Essential Aspects for Translating Arabic to English
March 11th, 2010
Arabic writing standards
It is crucial to recall that Arabic is written from right to left and that words cannot be broken across lines like in English. This is not normally an issue with average documents nonetheless it may pose troubles for specifically designed texts.
The full text reads right to left and this also needs to be thought of for pagination.
When translating one language to another, text will usually spread out or shrink. English to Arabic translation usually expands by about 25%. And Arabic to English translation, as you would anticipate, contracts by about 25%. This often depends on the content.
The only two written forms of Arabic are Classical Arabic and Modern Standard Arabic. Classical Arabic is only used in the sacred Muslim religious text, the Qur’an and other religious writings, and is taught at schools. Modern Arabic is the language used for business and by the media and is usually the target dialect for translations. Arabic numbers are written differently from English numbers and also require translation.
These elements are not always an problem but it is essential to consider these factors when planning to get a text translated. The quality of the translation rests in the details and these above-mentioned elements are simply underlying differences of the two languages.