Numeral-based English and Arabic Formulaic Expressions: Cultural, Linguistic and Translation Issues

This study explores the similarities and differences between English Arabic numeral-based formulaic expressions, difficulties that student-translators have with them. A corpus of expressions containing zero, two, three, twenty, sixty, hundred, thousand…etc., another specialized numerical prefixes (mono-, bi-, milli-, kilo-, mega-) were collected, analyzed compared. It was found fall into 4 categories:: (i) those are identical in form meaning both languages (seventh heaven, four eyes, fifth column); (ii) similar but differ wording (cats nine lives, high five, cloud nine); (iii) exist English, no equivalents Arabic; (iv) English. Specialized numerals or used business, sports, science, politics others exact translations (five-power agreement, five percent rule, tigers, tripartite alliance, wheel replace). Student-translators could translate fewer than 25% test items correctly left many blank. Numeral-based easy to translate, whereas opaque ones (at sixes sevens, double Dutch, strap); culture-specific (Pentateuch, Millennialism, ثوبٌ سُبَاعِيّ، الثنائي الشيعي، ألف صحة، صحتين وعافية، مرحبتين، رباعيات الخيام، ستين داهية،, require a background knowledge (five C's, big pillars UN, three-name paper) difficult. Literal translation most common strategy. Detailed results recommendations given.