1
Department of English Language, Baqir Al-Olum University, Qom, Iran
2
English Department, Imam Reza International University
10.22081/ttais.2024.69968.1035
Abstract
The Qur’an is not only rich in its linguistic construction but also deeply embedded with cultural and religious meanings, making its translation a challenging task. Among the many intricate linguistic features of the Qur’an, proverbs, especially hidden proverbs, the present one of the most significant challenges for translators. These proverbs carry culture-specific meanings that are often difficult to render accurately in other languages. This study aims to identify and analyze hidden proverbs in the Qur’an. The translation generated by artificial intelligence (GPT 3.5) and that of a human translator, Qarai’s English Translation. The research adopts a descriptive-qualitative method, analyzing twenty-one Qur’anic verses that contain hidden proverbs. The study evaluates the translation strategies used by both GPT 3.5 and Qarai, examining how effectively each method conveys the figurative and cultural meanings of the proverbs in question. Through a comparative analysis, this research investigates the strengths and limitations of AI-generated translations versus traditional human translations in handling culturally specific linguistic elements. The findings reveal that GPT 3.5 demonstrated superior performance in applying Beekman and Callow’s (1974) translation strategies, particularly in cases where the SL proverbs were untranslatable and required a non-figurative explanation. Compared to the human translator, GPT 3.5 provided more consistent and contextually appropriate solutions to the challenge of translating hidden proverbs. These results highlight the growing potential of AI-assisted translation tools in addressing complex linguistic and cultural challenges, offering promising advancements in the field of Qur’anic translation.
Davoudi Sharifabad, E. and Rajabi Fakhrabadi, F. (2025). A Translation Strategy Analysis of Qur'anic Hidden Proverbs in English: Human vs. Chat GPT 3.5 Translation. International Journal of Textual and Translation Analysis in Islamic Studies, (), -. doi: 10.22081/ttais.2024.69968.1035
MLA
Davoudi Sharifabad, E. , and Rajabi Fakhrabadi, F. . "A Translation Strategy Analysis of Qur'anic Hidden Proverbs in English: Human vs. Chat GPT 3.5 Translation", International Journal of Textual and Translation Analysis in Islamic Studies, , , 2025, -. doi: 10.22081/ttais.2024.69968.1035
HARVARD
Davoudi Sharifabad, E., Rajabi Fakhrabadi, F. (2025). 'A Translation Strategy Analysis of Qur'anic Hidden Proverbs in English: Human vs. Chat GPT 3.5 Translation', International Journal of Textual and Translation Analysis in Islamic Studies, (), pp. -. doi: 10.22081/ttais.2024.69968.1035
CHICAGO
E. Davoudi Sharifabad and F. Rajabi Fakhrabadi, "A Translation Strategy Analysis of Qur'anic Hidden Proverbs in English: Human vs. Chat GPT 3.5 Translation," International Journal of Textual and Translation Analysis in Islamic Studies, (2025): -, doi: 10.22081/ttais.2024.69968.1035
VANCOUVER
Davoudi Sharifabad, E., Rajabi Fakhrabadi, F. A Translation Strategy Analysis of Qur'anic Hidden Proverbs in English: Human vs. Chat GPT 3.5 Translation. International Journal of Textual and Translation Analysis in Islamic Studies, 2025; (): -. doi: 10.22081/ttais.2024.69968.1035
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