Translation Theory and Praxis in East and West - The Case of Saud Al-Sanousi’s Saaq al-Bamboo

Sep 19, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine

Saud Al-Sanousi deploys Saaq al-Bamboo through narrative strategies that stage the plight of migrants while making translation a central trope. Written originally in Arabic, the novel masquerades as an Arabic translation of an autobiography by the protagonist, set in Tagalog/Filipino, supported by a fictional translator, a translator’s note, and extensive footnotes. The paper analyzes these techniques and links them to migration and to the politics of East-West translation, including cultural hegemony, translator freedom, originality, and untranslatability, supported by close scrutiny of English and Malayalam translations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Translation as Narrative Trope

Fictional Translation Devices (Translator, Footnotes, Translator’s Note)

Migration, Hybrid Identity, and Postcolonial Context

Politics of Translation and Cultural Hegemony

Translator Freedom and Originality

Untranslatability and Eastern Translation Practices

Translation Theory and Praxis in East and West: The Case of Saud Al-Sanousi’s Saaq al-Bamboo IBRAHIM BADSHAH Abstract: Saud Al-Sanousi emplots his novel, Saaq al-Bamboo with instances that convey the plight of migrants with the process of translation becoming the trope via which it is elucidated; in an interesting synergy of the two. The novel is originally written in Arabic, but disguises itself as an Arabic translation of an autobiography written by the protagonist, in Tagalog/Filipino language. The author uses a fictional translator, language of translation, and large number of footnotes along with a translator’s note in the beginning, as a stylistic technique to further his argument. The paper will try to closely analyze the unique narrative technique the author has adopted and its relation to the theme he engages with, i.e. migration, in an attempt to assimilate both the processes and look for theories that can be applied on both. The paper also intends to explore the politics of translation in East-West context emphasizing elements like choice of the text and changes in translation with regard to cultural hegemony of the West, based on a close scrutiny of the English translation of the said novel that omits the stylistic novelty of the text. It will also look into the freedom of the translator, juxtaposing the traditional notion of the original/translation binary and the new notions in translation theory that offer a claim of originality to the translated text. Moreover, based on a close examination of the Malayalam translation of the novel, it will undertake a thorough study of the practice of translation among Eastern languages as well paying attention to the concept of ‘untranslatability’ as well as the politics underlying translation practices. The study will question the universality of inherently Eurocentric translation theories and thus conclude by highlighting the need for a theory that deals with translation practices within the East as well. Keywords: Politics, translation, orient, untranslatability In translation: The stylistic novelty of Saaq al-Bamboo and its implications for the text’s thematic concerns Kuwaiti novelist Stalk) won him Saud Al-Sanousi’s seminal work Saaq al-Bamboo (The Bamboo The International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF) also known as the Arabic Booker in 2013. The novel unfolds the life ofJosé Mendoza, the offspring of a secret affair between a Filipina housemaid working in Kuwait and the only son of the house. Although the mother and child are sent back to the Philippines immediately after he is born, the boy returns to Kuwait as an adult as per the will of his father who has died by then. The novel deals with the complexities of a postcolonial world characterized by the presence of hybrid identities, as the protagonist finds himself in the problematic position as an Arab for the Filipinos and Filipino for the Arabs. In telling the tale ofJosé, Al-Sanousi is also touches upon issues plaguing the postcolonial, globalized world, such as the Bidoon Crisis as well as the crises related to the creation of hybrid identities. The novel confuses the readers with its innovative stylistics construed with its thematics, effectively fusing form and content. It is only at the end that the readers get to know Journal of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics Vol. 45, No. 1, Spring 2022 [159-172]© 2022 Vishvanatha Kaviraja Institute, India 160 | JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE LITERATURE AND AESTHETICS the full implications of the title page which attributes the authorship of the work to its protagonist. The title of the book appears in Tagalog as well as in Arabic, mentioning Ibrahim Salam as the translator and Khawla Rashid as the Editor. (Image 1) . The readers are yet to emerge from the confusion they are thrown into when the next page opens toa translator’s bio where Ibrahim Salam’s life and works are detailed. The next two pages further this confusion as they explain the translato

FAQs

How does the paper describe Saaq al-Bamboo’s use of translation within the narrative?

It presents translation as the trope through which the novel elucidates migrants’ plight, using a fictional translator, a translator’s note, and extensive footnotes to support the illusion of translated autobiography.

What narrative devices make the novel appear like a translation of an autobiography?

The paper notes that the novel is originally Arabic but disguises itself as an Arabic translation of an autobiography in Tagalog/Filipino, attributed to a protagonist, with a translator’s note at the beginning and many footnotes.

What translation politics and theoretical issues does the paper aim to examine?

It explores cultural hegemony in East-West translation, differences created by translation choices, translator freedom versus the original/translation binary, and the concept of ‘untranslatability,’ questioning Eurocentric universality in translation theories.

Sep 19, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine