Traduction et Langues

Preface: Crossing The Nexus: Language, Culture, and Technology in a Globalized World

Ghania Ouahmiche — 2025-06-30

In an era defined by globalization and digital connectivity, the intersections of language, culture, and technology have become central to understanding contemporary communication, education, and identity. Crossing The Nexus: Language, Culture, and Technology in a Globalized World presents a collection of interdisciplinary studies that explore emerging trends and challenges in applied linguistics, literary analysis, translation studies, and pedagogical innovation. Drawing on both theoretical frameworks and empirical research, this volume reflects the evolving landscape of linguistic inquiry across diverse sociocultural and geopolitical contexts. The contributions examine a wide range of topics, from contrastive linguistic analysis and syntactic theory to intercultural education, AI-assisted interpreting, and postcolonial semiotics. Key themes include the complexities of cross-linguistic phenomena and cultural fidelity in translation, investigated through contrastive studies of reduplication in Vietnamese-English literary prose and syntactic exceptions in Arabic and Spanish. Educational innovation is highlighted via the implementation of Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) for intercultural competence and the Flipped Learning model in specialized contexts, alongside analyses of structural challenges in migrant student integration in Cyprus. The volume critically engages with technology's role, examining AI's capabilities and limitations in interpreting and handling culturally specific translation challenges like verbified proper nouns, while also demonstrating data-driven approaches to public sentiment analysis in digital discourse. Further contributions explore affective factors in language learning, such as test anxiety among Yemeni students, and the influence of gender perspectives in the translation of Qur'anic verses. Multimodal literary analysis reveals the co-construction of meaning through text and image, and postcolonial semiotics examines narratives of exile and identity. Collectively, these studies underscore the necessity of nuanced, culturally sensitive, and interdisciplinary approaches to navigate the evolving landscape of global communication, pedagogical strategies, and technological integration, significantly contributing to scholarly discourse in the humanities and social sciences.

Mirroring Meaning: Reduplication in Vietnamese Literary Prose and Its English Translation- A Contrastive Perspective

Nguyen Huu Chanh — 2025-06-30

In Vietnam, the increasing use of translated texts reflects the growing effort to introduce Vietnamese literature to a global audience. This study examines the use of both partial and full reduplication in the Vietnamese version of Cánh đồng bất tận and its English translation, exploring how each type is employed in both languages and analyzing the similarities and differences in their usage. Based on the novella Cánh đồng bất tận and its English translation, the research examined 96 Vietnamese sentences and 105 English sentences to explore the phenomenon. The sentences were purposively selected from the novella to focus on examples of reduplication, and the contrastive analysis was conducted using a linguistic framework that compares morphological and phonological features across the two languages. The findings revealed that (1) Both English and Vietnamese employed similar methods for using reduplication in the novella, utilizing repetition of sounds or words to create emphasis, express intensity, and add a rhythmic or playful quality to the language, (2) Although reduplication is not a fundamental morphological process in English, it occurs more frequently than in Vietnamese in this text, primarily as a stylistic or emphatic device rather than a grammatical one, and (3) The rules governing letter- and word-groupings, such as the use of reduplication in both Vietnamese and English, contribute to making the text more engaging for readers by adding rhythm, emphasis, and expressiveness. Additionally, the findings also revealed that pairs of tonal patterns combined with descriptive words using the suffix -ish, create a unique and interesting linguistic feature in English. This study uncovers how reduplication functions differently in Vietnamese and English within a bilingual novella, revealing nuanced strategies translators can use to preserve stylistic emphasis and cultural meaning, thereby improving the fidelity and expressive quality of translations for diverse audiences.

Aproximación Sintáctica a las Construcciones Exceptivas en Árabe y Español

Majed Hassan M Albader — 2025-06-30

The study examines the grammatical concept of exception as articulated in Arabic and Spanish through various syntactic constructions. This study is driven by the growing need to address structural asymmetries in bilingual and translation-oriented language education. Using a contrastive, functional-syntactic methodology, the study investigates both the structural and semantic characteristics of these constructions in Arabic and Spanish. The objective is to show their functional classification, engage with ongoing categorical discussions, and underline their educational significance within translation studies. The analysis is grounded in constructions that show a predicative relationship between a general set X and a subset Y, where a specific attribute is assigned to X while being denied to Y. The focus is on the syntactic interdependence of these elements and the grammatical encoding of exceptions in each language. Comparing these linguistic models, the paper discusses the shared syntactic restrictions but differing typological mechanisms. Methodologically, the research analyzes linguistic particles of exception—illā in Arabic and excepto, salvo, and menos in Spanish. These particles were used because they are syntactically alike and have similar functional semantic value. It examines how such particles link minimal clauses of opposed types between sentence members, contravening traditional grammatical analysis. The study suggests that these particles function similarly to coordinating conjunctions and advocates for their reclassification as exceptional conjunctions, a designation that more accurately reflects their role in sentence structure. The findings indicate that both Arabic and Spanish conceptualize exception as a binary syntactic relationship, whereby subset Y must be encompassed within set X, adhering to a whole-part logic. Furthermore, the study introduces structures unique to Arabic, revealing the absence of equivalent expressions in Spanish for the Arabic ‘illā’. This has important benefits for translators and educators, emphasizing the need to capture distinctive features during cross-linguistic transfer. The study enhances pedagogical approaches by systematically comparing the syntactic and semantic behaviors of exceptions in Arabic and Spanish. Drawing on illustration examples, it helps students understand grammatical complexity and complex meanings in translation contexts. Overall, this study contributes to refining grammatical analysis in multilingual curricula and opens paths for further comparative linguistic research. In addition, the analysis offers researchers of both languages an enriching perspective for studies of contrastive linguistic typology aimed at capturing the variety and similarities of forms and structures of Arabic and Spanish as regards exceptional constructions.

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) for Multicultural Development: Pedagogical Strategies and Outcomes

Shushanik Paronyan — 2025-06-30

In a globalized world, students require broader social and communicative skills. Foreign language teaching must thus incorporate sociocultural sensitivity and multiculturalism—a pedagogical approach fostering understanding, appreciation, and respect for cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity. It aims to enhance an inclusive environment where students can develop a global perspective and embrace diversity. One of the pedagogical strategies that encourages effective interaction between individuals from different cultures is Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). This study examines the role of Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) in enhancing students’ multicultural awareness, with particular emphasis on mitigating cultural stereotyping and fostering sensitivity toward otherness. The research evaluates the effectiveness of COIL-facilitated multicultural learning through an analysis of a bilateral project between University College Utrecht and Yerevan State University. Employing a Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach, the project engaged students in analyzing cultural contexts marked by discrimination and hate speech. Through collaborative discourse, participants developed practical counterstrategies while demonstrating measurable growth in cultural competence. Quantitative data from post-project evaluations revealed that 97% of respondents rated the collaborative learning experience as highly successful, while 88% affirmed PBL’s efficacy as a pedagogical method. Notably, a significant majority reported heightened awareness of hate speech mitigation strategies. However, the study also identified three key implementation challenges: divergent academic expectations, uneven participant engagement, and technological literacy gaps among learners. Despite these limitations, the findings substantiate COIL’s potential to cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and intercultural empathy. The study concludes that scalable adoption of such initiatives can advance inclusive educational practices and contribute to societal equity through deliberate pedagogy of tolerance.

Analyzing Public Sentiment on Indonesia's Constitutional Court Post-2024 Election Ruling: Insights from Appraisal Theory and Data Mining

Ai Yeni Yuliyanti — 2025-06-30

This study examines public sentiment toward Indonesia’s Constitutional Court (Mahkamah Konstitusi, MK) following its 2024 regional election ruling. Using sentiment analysis and Martin and White’s (2005) Appraisal Theory, the research investigates emotional, evaluative, and dialogic patterns in public discourse through YouTube comments. A mixed-method approach was adopted by combining qualitative appraisal interpretation with quantitative categorization and machine learning-based sentiment classification, all conducted using the Orange data mining application. Orange was chosen for its visual programming interface, ease of integration between linguistic theory and machine learning workflows, and accessibility for researchers working across disciplines. From 4,010 YouTube comments, 223 relevant entries were filtered and analysed according to the three domains of Appraisal Theory: Attitude (affect, judgment, appreciation), Engagement (monogloss and heterogloss), and Graduation (force and focus), enabling a structured evaluation of public responses. Three machine learning models were employed for sentiment classification within Orange: Naive Bayes, for its speed and efficiency in text classification; Logistic Regression, for its interpretability and robust baseline performance; and Neural Network, for its ability to capture nuanced emotional expressions. Among these, the Neural Network achieved the highest performance (AUC: 0.958; F1 score: 0.853), followed by Logistic Regression (AUC: 0.931; F1: 0.807), and Naive Bayes (AUC: 0.925; F1: 0.802). Each model offered distinct strengths: Neural Network revealed deeper emotional intensity, Logistic Regression emphasized positive affect, and Naive Bayes captured dominant monoglossic tendencies in discourse. The findings reveal a predominance of neutral and moderately positive sentiments, with joy, fear, surprise, and dissatisfaction emerging as key affective responses. The integration of Appraisal Theory and sentiment modeling through Orange demonstrates a systematic and scalable method for interpreting public discourse in digital environments. This research contributes methodologically by bridging qualitative linguistic analysis with accessible data mining tools, and substantively by offering insight into how digital publics engage with constitutional authority. It advances the literature on institutional trust by illustrating how social media serves as a platform for democratic evaluations of judicial decisions.

Chypre face aux défis de l'intégration scolaire des élèves migrants : entre intentions interculturelles et réalités structurelles

Georgia Constantinou — 2025-06-30

The theme of intercultural education has only recently appeared in Cyprus in scientific research and educational policies. Faced with the multiculturalism of today's Cypriot society and an education system based on a single cultural principle, the intercultural educational model seems to be a response and a remedy to the problems faced in schools. Intercultural education, which aims to free individuals from their ethnocentric perceptions and intolerant prejudices, is particularly targeted at schoolchildren and adolescents, whether indigenous or not, from the majority or minority groups. Our study, based on a survey of ten teachers in public primary and secondary schools, seeks to understand the educational situation in Cyprus regarding migrant students and highlights both the difficulties of implementing intercultural education and the needs for successful schooling and social integration. We wanted to examine the major obstacles encountered by migrant students and their teachers, current educational policies, and areas for improvement. The results show that, despite positive intentions, much remains to be done, as teachers need more appropriate training, students need access to multilingual teaching resources, and initiatives such as language integration classes should be put in place. But beyond technical solutions, better cooperation between schools, local institutions, and families can also make a difference. In short, this article does not merely point out the challenges but also proposes concrete ways to make intercultural education a powerful tool for social inclusion. The introduction of intercultural education in Cyprus is essential. Although the Cypriot government is following the Council of Europe's recommendations to incorporate interculturalism into its education policies, practical and pedagogical implementation reveals, despite clear intentions, the shortcomings of political actions and the limitations of intercultural education. Schools in Cyprus currently lack adequate resources in terms of infrastructure, equipment, and teaching materials. They are also not sufficiently prepared to deal with migrant pupils properly from an educational and psychological point of view. This research has revealed specific problems: the language barrier, the lack of intercultural training for teachers, and the absence of adequate educational infrastructure. These obstacles have a significant impact on the educational and social integration of pupils from migrant backgrounds.

The Implementation of Flipped Learning Model in an ESP Context: An Investigation of Engineering Students’ Attitudes and Expectations at the Biotechnology National School of Constantine

Lamia Benyahia — 2025-06-30

In recent years, the flipped learning (FL) model has emerged as an innovative and increasingly popular approach to education, transforming how students engage with content and enhancing overall learning outcomes. This model reimagines traditional classroom dynamics by shifting from teacher-centered instruction to a more student-focused experience. In FL, students interact with instructional materials such as pre-recorded lectures, videos, or other multimedia resources outside class time. This frees up in-class hours for active, hands-on learning activities like discussions, problem-solving exercises, group projects, and practical applications that deepen understanding and foster collaboration. As such, the FL model holds promise in biotechnology education, where mastering theoretical concepts and hands-on skills is essential. By allowing students to acquire basic knowledge at their own pace before class, educators can dedicate face-to-face sessions to reinforcing and applying this knowledge in classroom activities. However, the success of FL often hinges on students’ attitudes and expectations toward the model. Those who perceive it as a valuable tool for deeper learning are more likely to fully embrace it, while skepticism or resistance can hinder its effectiveness. This study explores the attitudes and expectations of second-year students at the Biotechnology National School of Constantine, Algeria, regarding the potential implementation of the FL model. Through a questionnaire administered to 47 students, the research seeks to understand how these learners perceive the benefits and challenges of adopting FL in their coursework. The findings offer critical insights not only for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) practitioners but also for administrators and educators considering the integration of FL into biotechnology classrooms and similar ESP contexts. By understanding students' perspectives, educators can design and deliver FL experiences that align with learners' needs and expectations, ultimately fostering their engagement, motivation, and academic success.

Test Anxiety and Gender: Insights from English Major Students at Hadhramout University

Atef Saleh Al-Tamimi — 2025-06-30

Test anxiety stands as one of the most impactful affective factors in the English as a foreign language learning journey. Indeed, current language learning theories affirm the serious impediment of foreign language test anxiety (FLTA) to English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ learning, which results in hindering their performance in English. Therefore, this study examined the levels of FLTA among Yemeni English majors at Hadhramout University before, during, and after a language test. The study also questioned whether male and female students encounter different FLTA levels. The researchers obtained a quantitative research design where a closed-ended questionnaire based on Ahmed and Halawachy (2013) and Himat and Nazari (2019) was distributed among 75 EFL junior and senior students at Hadhramout University, Yemen. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software (Version 28). The methodological approach encompassed both descriptive statistics—comprising mean scores and standard deviations—and inferential analyses, specifically an independent samples t-test to examine gender-based differences in learners' attitudes toward foreign language test anxiety (FLTA). The results revealed that the majority of students scored medium-high in FLTA (mean =3.62). Additionally, the average mean score of the items related to FLTA before the test comes first with a mean of 3.62, followed by FLTA during the test (mean 3.55), and the last average of FLTA occurred after the test (mean =3.08). On contrary to prediction, the results pointed out that female students perceive higher FLTA than male students; however, the difference is insignificant (Sig=.572). The results offer some pedagogical implications for students and teachers at the English Department and syllabus designers at the Academic Development Center, and Quality Assurance at Hadhramout University. The findings would also contribute to familiarize English majors and their respective teachers of the factors which raised their FLTA to use suitable techniques and strategies that build students’ self-confidence, control and regulate their emotional feeling and develop healthy physical habits to help these students overcome test anxiety feeling and symptoms particularly before and during taking the test. Finally, the study provides suggestions to open further avenues of research and theoretical and practical insights to the field of FLTA.

Entre mundos: espacio, movimiento e imagen en “Le Chameau et les Bâtons Flottants”. Una aproximación paratraductiva y multimodal

Anna Khodorenko — 2025-06-30

This study examines Jean de La Fontaine’s fable Le Chameau et les Bâtons Flottants from two interrelated perspectives: the verbal and the visual. Our analysis focuses on the dynamic interaction between the original text and its illustrations, including later translated and adapted versions. We investigate how visual representations do more than merely accompany the written narrative; they actively contribute to reshaping and expanding its meaning. The illustrations serve as interpretive tools that mediate the reader’s understanding of key themes, character dynamics, and spatial configurations. From a visual standpoint, particular attention is given to how illustrations change across translations, revealing cultural variations in the representation of space and movement. These modifications are not neutral; they influence the reader’s perception of the fable’s setting and the symbolic implications of its narrative. This phenomenon is explored through the lens of paratranslation, a concept that emphasizes how translation encompasses not only linguistic transfer but also the adaptation of visual and spatial elements. Within this framework, the fable’s images emerge as a crucial site of cultural negotiation, where physical and symbolic spaces are reimagined. By analyzing various illustrated editions (including the notable Russian version with Marc Chagall’s artwork), we observe how certain illustrations reinterpret or even omit narrative elements, thus generating new layers of meaning. The absence, for instance, of the camel in Chagall’s image challenges the textual focal point and prompts a reconfiguration of narrative space and emotional tone. Ultimately, this research argues that illustrated versions of the fable construct a multimodal discourse in which text and image co-create meaning. The visual adaptations not only reflect but also reshape the fable’s didactic function by mediating cultural codes and aesthetic sensibilities. Through this comparative, paratranslational approach, we highlight the transformative role of visuality in literary transmission, offering a deeper understanding of how narrative space, perception, and cultural identity are negotiated across languages and artistic media.

Exploring Students’ Attitudes Towards The Implementation of Collaborative Writing: The case of 3rd Year students at Oran2 University

Sara Moussedek — 2025-06-30

Collaborative learning is a crucial social-affective strategy in EFL classes, fostering shared expertise and decision-making among researchers in knowledge construction and language skills development, especially in academic writing. Good writing calls for good writing techniques, including collaborative writing. This approach encourages teamwork, critical thinking, and active engagement towards creating a well-structured piece of writing. Using collaborative writing in the classroom makes students more involved in all the writing processes—that is, in brainstorming ideas, compiling and arranging data, drafting, editing, and rewriting. Thus, the current investigation examines the attitudes and experiences of third-year English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students at the University of Oran 2, Algeria, toward collaborative writing and its effect on overcoming writing limitations. Using a mixed-methods approach, the researcher collected data through a four-section questionnaire administered to one hundred (100) students, semi-structured observations of collaborative writing projects, and analysis of student-generated essays. The quantitative analysis revealed that most students had participated in collaborative writing tasks. Though they had some reservations about time constraints and unequal participation, students generally expressed positive attitudes towards its advantages of English language learning and error correction. Qualitative data highlighted different interaction patterns and the negotiation of meaning within the group. Analyzing students’ papers revealed notable increases in organizational skills, comprehension and analysis, production standards, and discourse coherence. Although students preferred group projects to individual assignments, issues with group coordination and unequal contribution became clear as primary concerns for pedagogical relevance. The study found that the students often struggle with academic writing due to various reasons. However, implementing collaborative writing positively impacted students' attitudes towards academic writing, especially for weaker and average students. This approach helped overcome challenges such as time constraints, understanding objectives, structuring, presentation, and methodological issues. Collaborative writing significantly improved students' logical structure, clarity, understanding, analysis, production standards, and communication skills. The results imply that, in this EFL environment, collaborative writing has a significant potential to improve academic writing abilities; nevertheless, organized implementation is necessary to address the inherent challenges.

Gender Dynamics in Qur'anic Translation: Analyzing Male and Female Perspectives on Surat Al-Fatiha

Montasser Mohamed Abdelwahab Mahmoud — 2025-06-30

This paper investigates the impact of gender perspectives on the translation of Surat Al-Fatiha, a pivotal chapter in the Qur'an, through a comparative analysis of translations produced by both male and female scholars. By closely examining the works of Yusuf Ali, Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall, Laleh Bakhtiar, and Amina Wadud, this study explores the ways in which gendered approaches shape the interpretation, rendering, and presentation of sacred Islamic texts. The selection of these translators provides a balanced representation of traditional and contemporary viewpoints, allowing for a nuanced exploration of how gender identity and scholarly perspective inform translation choices. Yusuf Ali’s and Pickthall’s translations are analyzed for their traditional and formal approaches, with particular attention paid to the influence of their respective historical, cultural, and religious contexts. Ali’s work is characterized by extensive commentary and an emphasis on bridging cultural divides through interpretive footnotes and annotations, while Pickthall’s translation remains closely aligned with classical interpretations, highlighting his commitment to linguistic and theological fidelity rooted in early Islamic tradition. In contrast, Bakhtiar’s feminist approach offers a critical engagement with gender biases embedded in traditional exegesis, seeking to reinterpret specific terms and concepts in ways that challenge patriarchal readings. Wadud’s academic perspective brings an intellectually rigorous yet spiritually engaged approach that integrates contemporary scholarship with a critical engagement of traditional Islamic interpretations. Her work reflects a synthesis of modern hermeneutical tools and classical exegetical insights, aiming to uncover the egalitarian spirit of the Qur’an while remaining rooted in its historical context.The analysis reveals how gender perspectives affect the translation of key phrases and concepts, influencing the text’s reception among diverse audiences. These findings underscore the important role that gendered translation practices play in either reinforcing or challenging established interpretations of sacred scripture. This research advances the theoretical understanding of gender in translation by demonstrating the practical effects of gendered perspectives on sacred texts. It demonstrates the tangible effects of gendered perspectives on sacred texts and offers thoughtful recommendations for future translators, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and interpretive sensitivity to foster meaningful cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue.

Le Traducteur, Re-créateur du Texte Littéraire

Mary Yazbeck — 2025-06-30

This study explores the creative dimension of literary translation by examining how translators move beyond mere stylistic reformulation to engage in a profound reinterpretation of the source text. The central research question addresses the following: to what extent does literary translation constitute a re-creative act, and how can the translator preserve the essence of the source text while introducing interpretative agency? Anchored in a translation studies framework, the paper proposes that translation, particularly of poetic texts, demands not only linguistic competence but also cognitive flexibility, aesthetic sensitivity, and interpretative insight. To investigate this hypothesis, the study adopts a qualitative, text-based methodology, grounded in close reading and comparative textual analysis. The object of analysis is Conte, a prose poem by French poet Arthur Rimbaud, selected for its richness in rhythm, imagery, and tonal ambiguity. The study examines the interplay between source and target texts by identifying moments of semantic density, phonetic patterning, and rhetorical complexity. Particular attention is paid to how the translator interprets and reconfigures these features in the target language, thus enacting a form of literary re-creation. The findings show that the translator’s engagement with the text is not limited to a passive transfer of meaning but involves a dynamic process of appropriation, reformulation, and stylistic negotiation. The act of translation becomes a site of co-authorship, where the translator’s reading is filtered through personal impressions, intertextual references, and cultural knowledge. Each translation choice reflects a balance between fidelity and transformation, positioning the translator as both reader and creator. This study argues for a reconceptualization of the translator’s role, challenging traditional models of translation as interlingual equivalence. Instead, it posits a model in which the translator functions as a re-creator, responsible for generating a target text that resonates with the original while asserting its own artistic legitimacy. The case of Conte reveals that creative translation is not a deviation from fidelity, but a mode of textual engagement that brings new life to literary works across linguistic boundaries.

AI-assisted Interpreting: Valuable Tool for Professional Interpreters or Job Displacement?

Cristina Cela Gutiérrez — 2025-06-30

Today, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has permeated across diverse disciplines, professional sectors, and recreational activities. Translation and interpreting are two sectors in which AI is becoming increasingly important. With more and more companies incorporating AI into their means of production or services, it is common for many language professionals to wonder whether their job will one day be replaced by a machine. This question has been a relevant issue since the 18th Century with the contributions of philosophers and scientists, who anticipated notions of computer science. However, in recent years, the concern about the future of professional interpreters has come up again due to the advances in AI. In light of the growing controversy and concern surrounding computer-assisted interpreting (CAI) and translation (CAT), this study aims to verify the reliability of AI applications in interpreting, focusing particularly on the positive and negative aspects of AI use in communicative language exchanges. Our specific purpose is to demonstrate that human interpreters will continue to deliver high-quality work that is tailored to the socio-cultural context of those involved in the communication process. To this end, the study explores recent developments in AI-driven interpreting technologies, such as neural machine translation (NMT) engines and real-time speech recognition systems, assessing their effectiveness in comparison with human interpreters. Employing both qualitative and quantitative methodology —such as case studies and user Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, including case studies and user feedback— the research identifies significant limitations of AI systems, particularly in managing complex discourse, cultural references, nuances, and emotional intelligence. Furthermore, it considers ethical challenges regarding data privacy, user trust, and accountability. The results show that although AI can provide useful assistance in specific contexts—particularly for routine or low-risk interactions—it falls short in cultural sensitivity and register adaptability; scenarios charged with high-risk consequences, and emotionally attached. Ultimately, the study concludes that AI is unlikely to replace professional interpreters, but rather will serve as a complementary instrument that supports and enhances human expertise in the field.

La Sémiotique de L’Exil dans Les Raisins de la Galère de Tahar Ben Jelloun

Merahia Bouazza — 2025-06-30

This paper provides a critical analysis of Tahar Ben Jelloun's novel Les Raisins de la galère, focusing on the themes of identity quest and exile. Through these issues, the work highlights the deep-seated malaise of a postcolonial generation torn between disillusionment, wandering, and inner fragmentation. The study seeks to question the status and rights of immigrants in the metropolis, while exploring the resulting ambivalent relationships. Particular attention is given to the obstacles to integration, especially the question of identity, which in the novel manifests as psychological suffering, fervor, delinquency, rejection of uniqueness, and a quest for belonging to a community. The tragic consequences of this marginalization often give rise to a "self" obsessed with identification, where the "I" ultimately defines itself in a context of hatred of the Other. It is in a desire to go beyond a central literature to conquer a universal literature that Tahar Ben Jelloun refers us from the title to The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck to continue to raise the ideological and socio-economic concerns of his time. This study begins by addressing the notion of the "problematic hero", a concept borrowed from Georg Lukács, who defines it as a figure constantly experiencing an identity crisis, shaped by the tensions of their time. This framework offers a lens through which to examine the society in which the novel's characters evolve. In this light, it seems appropriate to closely follow the development of the main character, Nadia—the narrator—who gradually asserts herself throughout the narrative by striving to distinguish herself from others, both personally and socially. The study also aims to analyze exile as a central theme in postcolonial Maghrebi literature, often linked to the phenomenon of immigration, particularly with the emergence of the Beur generation. This generation, which forms the focal point of the novel, embodies the cultural and socio-economic inequalities they endure. Moreover, the analysis seeks to uncover the intergenerational malaise: that of parents marked by submission and internalized marginalization, and children shaped by rebellion and a search for identity. The examination of the problematic hero, the tragic ending, and the motif of exile will thus serve as the foundation for analyzing the various forms of racism, alienation, and identity struggles depicted in the novel.

Addressing Untranslatability: ChatGPT’s Compensatory Strategies for Translating Verbified Proper Nouns in English–Arabic Contexts

Darawsheh Kareem — 2025-06-30

This research paper examines ChatGPT's methodologies for addressing the untranslatability challenges posed by verbified proper nouns in English-Arabic translation. The process of denominalization, whereby proper nouns are converted into verbal forms, presents substantial translation difficulties due to its complex intersection of linguistic structure and cultural context. Previous scholarship by Phrisan et al. (2021) has investigated verbified proper nouns specifically in English, demonstrating their unique linguistic transformations and the cultural connotations they carry. Parallel research by Sattar et al. (2023) has explored the phenomenon of verbified common nouns in both Arabic and English, providing valuable insights into the cross-linguistic dimensions of this linguistic process. However, the academic literature currently lacks a focused examination of how verbified proper nouns are handled in translation between Arabic and English, particularly within the realm of artificial intelligence-assisted translation. The present study addresses this research gap by analyzing ChatGPT's approach to this complex translation issue, utilizing Newmark's (1988) theoretical framework on translation strategies. Our findings indicate that ChatGPT employs a user-oriented approach predicated on an assumption of minimal shared cultural knowledge with the end user. This approach leads the AI system to consistently adopt semantic translation strategies, prioritizing the accurate conveyance of meaning and intended effect from the source language to the target language. While this method ensures comprehension and maintains the original text's impact for the target audience, our analysis reveals that its effectiveness remains subject to specific contextual conditions. This investigation makes a significant contribution to understanding AI capabilities in handling linguistically and culturally complex translation tasks. The study highlights both the potential of large language models in overcoming translation challenges and their current limitations when dealing with specialized linguistic phenomena like verbified proper nouns. These findings have important implications for the future development of AI translation systems and their application in cross-cultural communication contexts.

Enhanced Arabic Human-Machine Dialogue Using a Two-Level Dynamic Programming Algorithm

Hilal Menzer — 2025-06-30

This paper presents a prototype man–machine dialogue system specifically designed for Arabic, addressing the growing need for voice-based interaction in under-resourced linguistic contexts. Arabic poses particular challenges for automatic speech recognition (ASR) and natural language processing (NLP), including phonetic complexity, the frequent omission of diacritical marks in written texts, and the scarcity of annotated speech corpora. These factors have significantly impeded the development of robust Arabic voice interfaces. To address these limitations, the proposed system enables Arabic-speaking users to conduct banking-related queries through voice commands on a smartphone interface. The system incorporates two complementary feature extraction techniques—Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) and Perceptual Linear Prediction (PLP)—and employs a two-level dynamic programming algorithm to iteratively align acoustic feature vectors using Euclidean distance. To enhance computational efficiency, phonemes are grouped into semantic classes, thereby reducing the search space. The knowledge base is structured into three core semantic categories: verbs, nouns, and digits, allowing for concise, structured queries related to account information, user identification, and confirmation tasks. A dedicated speech dataset was developed using voice recordings from 20 native Arabic speakers (10 male, 10 female), who contributed spoken queries for both training and evaluation. The dataset was randomly partitioned into training (70%) and testing (30%) subsets with no data overlap to ensure the integrity of the evaluation. Experimental results show a sentence comprehension accuracy of 92.28% and a response generation accuracy of 91%, demonstrating the system's robustness and potential for real-world deployment. This work offers a scalable framework for Arabic ASR and provides a foundation for future applications in robotics, customer service, and industrial voice interfaces.