Arabization

Definition: it is the translation of technical

terms into Arabic. It is one of the main
problems for students, teachers of
translation and Arab translators because
these terms are new to the Arabic
language.
 Methods of Arabization

1. Transcription: is the literal spelling of the English

term in Arabic letters as it is exactly pronounced.
Examples:
Bank‫بنك‬
Computer ‫كمبيوتر‬
Radio ‫راديو‬
Mobile‫موبايل‬
Telephone‫تلفون‬
 The Problem of Transcription:

The problems is that some ordinary words are

transcribed in Arabic although they have well-
established and very old equivalents in it.
Examples:
ً ‫جروب* ب‬
Group ‫دال منمجموعة‬
ً ‫سيت* ب‬
Set ‫دال من زمرة او مجموعة‬
Gap ‫دال من فجوة او ثغرة‬ً ‫جاب* ب‬
 The Solution

Transcription is a bad and weak way of

Arabization. Therefore, it must be avoided.
2. Naturalization:
It is a method based on adapting the English
term to Arabic pronunciation, alphabet and
grammar by modifying its pronunciation only
partly, changing the spelling of one or more of
its letters into Arabic ones, and using it in a
singular, plural, masculine, feminine or verb
form.
 Examples of Naturalization:

1. Technology ‫تكنولوجيا‬
Technologist ‫ تكنولوجية‬/‫تكنلوجي‬
Technologists‫ تكنولوجيات‬/‫تكنولوجيون‬
2. Magnet‫مغناطيس‬
Magnetic ‫ مغناطيسية‬/‫مغناطيسي‬
Magnetism/magnetization ‫مغنطة‬
Magnetize ‫يمغنط‬
3. Translation

As a means of Arabization, translation is the

transmission of English technical terms into
Arabic, using words that already exist in
Arabic. In other words, only Arabic words are
used.
 Examples of Translation

1. Geography‫علم االرض‬
2. Geometry ‫هندسة‬
3. Radiation ‫اشعاع‬
4. Blood pressure ‫ضغط الدم‬
5. Vibrations‫ذبذبات‬
However, the problem here is that some terms
do not have an equivalent in Arabic.
4. Coinage

This is the best method of Arabization. It means

the suggestion of new terms that haven’t
been used or found in Arabic before.
Types of Coinage:

1. Revival: is the use of an old, dead word with

a new meaning. This means that the old word
is given a new meaning instead of its old
meaing.
Examples:
2. Train ‫قطار‬
3. Newspaper ‫جريدة‬
4. Car ‫سيارة‬
2. Derivation:

Arabic is described as the language of

derivation. It is based on measurement. The
most famous measures are those of
“instrument names” such as ،‫ ِمفعالة‬،‫ َمفعلة‬،‫َمفعل‬
‫ مفعال‬. A good number of new technical terms
are derived according to these measures.
 Examples of Derivation

1. Laboratory‫معمل‬/‫مخبر‬
2. Factory ‫مصنع‬
3. Butchery ‫ملحمة‬/‫مجزرة‬
4. Dye works ‫مصبغة‬
5. Washing machine ‫غسالة‬
6. Fridge ‫ثالجة‬
7. Air pump ‫منفاخ‬
8. Drill‫مثقاب‬
3. Neologisms

Are new words, ideas and expressions which

were not known before in Arabic. They are the
major number of Arabized technical terms.
Their door is always open to receive newly
Arabized words to match the rapid
development of sciences in the world.
 ‫‪Examples of Neologisms‬‬

‫‪1.‬‬ ‫علم النفس‪Psychology‬‬

‫‪2.‬‬ ‫علم وظائف االعضاء ‪Physiology‬‬
‫‪3.‬‬ ‫حاسوب‪Computer‬‬
‫‪4.‬‬ ‫برمجيات‪ /‬مجموعة برامج الحاسب‪Software‬‬
‫‪5.‬‬ ‫لوحة مفاتيح الحاسب‪Keyboard‬‬
‫‪6.‬‬ ‫آلة حاسبة ‪Calculator‬‬
‫‪7.‬‬ ‫نقص المناعة المكتسبة ‪AIDS‬‬
 The solution for the problem of Arabizaton

Is to use the fourth method of Arabization

(Coinage).