Comparative Componential Analysis of Semantic Density of Selected Lexical Items in Surah al Fatiha (the Holy Quran) with Special Reference to Various Translations in English

Abstract

This study using a qualitative paradigm, investigates certain lexical items of the Holy Quran, employing Newmark's model of Componential Analysis. No two translations of the selected lexical items are the same in the 62 English-translated versions. The Holy Quran, being the language of ALLAH Almighty,has a special semantically loaded vocabulary which is hard for other languages to be completely encompassed, transferred or transmitted. Generally, the Target Language (English) tends to miss the semantic core or only marginally related to these items in a narrow sense, which results in a translation.It is worth noting that the gap between the semantic content of the Source and the Target codes is not due to extra-linguistic factors (e.g., cultural, religious, political); rather, it is due largely to the vast expanse of semantic components encompassed by these items as used in the Holy Quran.