In other words, “non-equivalence” becomes more equivalent than “equivalence.” It is a better strategy in these cases. Non-equivalence becomes more relevant than equivalence.
Rather, purposefully using non-equivalence results in a “better” translation. In such cases, I argue that equivalence or translating using equivalence is not necessarily the best strategy, i.e., it does not produce a meaningful rendering of the source term into the target term. Yet, these terms can be translated into English using one of the strategies suggested for translating non-equivalence to convey their conceptual and cultural meanings to the English speaking readers ( Baker, 1992). For example, Arabic is rich in culture-specific terms and concepts that have no equivalents in English. These two languages belong to two different cultures and hence, provide good evidence for the possibility of translating what is sometimes referred to as “untranslatable” due to non-equivalence or lack of equivalence. Many researchers have discussed equivalence in translating mainly from English into Arabic ( Ghazala, 2004). Further, non-equivalence in translation is discussed and substantiated by evidence and examples in the process of translating from Arabic into English, a point that has not been adequately discussed in researches dealing with equivalence. The rationale for this position is that languages articulate or organize the world differently because “languages do not simply name existing categories, they articulate their own” ( Culler, 1976, p. This paper argues that if equivalence is the essence of translation, non-equivalence constitutes an equally legitimate concept in the translation process. However, the notion of equivalence has also been criticized as “asymmetric, directional, subject-less, unfashionable imprecise and ill-defined” ( Bolaños, 2005, Snell-Hornby, 1988, Nord, 1997).
Indeed, “Equivalence” has provided a useful theoretical and pragmatic foundation for translation processes. Several theories on the concept of equivalence have been elaborated within this field in the past fifty years. The concept of equivalence is believed to be a central issue in translation although its definition, relevance, and applicability within the field of translation theory have caused heated controversies.
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