A Study on the Role of Cohesion Factors in English Quranic Translations (Based on the Holliday and Hasan Model)

Coherence, factors and coherence relationships seem to be a simple issue at first glance, but a more careful look at the subject indicates that cohesion factors play an important role in communicating as the main task of the language. In this research, the importance of the coherence factors in the translation of the Holy Quran in English has been emphasized. In this study, it became clear that neglecting the coherence factors in the translation of the Qur'an leads to non-coherent and non-quality translations. The authors try to investigate the reason how the Qur'an translators can provide precise, eloquent, coherent and acceptable translations that are closer to the text of the Qur'an. Therefore, the researchers have selected three translators of the Qur'an (John Abery who is Christian, Tahereh Safarzadeh, Muslim and Shiite, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Muslim and Sunni) and also they have chosen two coherent factors of "references" and "contrasts" among the coherent factors based on the Holliday and Hassan model (In research on textual coherence, scholars have put more of Halliday and Hassan's theories in general as a model of work, and have done their research based on them). Accordingly, the authors of this article have examined the translations of three translators for these two coherence factors based on the model in verses 21 to 35 of Yusuf's surah and they also mention their translation differences. Eventually, it became clear that John Arberry had done a more precise, more accurate, more eloquent, and more complete translation than two other translators; because he has been careful about the coherence factors, and he has considered those factors in his translation. As a result, his translation is more acceptable and closer to the source text (Quran).