From Storybooks to Courtrooms: A Corpus-Based Descriptive Analysis of Culture-Specific Translation Strategies in Saudi Arabia

Authors

• Saad Salem Alshamrani, Associate Professor of Translation Studies, English Department, Applied College, Shaqra University, Saudi ArabiaFollow

Corresponding Author

Saad Salem Alshamrani

Authors ORCID

Saad Salem Alshamrani: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7064-5457

Article Type

Article

Keywords English

Translation strategies, Culture-specific items, Arabic–English translation, Domestication, Foreignization

Abstract English

This study investigates how translators navigate culture-specific items (CSIs) between Arabic and English across two contrasting domains: children's storybooks and courtroom materials in Saudi Arabia. It employs a corpus-based descriptive approach to examine authentic published translations drawn from selected Arabic children's storybooks and official courtroom materials available through the Saudi Ministry of Justice. This approach enables the study to identify patterns in translators' strategies and the contextual factors that shape them. The analysis reveals that translators in children's literature predominantly employ adaptation, paraphrase, and explicitness to ensure accessibility and reader engagement. In contrast, legal translators favor literal translation and functional equivalence to maintain accuracy and institutional conformity. These findings demonstrate that translation strategies depend heavily on context, as communicative purpose, genre norms, and ethical expectations govern the process. The study also emphasizes the value of corpus-based descriptive analysis, which reveals how translators negotiate the tension between linguistic fidelity and cultural mediation. It situates Arabic–English translation within both creative and institutional environments. Consequently, the study contributes empirical evidence to the ongoing debates about domestication, foreignization, and translator visibility. It also offers practical insights for translator education, which underscore the need for domain-specific training and awareness of how the purpose and audience shape translation decisions.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.71422/1658-4058.1012

Accept Date

27 January 2026

Publication Date

4-25-2026

Recommended Citation

Alshamrani, Saad Salem (2026) "From Storybooks to Courtrooms: A Corpus-Based Descriptive Analysis of Culture-Specific Translation Strategies in Saudi Arabia," Journal of Arabic Sciences and Humanities: Vol. 5: Iss. 2, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71422/1658-4058.1012