محمد یزدانی

Situational context plays a crucial role in translation studies. In Qur’ān translation, understanding Asbāb al-Nuzūl (occasions of revelation) is essential, as misinterpretations may arise without it. This qualitative study explores the impact of situational context explicitation on the quality of English translations of the Qur’ān. Four Shia translations, Nasr, Shakir, Saffarzadeh, and Mir, were selected due to their shared exegetical sources. Klaudy’s (2008) explicitation typology provided the framework for classifying types of explicitation. Analysis of 100 randomly selected verses revealed that explicitation of situational context, particularly the occasions of revelation, is present in all four translations. Pragmatic explicitation was the predominant type observed. The findings suggest that incorporating situational context into translations enhances readers’ comprehension of the Qur’ān’s meaning.

This study evaluates the translation quality of two open letters by Iran’s Supreme Leader, addressed to Western youth, using House’s TQA model (2015). The research identifies both the strengths and limitations of the model in assessing texts of this nature. Through a detailed qualitative, comparative, and descriptive analysis, the study highlighted House’s model as a tool for analyzing field, tenor, and mode but also noted significant gaps, including the lack of differentiation between local and global cultural filters, the absence of non-dimensional mismatches, and the failure to provide practical solutions for identified issues. The findings suggested expanding House’s model to incorporate a broader classification of cultural filters and address non-dimensional mismatches. This study underscored the need to adapt quality assessment approaches to specific text types and linguistic functions. The insights offered not only contributed to theoretical advancements but also provided practical guidelines for improving translation quality assessment endeavors in any type of discourse.