Frame Semantics in the Arabic Translation of Philosophical Terminology

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how philosophical terms are translated into Arabic. It aims at discussing the problems arising from the epistemological difference between Western philosophical terms and their counterparts in Arabic in the degree of reliance on cognitive frames. It focuses on the structure of terminological knowledge bases, which have a hidden network of semantic relations. Examples of the study are taken from the specialized encyclopedia of Abdel Rahman Badawi (1996). The study utilizes Frame-Based Terminology Theory to analyze the translation of the philosophical terms in the encyclopedia. The study argues that difficulties in translating philosophical terms represent epistemological barriers.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2017.v8n1p388