Proverbs Translation for Intercultural Interaction: A Comparative Study between Arabic and English Using Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

Proverbs are a source of wisdom and morals that have been passed on from one generation to the next throughout history. Through intercultural interaction, it appears that some proverbs were either translated or have equivalents in different languages and cultures. This study used artificial intelligence, specifically machine learning techniques, to examine five equivalent proverbs in Arabic and English. Emphasis was placed on the occurrence of equivalent proverbs in different contexts through a collection of actual language use. A topic modeling algorithm was applied to a dataset for each proverb to explore the latent topics/themes that construct its meaning. The results revealed subtle differences between equivalent proverbs in Arabic and English, mainly due to religious, cultural, and social factors. Translators are thus encouraged to be aware of nuances in meanings, develop intercultural pragmatic knowledge to communicate the intended meaning and avoid misunderstandings.