The Problem of Translating English Collocations into Arabic Language

Abstract

The present study investigates the problem of translating English collocations into Arabic among Saudi EFL students. Twenty undergraduate students of fourth year are involved to participate as subjects in this experiment during the academic year 2016-2017. Their ages are between 20-24.All participants are native Arabic speakers learning English as a foreign language.  The data collection procedure were a test of fourteen collocation expressions; the most commonly used ones. The students were asked to translate them into Arabic within one hour. The result revealed that Saudi EFL students were incompetent in translating English collocations into Arabic. They relied completely on the literal translation strategy. Their translation of English collocations is poor and unnatural collocations as well.  The result revealed also that the students were even incompetent in understanding English collocations as well due to linguistic and cultural difficulties. Therefore, the solution of the problem depends upon raising students’ awareness of the process of translating English collocations because it is not a replacement of word-for-word between the two languages as well as paying great attention to the learning process of English collocations; linguistically and culturally.