Vision: Journal for Language and Foreign Language Learning

Vol. 9, No. 2, October 2020, pp. 143-158

ISSN 2745-9667 (p), 2541-4399 (e)
DOI: 10.21580/vjv10i17190

An Analysis of the Persian Translation of The Alchemist

by Paulo Coelho, Based on Juliane House’s (1997) Quality
Assessment Model of Translation

Sheida Ronagh Zadeh,1 Azadeh Nemati,2* Mohammad Bavali3

1
Department of English Language, Zand Institute of Higher Education, Shiraz – Iran
23
Department of English Language, Azad University, Shiraz – Iran

Article Information
Received 25 December 2020
Accepted 31 December 2020
Published February 22, 2021
Abstract

As quality is one of the most important aspects of translation studies, the researchers aim at analyzing the quality of
the Persian translation of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, which is one of the best-selling novels in the world based
on House’s (1997) model of translation quality assessment. As it was time-consuming to apply this model to the
whole book, twenty sections out of forty-five sections of the English version were selected randomly. In this
qualitative-descriptive research, both source text and target text were compared in tables regarding quality. The
study revealed that the translator had translated the text overtly, confirming House’s idea, who noted that literary
texts should be translated overtly. However, the cultural filter was applied to some parts of the text that were not
acceptable in the target culture. Therefore, covert translation was acceptable in some parts. According to the analysis
based on House’s model, the Persian translation was almost of good quality. The register, as well as the related sub-
branches, was observed well in most parts of the target text. The text, in respect of textual means, was also cohesive
and coherent; however, the lexical choice in some parts needed improvement. The researchers also found out that
some part of the source text information was not transferred to the target text without any particular reasons. Thus,
it was illustrated that although House’s translation quality assessment model is the best translation quality
assessment model among other models, it needs improvement. House’s model was not able to analyze the text in
respect of information transfer. Therefore, this could be a weak point in House’s model. In short, the translated text
was not of high quality as it needs improvement in respect of information transfer and lexical choice.

Keywords: mode; participants; medium; tenor; register; field; translation quality

assessment; cultural filter

become an important means of communication

Introduction
among people worldwide as the world trade has
In today's world, translation is a vital key for grown. Therefore, translators should do their
people to read literary works in other languages. best to provide target readers with the best
Munday (2016) noted that translation had translation. A good translation is free and
meaningful. It means that the naturalness and
__________ understandability of the translation are
 important (Bandia, 1993). Munday (2016)
Corresponding Author: Azadeh Nemati
([email protected]) Department of claimed that the attestation of the English term
English Language Teaching, Islamic Azad ‘translation' goes back to around 1340. The
University, Jahrom Branch, Iran

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Sheida Ronagh Zadeh, Azadeh Nemati, Mohammad Bavali

origin of the word comes from either old French other hand, translation studies are the science
translation or Latin translation (transporting), of translation (approaches, theories, research
coming from the participle of the verb methods, and applied translation studies).
transferred (to carry over). According to One of the main issues of translation is the
Munday (2016), today's translation has several socio-cultural effect. A translated text affects
meanings: 1) the general subject which is the target culture and society. When a reader
studied at university, 2) a translated text as a reads a translated text, s/he is receiving
product of translation, and 3) the process of information about the SL culture as any text
translating (translation service). The process of contains the culture and ideology of its author.
translation between languages contains the Thus, when a text is translated, it is transferring
substitution of an original SL (Source Language) the SL culture to the TL reader. However,
into the TL (Target Language). sometimes it is not acceptable to transfer some
Due to the importance of translation as a parts of the SL culture to the TL culture. In this
means of communication, people decided to case, the translator uses the cultural filter as it is
create an academic field which trains interested mentioned as a feature of House’s covert
people to be a trained translator based on translation. Nevertheless, in her overt
specific principals of translation. The history of translation method, the source culture is
the field “translation studies” as an academic transferred to the target culture. Therefore, the
subject goes back to the second half of the translator should be aware of when to use a
twentieth century. Jakobson (1959), as cited in covert or overt translation. This influences the
Munday (2016), classified translation into three translation quality.
main types. Intralingual translation means the The history of discourse and register
rewording of verbal signs using other signs analysis in translation studies goes back to the
within the same language. Interlingual 1990s. Text analysis looks at how texts are
translation deals with the change of verbal signs organized, while discourse analysis focuses on
of one language in other languages, and how language communicates meaning and
intersemiotic translation is the transformation social power relations. The most influential
of verbal signs into non-verbal signs. In his book, model of discourse analysis belongs to Michael
Munday also mentioned Jerome's (1997) early Halliday's systematic functional model. Juliane
translation types. These are literal and free House's model of quality assessment is also
translations. A literal translation is a word-for- inspired by and follows Halliday's model. Some
word translation, and free translation is a sense- translators do not translate accurately, and the
for-sense. Jerome criticized the literal approach translation does not have a high quality. They
as it cannot transfer the same sense of the translate in a way that is not understandable
original work. Based on Doorslaer’s map (2007), and easy to follow for the target readers, or
as cited in Munday (2016), the difference even the translated text does not match the
between ‘translation’ and ‘translation studies’ is original text in the aspect of the content. Nida
that translation deals with the act of translating (2003) proposed that producing a similar
(lingual mode, media, mode, and field). On the response and conveying the spirit and manner

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of the original text are the characteristics of a accurate the translation is, how it affects the
good translation. Sometimes some translators target readers, and in general, how qualitatively
change the content of a fiction and a text, so good the translation is based on Juliane House’s
that when a target reader reads the translated TQA (Translation Quality Assessment).
text and then s/he reads the original text, s/he While there are many frameworks which
would be confused because s/he would not can be used to assess the quality of a translated
easily distinguish between the characters of the text, the TQA model of Juliane House is
original text and those in the source text. employed in this research. Many researchers
Therefore, s/he would not relate them to each have used this method in their research in the
other. translation field because they believe that this
Moreover, when a translation is not TQA model can be applied to most text types.
accurate and does not have a good quality, it Reiss (1971) believed that knowing the type of
misleads the readers. It might even cause legal the source text and its function is crucial before
problems. It is important that the translator is quality assessment is performed. However, she
faithful to the original text. Woodhouselee did not present an objectively measurable norm
(2013) noted that translation should provide the to apply the approach. Carrol (1966) evaluated
reader with a complete transcript of the original translation quality according to how informative
content, which reflects the faithfulness to the and understandable the text was. However, he
content. He also stated that the manner and focused on scientific texts where style and
style of the original text are important to be figures of speech play no vital role.
observed. Translators should not change the Al-Qinai ( 2000) explained that
original information as much as possible so that impressionistic and paradoxical judgments
the target readers would be satisfied with the damage the translation quality assessment. In
translated work. Inaccurate translation and his study, Al-Qiani sought an empirical QA
unnecessary changes in the original information model based on objective parameters of textual
might lead to unfair judges by the readers over typology, format, coherence, cohesion, and
the literary work. That is why good translation is lexica-syntactic aspects. He applied “an eclectic
essential. model” to an advertising text for its viability. The
In this regard, to provide a useful and aim was to highlight points of correspondence
accurate translation, following a good and divergence. Among the strategies used to
framework is necessary. There has been assess the amendment and adaptation is back
dissatisfaction with translated works from translation of TT (target text) to ST (source text).
readers in different respects. Many researchers However, there are problems like the
have also analyzed and compared different translator’s level of competence, selectional
translations of a text to see which translators decisions, and misinterpretation of the SL
translated better and more effectively. In this (source language), which reflect the multi-
research, a Persian translation of “The faceted transfer process.
Alchemist” was analyzed based on Juliane Malcolm Williams (2001), argued that
House’s model of translation to see how House’s model of translation is a non-

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Sheida Ronagh Zadeh, Azadeh Nemati, Mohammad Bavali

quantitative, descriptive theory, and House has the ST would be observed in the TT and would
dismissed the too subjective nature of quality be looked at as the target readers’ cultural
assessment. Thi Thuy (2013) also argued that attitude.
the quality assessment is not the main Besides, in his research, Valles (2014)
translation issue. However, the main problem is applied House’s TQA model of translation to a
how to assess the quality and what measures translated humorous text to evaluate the
are used to evaluate translation quality. He also performance of this model. He chose an episode
proposed that the TQA used to evaluate of the animated American TV series The
translation works depends on the evaluation's Simpsons. He also used different relevant
purpose and the chosen framework. In his theoretical concepts to evaluate the
research, Pham described different comparative performance of this model to assess the
and non-comparative TQAs and House’s translated humorous text. Therefore, the use of
functional-pragmatic TQA model with the this model was to evaluate its performance in
quantitative methods in English-German assessing the quality of a translated humorous
translation and the assessment of English- text to see if the concept is suitable for the text
Vietnamese translations. Moreover, Pham type he used.
claimed that although House’s TQA model might
Then, Valles analyzed the translated
have some weaknesses in some aspects, it is the
humorous text based on House’s TQA in detail.
best TQA model as it can be applied to many
He analyzed all aspects of the translated text,
text types. He evaluated four different
such as genre, tenor, mode, field, and register.
comparative models of TQA. He concluded then
Finally, in the analysis using House’s model, he
that Julian House’s TQA was the most useful
claimed that House (1997) believed that in
model for research purposes because it looks at
respect of equivalence between texts also
both macro and micro-level phenomena. This
semantic and pragmatic levels are followed. As
model includes not only textual and situational
he noted, House highlighted the function of
but also cultural aspects of evaluation.
equivalence as another concept in the
Shakernia (2014) applied House’s TQA translation quality assessment, and she
model to The Grapes of Wrath by John Stein provided an idea higher than the text typology
Beck to analyze the quality of the Persian that uses the cognitive and emotive meanings of
translation of this book. She aimed to figure out language to recognize the individual function of
whether a covert translation or an overt a text. He highlighted the criticism of this model
translation was used. She added that the choice as a time-consuming model to be applied to
of overt or covert translation is subjective and both the SL and TL (target language); (Rothery,
depends on the text. She noted that if a text is 1996); (Williams, 2001). Valles agreed that the
translated for a special purpose, the overt criticism was fair because applying this model to
translation is suggested, and in other cases, it different aspects of both the SL and TL is time-
relies on the status of the text producer. In her consuming.
study, Shakernia proved that covert translation
Having created two textual profiles, one for
is better for short stories so that the function of
the ST and the other for the TT, Valles

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investigated the ST's interpersonal and research, Vandepitte described that some
ideational functions, and again the dimensions factors effective in translation quality
were used to find any divergence between assessment are the object, the purpose, the
them. The dimensions were then used to assess actors involved, the TQA level aimed at, the
the quality of translation by comparing both the relevant criteria of the assessment, and the
SL and TL ideational and interpersonal functions. scaling and weighting. She carried out her
Moreover, he stated that the textual profiles of research on a translation error in Brussels opera
both ST and TT showed that the text's ideational hall De Munt / La Monnaie in 2015, a legal and
function has positively influenced the formal event. Then, the researcher analyzed the
translation. He also highlighted that less translation based on SCTA’s translation product
expressive structures and lack of socio-cultural quality assessment. The researcher found that it
references or literal translation decrease the is not clear whether this type of assessment
humor. He believed that covert translation is works for all types of texts, and this would be
superior to overt translation as in overt shown in the future. She also noted that this
translation genre and register are observed, but model's parameters are useful for assessing the
it does not give the original pleasure to the translation of such contexts carrying importance
target audience. and institutional translation. CTA’s model
Overall, he claimed that House’s model is statements do not contain explicit information;
a viable model to be applied to a humorous text therefore, to improve the visibility of the
as it analyzes the text at both semantic and translated work, the assessment purposes and
pragmatic levels. It also analyzes the use of the the quality level aimed at or the criteria
text within its context. The denotative meanings assessed would be needed.
of words have to be considered so that their Besides, Kargarzadeh and Paziresh (2017)
communicative situation beyond their stated that TQA is the heart of any theory of
referential aspect would be observed. At the translation. In this regard, they applied House’s
same time, House’s model notices whether the (House, 2015) functional pragmatic model to
ST and TT match in functions. Despite the the Persian Translation of Kite Runner to
advantages of this model, Valles criticized it for evaluate its translation quality. The results
its complexity and lack of weight for errors and showed that the translator had not observed
mismatches. the tenors, mode, and field. Some mismatches
However, Vandepitte (2017) argued that the of the tense translation and wrong meanings for
quality of translation is the most important the lexicons were also identified.
issue, especially for organizations dealing with Ghafouripour, Branch, Eslamieh, &
documents. Translational errors lead to legal Branch (2018) compared and analyzed two
issues and results. He also asserted that English translations of Omar Khayyam's Rubaiyat
translational errors do not always come from based on House’s (House, 1997) TQA model.
the translator’s errors during the translation One of the translations was by a native speaker
process, but it results from poor management of the SL and the other one by a native speaker
skills and poor quality assurance process. In her of the TL. Based on the results of the study, both

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Sheida Ronagh Zadeh, Azadeh Nemati, Mohammad Bavali

translations were of good quality, and the most and forty-five sections; part one includes
error found was the covert translation of some thirteen sections and part two comprises thirty-
parts in the poems. According to House, poetry two sections. To conduct the analysis, the
should be translated overtly. The study also researchers read the whole book in both English
revealed that House’s TQA model is well and Persian once. Then, they selected twenty
applicable to poetry. sections out of forty-five sections, five of the
In short, the quality assessment in first part and fifteen of the second part, of the
translation is one of the most important issues English book randomly to compare and analyze
in translation studies. There are many TQA them with their selected Persian version based
models in this field, and because Juliane House’s on House’s TOA model. The rsearchers wrote all
TQA model is the most applicable model to section numbers of each part on pieces of paper
most of text types, it is used for this research. As and selected twenty of them randomly. It
this is the first time the translation of The happened twice, once for the first part and once
Alchemist is analysed, the researchers could not for the second part. The researchers decided to
find any related studies on the translation of this select twenty sections for the analysis because if
book in any languages and models of they wanted to analyze more sections, it would
translation. However, they have tried their best be time-consuming. Fewer sections would
to find the newest and most related studies. decrease the research's reliability. Also, fewer
sections were selected from the first part as it
Method contained fewer sections than the second part.
The whole book was not analyzed because the
The Design of the Study analysis would be lengthy and time-consuming.
This study is qualitative-descriptive research.
According to Holmes/Toury map (1995), as cited Data Collection and Analysis Procedures
in Munday (2016), this study is DTS (Descriptive To conduct the research, a novelette, The
Translation Studies), text and function-oriented, Alchemist by Paulo Coelho in English, was
as it contains a descriptive-comparative analysis selected. The Persian translation of this book by
of the ST-TT based on House’s TQA model. It Soosan Ardekani, the Iranian translator, was also
illustrates how the translation has affected the selected to be compared with the original text's
target socio-cultural situation. content and analyzed based on Juliane House’s
model of Translation to evaluate the quality of
Corpus of the Study the translation.
The study's corpora are the copies of the The Alchemist was originally written in
English version of The Alchemist by Paulo Portuguese by Brazilian Paulo Coelho in 1988. It
Coelho and its Persian translation by Soosan was first published in English in 1993. This
Ardekani. This book is selected for this study English edition was published by Harper Collins
because it has been a worldwide best-seller for Publishers, London, England. It was reprinted in
decades; sixty-five million copies of the book 2013. The Persian translation by Soosan
have been sold and it has been translated into Ardekani was first published in 2003 by
many languages. The book consists of two parts

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Negarestan-e-ketab, Tehran, Iran, and the selected twenty of them randomly. It was done.
edition was reprinted in 2010 (5th print). Once for the first part and once for the second
To analyze the Persian translation of the chosen part. The researchers decided to select twenty
parts of the book The Alchemist, the researchers sections for the analysis because analyzing more
surveyed these parts and compared them with sections would be time-consuming. Fewer
the Persian version according to House’s TQA sections would decrease the research's
model. As these parts were compared in both reliability. Also, fewer sections were selected
languages, any part including mismatches or from the first part as it contains fewer sections
errors was shown in a chart consisting of three than the second part. The whole book was not
parts: the Persian translation, the researchers’ analyzed because the analysis would be lengthy
substitution (in case needed), the issues of the and time-consuming.
translator’s translation. Then, the cultural filters
Findings and Discussion
and issues related to that part were explained.
Registers and the sub-branches of them were The Analysis of the Persian Translation of
analyzed based on Juliane House’s TQA model. The Alchemist and House’s TQA Model
The book consists of two parts and forty-five Application
sections; part one includes thirteen sections, In this section, House’s model is applied to
and part two contains thirty-two sections. To the selected parts of the original text, and the ST
conduct the research, the researchers read the and TT were compared and analyzed based on
whole book in both English and Persian once. this model. The sections were chosen randomly
Then they selected twenty sections out of forty- from the English version. Section 3, 6, 7, 9, and
five sections, five of the first part and fifteen of 11 were selected from part one of the book, and
the second part, of the English book randomly section 14, 17, 19, 20, 22, 25, 28, 30, 31, 32, 35,
to compare and analyze them with their 38, 40, 42, and section 45 which is the epilogue
selected Persian version based on House’s TOA were selected from part two of the book. In this
model. The researchers wrote all section essay, only five of the sections were selected
numbers of each part on pieces of paper and randomly for the analysis.

Part 1/Section 3: Paragraph 1 to 3

Genre: Philosophical literature
ST TT Researcher’s Notes
• Register: literary ‫ ادبی‬:‫ • سیاق‬ The register, field, tenor,
• Field: the boy’s thoughts ‫ افکار و احساسات پسر‬:‫• حوزه‬ and mode of the ST have
‫درباره دختری که دوست دارد‬ been well observed in the
and internal feelings about
TT, but ‘other girls’ which is
a girl he likes. ،‫ دختر‬،‫ پسر‬،‫ راوی‬:‫• منش‬
one of the tenors of the ST
• Tenor: the narrator, the ،‫ دریا نوردان‬،‫ چوپانان‬،‫گوسفندان‬
has been unnecessarily
boy, the girl, the sheep ‫فروشندگان دوره گرد‬
omitted from the TT!
shepherds, other girls, ‫وجه‬ Moreover, a sentence has

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Sheida Ronagh Zadeh, Azadeh Nemati, Mohammad Bavali

seamen, traveling salesmen ‫ ساده‬:‫• واسط‬ been generally omitted

without any reasons.
Mode ‫ ساده‬:‫• شرکت کنندگان‬
• Medium: simple
• Participants: simple
Table 1: Part 1/Section 3: Paragraph 1 to 3

Table 1 shows that the register, field, and monologue, and only the narrator is narrating,
mode have been well transferred to the TT. and the boy is talking to his sheep which does
The sentence “I know other girls in other not talk. In respect of lexical means, the word
places” of the ST has been omitted without choice in the TT was suitable. The syntax was
any special reasons. Therefore, the translator also simple, with short sentences. At the
has not transferred the same ST information, textual level, the TT was well organized, and
and in lexical means, the tenor “others” has cohesion and coherence were acceptable. The
been omitted from the TT. The medium is social attitude of tenors was informal but
simple as it has been written to be read, and respectful. The environment and feel of the ST
the participation is simple because it is a have been well transferred to the TT.
Part 1/Section 6: Paragraph 1 to 31
Genre: Philosophical literature
TT ST Researcher’s Notes
• Register: literary/religious ‫ مذهبی‬/‫ ادبی‬:‫ • سیاق‬ The text has been
‫ مراجعه پسر به پیرزن‬:‫• حوزه‬ translated overtly.
• Field: the boy has a gypsy
interpret his dream. ‫کولی برای تعبیر خوابش‬  For the word “image” in
‫ کولی‬،‫ پیرزن‬،‫ پسر‬،‫ راوی‬:‫• منش‬ ST, the words “‫ ”تصویر‬or
• Tenor: the narrator, the
boy, the old woman, ،‫ گرگ ها‬،‫ گوسفندان‬،‫ مردم‬،‫ها‬ “‫ ’صورت‬are suggested
،‫ غریبه ها‬،‫ بچه‬،‫حیوانات‬ instead of the word “‫”تمثال‬
gypsies, people, others,
the sheep, the wolves, ‫ دختران پیرزن‬،‫حکبمان‬ as it is ambiguous in the TT
‫وجه‬ because it carries two
animals, children,
‫ پیچیده‬:‫• واسط‬ meanings that one is
strangers, the child, wise
“figure” and another is
men, the old woman’s ‫ پیچیده‬:‫• شرکت کنندگان‬
daughters “image”.

Mode  The tenor “others” in the

TT has been translated
• Medium: complex
into “people”.
• Participants: complex
Table 2: Part 1/Section 6: Paragraph 1 to 31

Table 2 reveals that the register, field, and “others”, nevertheless, has been substituted
mode in ST and TT are equal. The tenor with “people” in the TT. This can also be

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considered as a lexical change that does not ”image” has a clear meaning without any
harm the translation and does not affect it ambiguity. For the word image, the
negatively. The translator has translated the text substitutions “‫ ” تصویر‬or “‫ ” عکس‬are suggested
overtly, and cultural transfer to the TT has which have a clear meaning. In the ST, the
happened by informing the target readers about reader is informed that ‘shepherds take their
the existence of “the image of the Sacred Heart chances with wolves and drought’, but in the TT,
of Jesus” in the old woman’s House. Therefore, the translator has omitted the word drought
the target reader is informed that people in without any reasons. In respect of syntax, both
Spain are Christian. In respect of lexical means, ST and TT follow the same level. Sentences are
in the ST “the image of the Sacred Heart of simple. The cohesion and coherence of the TT
Jesus” has been translated into “ ‫تمثال قلب مقدس‬ are also good. The mode of the text in both ST
‫ ” مسیح‬in the TT. In fact, the translator has and TT is the same. The medium is complex as
selected the word “‫ ” تمثال‬as a substitution for the text has been written to be spoken. The
the word “image”. As the word “‫ ” تمثال‬conveys participation is also complex because there is a
two meanings of image or figure, it is dialogue between the boy and the old woman;
ambiguous in the TT whether the Sacred Heart meanwhile, the narrator is also explaining the
is an image or a figure, but in the ST, the word story.
Part 2/Section 19
Genre: Philosophical literature
ST TT Researcher’s Notes
• Register: literary ‫ ادبی‬:‫ • سیاق‬ The register, field, tenor,
and mode are observed.
• Field: the narrator explains ‫ توضیحات راوی درباره‬:‫• حوزه‬
the character of the ‫شخصیت مرد انگلیسی و معرفی او‬  Some of the ST information
Englishman and introduces ‫به خواننده‬ has not been transferred to
him to the readership. ،‫ مرد انگلیسی‬،‫ راوی‬:‫• منش‬ the TT.
• Tenor: the narrator, the ‫ پدرش (پدر مرد‬،‫کیمیاگران‬  The translator has confused
Englishman, the alchemists, ،‫انگلیسی‬ ‫مرد‬ ‫دوست‬ ،)‫انگلیسی‬ the word Labrador for the
‫ جوان عرب‬،‫کیمیاگر مشهور‬
his father (the Englishman’s word library.
father), the Englishman’s ‫وجه‬
friend, a famous Arabian ‫ساده‬ :‫واسط‬ •
alchemist, the young Arab ‫ ساده‬:‫• شرکت کنندگان‬
Mode
• Medium: simple
• Participants: simple
Table 3: Part 2/Section 19

Table 3 shows that the register, field, tenor, narrator’s social attitude and style towards the
and mode have been correctly observed. The Englishman are informal and respectful, while

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the Englishman’s social attitude towards the harm the TT in respect of culture, society,
Arabian Alchemist is informal and disrespectful; religion, political subjects, or any other aspect.
his disrespectful attitude in this sentence “I’m Therefore, the target reader has missed some
going to find that damned alchemist” is clear. information which the ST readers receive. This
The translator also has transferred the also affects the sense of the TT.
Englishman’s attitude to the TT well as in the Moreover, in one part, the provided
sentence “‫” !من آن کیمیاگر لعنتی را پیدا می کنم‬ information in the ST contrasts the information
which is clear. provided in the TT. “Who knows, maybe they
In addition, in the ST, it is mentioned that the had failed to discover the secret of the Master
Englishman has spent time at great libraries: “He Work-the Philosopher’s Stone-and, for this
had spent enormous amounts of time at the reason, kept their knowledge to themselves.” In
great libraries of the world, and…”; however, in this sentence from the ST, the readers are
the TT, the target reader is informed that the informed about a failure in discovering the
Englishman has spent time in laboratories: secret of the Master Work while in the TT, the
“ ‫مدت های مدید در آزمایشگاه های بزرگ جهان وقت‬ reader is informed about success in discovering
‫صرف کرده بود و‬... ”. It seems that the translator the Master Work.
has confused the word library for the word " ‫ شاید آنان راز "کیمیا" یا همان‬،‫کسی چه میدانست‬
laboratory. ‫"اکسیر" را کشف کرده بودند و به همین دلیل بود که‬
Besides, one part of the section from the ST ‫دانش خود را فقط‬
has not been translated at all, and it is ‫برای خودشان نگه می داشتند‬."
completely omitted from the TT without any The mode of the text in both aspects of
reasons: “Outside, a huge caravan was being medium and participation is simple. The text has
prepared for a crossing of the Sahara, and was been written to be read. Participation is also
scheduled to pass through Al-Fayoum.” There simple because the narrator is speaking, and the
are no problems with this sentence that might Englishman, in some parts, speaks to himself.
Part 2/Section 25: Paragraph 1&2
Genre: Philosophical literature
ST TT Researcher’s Notes
• Register: literary ‫ ادبی‬:‫ • سیاق‬ The register and field have
‫ راوی درباره فضا و حس‬:‫• حوزه‬ been observed well
• Field: the narrator is
.‫کاروان در بیابان توضیح می دهد‬ although the tenor men,
explaining the atmosphere
has been changed into
and sense of the caravan in ‫ بادیه‬،‫ کاروان‬،‫ راوی‬:‫• منش‬
“‫”کاروانیان‬.
the desert. ‫ قبایل (مردم‬،‫ پسر‬،‫ ساربان‬،‫نشینان‬
،‫ شتر‬،‫ کاروانیان‬،‫ چهارپایان‬،)‫قبایل‬  The tenor the hooded
• Tenor: the narrator, the
caravan, the hooded ‫همه‬ Bedouins has been
‫ی‬
translated into “ ‫بادیه نشینان‬
Bedouins, the camel driver, ‫وجه‬
‫ ساده‬:‫• واسط‬ ‫”که رس و روی خود را یم پوشاندند‬
the boy, the tribes (the

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people of the tribes), the ‫ ساده‬:‫• شرکت کنندگان‬ which the form of syntax
animals, the men, a camel, has been changed.
everyone

Mode
• Medium: simple
• Participants: simple
Table 4: Part 2/Section 25: Paragraph 1&2

Table 4 indicates that the register, field, and ‫” خود را می پوشاندند‬, and the syntax form has
mode of the TT are similar to that of the ST been changed while it could be simpler. For this
although one of the tenors has been changed in word, the translation “‫ ” بادیه نشینان چهره پوش‬has
the TT. The tenor men from the ST has been been suggested because the Bedouins used to
translated into “‫ ” کاروانیان‬which is not cover their face in order not to be recognized.
acceptable as the readers of the ST are informed The syntax of the TT is at the same level as
that the men talk little to each other. However, the ST in the other sentences. The TT is also
in the TT the readers are informed that the cohesive and coherent, and the sense of the ST
members of the caravan talk to each other, and has been well transferred to the target readers.
they are not only men. There are also women The lexical choice is also acceptable.
and children among them. Therefore, for the
The mode of the TT is simple in both aspects
tenor men, the word “‫ ” مردها‬is suggested as the
of medium and participation, which is like the
correct translation.
ST. The text has been written to be read, and
Moreover, the tenor “the hooded Bedouins” the only speaker is the narrator of the story. The
has been translated into “ ‫بادیه نشینانی که سر و‬ participation is also simple.
‫روی‬
Part 2/Section 28: Paragraph 64 to 75
Genre: Philosophical literature
ST TT Researcher’s Notes
• Register: ‫عاشقانه‬/‫ فلسفی‬:‫ • سیاق‬ The TT has the same
philosophical/romantic ‫ صحبت پسر و فاطمه‬:‫• حوزه‬ register and sub-branches
• Field: the conversation ‫درباره عشقشان نسبت به یک‬ of the ST.
between the boy and .‫دیگر‬  The translation for the
Fatima about their love for ‫ مردان‬،‫ فاطمه‬،‫ پسر‬،‫ راوی‬:‫• منش‬ married shepherds is
each other. ‫ چوپانانی‬،‫ پادشاه پیر‬،‫ زنان‬،‫صحرا‬ wordy.
• Tenor: the narrator, the ،‫ همسر خود‬،‫که همسر داشتند‬
‫ شوهر آنان‬،‫ زنان دیگر‬،‫مردانمان‬
boy, Fatima, men of the
desert, women, the old ‫وجه‬

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Sheida Ronagh Zadeh, Azadeh Nemati, Mohammad Bavali

king, the married ‫ پیچیده‬:‫• واسط‬

shepherds, their wives, our
‫ ساده‬:‫• شرکت کنندگان‬
men, the other women,
their men
Mode
• Medium: complex
• Participants: simple
Table 5: Part 2/Section 28: Paragraph 64 to 75

Table 5 reveals that the TT has the same Yes, the ST genre was philosophical
register as the ST does. The lexical choice is literature, and it was observed well in the TT.
suitable; however, the word choice for the 2. Have the registers in the different parts of
married shepherds is wordy. This word has been the ST been observed in the translated text?
translated into “‫ ” چوپانانی که همسر داشتند‬which is
Yes, the comparison between the ST and the
a clause. The suggested substitution for this
TT revealed that the translator had observed the
word could be “‫ ” چوپانان متاهل‬which follows the
registers in different parts, and no change in the
same syntax level as the ST.
registers was observed.
Yet, the text is cohesive and coherent, and
3. Does the field of the source text of one
the ST information has been transferred to the
part match the same part in the translated text?
TT well. The TT also has the same atmosphere
and sense of the ST. The mode of the text is also Yes, the translator has correctly applied the
complex in terms of medium and simple in field of the ST of any part to the same part in the
terms of participation as the text has been TT. In fact, the field of the ST of any part
written to be spoken, and only the narrator and matches the same related part in the TT.
Fatima speak in the story in the form of a 4. Do the tenors of the translated text match
monologue. the original text?
Yes, the tenors of the ST have been observed
Results and Answers to the Research
Questions and transferred to the TT; however, in some
parts, the lexical choice for the tenors is suitable
As the quality of a translated text is one of its
in the TT, and it should be improved in this
important aspects, the research questions on
respect. Also, in some parts, new tenors have
the quality of the Persian translation of The
been added to the TT. According to the TT
Alchemist based on House’s (1997) translation
nature, some tenors have been linked to the
quality assessment have been answered as
verb that is acceptable. The social attitude and
follows:
style of the tenors towards each other have
1. Has the genre of the original text been been observed in most parts; however, some
well observed in the translated text? parts needed improvement to remove the
mismatches of the styles.

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5. Has the mode (medium/participants) been covertly, and in fact, the cultural filter has
correctly applied to the translated text? occurred. Moreover, as Bandia (1993)
Yes, the mode of the ST in both respects of highlighted, cultural transfer between two non-
medium and participation has been correctly related languages is difficult, and the translator
applied to the TT. Wherever there was a should be knowledgeable about both ST and TT
dialogue between the participants, the culture. The results of the study demonstrated
participation was considered to be complex, and that Ardekani was knowledgeable enough about
wherever there was a monologue, the the ST and TT culture as she has explained some
participation was simple. The translator has parts of the ST culture to the TT readership in
observed the mode in respect of participation footnotes.
well. In respect of medium also, wherever the Besides, the researchers disagree with
text was written to be read, the medium was Peterson (2017) who believed that House’s
simple, and where the text was written to be model does not deal with extra-textual analysis
spoken, the medium was complex, and the such as the customer care and satisfaction. If a
translator has observed the medium of the ST in translation is of high quality textually, it will
the TT in every part well. satisfy the readers because the readers need a
cohesive and coherent translation that transfers
Discussion about the Analyses the original ST information to them completely.
The analysis on the Persian translation of The Therefore, when in a translated text the subject
Alchemist revealed that the register and its sub- matter, cohesion and coherence, the sense of
branches had been observed in the TT; the ST, and all original information have been
therefore, according to Juliane House’s TQA observed, the translation would satisfy the
model (House, 1997) of translation, the readers.
translation has good quality; however, the Yet, the findings are in line with Rodrigues
researchers’ survey proved that some parts of (2002), who expressed that House’s (House,
the original ST information had not been 2001) model is the best TQA model, although it
transferred to the TT without any reasons. is dated. She believed that House’s model well
Therefore, House’s model does not survey a analyzes the ST and TT and the functional
translated text to find out whether or not all characteristics of the ST. Likewise, as Bittner
original ST information has been transferred to (2011) argued, it is true that assessing the
the TT. This could be a weak point in this model. quality of a translated text is a difficult job as
According to House (2015), literary texts there are different aspects and approaches in
should be translated overtly so that the target quality assessment. Moreover, the researchers
readers would become familiar with the ST believe that House’s TQA model is the best TQA
culture. The analysis indicated that the text was model among other TQA models as Gehrmann
translated overtly in most parts, and the cultural (2011) believed, it is one of the most useful TQA
transfer has occurred. However, in those parts models; however, it is challenging to apply it to a
that the ST information was not acceptable to novel completely because it is time-consuming.
enter the TT culture, the text was translated

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Sheida Ronagh Zadeh, Azadeh Nemati, Mohammad Bavali

Furthermore, the researchers agree with Ardekani. The reason for selecting this novel was
Valles (2014), who claimed that applying that it has been a worldwide best-seller for
House’s model to both ST and TT for analyzing decades; therefore, it is considered as having
all aspects of the text is time-consuming. Also, good quality.
the researchers agree with him that one of the To analyze the translation quality, the
best aspects of House’s model is to analyze ST translator selected twenty sections out of forty-
and TT to see whether they have the same five sections randomly and applied House’s
function. However, Valles was right to criticize model to both TT and ST. The whole book was
this model because of its weakness in text not analyzed as it would be time-consuming to
analysis in respect of mismatches and errors. As apply the model to the whole parts of the book.
it was mentioned above, Ardekani has omitted The analysis revealed that the translator had
some parts of the ST without any reasons, but observed the register, field, tenor, and mode in
House’s model is not able to recognize this kind most parts. The text was cohesive and coherent,
of error. and the sense of the ST has been transferred to
In summary, Ardekani’s translation the TT well. Therefore, the target readers would
contained some errors and a lack of information feel the same atmosphere that the ST readers
that House’s model cannot recognize. It is true feel.
that House’s model is the best model compared However, the study has shown that some
to other models, but it does not analyze some parts of the ST were omitted from the TT
aspects of the translation like complete without any particular reasons. Also, it was
information transfer; therefore, it needs found that House’s model is unable to analyze
improvement. However, the translation was the text in respect of information transfer,
cohesive and coherent, and sentences were which could be considered as a weak point of
well-ordered. The sense of the ST was well this model. Yet, House’s model is considered to
transferred to the TT, and register, field, tenor, be the best TQA model as it is less subjective
and mode were well observed. Yet, the easy to use, and applicable to most text types as
translation was not of high quality, and it should well as literary texts.
be improved in respect of information transfer
According to House (2015), literary texts
and lexical choice for some words.
such as novels should be translated overtly.
Conclusion Ardekani also has translated the text overtly in
most parts; however, some parts were
The study related to the translation field was translated covertly, and a cultural filter was
a qualitative-descriptive case study, which is, applied to the text. As the culture of Iran has
according to Holmes/Toury map (1995), limitations due to religious issues, the text
function-oriented. The Persian version of The should be translated covertly in some parts. In
Alchemist by Paulo Coelho was selected for the short, although the TT followed the same
analysis based on House’s TQA model. The register of the ST, its sub-branches were also
selected Persian version of this novel was observed, and the TT was cohesive and
translated by an Iranian translator, Soosan coherent, the TT was not of very high quality as

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 An Analysis of the Persian Translation of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho ....

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