BIAS IN TRANSLATING POLITICAL DISCOURSE

HAVAL ISMAIL AHMAD  SIMO; HUSSEIN ALI  AHMED

doi:10.26682/hjuod.2023.26.1.68

HAVAL ISMAIL AHMAD SIMO Dept. of Translation, College of Languages, University of Duhok, Kurdistan Region-Iraq
HUSSEIN ALI AHMED Dept. of English, College of Languages, Nawroz University, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26682/hjuod.2023.26.1.68

Keywords: Translation, Political Discourse, Bias, Ideology, Interview, Content Analysis

Abstract

Translation is a product performed by translators who are people, who due to belonging to varied groups, come under the influence of the policies, beliefs, traditions, orientation, ideologies etc. of such groups. Accordingly, translators do not take an in-between stand but rather become biased in performing their job of translation; especially that of political discourse. To address this, this paper hypothesizes that (1) Translation of political discourse is not free of bias; (2) The bias in the translation of political discourse is due to ideology; (3) Bias occurs in the translation of political discourse due to personal, political and social reasons; and (4) Translators are aware of the remedial procedure that keep their translations of political discourse unbiased. To validate the preceding hypotheses, interviews were held with a selected sample of translators of political discourse. The questions posed in the interview were worded in a manner to be in alignment with the aims of the research in terms of forwarding information on the concept of bias, specifying the extent of translators' use of bias, identifying the role of ideology, and highlighting the impact of the political, personal and social reasons on bias in the translation of political discourse from English into Kurdish. Finally, the procedures that translators view as effective in minimizing bias in the translation of political discourse is a further aim that the current research aims to bring about. and the hypotheses of the study. The content analysis of the answers provided by the sample and the themes derived from the analysis have proved the acceptability of the four hypotheses with the main point that ideology, especially that of the agencies the translators are working for, impacts their translation of political discourse and turn it into biased

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