Bridging languages and cultures: The translation of un sustainable development goals into Arabic
Bridging languages and cultures: The translation of un sustainable development goals into Arabic

Summary/Abstract: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) introduced by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 were meant to be universal and applicable to all developing and developed countries, establishing a global framework and a common ground for all people worldwide. Despite their global significance, limited scholarly attention has been paid to the translation of the SDGs into Arabic and the implications of such translations for meaning. The current study carefully examines the translation methods and procedures through which a selection of SDGs, along with their statements, were translated from English into Arabic. It explores how linguistic and cultural differences influence the interpretation of global sustainability agendas in Arab-speaking countries. The study employed the descriptive-analytical method to systematically analyze the translated Arabic texts. Following Vinay and Darbelnet’s (1995) translation model, two strategies and seven particular procedures applied in transferring the English SDGs into their Arabic counterparts were investigated. The findings demonstrated that the Arabic translation of the SDGs mainly employed direct translation procedures, including literal translation and borrowing to convey the intended meaning as accurately as possible. However, indirect translation procedures such as transposition, modulation, and equivalence were also used to ensure cultural appropriateness and natural rendering. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how global policy discourse is linguistically and culturally adapted in Arabic, highlighting key challenges in translating international policy texts. This combination of translation methods contributed to conveying the underlying meaning effectively and addressing the problematic linguistic and cultural elements appropriately.

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