البعد الثقافي في روايات نجيب محفوظ

Abstract

The cultural dimension in the novels of Naguib Mahfouz

This article analyzes the cultural problems that appear in the translations of the novels of the Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz, winner of Nobel Prize in 1988, the first Arab writer and the only one to date, to be crowned with such a high official distinction. Child of Kahn El Khalil, a popular district of old Cairo, the alleys, dead ends and "Hawari" passages of this place constitute the topographic framework of his most universal novels. His intimate knowledge of popular neighborhoods and the social fabric made him a formidable witness to this fascinating city that is Old Cairo.
The article demonstrates that some translators have not fully realized the importance of cultural context in determining the meaning of the text in the source language. These translational problems are undoubtedly likely to alter his works and reduce the pleasure that readers expect from them. Despite numerous translation errors that have sometimes touched the meaning, the translation of his works has allowed the whole world to discover the talent of this incomparable writer.