Arabic poetry and English rapping are unmistakably divergent genre pairs. Translating Arabic poems into rap songs requires many formal changes called by the norms of the target rap song; these include the fragmented style, the musical conventions, the linguistic choices, and the fast flow of the rap song.  This study examines how these musical features of the rap song impact the translation of Arabic poetry into English rap; looks into the phrasing of the TTs in relation to the musical considerations of rapping; and analyzes the extent to which the musical system of the rap songs will require compromising the structure and content of the source Arabic poem. The study derives evidence from the translation of Nizar Qabbani’s famous “The Damascene Poem” into the rap song “Damascus” by the Syrian-American translator and rapper Omar Offendum. The study reveals that rendering Arabic poetry into rap involves a shift in genre and function and hence several form-based challenges should be addressed. To secure successful rendering, translation strategies of addition, deletion, restructuring, localization, code-switching, and adaptation become indispensable.

Title

translation Review

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Publisher Country

United States of America

Indexing

Scopus

Impact Factor

None

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

Volume

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Year

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Pages

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