Translating Cultural Context: A Pragmatic and Functional Evaluation of Moroccan Arabic Proverbs and Literary Texts

Abstract

Cultural translation research attracts scholarly attention due to the need for appropriate translation approaches. Cultural context is a tangled issue in translation studies, being both pervasive and decisive in cross-cultural translation. Evaluating cultural translation demands robust semantic and pragmatic frameworks to bridge the gap between source and target language contexts. This paper investigates the impact of cultural context on translation by evaluating selected Moroccan Arabic proverbs and culture‑specific literary expressions translated into English. Employing a qualitative, comparative methodology supported by functional and pragmatic translation theories, this article analyzes text samples across four distinct datasets. The findings reveal that a reliance on strict literal translation results in semantic distortion, a pragmatic loss of expressive force, and unjustified omissions that conceal the source culture’s identity. Conversely, functional and covert translation strategies preserve structural fluency but frequently result in a partial loss of cultural nuances. This paper underscores the necessity for translators to serve as active cultural mediators who negotiate meaning through verified quality assessment models.