An-Najah National University 

Faculty of Graduate Studies 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE TRANSLATION OF TERMS OF 

ADDRESS IN BENYAMIN’S NOVEL GOAT DAYS 
 

 

 

 

 

 
 

By 

Nihaya Ali Abdelrahman Ibdah 
 

 

 

 
 

Supervisor 

Dr. Ayman Nazzal 

 

 
 

This Thesis is Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree 

of Master of Applied Linguistics and Translation, Faculty of Graduate Studies, 

An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine. 

2025 



ii 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

THE TRANSLATION OF TERMS OF 

ADDRESS IN BENYAMIN’S NOVEL GOAT DAYS 
 
 

By 

Nihaya Ali Abdelrahman Ibdah 
 

 

 



iii 

Dedication 

This thesis is dedicated to my esteemed supervisor, Dr. Ayman Nazzal, whose guidance, 

support and insightful feedback have been invaluable throughout my research journey. 

To my parents, whose love and sacrifices have been the foundation of my achievements. 

To my mother, for your endless support, patience and belief in my abilities, and to my 

father, for your wisdom and encouragement. Your belief in me has been my greatest 

motivation. 

  



iv 

Declaration 

I, the undersigned, declare that I submitted the thesis entitled: 

THE TRANSLATION OF TERMS OF 

ADDRESS IN BENYAMIN’S NOVEL GOAT DAYS 
 

 

I declare that the work provided in this thesis, unless otherwise referenced, is the 

researcher’s own work, and has not been submitted elsewhere for any other degree or 

qualification. 

Student's Name Nihaya Ali Abdelrahman Ibdah 

Signature: 

Date: 27/08/2025 

 

  



v 

List of Contents  

[ 

Dedication ........................................................................................................................ iii 

Declaration ....................................................................................................................... iv 

List of Contents ................................................................................................................. v 

List of Tables .................................................................................................................. vii 

List of Appendices ......................................................................................................... viii 

Abstract ............................................................................................................................ ix 

Chapter One Introduction and Literature Review ............................................................. 1 

1.1 Terms of Address ........................................................................................................ 1 

1.2 Types of Terms of Address ......................................................................................... 2 

1.3 Functions of Terms of Address ................................................................................... 4 

1.4 Language and Society ................................................................................................. 6 

1.5 The Application of Terms of Address in Benyamin’s Work ...................................... 7 

1.6 Literature ..................................................................................................................... 8 

1.7 The Translation of Goat Days ..................................................................................... 9 

1.8 Translator’s Ideology and Point of View .................................................................. 10 

1.9 Problem Statement .................................................................................................... 11 

1.10 Research Questions ................................................................................................. 11 

1.11 Statement of Purpose .............................................................................................. 12 

1.12 Structure of The Study ............................................................................................ 13 

1.13 Literature Review ................................................................................................... 15 

1.13.1 Studies on Terms of Address ............................................................................... 16 

1.13.2 Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................ 19 

1.13.3 Translating Power and Hierarchy A Socio-Pragmatic Perspective on Terms of 

Address in Goat Days ..................................................................................................... 17 

1.13.4 Power Dynamics in Language Use Politeness in Translation ............................. 19 

1.13.5 Language as Action The Role of Address in Enforcing Dehumanization ........... 21 

1.13.6 Power Manipulation Through Language Disrupting Conversational Norms ...... 25 

1.13.7 Equivalence in The Translation of Goat Days ..................................................... 27 

Chapter Two Methodology ............................................................................................. 29 

2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 29 

2.2 Data Collection ......................................................................................................... 29 

2.3 Statistical Analysis Methods ..................................................................................... 27 

Chapter Three Data Analysis .......................................................................................... 29 



vi 

3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 29 

3.2 Classification of Terms of Address .......................................................................... 31 

3.2.1 Formal Titles .......................................................................................................... 31 

3.2.2 Occupational Terms ............................................................................................... 37 

3.2.3 Kinship Terms ........................................................................................................ 37 

3.2.4 Derogatory and Dehumanizing Terms ................................................................... 46 

3.2.5 Neutral and Politeness-Based Terms ..................................................................... 49 

3.3 Cultural Implications of The Translation .................................................................. 54 

3.3.1 Terms of Respect and Power in Translation .......................................................... 54 

3.3.2 Reader Reception ................................................................................................... 56 

3.3.3 Preservation versus Alteration of Meaning ........................................................... 57 

3.4 Theoretical Framework Sociolinguistics and Discourse Analysis ........................... 58 

3.5 Broader Implications ................................................................................................. 58 

Chapter Four Conclusions and Recommendations ......................................................... 57 

4.1 Summary of Findings ................................................................................................ 57 

4.2 Implications for Future Research .............................................................................. 57 

3.3 Practical Recommendations ...................................................................................... 58 

References ....................................................................................................................... 59 

Appendices ...................................................................................................................... 65 

 ب ............................................................................................................................... الملّخص 

 

 

 

 

 

  



vii 

List of Tables 

[ 

Table (1): Formal Titles .................................................................................................. 31 

Table (2): Occupational Terms ....................................................................................... 37 

Table (3): Kinship Terms ................................................................................................ 38 

Table (4): Derogatory and Dehumanizing Terms ........................................................... 47 

.Table (5): Neutral and Politeness-Based Terms ............................................................ 50 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  



viii 

List of Appendices  

[ 

Appendix (A): Terms of Address ................................................................................... 65 

 

 

 

 

 

  



ix 

THE TRANSLATION OF TERMS OF 

ADDRESS IN BENYAMIN’S NOVEL GOAT DAYS 
By 

Nihaya Ali Abdelrahman Ibdah 

Supervisor 

Dr. Ayman Nazzal 

Abstract 

Focusing on how these translations reflect or distort the representations of power, identity, 

and social hierarchy in Benyamin’s Goat Days, this paper investigates how terms of 

address are translated from English into Arabic. The study investigates the cultural and 

ideological stakes of translating modes of address by means of sociolinguistic theory, 

postcolonial critique, and translation studies especially Venuti’s ideas of domestication 

and foreignization by means of Suhail Al-Wafi’s Arabic version. The study classifies and 

critiques different kinds of address including formal titles, familial terms, and disparaging 

language and examines the translator’s decisions about cultural and emotional resonance 

preservation or adaptation. Results show that Al-Wafi deliberately balances 

foreignization and domestication: he keeps culturally loaded words like “arbab” to 

emphasize labor exploitation and power imbalance, and he domesticates others like 

“Sainu” to enhance accessibility for Arabic readers. The researcher draws a conclusion 

as follows. First, the types of address terms used by the interlocutor’s language are 

classified into fifth patterns, i.e. 1. Formal terms; 2. Occupational terms; 3. Kinship terms; 

4. Derogatory and dehumanizing terms; 5. Neutral and politeness- based terms. Secondly, 

the functions of the address terms used by arbab and the Indian worker Najeeb are 1. to 

show intimacy; 2. to attract people attention; 3. to show politeness; 4.  to reflect identity; 

and 5. to show power differential. And the last, the social factors affecting the use of 

address terms in Goat Days are affected by 1. social status; 2. age; 3. family relationship; 

4. occupational hierarchy; and 5. degree of intimacy. It suggests that translators 

thoroughly evaluate the sociocultural significance of these terms and find a context-

sensitive balance between domestication and foreignization. Further research is 

recommended on the interpretation of translated address terms by readers in various 

cultural settings especially within postcolonial and migrant narratives.  

Keywords: Terms of Address, Domestication and Foreignization, Power and Identity 



1 

Chapter One 

Introduction and Literature Review 

1.1 Terms of Address 

Language, especially how people address each other, is a strong tool that forms and shows 

how people connect with each other. When we talk to other people, the words we use not 

only show respect, closeness, or authority, but they also show how society works and who 

has power in a culture. Braun (1988, p. 13) says that a term of address is “the way that 

speakers directly address their interlocutors through language, taking into account social 

relationships and cultural norms.” Speaking about words of address, Fasold (1990, p. 27) 

says that they are “forms of language that express social dynamics, such as respect, 

familiarity, and power differences.” Address terms are words or expressions used in 

interactive face- to-face situations to characterize the person being talked about. They are 

linguistic expressions that are used in addressing others to attract their attention or make 

reference about them. Generally, by appropriate use of address terms, people identify 

themselves as part of a social group while inappropriate choice of address ceases good 

interaction French pronouns such “tu” and “vous,” which indicate changes in unity and 

power (Brown & Gilman, 1960), reflect the way people communicate. In literature, this 

reflection becomes even more potent since the interactions between characters show 

underlying power and societal structures as well as molding cultural and linguistic 

customs. The Malayalam book Goat Days shows this clearly. Like many of his 

colleagues, Najeeb, a sand-miner from Kerala, heads for the Gulf in the early 1990s with 

hopes of riches. Instead, he is kept captive on a far-off Saudi Arabia goat farm for more 

than three years, enduring his master's cruelty. But his path is one of toughness and 

ultimately release via the desert toward freedom in addition of misery.  

Against this background, translation becomes quite important. Translating Arabic terms 

of address into English is not only a linguistic exercise but also a cultural one that calls 

for strong bilingual ability and sensitivity to religious and social conventions. Therefore, 

this study looks at Goat Days and its translation to find out how address words are 

negotiated between source text (ST) and target text (TT). It thereby structures its 

investigation around three guiding factors—power dynamics, social ties, and identity—



2 

each of which exposes how language, literature, and translation intersect to convey the 

human condition. 

Benyamin’s novel is full of bitter comedy, and the terms of speech represent that too. 

Here, Benyamin’s sardonic and kind-hearted telling changes this odd and bitter comedy 

of Najeeb’s life in the desert into a universal novel of isolation and alienation. Also, the 

significant of socialization in the formation of identity is discussed in this work. Thus, it 

is critical to look at the distinct reasons that cause identity crisis in human beings too. It 

is through Najeeb’s socialization with kidnappers and the goats and camels, and how 

Najeeb is talked to has a big impact on how he sees himself. He was able to study, how 

to look after these animals, and how to live as per the order of Arab, although it is entirely 

opposite to the habits that he has followed throughout his earlier phase of life. Translation 

is not a matter of words only: it is a matter of making comprehensible a whole culture. 

So, rendering English works into Arabic necessitates a bilingual expertise. In other words, 

the way such address forms are translated and can significantly influence how the target 

audience perceives relationships between characters and grasp the novel’s main ideas. 

1.2 Types of Terms of Address 

A choice of an address term signals the relationship between language and society and 

how a person imagines his/her relationship with the addressee within this society. These 

terms encompass various linguistic categories, all of which serve to name, refer to, or 

directly address listeners. They can include personal names, titles, kinship terms, or 

personal pronouns, which may be utilized independently or in combination (Bonvillain, 

n. d). 

Levinson (1983) argues that terms of address like formal titles, casual nicknames, or 

familial terms can be divided into two main categories: relational and absolute. The first 

category includes relations between: 

- Speaker and referent (such as referent honorifics) 

Pronoun T/V distinctions are one example of an honorific, where the speaker conveys 

the respect only by referring to the recipient. 

- Speaker and addressee (e.g., honorifics for the addressee) 



3 

Respect titles are forms of addressee honorifics, where the speaker can express 

respect without explicitly referring to the recipient. 

- Speaker and bystander (e.g., an honorific audience) 

Here, the speaker utilizes the audience and bystander honorifics in order to refer to 

those who are not participating in the conversation but may overhear the talk. 

-  Speaker and setting (such as the degree of formality) 

Here, the usage of address forms may vary subject to the environment or the social 

activity. For instance, the speaker may employ informal social honorifics in formal 

settings (Levinson, 1983, pp. 90-91). 

In Arabic, the way people call each other is deeply connected to religion and social 

systems. Titles like “Sheikh,” “Hajj,” or family markers such as “Um” (mother of) do 

more than just identify people; they also convey respect, status, and social roles within 

the community. In contrast, English speakers usually employ simpler forms of address. 

When these complex Arabic terms are translated into English, much of their cultural 

meaning can be lost. Conversely, when English forms of address are translated into 

Arabic, the relationships they express may appear oversimplified. Farghal (1993) argues 

that translation must carefully account for cultural differences, particularly in the 

rendering of address terms. 

The translator should opt for maintaining the cultural connotations of the address terms 

of the ST and adapting it to the target culture too (Schleiermacher, 1838/1998). In other 

words, the translator has the choice whether to respect the cultural terminologies for the 

original ones to the maximum or substitute these terminologies to be accepted by the 

target audience by opting for the closest equivalence to the target culture. Thus, rendering 

the address modes in Benyamin’s work needs to evaluate the influence of the translation 

techniques used by the Arabic translator Suhail Al-Wafi and how they affected the power 

dynamics, social relationships, and themes of identity in Goat Days. 

Friedrich Schleiermacher (1813/1992) was the first to introduce this foundational 

distinction in his lecture “On the Different Methods of Translating” (Über die 

verschiedenen Methoden des Übersetzens), as cited in Schulte and Biguenet (1992). He 

described two possible approaches to translation: either moving the reader towards the 



4 

author (foreignizing) or moving the author towards the reader (domesticating). Building 

on this foundation, Lawrence Venuti (1995, 1998) later adopted, expanded, and 

popularized Schleiermacher’s concepts within modern Translation Studies. Venuti 

reframed them in terms of ideology, power, and cultural politics, establishing 

domestication and foreignization as key terms in his influential works The Translator’s 

Invisibility (1995) and The Scandals of Translation (1998). 

1.3 Functions of Terms of Address 

Terms spell out primary functions that are used in order to express the social relationships 

between interlocutors, including power, solidarity, status, age, gender, race, ethnicity, 

religion, ideology, and culture (Holmes, 2013; Brown & Gilman, 1960). Brown & Gilman 

also (1960) introduced the seminal distinction between the “power” and “solidarity” 

semantics in the use of pronominal address, such as the T/V distinction seen in many 

Indo-European languages. Thus, rendering of these terminologies especially between 

different languages and cultures requires deep awareness of their differences and 

influences too. 

Cronin (2006) says that language is a key part of negotiating identity. In this novel, the 

way Najeeb is talked to changes over time, which shows that his sense of self is getting 

weaker. These ways of addressing him show not only that he is a worker, but also how 

he is controlled and put down by society as a whole. 

It is hard to translate these words into Arabic because the two languages have different 

ways of showing respect and social order. Farghal (1993) talks about how difficult it is to 

work with Arabic’s complicated system of address, which is based on social roles and 

respect. This means that the power relations from the original English text have to be 

carefully kept. The translation has to choose between “domestication,” which means 

changing the words to fit Arabic usage, and “foreignization,” which means keeping the 

original cultural elements (Venuti, 2017). 

The way Najeeb is talked to also shows how power changes throughout the novel. At the 

beginning of the story, he may be talked about with some respect, but as things get worse 

for him, the language used to describe him becomes less human, showing that his standing 

is falling. Nida (1964) says that language not only gives meaning, but also shows power 



5 

and subordination relationships. This is an important idea in Goat Days, because Najeeb’s 

treatment and the language used to talk to him show how much power he lacks. 

The way people talk to each other can also show how close or far apart they are 

emotionally. The cold, emotionless language Najeeb’s attackers use is different from the 

few times he feels connected to someone personally. These changes in words help to bring 

out the human parts of abuse. Schleiermacher (1838/1998) says that it is the translator’s 

job to either bring the reader closer to the original text or change the text to fit the reader’s 

culture. This is a very important choice to make when translating words that are so 

emotionally charged. 

To sum up, terms of speech in Goat Days serve many purposes, ranging from showing 

how power is distributed to showing how people relate to each other. When translating 

these terms into Arabic, there is a fine line between keeping the original social interactions 

and changing them to fit the target language’s culture. It will be looked at in this study 

how these terms of address are translated and how they change how power and identity 

are shown in the Arabic form. 

1.4 Language and Society 

Besides being a way to communicate, language also shows the roles and responsibilities 

of people in society and the rules that everyone must follow. The words people use to talk 

to each other, whether they’re being serious or casual, show how they relate to each other, 

what their standing is, and what their role is in society. In creative works like Benyamin’s 

Goat Days, language not only affects how people talk to each other, but it also shows 

bigger social problems like oppression and injustice. 

The way the main character in Goat Days, Najeeb, is talked to by his kidnappers and 

bosses makes it clear that he is a foreign worker and not equal. The dehumanizing words 

used against him reflects the larger social and economic system that doesn’t value his 

identity or work. Farghal (1993) says that terms of address are more than just useful; they 

also have important social and emotional meanings that shape relationships in a cultural 

setting. In order to translate these words from English to Arabic, you need to know how 

to show power and social roles in both languages. The way people treat each other in 

Arabic is based on ideas of respect, power, and order. This makes translation from 

English, where these differences may not be as clear, a very difficult task. 



6 

Language is an important part of society because it helps keep the balance of power and 

social order. For example, in Arabic, honorifics and titles are closely tied to a person’s 

social rank, and omitting or misusing them can drastically change the meaning of an 

address. In Goat Days, the dismissive and insulting manner in which Najeeb is addressed 

makes him feel even more powerless and out of control. When translating these address 

terms into Arabic, the translator must account for the nuances of Arabic social hierarchy 

while preserving the original language’s emotional and social impact. 

In any translation, the translator serves as a mediator between two distinct social worlds, 

which makes bridging language and society especially challenging. Hatim & Munday 

(2004) remind us that translation is not merely about finding words with equivalent 

meanings; it is about preserving the social and cultural significance behind those words. 

As seen in French pronouns such “tu” and “vous,” which indicate changes in unity and 

power (Brown & Gilman, 1960), language sometimes reflects the way people interact. In 

literature, this introspection grows much more potent as the interactions between 

characters expose buried systems of authority and society as well as help to form cultural 

and linguistic standards. Goat Days, a Malayalam novel, clearly shows this. Like many 

of his colleagues, Najeeb, a sand-miner from Kerala, sets out for the Gulf in the early 

1990s with aspirations for riches. Instead, he finds himself enslaved for over three years 

on a distant goat farm in Saudi Arabia, suffering under the cruelty of his master. Still, his 

path is also one of resilience and ultimately escape through the desert toward liberty rather 

than one only of hardship.  

In Goat Days, the language used by characters toward Najeeb mirrors the bigger socio-

political reality of the Gulf rather than simply establishing personal relationships. a 

system grounded on racism and the abuse of immigrant labor. For translators, catching 

such dynamics in literary works provides great difficulties. A book is never solely a 

narrative; it is strongly linked with its cultural setting, bringing with its strata of 

references, forms of address, and nonverbal clues that fit a certain social fabric. More than 

technical correctness is needed to translate these components; it demands cultural 

sensitivity to the semiotics contained in the source text (ST). 

 Converting the address terms of the book into Arabic especially calls for linguistic 

competence and a close knowledge of how cultural and social meanings work across 



7 

languages. This work so examines the methods employed to transform these address 

terms and evaluates how far the Arabic edition of Goat Days is successful in conserving 

the original's social depth and cultural resonance. 

1.5 The Application of Terms of Address in Benyamin’s Work 

In Benyamin’s writing, especially in Goat Days, terms of address are more than just ways 

to talk; they are essential to understanding how characters connect with each other 

socially and psychologically. These words help show how the characters’ ties, social 

orders, and power play out in their lives. In Goat Days, language is used to control people. 

For example, the way powerful people talk to Najeeb shows how he becomes less human. 

The Arabs who held Najeeb hostage used words that showed how much power difference 

there was between them in Goat Days. The formal, emotionless, and sometimes insulting 

language used against Najeeb reinforces his position as a servant and takes away his 

identity and freedom. This language choice fits with the main idea of abuse, where foreign 

workers are pushed to the edges of society by an unfair social order that uses language to 

keep them down. Farghal (1993) says that in Arabic, terms of address often show 

complicated social structures and connections. When these subtleties are translated, they 

must be carefully kept. 

Benyamin doesn’t just use address terms in a smart way on Goat Days. In all of his work, 

he uses words to bring up problems of power, identity, and social unfairness. The way he 

uses language shows the cultural and social forces at work in his stories, as his characters 

try to find their place in different social systems. As Hatim & Munday (2004) talk about, 

it is the translator’s job to keep these complicated social relations in the TL, making sure 

that the original text’s cultural context and emotional weight are kept. 

To translate these words from English to Arabic, you need to be aware of the changes in 

culture between the two languages. In Arabic, forms of speech are often more official and 

have more social meaning than in English, where these differences may be easier to see. 

Schleiermacher (1838/1998) says that the translator has to decide whether to 

“domesticate” the text (change it to fit the rules of the TL) or “foreignize” it (keep the 

original cultural elements). When adapting Goat Days, it can be hard to keep the 

emotional depth and social critique that the original language conveys without losing its 

cultural uniqueness. 



8 

This study will look at how well the Arabic version of Goat Days captures the novel’s 

use of address, checking to see if the social and power relations present in the original 

text are kept. In this way, this study adds to the larger conversation about how translation 

shows and protects language, power, and identity, especially in works that deal with abuse 

and social order. 

1.6 Literature 

From the point of view of sociolinguistics, novels like Goat Days are very helpful for 

understanding how language works in certain cultural settings. Most of the time, writers 

use terms of address to show power, respect, and submission; these words have meanings 

that go beyond their language function. The way people talk to each other in Goat Days 

isn’t neutral; it shows how Najeeb interacts with those who hurt him, showing how 

language can represent and support social orders. Benyamin does a great job with these 

words, showing that even the most common ways of talking can have deep emotional and 

social meanings, especially when they have to do with identity and power. 

Translating these words is hard in its own way, especially when working with people 

from different countries and languages, like when translating from English to Arabic. 

Translation thinkers like (Venuti, 2017; Bassnett & Lefevere, 1992) say that translating 

literature is more than just dealing with words; it also includes dealing with the culturally 

nuanced parts of the ST. Translation of terms of speech is especially hard when it comes 

to Goat Days. Translators have to choose whether to “domesticate” the text (make it easier 

for the target audience to understand) or “foreignize” it (keep the original cultural marks 

even if readers don't know them as well). 

Literature that has been translated also helps people from different countries understand 

each other and gives viewers new ways to look at the world. Looking at how well the 

Arabic version keeps the social and emotional nuances of the original, this study looks at 

how the terms of address in Goat Days were translated. The study wants to help people 

learn more about how literature can be used to tell stories and make social comments by 

analyzing different types of literature. The study will also look at how translation affects 

these roles, changing or strengthening the social and cultural truths shown in the original 

work. 

  



9 

1.7 The Translation of Goat Days 

Translating Goat Days from English into Arabic presents particular challenges due to the 

ways in which the novel depicts identity, social hierarchy, and power relations. The story 

follows the lives of Najeeb Muhammad, an Indian emigrant whose aim was to work in 

the Gulf States to pay off his former obligations and provide a comfortable life for his 

wife Sainu and their child. However, his idea of a nice life crumbles, and his existence is 

reduced to that of a slave. Cultural problems in translation also arise due to differences 

between Arabic and English languages in expressing identity and lifestyle. Translators 

will find it difficult to translate address forms in the source language/culture (SL/C), 

completely unknown in the target language/culture (TL/C). Thus, this research addresses 

two problems namely linguistic problems and cultural problems. 

Najeeb’s kidnappers talk to him in a way that makes him seem less human, which is a 

key part of how the novel shows how he is pushed to the edges. His Arab bosses talk to 

him in a way that takes away his identity and respect, which makes him feel even less 

important as a foreign worker. It is important to catch both the literal meaning and the 

emotional depth of these terms of address when translating them into Arabic. Hatim & 

Munday (2004) say that translation is more than just finding words that mean the same 

thing in the target language. Equally important is preserving the cultural and social 

connotations of these terms.  

“Neither the word, nor the text, but the culture becomes the operational unit of 

translation.” (Bassnett & Lefevere, 1990/1998, p. 8). In other words, they stress on that 

translation turns into a cross-cultural compromise as language is installed in culture. 

According to Venuti (2017), when the translator deals with cultural contexts, he/she 

should utilize translation techniques by following domestication and foreignization. In 

the first mode, the translator preserves the cultural standards of the TT. While the second 

mode, which the translator adheres to the standards of the ST. In the context of Goat Days, 

each mode affects how effectively the power dynamics, social relationships, and themes 

of identity are dispatched to the target audience. 

In brief, rendering the address terms in Goat Days requires more than just exchanging the 

meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Thus, 



10 

this study will look at how the readers’ perception of the novel’s critique of oppression 

and dehumanization is affected by Al-Wafi’s choices. 

1.8 Translator’s Ideology and Point of View 

In fact, the translator is responsible for the delivery of a correct target language text while 

rendering literary works. In other words, the translation of any text is observed as an act 

of parallel creation, where a translator acts as a bridge across different cultures. Here, 

Suhail Al-Wafi had to navigate not only linguistic differences but also his personal 

understanding of the novel’s themes of power, abuse, and identity. It is worth mentioning 

that Al-Wafi follows different strategies in rendering the lexical terms in Benyamin’s 

work to fulfill the core of the text and the purpose of the target audience too. 

Foreignization is source language culture-oriented. This type of translating method aims 

at maintaining the peculiarity of the source, and retaining the source trace in the translated 

version. As Venuti defines, foreignization “deliberately breaks targets conventions by 

retaining something of the foreignness of the original” (Venuti, 1995: 19-20). As a 

translation strategy, foreignization is not developed long in China, but it has already been 

accepted by translators. Venuti highly appreciated and advocated the foreignization 

strategy for the reason that it highlights the strangeness or difference of the foreign text. 

Hence, as one of the most practical translation strategies, foreignization extends the 

communication between TL and SL. For instance, the language might seem more 

comfortable if he went toward domestication to make the novel easier for Arabic readers 

to understand, but some of the original power dynamics may be lost. On the other hand, 

a more foreignized approach might retain the emotional impact of the original while 

making the viewer feel strange. 

This study will explore how Al-Wafi’s own ideological views may have influenced the 

portrayal of social roles and power in the Arabic translation of Goat Days, focusing on 

his treatment of key terms of address. His decisions about how to translate show not only 

how he understood the novel’s critique of power and identity, but also how these ideas 

are important in the culture of people who speak Arabic. 

  



11 

1.9 Problem Statement 

Terms of address are deeply rooted and influenced by human culture, religion, history, 

values, and even ideology. One big problem is that it’s hard to make sure that the SL and 

the TL are consistent, which can make it harder to get across the social and emotional 

meanings of words. The ways people talk to each other in Goat Days are connected in a 

complicated web of relationships. If you translate these terms incorrectly, it can mess up 

how social structures are shown and how people interact with each other. Since the book 

is mostly about power, oppression, and identity, losing the finer points of the terms of 

address could change the meaning of the story and the way the characters relate to each 

other. 

These forms of greeting are also strongly connected to cultural and language settings. In 

both English and Arabic, they show the social status, respect, and closeness between 

people. It is even harder to translate words that have deep cultural meanings in a novel 

like Goat Days, where the language used by the characters sets the tone, shows power, 

and dehumanizes Najeeb. It is possible to get these terms wrong, which could take away 

from the novel’s local color and cultural realism. The story’s setting and themes also 

make it hard for the translator, who has to make sure that the story of exploitation and 

abuse is told accurately while also meeting the culture and language needs of Arabic-

speaking readers. 

This study will look at how these translation problems affect the social and emotional 

depth of Goat Days, specifically through the view of terms of address. It will also look at 

how these translation problems may change how the novel shows power dynamics and 

national identity. 

1.10 Research Questions 

This study seeks to explore how terms of address are translated from English into Arabic 

in Benyamin’s Goat Days and how these translations reflect the novel’s portrayal of 

power, identity, and social hierarchy. The research is guided by the following questions: 

1. What are the key terms of address used in the original English version of Goat Days, 

and how do they function in the text to convey social rank, respect, and submission? 



12 

2. What translation strategies did Suhail Al-Wafi employ in rendering these terms of 

address into Arabic, and to what extent do these strategies maintain or alter the power 

dynamics and social relationships present in the original text? 

3. What are the broader cultural implications of translating terms of address from 

English to Arabic, particularly in relation to social hierarchy and identity, and how 

do Arabic-speaking readers interpret these translated terms?  

By asking these questions, the study hopes to give a full look at how translation decisions 

affect the social and cultural fabric of Goat Days, paying special attention to language 

that shows identity, power, and social structure. 

1.11 Statement of Purpose 

The main objective of this research is to investigate how the translation of address words 

in Benyamin's Goat Days alters the narrative's depiction of society, power dynamics, 

cultural significance, and relationships. To accomplish this, the study groups address 

terms from the source text (ST) and their equivalents in the target language (TL), therefore 

emphasizing how translation choices change or keep their meanings. Fundamentally, the 

research highlights the difficulties translators like Al-Wafi confront while dealing with 

culturally embedded expressions, therefore revealing how these challenges directly 

modify how readers interpret the literary work. Drawing evidence from Goat Days, the 

investigation not only records these obstacles but also places them in the contexts of 

postcolonial theory, pragmatics, and sociolinguistics. The study aims to clarify the 

address terms of the book in terms of their kinds, uses, locations, and the link between 

addresser and addressee. the underlying cultural and social consequences of translation. 

The overarching aim of this study is to contribute to the broader discourse on literary 

translation by demonstrating how choices made in translation can affect the interpretation 

of social relationships and identity in translated works. Through an analysis of how forms 

of address are rendered in Goat Days, the study seeks to reveal the interplay between 

language, society, and identity, and to show how this interplay influences readers’ 

engagement with the text. 

  



13 

1.12 Structure of the study 

This study is organized into four chapters, the introductory chapter provides background 

information regarding the research question, and problem statement. Chapter 1 highlights 

relevant literature, in order to situate the forthcoming research within the extant 

theoretical paradigms and emphasize areas where further scholarship is needed. Chapter 

2 provides explanation and justification for the research methodology used, and why I 

have chosen the descriptive method. Chapter 3 includes the analysis of the collected data 

from Goat Days with their translations, followed by cultural implications of words of 

address in this Chapter. In Chapter 4, I discuss the research findings, followed by the 

limitations of this study and avenues for future research. Finally, the conclusion 

summarizes the key insights gained from the research. Take a quick look at each part 

below: 

Chapter One: Introduction and Literature Review 

The first part of the study gives some history on Benyamin’s Goat Days and talks about 

how important it is as a novel that looks at the lives of Gulf migrant workers. It is stressed 

in the novel how important the forms of address are, especially how they show power 

relationships and social structures. In this chapter, the study problem is also explained. It 

focuses on how hard it is to translate culturally specific terms of address between English 

and Arabic and what cultural details might be lost in the process. It is stated what the 

study’s goals are, and the chapter ends with an outline of the thesis format. 

The most important academic works in the field of translation studies are looked at. The 

focus is on sociolinguistic theories and the difficulties of interpreting terms of address. 

Drawing on the work of (Venuti, 2017; Schleiermacher, 1838/1998; Bassnett & Lefevere, 

1992), this part talks about ideas like “domestication,” “foreignization,” and “the 

translator’s visibility.” A look at past research that looked at translating terms of address 

and how these changes affect regional understanding is also included. This review puts 

the study in the context of larger scholarly talks about how to translate language that is 

specific to a culture. 

Chapter Two: Methodology 

The second chapter goes into depth about the steps that were taken to look at how the 

terms of address were translated from English to Arabic in Goat Days. The study uses a 



14 

comparison method, putting the source English text next to the Arabic version to see what 

translation techniques were used. This part talks about how the study sorts address terms 

into groups based on politeness, respect, and power. It also looks at the translation 

methods that were used, such as direct translation, adaptation, and absence. Using the 

ideas of Hatim & Munday (2004) as a starting point, this chapter explains the method 

used to look at how the translation decisions affected culture and society. There is also 

talk about the study’s flaws, especially how the research is meant to be interpreted. 

Chapter Three: Data Analysis 

In Chapter 3, the exact ways people call each other in Goat Days are broken down and 

shown how they are turned into Arabic. To organize the analysis, terms are put into groups 

based on how formal they are and what they mean in a social setting. The focus is on how 

these groups show the power differences between Najeeb and the other characters. There 

are examples from the text that show how terms of address are used to show how Najeeb’s 

personality and social standing change over time. This part also looks at Suhail Al-Wafi’s 

translation methods, checking to see if the social orders and emotional undertones present 

in the English version are kept in the Arabic version or if the ties between characters are 

changed. 

The effects of changing address terms on Arabic-speaking users are talked about. It looks 

at how the decisions made during translation affect how social relationships and power 

are shown in Goat Days, especially how Arabic readers understand Najeeb’s submission 

and ultimate resistance. This chapter looks at whether the Arabic forms of address 

successfully show the same levels of respect, submission, or ridicule as the English 

version. It also looks at how these changes affect how interested the reader is in the text. 

This chapter uses (Cronin, 2006; Nida, 1964) to look at how translation works as a form 

of cultural bargaining, balancing staying true to the original text with making it easy for 

the target audience to understand. 

Chapter Four: Conclusion and Recommendations 

In the last chapter, the main points of the study are summed up, and conclusions are drawn 

about how the translation of terms of address in Goat Days affects the cultural and social 

aspects of the novel. This chapter goes over the study goals again and talks about whether 

the translation methods used in the Arabic form did a good job of keeping the novel’s 



15 

exploration of identity and power relations. It also looks at what this means for translation 

studies in a wider sense, especially how regionally specific things like address terms are 

treated across languages, followed by recommendations for further research. 

1.13 Literature Review 

Scholars have long studied how English and Arabic differ culturally and ideologically, 

therefore words of address function in literary works and how they are translated. In 

accordance with this, the researcher organizes the literature review thematically—first 

examining the kinds and uses of address phrases then their part in literary works of the 

kind Benyamin's Goat Days, then the techniques and difficulties of translating them. The 

theoretical basis for examining address terms in the book is offered in this review. Earlier 

research emphasize the patterns that arise when address terms are translated across 

languages as well as their roles. From a sociolinguistic perspective, Al-Jabari (2022) 

highlights that address terms serve as markers of hierarchy and power, a especially 

pertinent observation for Goat Days where they highlight Najeeb's suppression. Braun 

(1988) similarly claims that forms of address represent social bonds and cultural values, 

acting as indicators that both mirror and mold interactions while exposing power 

disparities. Additional weight for this viewpoint comes from Fasold (1990), who observes 

that address terms represent dynamics like respect, intimacy, and power. These structures 

work together to explain how the linguistic choices in Goat Days reveal the degree of 

Najeeb's problems. 

Pragmatics studies how language functions within context and how meaning is obtained 

from contextual elements. Smith (2023) argues that terms of address are not just 

referential but also performative they create relationships and bring social expectations. 

Farghal (1993) talks about how hard it is to translate between languages that have 

different levels of politeness and social marks. This means that the truth of the original 

text often has to be sacrificed so that the target audience can read it. Another piece by 

Nida (1964) that supports this is that translation needs to show both the literal and 

figurative meanings, especially when the words have complex social and emotional 

meanings. 

Given the differences in cultural backgrounds and ideological concepts between English 

and Arabic, Baker (1992) highlights domestication and foreignization as two fundamental 



16 

translation strategies for rendering texts across cultures. The former refers to decoding 

the ST to align with the target culture’s expectations, while the latter preserves elements 

of the source culture, maintaining its distinctiveness. This practice may be acceptable in 

decoding culturally addressed phrases in Benyamin's work, like ‘arbab’ (employer) or 

‘my chakki’ (my son). Since these examples allow the translator to opt for handling 

cultural factors in order to make the text acceptable for the target culture. 

Because words represent cultural values and social hierarchies, translating novels requires 

great focus to address terms. Earlier studies have produced significant understanding of 

the conceptual as well as logistical difficulties of this work. Mukminin and Sajarwa 

(2025), for instance, investigated the interpretation of Javanese address forms in Gadis 

Kretek into Arabic, therefore revealing how different social hierarchies and 

communicative styles interacted. Standards ask translators to make wise decisions so that 

relational significance is maintained. This result is especially pertinent to Goat Days, 

when Benyamin uses address terms to reflect complex social hierarchies and power 

dynamics. Likewise, Khalil (2023) contrasted American English and Syrian Arabic 

address forms to expose how hierarchical and relational expressions are molded by 

cultural attitudes like individualism and collectivism—an understanding that stresses how 

cultural systems help to define translation results.  

Earlier works such Abualrub's (2020) examination of Shakespeare's Henry IV and 

Shehab's (2005) study of Mahfouz's Ziqaq Al-Midaq, further show how translation 

techniques may Sway the representation of power, intimacy, and social dynamics in 

writing. This study taken together emphasize the ongoing difficulties translators meet in 

their efforts to preserve the pragmatic, cultural, and hierarchical significance of address 

terms. Expanding on this research, the current chapter examines how address terms 

operate in Goat Days' source text (ST) and the problems connected with faithfully and 

culturally appropriately in the target text (TT). 

1.13.1 Studies on Terms of Address 

Scholars mostly agree on the difficulty of converting address formats, especially when 

they convey strong cultural and social implications. In literature, such terms go beyond 

simple identification to serve as symbols of intimacy, hierarchy, and control. This is most 

obvious in Benyamin's Goat Days, where address words emphasize exploitation and the 



17 

degradation of dignity. Translating these components into Arabic demands not just 

linguistic accuracy but also sensitivity to the cultural and emotional resonance contained 

inside the original text.  

Studies on address terms have found they develop with society change, so influencing 

respect, familiarity, and rank norms. While Fasold (1990) emphasizes their dual role as 

linguistic devices and conveyers of emotional meaning, Braun (1988) underlines their 

importance in defining personal interactions and social distance. Whereas insulting 

designations such Hindi or inti show Najeeb's marginalization, words like Mudeer or Hajj 

in Goat Days represent socioreligious structures. Farghal (1993) notes that Arabic's 

honorific system makes translating more difficult and calls for sophisticated methods to 

maintain degrees of politeness and hierarchy across languages.  

Translation experts point up the main problem: should one adapt the text via 

domesticating or preserve cultural distinctiveness by foreignizing? Baker (1992) observes 

that this decision entails striking a compromise between genuineness and accessibility, a 

notably urgent consideration in Goat Days, when religious and cultural titles like Sheikh 

or Hajj has great social weight but lacks precise English equivalents.  

More recent research emphasizes these difficulties. Al-Jabari (2022) emphasizes that 

equivalence runs the danger of distortion or dilution without close regard to socio-cultural 

context; Smith (2023) contends that successful translation depends on capturing address 

words' practical as well as social utility. Together, these investigations support translators' 

necessity to protect not only the words but also the cultural contexts they embody.  

Using this research, this study examines address words in Goat Days by drawing on 

theories of politeness, relevance, and Baker's (1992) model of domestication/ 

foreignization. These theoretical ideas arm one with the means to maintain the novel's 

societal depth and emotional strength while guaranteeing Arabic translation's 

intelligibility and cultural resonance. 

1.13.2 Theoretical Framework 

This study uses Schleiermacher's ideas about translation, especially his idea of either 

making the reader understand the author's world or making the author understandable to 

the reader (Schleiermacher, 1838/1998). His method gives helpful ways to deal with 



18 

language that is tied to a specific culture, like how people are addressed, letting translators 

either change words to fit what the audience expects or keep the original cultural style to 

be real. This mix is really key in Goat Days, where how people are addressed shows social 

classes and how people are used. 

Adding to this idea, newer studies show how hard it is to keep cultural and relationship 

meanings the same when translating between languages. Mukminin & Sajarwa (2025) 

looked at how people are addressed in Javanese in Gadis Kretek and how it was translated 

into Arabic, proving how different social structures need translation methods that show 

the meaning of relationships.  

Likewise, Khalil's (2023) study that compared how people are addressed in American 

English and Syrian Arabic showed that American culture's focus on the individual makes 

social ranks less obvious, while Syrian Arabic's focus on the group keeps them. Other 

studies, such as Abualrub’s (2020) work on Shakespeare’s Henry IV and Shehab’s (2005) 

study of Mahfouz’s Ziqaq Al-Midaq, also show how translation choices affect how 

power, closeness, and authority are shown in books. Together, these studies point out how 

challenging it is to keep both the feelings and cultural importance of how people are 

addressed in translation, which is a major worry for Goat Days. 

1.13.3 Translating Power and Hierarchy A Socio-Pragmatic Perspective on Terms 

of Address in Goat Days 

Translating Goat Days is tough, particularly when dealing with nuanced ways to express 

hierarchy and power. These culturally and socially rooted linguistic markers impact 

Najeeb’s kidnappers’ contact with him. Translating English ideas into Arabic requires 

understanding socio-pragmatic theories, which highlight how language reflects and 

strengthens power relations. 

Address terms have historically shaped social institutions. Braun (1988) claims that words 

of address are hierarchical symbols rather than polite comments. In Goat Days, Najeeb’s 

kidnappers use disparaging language to prove their dominance. Translators struggle to 

convey social class in a way that appeals to Arabic-speaking readers. Fasold (1990) 

emphasizes the need of translating with socio-cultural cues to appropriately reflect the 

original text’s power relations. Due to linguistic and cultural differences, translating 

Arabic hierarchies into English may be difficult. 



19 

Translating English terms like “mudeer” (manager or authority figure) to Arabic requires 

denotative equivalence. Arabic-speaking populations value the term for its respect and 

authority. The phrase’s precise meaning may be rendered as “manager” in English, but 

its social overtones would be lost. Venuti (2017) advises translators to keep cultural 

context by foreignizing the term or changing it to make it more accessible. Whatever the 

translation, it must maintain the novel’s hierarchical tone to convey Najeeb’s 

condemnation of authoritarian society. 

Farghal (1993) advises thorough consideration of social implications when translating 

terms of address across languages with differing social connotations, such as Arabic and 

English. In Goat Days, Najeeb’s captors call him “Abd” (slave), emphasizing his slavery 

and dehumanizing him. The Arabic name “Abd” connotes slavery and exploitation, both 

historically and socially. Since “slave” may not express the cultural and historical 

significance of “Abd” in Arabic, translating this term into English is challenging. The 

translator must keep such terminology's power dynamics to preserve the novel’s thematic 

depth. 

Another key part about how names are used in Goat Days is what they actually do. Using 

what Searle said in 1969 about how language works, words don't just share information—

they can change things for the person listening. In the story, those who captured Najeeb 

use words like “inti” and “Hindi” to make him feel small, using words to cause him pain 

and take away his worth as a person. When translating, it's very important to keep this 

power, so Arabic readers completely understand the power differences and strong feelings 

found in these words. 

The idea of being equal is very important here, as it gives us a way to move the feelings 

and cultural importance of names from the first text to the new text. Koller said in 1995 

that there are five kinds of equality that matter when translating stories: showing what's 

really there, sharing small details in language, sticking to language rules, thinking about 

who will read it, and keeping the artistic parts. Using these ideas helps translators keep 

all the important meanings in words that carry a lot of culture. 

To wrap up, translating the names in Goat Days needs a way of thinking about society 

and people that looks at all the feelings, society, and culture in the story. Using ideas 

about how language works, how people are polite, and what's important gives translators’ 



20 

ways to share power differences, social power, and strong feelings. If this is done, the 

translation can keep the true culture, deep story, and social statements of the first story, 

making sure Arabic readers fully feel Najeeb’s problems and the unfair things that keep 

happening to him. 

1.13.4 Power Dynamics in Language Use Politeness in Translation 

Terms of address in translation, especially in Benyamin’s Goat Days, are studied for their 

power dynamics. Language is used to subjugate, dominate, and construct social hierarchy; 

hence address affects power distribution. Philosophy of politeness explains how Najeeb’s 

kidnappers use different speaking styles to establish a social distance. The novel uses 

these principles, and translators struggle to maintain power dynamics in the translated 

language. 

Address has always indicated authority, social hierarchy, and respect throughout 

languages and civilizations. Words of address are fundamental linguistic tools but also 

convey authority, familiarity, and respect, according to (Braun, 1988). Fasold (1990) 

states that how individuals address each other reflects the community’s social structure 

and produces power relations and social interactions. These findings are particularly 

relevant in Goat Days since Najeeb’s captors’ vocabulary is full of social and cultural 

references that reflect the strong power struggles. To preserve the original text’s societal 

critique, the translation must keep these details. 

In Goat Days, Najeeb’s captors utilize “Abd” (slave) and “Miskeen” (poor, miserable) to 

show their dominance and dehumanize him. These sentences reinforce Najeeb’s captivity 

rather than being descriptive. Searle’s 1969 speech act theory asserts that language may 

perform social and emotional actions as well as communication. The tyranny-inducing 

terms of address in Goat Days help Najeeb dehumanize. These sentences must be 

translated into Arabic while retaining its oppressive severity and emotional resonance to 

convey the same sense of exploitation as the English version. 

Brown & Levinson’s (1987) politeness theory adds another viewpoint to Goat Days’ 

terms of address. Positive politeness fosters community and connection, whereas negative 

politeness preserves social distance and respects individual liberty. The kidnappers of 

Najeeb in Goat Days utilize insulting civility to retain their power and social distance. 

Use of “mudeer” (boss) and “Sheikh” (respect) to dominate Najeeb is intentional. 



21 

Translating these terms into Arabic must consider their social functions to preserve the 

power relations between Najeeb and his captors. 

Linguistic equivalence between the originating and target languages is a major challenge 

in translating this terminology. Koller (1995) defines equivalence in translating as 

retaining cultural, social, and emotional meaning as well as word-for-word translations. 

During Goat Days, Arabic terms like “Miskeen” and “Abd” have deep cultural and 

historical implications that may not translate into English. In Arabic, "Abd" may lose its 

historical connotations of exploitation when translated as “slave” or “servant”. The 

translator must navigate these complications to preserve these sentences’ power 

dynamics. 

Schleiermacher’s (1838/1998) way of seeing foreignization and domestication is very 

important when changing the words in Goat Days that show how people are addressed. 

Foreignization keeps the first text’s cultural and social background, even if it is hard for 

the new readers, like keeping words such as mudeer or Sheikh to show social status and 

what they mean in the culture. On the other hand, domestication changes the language to 

fit what the new readers expect, but this could make the book’s message about 

mistreatment and unfair power less clear. For instance, swapping titles that come from a 

specific culture with words that are more common could make the text easier to 

understand but might weaken its first social and cultural message. 

In the end, translating how people are addressed in Goat Days means more than just 

finding similar Arabic words. The translator needs to keep the feelings, social meaning, 

and cultural importance of the first text while also making it easy for new readers to 

understand. To keep the book’s picture of power, mistreatment, and treating people as 

less than human, we need to pay close attention to politeness, how people speak, and ideas 

about what is equal. If translators do these things, they can make sure that Arabic readers 

truly understand the story's depth, social message, and real cultural feel. 

1.13.5 Language as Action The Role of Address in Enforcing Dehumanization 

Goat Days examines how language dehumanizes. Benyamin’s terms of address actively 

dehumanize Najeeb throughout the novel, reflecting the power dynamics between him 

and his captors. The kidnappers’ verbal acts, which distort words to further Najeeb’s 



22 

imprisonment, demonstrate this. Proper translation is necessary to maintain the repressive 

and dehumanizing tone of the original text in the TL. 

Addresses are more just linguistic marks; they are tied to social, cultural, and power 

factors. Braun (1988) defines words of address as culturally specific linguistic strategies 

that portray interpersonal relationships. During Goat Days, the kidnappers utilize 

“mudeer” (manager) and “Abd” (slave) to show their authority over Najeeb. Despite 

seeming descriptive, these words actively maintain Najeeb’s helplessness inside a tight 

social order. Translators struggle to preserve these terms’ performance in the target 

language. Searle’s speech act theory shows that language is used for action and 

communication. The verbal activities in Goat Days maintain Najeeb’s restrictive social 

order and dehumanize him. 

A key problem in changing Goat Days into another language is how to share the cultural, 

social, and emotional importance of ways people are addressed while still showing how 

power works in the story. For example, those holding Najeeb call him “Miskeen,” a word 

that shows both sadness and scorn. Words in English like “miserable” or “poor” give the 

basic idea but do not show all the feeling and cultural meaning. Likewise, the word “Abd” 

(slave) has a long history and social meaning, bringing up both being controlled and used; 

making it simple as “servant” or “slave” in the translation lessens its impact and weakens 

how Najeeb’s hard life is shown. 

How the people who kidnapped him use both roundabout and direct ways of talking 

makes translation even harder. Even when they seem fair or kind, their orders to Najeeb 

force him, hiding control behind a show of choice. It is very important to get these small 

language tricks right to keep the feeling of stress and Najeeb’s lack of power in the new 

version. 

Ways of addressing people also include titles of respect like “Sheikh” and “Hajj,” which 

point to social levels and make Najeeb seem lower in status. Translators must pick 

between keeping the original Arabic words to hold onto the cultural details or changing 

them to more common English words. Both ways have problems: keeping the original 

words might confuse readers, but changing them could weaken the book’s cultural and 

social message. 



23 

In the end, translating how people are addressed in Goat Days means carefully balancing 

being true to the culture with making sure readers understand. By keeping the ways of 

speaking, expressions of force, and culturally heavy words, translators can keep the 

book’s message about the misuse of organizations, power levels, and the loss of Najeeb’s 

humanity, making sure the social and emotional meaning of the first work connects with 

those reading it in another language. 

1.13.6 Power Manipulation Through Language Disrupting Conversational Norms 

Language and sociolinguistic studies have long examined the words’ development and 

history. Phrases reflect and shape social order. They explore how social hierarchies, 

respect, and familiarity affect how individuals refer to one other. Braun (1988) states that 

terms of address have significant cultural meanings that influence social behavior. These 

expressions create the power relations between Najeeb and his captors in Goat Days, 

making them difficult to translate while preserving their cultural relevance. 

Translating culturally significant address words is difficult. These titles show how 

dehumanized Najeeb has become in Goat Days since they typically allude to him by his 

inferior social status and lack of agency. The way Najeeb is talked strengthens his 

authoritarian system and objectifies him. Translation from English to Arabic is 

challenging because the two languages use formality, hierarchy, and politeness 

differently. Find equivalents for these topics and maintain their importance in the story’s 

indictment of exploitation and power. 

Many scholars have studied how terms of address vary by culture. These address styles 

convey social distance, reciprocal respect, and power dynamics, which Fasold (1990) says 

preserve social institutions. In Goat Days, “mudeer” (p. 12), “Ummah’s” (p. 31), and “My 

wife” (p. 31) refer to a social control system that Najeeb must navigate. Translating these 

words without losing their hierarchical meanings is challenging. Najeeb’s usage of “My 

son” (p. 33) and “My Karuvatta friend” (p. 33) to refer to his family members emphasizes 

his deep emotional ties with them and the dehumanizing contrast between their language 

and his captors’. 

Translations sometimes lose cultural connotations and power connections, particularly 

across languages like Arabic and English that use various honorifics and social indicators, 

according to (Farghal, 1993). For instance, “mudeer,” in a hierarchical organization, 



24 

means management, authority, and respect. Translators struggle to maintain these 

definitions while ensuring the audience knows the term’s plot value. Translating terms 

like “Sainu’s” (pp. 31), which Najeeb calls his wife, demands consideration of the original 

language’s social and emotional context. 

Translators must balance Schleiermacher (1838/1998)’s domestication and foreignization 

when dealing with culturally varied conceptions. Domestication may simplify the original 

work and make it more reader-friendly by adapting it to the target language’s culture. 

Foreignization preserves the original’s culture but may alienate the target audience. The 

words “My fellow traveler” (pp. 33) and “Lad” (pg. 33) in Goat Days show Najeeb’s 

shifting relationships and must be correctly translated to convey his authority and 

camaraderie. 

Translating words of address in Goat Days requires balancing social and cultural 

intricacies with intelligibility in the target language. Early study on the cultural 

importance of terms of address might help us understand how to retain the novel’s 

emotional and hierarchical features. The literature research informs the translation study’s 

theoretical framework, emphasizing the novel’s language portrayal of power relations and 

critique of systemic oppression. 

1.13.7 Equivalence in The Translation of Goat Days 

Equivalency involves complicated social, emotional, and cultural variables, making it 

difficult to translate terms of address in Goat Days. Names like “mudeer,” “Ummah,” and 

“Sainu” signify authority, social strata, and identity, affecting character relationships. The 

translation process must retain semantics in addition to verbatim to achieve equality 

between the source language (SL) and target language (TL). Koller (1995) defines 

translation equivalence as a relationship with the same meaning, goal, and cultural 

significance. He classifies equivalence as formal-aesthetic, pragmatic, denotative, and 

connotative. These equivalencies let Goat Days handle sophisticated terms of address. 

Denotative equivalence preserves a word’s factual meaning across languages. When 

“mudeer” is translated as “manager,” its functional connotation is communicated. The 

term has additional implications connected to social control and authority in Goat Days. 

When translating Arabic into English or vice versa, denotative meaning frequently fails 

to capture the power dynamics and cultural contexts of words, according to (Farghal, 



25 

1993). Thus, although “mudeer” may translate to “manager,” the translator must keep its 

social overtones. 

Connotative equivalence addresses word associative and emotional meanings, according 

to (Koller, 1995). In Goat Days, “Miskeen” (poor) describes someone’s finances and 

evokes pity, disgust, and inferiority. The English translation “poor” would lose the 

cultural and emotional meaning of “Miskeen” in Arabic. Venuti (2017) advises 

translating to express both the original text’s cultural resonance and literal meaning. This 

means the Arabic translation must evoke the same sadness and contempt for Najeeb as 

the English language. 

Pragmatic equivalence examines the audience’s intended response to the speech. 

Najeeb’s kidnappers use demeaning terms like “Abd” (slave) to gain dominance during 

Goat Days. Performative sentences are used to oppress and dominate. The politeness 

theory of Brown & Levinson (1987) suggests that address may reinforce or disrupt social 

hierarchy. Translating these statements requires ensuring that the target language 

communicates the same psychological shame and surrender. The Arabic term “Abd” 

would lose its historical and social meaning if translated as “servant,” undercutting 

Najeeb’s exploitation. 

Formal-aesthetic equivalence preserves a text’s style and form. The phrase “My Nabeel, 

my Safia” in Goat Days conveys emotional connection and intimate relationships. The 

translation must preserve the rhythm and intensity of these personal statements in English. 

Hatim & Mason (1997) say sentence structure and term-of-address sequence are crucial 

to the narrative’s emotional and artistic impact. Rendering address terms like “My 

son/My very dear Sainu/Your uppah” into Arabic requires careful consideration of the 

phrase’s structure and cultural and social tones. 

In brief, the process of translation of lexical words in Benyamin’s novel requires more 

than a word transfer. Thus, facilitating both linguistic and cultural transfer. It entails 

understanding the underlying social, and cultural meanings of the original expressions. 

The translator may employ Koller’s (1995) denotative, connotative, pragmatic, and 

formal-aesthetic equivalence categories to ensure that Goat Days’ Arabic translation 

retains its social and emotional resonance. This caution is needed to preserve the novel’s 

themes of power, identity, and dehumanization in the TL. 



26 

Chapter Two 

Methodology 

2.1 Introduction  

The researcher studies the ST, a fictional novel called Goat Days, as a case study. Goat 

Days is the translation of the famous Malayalam novel “Aadujeevitham” by one of the 

recent bright Malayalam writer Benyamin. It is being translated into English in the name 

Goat Days by an English Professor Joseph Koyipally  .This novel has also won the Kerala 

Sahitya Academy Award and several other prominent awards and that justifies the 

selection of the novel for the research. This research adopts a descriptive method since 

the researcher locates the address terms then categorizes them to their types, functions, 

positions and the addresser and the addressee. This research includes a qualitative method 

in order to assess the quality of the translated work by using standards from professional 

norms on translation theories that will be useful when it comes to the rendering of the 

address terms. Therefore, approaches like sociolinguistics, pragmatics, focusing 

particularly on the theories of relevance, politeness, register, speech act will be used in 

this research and Venuti’s ideas about “domestication” and “foreignization” will be 

mentioned too. 

Overall, the researcher compares the ST with the TT with an emphasis on the address 

terms in Goat Days. 

2.2 Data Collection 

The data were collected from Goat Days with their translations. In the first place, the 

researcher categorizes them into three key variables: power dynamics, social 

relationships, and themes of identity. Then, she examines the types and functions of these 

address terms in each section in order to make comparison between the original text and 

the translated text. Next, she inserts Suhail Al-Wafi’s Arabic translation of each example 

to illustrate the strategies used by Al-Wafi and how Power, dehumanization, enslavement, 

derogatory language, total control of the subject’s body and life specifically in Goat Days. 

The selection of address terms for this study is driven by their importance in conveying 

respect, authority, and familiarity between the interlocutors. Here, the researcher’ goal is 

to draw attention to the difficulties while rendering literary works like Goat Days. 



27 

Moreover, the translation strategies play a crucial role in understanding other societies 

values and culture. 

The analysis will be conducted within the framework of sociolinguistics and pragmatics, 

like applying the theories of relevance, politeness, speech acts, register. There will also 

be an application of postcolonial theory. First, relevance theory, which looks at the 

relationship between a communicator’s objective and the recipient's ability to perceive 

meaning, was created by (Sperber & Wilson, 1995). Second, in their study of politeness 

theory, academics such as Hatim & Mason (1997) contend that address phrases are crucial 

for evaluating interpersonal relationships and communication. Thirdly, Searle (1969) 

built on J.L. Austin’s idea of performative language in order to develop speech act theory 

which divided them into locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts. Thus, 

rendering address terms, needs understanding the functions of the utterances like: 

“request, command, or greeting” within the social and cultural norms of the both ST and 

TT languages. Fourthly, Venuti (2017) defines the concepts of “Domestication” and 

“Foreignization”. The first concept refers to a translation method that aligns a foreign 

context with the dominant cultural norm, hence the TT and its language grammar are 

respected to the maximum. On the other hand, the second concept refers to maintain the 

cultural differences between the SL and TL, thus the TT and its language grammar are 

respected to the minimum. Al-Wafi can balance between these strategies. The translator 

can maintain the ST or adapt it to the target audience. 

2.3 Statistical Analysis Methods 

Different instances of address terms were extracted from Goat Days. “In translation 

studies, a careful consideration of existing translation theories is crucial to framing a 

robust methodological approach” (Hatim & Munday, 2004). The study uses a qualitative 

comparison method to look at certain parts of both the original English text and the Arabic 

version in great depth. The collected data is analyzed using theories like politeness, 

relevance, speech acts, and Venuti’s concepts of domestication and foreignization. First, 

the researcher carefully collects the samples from both the ST and TT works. Then, she 

classifies them into groups. Next, she compares the collected data from Al-Wafi’s work 

and Benyamin’s work. Finally, she sets them carefully based on identity themes, social 

ties, and power dynamics. The scope of the study is to locate significant terms of address, 

like formal titles, occupational terms, kinship terms, derogatory and dehumanizing terms, 



28 

neutral and politeness-based terms and look at how these phrases are translated into 

Arabic version. This will help us understand how Al-Wafi translated address terms and 

how his choices affected society values and culture.  

  



29 

Chapter Three 

Data Analysis 

3.1 Introduction 

This chapter is mainly focused on analyzing and evaluating the translation of terms of 

address in Suhail Al-Wafi’s Arabic rendition of Goat Days (2008), focusing on racial 

identity, socio-political hierarchy, and migrant disillusionment. When reading Goat Days, 

the way people address each other is more than just a matter of language. This section of 

my research demonstrates the unequal treatment of the protagonist of the novel “Najeeb”, 

a foreign worker in the Gulf, by society and the dynamics of power. It is important to 

mention that the choices used in rendering these terms demonstrate how ethnic and class 

identities are exploited for financial gain, as well as how the Indian worker ’s attitudes 

toward his employer, “arbab,” evolve over time, shifting from admiration to rage. Also, 

domestication and foreignization concepts are used to evaluate the rendered words and 

making these terms simple for the target audience to understand. However, in order to 

demonstrate that the material originates from a different culture, “foreignization” 

preserves the cultural characteristics of the original (Venuti, 2017). These translation 

choices are examined in this paper using several distinct theoretical frameworks. The 

major ones utilized to view how the Arabic text preserves or alters culture are Venuti’s 

theories of “domestication” and “foreignization.” “Domestication" in this context is a 

translation strategy that fits a foreign text with prevailing cultural standards, hence 

facilitating Arabic readers’ comprehension. “Foreignization,” on the other hand, 

preserves the original’s cultural distinctions to indicate that the writing hails from another 

culture (Venuti, 2017).  

Terms of address are quite crucial in the context of the novel for defining relationships, 

social hierarchies, and even psychological control. According to Braun (1988), styles of 

address are more than only linguistic markers; they also have social significance and can 

either enhance or diminish power dynamics (p. 15). Najeeb is treated poorly in Goat Days 

since he is an undocumented Gulf worker. His society’s tight social class structure is 

reflected in the way individuals refer to him. The English edition of the novel implies 

terms such as “arbab” and “mudeer,” The Arabic version either preserves these words or 

modifies them to suit the cultural and practical needs of Arabic-speaking consumers. 



30 

Al-Jabari (2022) supports this view by claiming that forms of address act as 

sociolinguistic indicators of power dynamics and social status. In Goat Days, this is 

especially clear in how characters employ address terms to marginalize Najeeb, 

frequently relegating him to a state of servitude. For instance, the repeated of “Abd” 

brings forth profound historical implications of slavery, highlighting the protagonist’s 

loss of humanity and lack of power. 

In a different perspective, Smith (2023) argues that address terms are not merely 

referential but also performative they create social relationships and evoke expectations 

about behavior and roles. In Goat Days, terms like “arbab’s man” or just Abd do not only 

signify Najeeb’s role; they actually help to create it. Every statement strengthens his 

social inferiority, transforming language into a tool of psychological and structural 

domination. 

The novel contains linguistic hierarchies like Brown & Gilman’s (1960) notion of power 

and solidarity in address forms. According to this view, address phrases indicate social 

control as well as intimacy (p. 254). The main character of Goat Days is nearly always 

spoken to in terms that indicate control over him, which makes him feel even more like a 

slave. Often referred to as “Abd,” for instance, Najeeb carries great historical and social 

significance as a “slave” or “servant.” Important sections of the Arabic text utilize this 

word again, so stressing how degrading his forced labor was. 

These address terms are difficult to translate since, as Venuti (2017) discusses in The 

Translator’s Invisibility, your language use can either make the text more familiar to those 

who speak Arabic or preserve its oddity. The Arabic version of Goat Days handles this 

by retaining certain important address phrases and modifying others to fit the language. 

The Arabic term “arbab,” which is used to signify “employer” or “master” in Arabic-

speaking Gulf countries, is translated without any alterations. This preserves the original 

significance of the term. 

Furthermore, the way address names appear in the novel corresponds with Munday’s 

(2007) discussion on translation and ideology, which holds that translators choose 

depending on cultural standards and power dynamics (p. 202). The Arabic translation of 

Goat Days, which aims to be faithful to the original text but yet simple for Arabic readers 

to grasp, reflects these choices. Some English honorifics and terms of rank are adopted 



31 

or modified slightly in the Arabic-speaking world to better match the way individuals 

speak and write. 

Here, this section of the study will show whether the address phrases are successfully 

maintained in the rendered version or whether the words are distorted in the translation. 

3.2 Classification of Terms of Address 

This section explores the ways of addressing the interlocutors in the Al-Wafi’s translated 

version and Benyamin's work. 

3.2.1 Formal Titles 

Formal titles such as honorifics or positional terms frequently express social hierarchy 

and power dynamics. As Brown & Gilman (1960) suggest, these titles influence 

interpersonal relations within specific cultural contexts by signaling politeness, authority, 

or social distance. In Goat Days, terms like mudeer (director) and arbab (boss/employer) 

exemplify this function, reinforcing the structured power imbalance between employers 

and migrant workers and serving as linguistic markers of dominance. These titles 

emphasize the socio-economic reliance of workers on their bosses as well as respect. 

According to Fairclough (1989), social control is mostly maintained by language; the 

usage of official names in Goat Days shows how speech acts affect power dynamics in 

migrant labor environments. 

Table (1) 

Formal Titles 

No.  Chapter 
Benyamin’s wording 

(Page. line no.) 

The addresser/ 

the addressee 

Al-Wafi’s 

translation 

1 6 * arbab (6.39.1) Najeeb/arbab أرباب 

2 6 My arbab (6.39.3) Najeeb/arbab يا أربابي 

* arbab (Arabic: "أرباب"). 

Situation Analysis 

Chapter 4 of Goat Days sees Indian migrant laborer Najeeb, the main character, land in 

Riyadh and impatiently await his arbab (sponsor/ employer). Left at the airport with his 

friend Hakeem, he is unsure whether their employer will arrive. They clearly lack power 



32 

and are terrified. The quote “Whatever it is, an arbab had come for me. I was relieved by 

that thought. I too have become a Gulf NRI. I too have an arbab of my own. The one who 

walks in front of me is the custodian of all my dreams, the visible god who would fulfil 

all my ambitions. My arbab! arbab at that moment I could not have liked any other word 

more!” (6.39.1) clearly shows how Najeeb idolizes the arbab, viewing him as the key to 

his future prosperity as a Gulf NRI (Non-Resident Indian) 

Najeeb instantly links the arbab with control over his destiny upon his arrival. His view 

of the arbab changes from hope and respect (thinking him to be his “visible god” and 

“custodian of all his dreams”) to discomfort and dismay when he discovers his boss is 

filthy and unlikable. This change draws attention to the hierarchical relationship and 

power interactions between worker and employer. 

Analysis of the Term “arbab / My arbab” Using Sociolinguistics and Discourse 

Analysis 

A. Sociolinguistic Analysis 

Sociolinguistics is the study of how language is shaped by reflects social factors such as 

class, gender, ethnicity, and power structures (Holmes, 2013). In the context of Goat Days 

sociolinguistics aids in understanding how the word arbab, signifying “master” or “boss,” 

functions within the labor hierarchy of the Gulf region and reflects deeply rooted socio-

economic disparities. An Arabic honorific, the word “arbab” means “master” or “boss”. 

Commonly used in the Gulf to refer to employers under the kafala (sponsorship) system, 

which controls migrant labor. In Najeeb’s internal monologue, he plays with the sound of 

“arbab,” an unknown yet intriguing term, repeating it several times. This shows his first 

idealization of the language assimilation process immigrants go through as well as his 

employer. The word changes from respect to irony as the tale develops. By chapter’s end, 

referring to the boss as “my arbab” seems nearly ironic since the reality of exploitation 

starts to dawn. 

Analysis of the Address Term “arbab/My arbab” Through Migration Studies and 

Postcolonial Theory 

Postcolonial theory examines the enduring effects of colonial power systems and the ways 

in which these are absorbed by colonized or marginalized individuals (Bhabha, 1994; 

Said, 1987). This theory is essential for revealing the racial, economic, and ideological 



33 

complexities ingrained in the relationship between migrant workers and Arab employers. 

From a postcolonial viewpoint, arbab represents the convergence of race, class, and 

colonial legacy in the Gulf labor market. Najeeb's view of the arbab as both a savior and 

an oppressive character reflects the complex connection of the colonial subject with 

power. At first, he honors his arbab because of preconceptions about Arab wealth, but his 

view changes when he faces the brutal realities of servitude. This duality both respect and 

dread show the internalized colonial mentality, in which the subaltern both worships and 

hates the ruling force. 

Ultimately, Domestication versus Foreignization, as described by Venuti (1995), offers a 

structure for examining translation decisions. Domestication modifies the ST to fit the 

conventions of the target language and culture, whereas foreignization preserves the 

original foreign qualities of the ST, emphasizing cultural distinctions. Instead of 

substituting the foreign word “arbab” with a synonym such as “kafeel” (sponsor) or 

“sayyid” (master), Suhail Al-Wafi keeps it in the Arabic translation. This implies a 

foreignizing strategy, keeping the unique Gulf Arabic word instead of changing it for the 

Arabic-speaking audience. 

Evidence of Foreignization 

“arbab” stays untranslated, hence preserving its Gulf-specific meanings. Retaining the 

rhythmic phrase “arbab! arbab!”, Najeeb's language path is preserved as he comes across 

this word for the first time. The word “my arbab” (أربابي) is also retained, therefore 

supporting Najeeb's changing view of his boss. Arabic readers, particularly non-Gulf 

Arabs, may not know “arbab” as a term of address for an employer. Maintaining it foreign 

helps to keep the migrant worker's outsider viewpoint. This approach fits the ideas of 

displacement and cultural alienation in the novel. 

The Impact of Indian English on the Translation 

Originally written in Malayalam, an Indian language, Goat Days was translated into 

Indian English, which varies from conventional English. Indian English generally follows 

local speech patterns, has various grammatical structures, and keeps loanwords from 

Indian languages. 

 



34 

Implications for the Arabic Translation of Terms of Address 

Expressions in Indian English that are emotive and lyrical, such “the custodian of all my 

dreams”, are kept in the Arabic form as “حارس أحالمي”, therefore maintaining the dramatic 

tone. Arabic, which also appreciates repetition for emphasis, is ideally adapted to the 

rhythmic, repetitive pattern seen in Indian storytelling (e.g., “arbab! arbab!”). Some 

colloquial expressions in Indian English could not have exact Arabic counterparts, hence 

cultural alteration would be needed even if the content of the novel would be preserved. 

3.2.2 Occupational Terms 

Occupational words are linguistic expressions used to indicate a person’s professional 

role or job title within a certain social and workplace hierarchy. These words not only 

indicate employment but also highlight the power relations between employees and 

companies.  Holmes & Stubbe (2003) claim that occupational words are frequently 

ingrained in workplace conversation to assert power, support professional identity, and 

preserve social order. Goat Days uses professional words like mudeer (director/manager) 

and arbab (boss/employer) to indicate the supremacy of employers over migrant laborers 

such as Najeeb. These words draw attention to the systematic power imbalance in the 

Gulf labor system, where migrant workers are obliged to recognize their lower status by 

means of courteous speech. Healey et al. (2024) demonstrate how individuals in positions 

of power are less likely to use sensitive language, prioritizing linguistic restraint as a 

reflection of institutional accountability rather than merely power—underscoring how 

occupational language in Goat Days acts as a form of discourse control. 

Table (2) 

Occupational Terms 

No.  Chapter 
Benyamin’s wording 

(Page. line no.) 

The addresser/ the 

addressee 

Al-Wafi’s 

translation 

1 1 * mudeer (1.12.3) Nejeeb/ Prison warden مدير 

*  mudeer (Arabic: "مدير"). 

Situation Analysis 

The protagonist, Najeeb, and his friend Hameed stand outside a police station in the above 

Goat Days snippet, frantically seeking arrest. Though they have intentionally put 



35 

themselves in circumstances the police could see, they nevertheless go unheeded. They 

finally choose to stroll into the police station and ask for the “mudeer” (chief or director). 

In this scenario, this is their first direct interaction with the officials. The power balance 

becomes obvious when they eventually see the mudeer. The mudeer questions Najeeb 

and uses physical force to assert control, therefore exercising power over him. By 

showing the power disparity between Najeeb and the mudeer as well as the migrant 

workers’ vulnerability in the Gulf, the quotation supports the statistical study. “He led us 

to the mudeer’s room, where he looked up from the computer screen to see us come in. 

The officer who accompanied us informed the mudeer something and he inquired of us 

something. We showed no indications of comprehension. I really didn’t get most of what 

the mudeer asked or what the cop said, so I didn’t have to act. Hameed, however, had to 

act. I had heard him speak fluent Arabic.” 1.12.3 This exchange shows Najeeb’s fragile 

and helpless state as a migrant laborer in the Gulf. 

Analysis of the Term “mudeer” 

Politeness Theory, introduced by Brown & Levinson (1987), illustrates how individuals 

employ linguistic tactics to preserve face the social identity of both the speaker and the 

hearer. Strategies of politeness may be classified as positive (focusing on intimacy and 

unity) or negative (concentrating on respect and preventing encroachment). When it 

comes to address terms, selecting a specific word indicates the speaker’s aim to recognize 

social roles and hierarchies while maintaining respectful interpersonal relationships. 

From looking at language in society and how conversations work, the word "mudeer" 

shows a clear sense of levels and organizations. In places where Arabic is spoken, mudeer 

 usually means someone in charge, like a boss or leader, showing power and control (مدير)

at work or in groups. In Goat Days, using this word shows how Najeeb and Hameed 

understand and follow the rules of power, strengthening the social levels and Najeeb's 

lower place in that system. 

● Politeness and Power: Even though "mudeer" does not clearly show deep respect, 

it still communicates regard. It is different from words like "sayyid" (sir/master) or 

"ustadh" (professor, used to show respect), which point to greater levels of proper 

behavior or honor, but mudeer creates a proper connection that sees the power of the 

person being spoken to without meaning submission. In Goat Days, this small 



36 

difference helps to show the quiet social levels and seeing of power that are in talks 

between Najeeb, Hameed, and people in charge. 

● Speech Act Analysis: In Goat Days, when Najeeb and Hameed ask to meet the boss, 

they are verbally begging or pleading. This way of speaking fits with their bigger 

goal of wanting to be locked up so they can get away from their difficult and unfair 

situation, showing how language is used on purpose and for practical reasons in the 

story's power structure. 

● Identity and Pragmatic Use: Using the word mudeer here makes sense because it 

fits the language that is normally used in Gulf companies. It also shows the ranking 

system that controls how bosses and foreign workers deal with each other, 

highlighting the organized power differences that Najeeb and others have to deal with 

every day. 

In his Arabic version, the person who changed the words, Suhail Al-Wafi, uses 

"mudeer," which means he tries to make it sound foreign instead of making it sound 

local. Making a translation foreign means keeping parts of the original language and 

culture so people can see it is real. 

● Retention of “mudeer”: Al-Wafi’s use of “mudeer” helps to preserve the local 

institutional vocabulary known to Arab readers, hence ensuring that the translation 

is natural and culturally relevant. 

● Contrast with a Domestication Strategy: When people don't know how Arabic 

offices are set up, you could change mudeer to a common English word like 

"director" or "chief." But, because this translation is for Arabic speakers, we didn't 

need to do that, so we kept the original word to keep its cultural and official meanings. 

● Maintaining the Sociopolitical Context: The word “mudeer” fits appropriately 

within the Gulf setting of Goat Days. Changing it to words such as “boss” or “head 

officer” might have changed the cultural details and weakened the portrayal of the 

real power dynamics between the people, lessening the true-to-life social, cultural, 

and ranking aspects shown in the book. 

 

 



37 

Reflection of Indian English and Its Impact on the Arabic Translation 

Originally written in Malayalam by Benyamin, a Kerala-born Indian author, Goat Days 

the English translation of the novel shows features of Indian English, which is shaped by 

local language structures and phrases. In translation, this is important since the Arabic 

version has to negotiate these cultural and linguistic subtleties. 

● Formal versus Informal Registers: Indian English sometimes uses formal and 

bureaucratic language, like in the case of “mudeer” instead of “boss.” This fits nicely 

with Arabic bureaucratic vocabulary, hence facilitating translation in this case. 

● Cultural Familiarity: Parts of Indian English, particularly idiomatic phrases or 

sentence patterns, may be strange to the Arabic audience. Many Arabic readers, on 

the other hand, may identify the speech patterns and bureaucratic interactions shown 

in the novel since the Gulf region has a notable South Asian migrant community. 

● Lexical Choices: By selecting culturally suitable words and preserving the 

hierarchical dynamics in the ST, the Arabic translation effectively negotiates these 

discrepancies. 

3.2.3 Kinship Terms 

Often reaching beyond biological links to emphasize social alliances, respect, and 

emotional affinity, kinship phrases are linguistic expressions used to indicate family ties. 

Wardhaugh & Fuller (2015) claim that kinship terms are quite important in forming 

interpersonal interactions since they might indicate hierarchy, love, or unity within a 

cultural setting. Najeeb uses kinship words like my kunji and my chakki in Goat Days to 

convey profound emotional ties to his unborn kid. Reinforcing the protagonist’s desire 

for his family while he suffers forced labor in the Gulf, these words are not only referential 

but also marks of love, care, and responsibility. Lakoff & Johnson (1980) contend that 

language is highly metaphorical and that kinship words usually serve as metaphors for 

attachment and protection. By means of such words, Goat Days draws attention to the 

protagonist’s conflict with separation and the cultural relevance of family ties in migrant 

experiences. 

  



38 

Table (3) 

Kinship Terms 

No.  Chapter 
Benyamin’s wording (Page. 

line no.) 

The addresser/ 

the addressee 

Al-Wafi’s 

translation 

1 5 * Ummah (31.11) Najeeb/ his mother أمي 

2 5 My wife (31.11) Najeeb/his wife زوجتي 

3 5 Sainu (31.20) Najeeb/his wife  زينب 

4 19 My very dear Sainu (100.20) Najeeb/his wife  حبيبتي زينب 

5 5 My Nabeel (33.8) Najeeb/ his son  يا نبيل 

6 5 My son (33. 9) Najeeb/ his son يا ابني 

7 5 My kunji (33.10) Najeeb/ his son  كنجي 

8 5 My chakki (33.11) Najeeb/ his son  تشكي 

* Ummah (Arabic: “أمي”) –. 

Analysis of the Address Term “Ummah” in Goat Days and Its Arabic Translation 

Situation Between the Addressor and the Addressee 

Chapter 3 of Goat Days features Najeeb, a Malayali laborer from Kerala getting ready to 

move