone of the company and its subsidiaries. They respect the spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation, and focus on meeting the needs of their customers. According to the founder, Jack Ma (August,2013), Alibaba’s organizational culture can be summarized with four simple words: openness, transparency, sharing, and responsibility.It is thank to the organizational culture, Alibaba has launched aRead MoreOrganisational Culture And Organizational Culture1730 Words   |  7 PagesOrganisational culture refers to ‘the shared beliefs and values guiding the thinkin g and behavioural styles of members’ (Cooke and Rousseau, 1988, in Bratton 2010: 334), indicating that employees who accept the common values of an organisation and put great effort on commitments are likely to build up a strong culture to an organisation. Edgar Schein (2004) proposed three levels of organisational culture. As employees go through changes, they gain experiences from the past, adapt to a new environmentRead MoreThe Term Organizational Culture Essay2100 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction A look at simply a couple of works that utilization the term organizational culture will uncover huge variety in the meaning of this term and much all the more in the utilization of the term society has no altered or extensively importance even in human sciences, however variety in its utilization is particularly discernible in the writing on hierarchical society. This is mostly identified with solid contrast in the reason and profundity of books and articles. Be that as it may, likewiseRead MoreThe Organizational Culture of Quinlans3389 Words   |  14 PagesThe Organizational Culture of Quinlans Introduction Quinlan has been UK’s foremost retail giant for a long period of time. By end of 1998 there was evidence of a crisis and since then the company has been on a decline. The company has been ignoring market changes and trying to maintain its corporate image and identity. This has caused the customers to drift to more fashionable brands causing huge loss of business to Quinlan. Presently the company is on a restructuringRead MoreDefining Organizational Culture : An Organization2382 Words   |  10 PagesDefining Organizational Culture With numerous meanings given to organizational culture, scholars claim that the field is grounded in the shared assumptions, attitudes, and behaviors accepted and enacted by employees within an organization, which affect its performance and overall welfare (Belias Koustelios, 2014). Another widespread definition of organizational communication often used by organizational scholars states that: â€Å"Organizational culture is the pattern of basic assumptions that a groupRead MoreQuestions On Organizational Culture And Leadership914 Words   |  4 PagesSchein, E (1992). Organizational Culture and Leadership. 2nd ed., San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Edgar Schein outlines those characteristics in better understanding and assessing the culture and climate of an organization. A lot energy and emphasis is focused on the identification and application of an organization’s guiding principles. Schein suggests that our guiding values and principles are important, but it is in the organizations structure, culture, action that describes the true characterRead MoreUniversity of Phoenix Organizational Culture1133 Words   |  5 PagesOrganizational culture can be defined as the system of attitudes, beliefs and values that are collectively expressed in support of organizational structure. Organizational culture is a pattern of shared basic assumptions that dictate the behavior of individuals within an organization. Culture determines which practices are appropriate and which are not, effectively developing standards, guidelines, and expectations for individuals within an organization. Although they work hand in hand, there is