Cultural Pragmatics in Translating Saudi Phatic Discourse Into English
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1605.23Keywords:
communication, discourse, phatic, social, translationAbstract
This study employs a practical translation technique to examine the social and linguistic dimensions of Saudi phatic speech in translation. This study categorizes phatic statements according to their direct English equivalents and employs both machine and human translation to identify culturally comparable terms. This study examines 100 instances of phatic discourse in Saudi Arabic, categorizing them into seven groups: invitation and reception ceremonies, welcome phrases, body language greetings, coffee and dates, invitations to feasts, expressions of gratitude, and farewell phrases. Six highly regarded Arabic-language films from the MAZENKO platform were analyzed to create a corpus. Thirty third-year English language students at Al-Baha University translated the selected phrases utilizing computer-assisted translation techniques. The data indicate that the most frequently utilized Saudi phatic terms pertain to invitation and reception ceremonies, welcoming expressions, body language greetings, coffee and dates, and feast invitations. The findings indicate that Saudi students effectively translated these idioms into English, while computer-assisted translations often exhibited errors or a lack of cultural relevance. This evidence supports the argument that machine translation should not be the sole resource in Saudi English translation courses. The study highlights the importance of exposing students to diverse cultures, particularly those that closely resemble Saudi traditions, within translation instruction. The study offers valuable insights for professionals in translation, intercultural communication, and linguistics, presenting practical recommendations aimed at enhancing cross-cultural understanding between Saudis and non-Saudis.
References
Abdullah, S. (2024). Saudi phatic communication in translation: A cultural and linguistic perspective. World Journal of English Language, 14(3), 495–496.
Alharbi, S. (2023). The pragmatic analysis of the concept of “feminism” in spoken Arabic language from Saudi adults’ perspectives. Arab World English Journal for Translation and Literary Studies, 7(4), 91–104.
Alhomoud, G. N. J., & Ismail, S. M. (2024). The problems of translating classical Arabic embedded in Saudi novels from a cultural perspective. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 6(5), 649–663.
Al-Shaqir, A. (2019). Popular memory. Rawafed Cultural House.
Alotaibi, H., Alanazi, N., Qobti, A., & Abu-Rayyash, H. (2025). Current state and trends in the Saudi Arabian translation market: An analytical study of job postings. Arab Journal of Translation Studies, 5(1), 1–23.
AlShaye, S. A. (2025). Revisiting professional translation ethics in Saudi Arabia: A cultural perspective. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 509-513.
Alzahrani, S. (2023). Pragmatic markers used by Saudi undergraduate EFL learners in oral classroom presentations at Albaha University. International Journal of Linguistics and Translation Studies, 4(3–4), 45–60.
Alzamil, A. M. (2024). Translation competence between industry and academia in Saudi Arabia: Job descriptions vs students’ perceptions. The Interpreter and Translator Trainer, 18(3), 442–464.
Baker, M. (1992). In other words: A coursebook on translation. Routledge.
Binambuni, Y. M., & Mulatsih, S. (2023). Analysis of phatic functions in the talk show The Tonight Show, hosted by Jimmy Fallon. Journal of English Language Studies, 8(1), 45–55.
Bowker, L. (2023). Teaching translation in the age of AI: Challenges and opportunities. John Benjamins Publishing.
Carver, A. (2023). Small talk essentials: Strategies for effective communication. Shuttle Systems.
Pole, C., & Morrison, M. (2023). Ethnography for education. Open University Press.
Costa-jussà, M. R., & Fonollosa, J. A. (2022). Neural machine translation: Progress and challenges in cultural adaptation. Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 75(3), 275–290.
Coupland, J. (2003). Small talk: Social functions. Research on Language and Social Interaction, 36(1), 1–6.
Fadhil, Z. A. (2022). The function of phatic communication in the English language. English Language, Literature & Culture, 7(2), 62–65.
Gabriel, O. (2021, November). The beautiful art of small talk. Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://gabomin.medium.com/the-beautiful-art-of-small-talk-ef16154fa0a3.
House, J. (1997). Translation quality assessment: A model revisited. Gunter Narr Verlag.
Ibrahim, M. A. E. (2022a). EFL learners' syntactic problems in translation at Al-Baha University from Arabic into English. Arab World English Journal, 13(2), 239–252.
Ibrahim, M. A. E. (2022b). The difficulties that tertiary English students confront when translating relative pronouns. Arab World English Journal, 13(3), 272–284.
Ibrahim, E., & Ali, M. (2024). Morphological aspects of a translation text among students. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 14(3), 748–755.
Katan, D. (2009). Translating cultures: An introduction for translators, interpreters and mediators (2nd ed.). St. Jerome.
Kenny, D. (2023). Human vs. machine translation: Contextual awareness and cultural sensitivity. Springer.
Levinson, S. (1983). Pragmatics. Cambridge University Press.
Mawadda, S. (2021). Phatic communion as a unifier as portrayed in Wonder. PRASASTI: Journal of Linguistics, 6(2), 239–247.
Miller, V. (2017). Phatic culture and the status quo: Reconsidering the purpose of social media activism. Convergence, 23(3), 251–269.
Munday, J. (2022). Advances in machine translation and AI: Cultural challenges and innovations. Routledge.
Nida, E. A. (1964). Toward a science of translating: With special reference to principles and procedures involved in Bible translating. Brill.
Rahardi, R. (2022). Triadicities of Indonesian phatic functions. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 12(12), 261–268.
Rao, J. (2023). Study of Chinese junior high school students' English pragmatic failure from the perspective of cultural transfer. Journal of Innovation and Development, 4(3), 75–81.
Saad, A. (2010). Western desert. Arab Company for Research and Publishing.
Salmeen, A. (2021). Saudi phatic communication in translation. World Journal of English Language, 14(3), 495–496.
Toma, A. (2024). The significance of phatic communication in instant messaging. Cross Journal, 8(2), 71–81.
Venuti, L. (1995). The translator’s invisibility: A history of translation. Routledge.
Yus, F. (2021). Smartphone communication: Interactions in the app ecosystem. Springer.
Zuckerman, C. (2016). Phatic violence? Gambling and the arts of distraction in Laos. The Journal of Linguistic Anthropology, 26(3), 294–314.
