From Figurative Sense to Target Meaning: An Integrative Framework for Arabic–Malay Translation

Abstract

Arabic–Malay translation of figurative language presents persistent challenges due to differences in rhetorical conventions, cultural imagery, and semantic structures. While existing studies emphasise figurative competence and cultural adaptation, they rarely specify how figurative meaning is systematically transformed into target-language representation. Addressing this gap, the present study proposes a process-oriented analytical framework that explicates the decision pathways linking figurative interpretation to translation strategy selection. The study examines the interpretive characteristics of tashbih, istiʿarah, and kinayah, identifies evaluative criteria guiding translation decisions, and clarifies the role of Arabic rhetorical analysis in shaping target-language outcomes. The study adopts an explanatory, library-based approach. Data were collected through structured literature searches and purposive selection of authoritative sources, including classical and contemporary balaghah texts, Arabic–Malay translation studies, linguistic theory, translation models, and peer-reviewed publications indexed in major databases. Analysis was conducted through thematic synthesis, comparative rhetorical analysis, and theory-informed interpretation guided by functionalist translation perspectives and semantic equivalence frameworks. Particular attention was given to mapping Arabic figurative structures to Malay target-language realisations in order to identify recurring analytical procedures and strategy patterns.The findings indicate that effective figurative translation is shaped by structured interpretive processes rather than intuitive lexical substitution. Translation decisions are guided by three evaluative criteria: cultural transferability of figurative imagery, preservation of rhetorical function, and target-language acceptability. These criteria inform strategic choices such as sense-based rendering, metaphor modulation, paraphrase, and controlled explicitation. While such strategies support the transfer of figurative intent, challenges remain in handling culture-bound imagery, maintaining stylistic force, and ensuring consistent application of translation procedures. From an Arabic rhetorical perspective, figurative expressions may be considered transferable provided their communicative purpose and semantic coherence are preserved in the target language. The study therefore positions the integration of rhetorical analysis with structured translation procedures as a conceptual model for analysing figurative transfer rather than a prescriptive solution. Its contribution is primarily methodological, offering an analytical framework that clarifies translator decision-making and provides a basis for further empirical investigation into Arabic–Malay figurative translation.