Contextual Meanings Of Qur'anic Near-Synonyms And Their Translations

This study identifies the contextual meanings of some selected Qur'anic near-synonyms and the semantic differences that exist between them, as explained in the Holy Qur'an. It also elucidates how the semantic differences between the selected Qur'anic pairs are reflected in the English translations. Three pairs of Qur'anic near-synonyms are chosen for this study. The collected data are qualitatively analyzed based on the RC-S approach by Murphy. The findings show that some semantic differences exist between the selected pairs of Qur'anic near-synonyms, and some semantic differences are not reflected in the English translations. An example of the investigated Qur'anic near-synonyms is the pair of (sic) and (sic) (hunger). The findings reveal that (sic) (famine) denotes extreme and severe hunger of a large number of people. It is also associated with weakness, fatigue, exhaustion, and thirst. However, its near-synonym (hunger) is more general and does not have the same semantic features as (sic) (famine). It is shown that translating both words by Arberry as 'hunger' is inappropriate since the semantic differences between them are not reflected in the English translation. This study presents recommendations that could be useful for translators, readers, and interested researchers. Keywords: Contextual Meaning; Denotative Meaning; Connotative Meaning, Translation; Qur'anic Near-Synonyms.