Ideological Manipulation in Arabic Translations of Political Speeches: A Corpus-Based Analysis of Official and Media Translation Practices from 2015 to 2023
Keywords:
translation, ideology, political speeches, Arabic, manipulation, parallel corpus, critical discourse analysis, VenutiAbstract
Translation of political discourse extends beyond linguistic transfer and often involves ideological mediation that shapes how political messages are interpreted by target audiences. This study investigates ideological manipulation in Arabic translations of political speeches delivered by United States and European Union leaders by comparing official and media-produced translations of 20 high-profile speeches delivered between 2015 and 2023. The analysis is based on a parallel corpus comprising English source texts and their corresponding Arabic translations. The research is grounded in Venuti's (1995) domestication–foreignization framework, Hatim and Mason's (1997) discourse and the translator model, and van Dijk's (1998) theory of ideological discourse analysis. A corpus-assisted comparative approach was employed to examine translation shifts involving modality, transitivity, hedging, evaluative language, and attribution patterns. Quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed consistent patterns of ideological manipulation across different translation sources. The most frequent strategies included the deletion of hedging expressions that originally preserved diplomatic ambiguity, modality shifts that either strengthened or weakened political commitment, lexical substitutions introducing more positive or negative evaluative meanings, and modifications of attribution structures that altered perceptions of agency and responsibility. These shifts frequently resulted in changes to the ideological framing of political actors and international events. Comparative analysis further demonstrated that the direction and consistency of manipulation varied according to institutional affiliation. State-affiliated media outlets exhibited systematic translation choices that aligned with national governmental positions, whereas independent media organizations displayed more diverse and less predictable patterns of ideological intervention. Despite this variation, both groups employed translation strategies capable of influencing readers' interpretations of political discourse. The findings highlight the translator's active role in constructing ideological meaning and demonstrate how linguistic choices can reshape political narratives across languages. This study contributes to translation studies, political discourse analysis, and comparative media research by providing empirical evidence of ideology-driven translation practices. It also underscores the importance of critical translation literacy and transparent translation practices in promoting accurate cross-cultural communication and informed public understanding of international political discourse.
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