Questionnaire for Students of Linguistics

Respected respondent,

I am a student of M.phil in English Linguistics at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur. My thesis topic is “Style in Translation: A Comparative
Study of ‘The Beaming Soul’ and ‘Kiran Kiran Sooraj’”. This questionnaire is being administered for the purpose of data collection for my M. Phil
thesis. In my study, I am exploring the style is translation. This study will investigate how the style in Urdu language is transferred to English
language through translation and the issues that arise as a result of translation. You are requested to answer the questions. Rest assured that your
responses will be kept strictly confidential and will only be used for research purposes.

Rabia Alam
rabiaalam233@gmail.com
M.phil Scholar
Department of English
The Islamia University of Bahawalpur
Date: 11-11-2019

Personal Information

Name: Syed Abdul Baseer Shah Email Id: abdulbaseer2016@gmail.com

Sex: Male Age: 27
Educational Level: MA

The following are some of the aphorisms written by Wasif Ali Wasif. The Urdu aphorisms are taken from his book ‘Kiran Kiran Sooraj’ and
the English translation is taken from ‘The Beaming Soul’ translated by Wasif Ali Wasif himself. You are requested to give your opinion about
these sayings regarding the questions given with each table.

(Note: The translation has been copied as it has been in the translated book so it may contain some grammatical or syntactic errors)

Translated text Original text

To the City Mosque ‫آباد شہر کی اُس مسجد‬

‫کے نام‬
That still prefers to go
without a loudspeaker ‫جس میں الوڈ سپیکر نہیں‬
‫ہوتا‬
1)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
Missing some words.

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Yes, they are different sentences

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

Can’t specify but it seems different from original

Translated text Original text

If the price of saving your ‫اگر زندگی بچانے کی‬

life be life itself, accept it. ‫قیمت پوری زندگی بھی‬
‫مانگی جائے تو انکار نہ‬
‫کرنا‬

2)

● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?

Yes, it is correct

● Can you locate any communication gap?

No

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

 Orators here talk about the
insecurity of times but they
themselves are building
their houses, with
conviction of security.
‫غیر یقینی حاالت پر‬
‫تقریریں کرنے‬
‫والے'کتنے یقین سے‬
‫اپنے مکانوں کی تعمیر‬
‫میں مصروف ہیں‬

3)

● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?

It can be correct

● Can you locate any communication gap?

No

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

‫پْرانےبادشاہ ہاتھی کی‬

Old monarchs rode
elephants to set off
royal grandeur.
Today our children
have joy-rides on
elephants in zoo.
4)
‫سواری سے جال ِل شاہی کا‬
‫اظہار کرتے تھے۔ آج‬
‫ہمارے بچے چڑیا گھروں‬
‫میں ہاتھی کی سواری سے‬
‫۔دل بہالتے ہیں‬

● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?

No, it can be, "in ancient times"
 ● Can you locate any communication gap?
No

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

He who seeks the ‫جو شخص سب کی بھال‬

good of all, finds good
coming to him from
Allah. Those who keep
open houses and offer
free fair, are never in
want.
‫ہللا اْس کا‬،‫ئ مانگتا ہے‬
‫بھال کرتا ہے۔ جن لوگوں‬
‫نے مہمانوں کےلیے لنگر‬
،‫خانے کھول دیے ہیں‬
‫۔کبھی محتاج نہیں ہوئے‬

5)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
Yes, seems correct

● Can you locate any communication gap?

No.

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

 Belief in God, without ‫جس کا رسالت ﷺ‬
belief in the Prophet ‫ وہ‬،‫پر ایمان نہ ہو‬
(SAW), would still be ‫مو ّحد بھی کافر ہو‬
unbelief. ‫۔گا‬

6)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
No

● Can you locate any communication gap?

No
●
● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?
No

Translated text Original text

The eyes of unaware

person open when ‫غافل کی آنکھ اْس وقت‬
death is going to close ‫ جب بند ہونے‬،‫کھلتی ہے‬
them for ever. ‫۔کو ہوتی ہے‬

7)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
Yes

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Can more precise.

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

The search for Truth, for

the Truth-conscious, for ‫تالش حق‬
ِ ،‫تالش حقیقت‬
ِ
the men of heart, for the ،‫ب دِالں‬ ِ ‫تالش صاح‬ِ ،‫آگاہ‬
Imam of the age, or for ‫تالش‬
ِ ‫ِمام زماں یا‬
ِ ‫تالش ا‬ ِ
the intimate of ‫محرم اسرار کسی جغرافیا‬ ِ
mysteries, involve no ‫یَی سفر کا نام نہیں‬
geographical journey.

8)

● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?

In correct

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Should use best words

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

 Our designs can
change, His decisions ‫خیال بدل سکتا ہے لیکن‬
cannot. ‫۔اَمرنہیں ٹل سکتا‬

9)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
correct

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Can be improved

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

Human dykings and ‫اِنسانی حدبندیاں اور پیش‬

damming cannot stem ‫ فطرت کے کام‬،‫بندیاں‬
the torrents of Nature. ‫میں رکاوٹ نہیں پیدا کر‬
‫۔سکتیں‬

10)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
No

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Translation can be improved
 ● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?
No

Translated text Original text

‫زمین میں ہی مشرق و‬

Beyond the sun there ‫مغرب ہیں۔ آسمان پر‬
are no Easts and ‫مشارق و مغارب نہیں‬
Wests. The skies have ‫ہیں۔ آسمان بے جہت و‬
no dimensions and ‫۔بےسمت ہے‬
directions.

11)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
No

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Not correctly translated

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

When we think of Allah’s

blessings and favours ‫عطاوں پر‬
َ ‫اُس کی‬
showered on you be ‫خطاوں‬
َ ‫الحمدہللا اور اپنی‬
sincerely thankful and ‫پر استغفرہللا کرتے ہی‬
when we think of your ‫۔رہنا چاہیے‬
own shortcomings and
errors sincerely seek His
forgiveness.
12)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
No

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Not a correct translation

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

‫ث عروج بھی‬
ِ ‫ باع‬،‫غم‬
There are persons who ‫ث زوال‬
ِ ‫ہے اور باع‬
rise through grief and ‫۔بھی‬
there are persons who
fall because of grief.

13)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
No

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Can be improved

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

 We wish Pharaoh’s ‫ہم لوگ فرعون کی‬
Here and Moses’s ‫زندگی چاہتے ہیں اور‬
Hereafter. ‫۔موسی کی عاقبت‬
ٰ

14)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
No

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Can be improved

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

The sky, as we see it, is ‫آسمان ح ِد نگاہ ہےاور‬

the farthest limit of ‫ب نظر‬
ِ ‫۔ستارے فری‬
one view and the stars
are not as they appear
to our eyes.
15)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
No

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Can be improved
 ● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?
No

Translated text Original text

A flower’s life of a ‫پھول کی ایک دن کی‬

day is better than a ‫ کیکر کی کئی‬،‫زندگی‬
thorny acasia’s span ‫سال کی زندگی سے‬
of many years. ‫۔بہتر ہے‬

16)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
Correct

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Translation can be improved

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

He who is drowned in ‫گناہوں میں مبتال اِنسان‬

sin, is devoid of faith ‫کا دعا َوں پر یقین نہیں‬
in prayer. ‫۔رہتا‬
17)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
Slightly different

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Translation can be improved

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

Abu Jahl sees the Prophet

(SAW) but cannot have ‫بو جہل کو دیدار سے‬
access to him (SAW), ‫تقرب حاصل نہیں ہو‬
whereas Uways of Qaran ‫سکتا۔ اویس قرنی کو‬
has access to him (SAW) ‫ہی‬ ‫ب مکانی کے بغیر‬ِ ‫تقر‬
although he has never been ‫ہے‬ ‫وتا‬ ‫ہ‬ ‫حاصل‬ ‫دیدار‬ ‫۔‬
near him physically.
18)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
No

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Translation can be improved

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No
 Translated text Original text

Those who keep ‫جن لوگوں نے مہمانوں‬

open houses and ‫کےلیے لنگر خانے‬
offer free fair, are ‫ کبھی‬،‫کھول دیے ہیں‬
never in want. ‫۔محتاج نہیں ہوئے‬
19)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
Correct

● Can you locate any communication gap?

No

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Translated text Original text

It is sufficient proof ‫کسی انسان کے کم‬

for the smallness of ‫ظرف ہونے کے‬
any man that he ‫لئےاِتنا ہی کافی ہے‬
should subject ‫کے وہ اپنی زبان سے‬
himself to self-praise. ‫اپنی تعریف کرنےپر‬
‫۔مجبور ہو‬
20)
● Is the translation of Urdu aphorism correct?
No

● Can you locate any communication gap?

Translation can be improved

● What stylistic or linguistic features are lost in English translation?

No

Would you like to contribute any other information relevant to the study?

Thank you