A Study of English Translations of the Qur'anic Verb Adraaka Using Fillmore's Frame Semantics

The present study aims to study the English equivalents of the verb adraaka used in the Qurchr('39')anic phrase ma adraaka through looking at the equivalents selected by translators based on Fillmorechr('39')s linguistic theory of semantic frame. Accordingly, the equivalents used in seven English translations by Arberry, Pickthall, Helali and Khan, Sale, Shakir, Yusuf Ali, and Qarai were compared and examined. The results were analyzed using Fillmorechr('39')s semantic frames, which also meant to depict how and to what extent semantic frames can be applied in similar analyses. The analysis indicated that the translators have used 9 verbs that belong to 7 different frames in the FrameNet, among which considering the senses and frames of the verbs, three equivalents, i.e. know (used 12 times by Helal and Khan, and 4 times by Shakir), understand (used 13 times by Sale), and comprehend (used 4 times by Shakir) showed to be more suitable. All in all, Sale, Helali and Khan, and following them, Shakir can be regarded as more successful translators translating this Qurchr('39')anic verb.