PERFORMATIVE UTTERANCES: THEIR BASIC AND SECONDARY MEANINGS WITH REFERENCE TO FIVE ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS OF THE MEANINGS OF THE HOLY QUR'AN The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. Presented by: FAHAD M. AL-MALIK BA. AND MSC. Supervised by: DR. JAMES DICKINS A THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE FULFILLMENT OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES DURHAM UNIVERSITY C.M.E.I.S 1995 1 8 MAY 1995 Abstract Translating the secondary meanings of performative utterances is one of the problematic issues in the field of translation. In this work I consider appropriate methods which a translator should adopt in dealing with this issue. This thesis consists of seven chapters. The first chapter is the Introduction which contains, among other matters, a discussion of the main problem of the thesis, the purposes of this work, and an outline of the contents of each chapter of the thesis. Chapter two is A survey of the translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur'an. It gives some historical background regarding the issue of translating the Qur'an. It also provides some relevant background about the translator of each of the five translations under consideration as well as general stylistic information. This is followed by Chapter three, which is Pragmatics and speech acts. This chapter considers relevant aspects of speech acts theory within the overall context of pragmatics. It focuses on the classification of illocutionary acts in terms of the taxonomies of Austin, Searle, and Bach and Harnish, and aspects of performative utterances. Chapter four is Performative utterances in Arabic which focuses on the study of the five types of performative utterances recognized in traditional Arab rhetoric and discusses both the primary and secondary meanings of each type. Chapter five is Performative utterances in English. It considers the types of performative utterances from a modern linguistic perspective and discusses both the basic and the secondary meanings of each type of utterance. Comparisons are drawn between rhetorical usages in English and Arabic, and analytical models are established, which are applied in Chapter Six. Chapter six is Analysis and questionnaire results. This chapter is the focus of the study. In it the major secondary meanings of the five types of performative utterances are discussed in detail with comments on the five translations of each example together with some comments on the results of the questionnaire. The last chapter is the Conclusion . This chapter summarizes the arguments and analysis, and suggests further areas of research in the light of the results that I have obtained. In addition to the seven chapters, there are three Appendices . These are Appendix (1) A sample of the questionnaire, Appendix (2) Tables of the results of the questionnaire, and Appendix (3) Further examples of the secondary meanings of performative utterances. TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract -II- Table of contents Dedication Copyright Declaration Acknowledgments Chapter One Introduction 1 . 0 Layout of the Chapter 1 . 1 Background to the Qur'an and Its Translation 1.2 The Central Problem 1 . 3 Reasons for Choosing This Topic 1 . 4 Methodology of the Study 1.5 Outline of the Thesis - III- Chapter Two A Survey of the Translation of the Meanings of the Holy Qur'an 2.0 Layout of the Chapter -9- 2.1 What is the Qur'an? -10- 2.1.1 Inimitability of the Qur'an -11- 2.1.2 Causes of Inimitability -13- 2.1.3 Translation of the Qur'an -14- 2.1.4 Biblical vs Qur'anic Translation -14- 2.1.5 Different Views of Muslim Scholars Concerning the Translation of the Qur'an -15- 2.1.6 Historical Note -16- 2.1.7 Assessment of the Principles of Translation of the Meanings of the Qur'an -18- 2.1.7.a What is meant by translation -18- 2.1.7.b Classification of translation -19- 2.1.7.c Equivalence in translation -20- 2.1.7.d Principles of translation -22- 2.2 Survey of the Five English Translations of the Meanings of the Qur'an Under the Study of This Thesis -25- 2.2.1 A Survey of Yusuf Al's Translation -26- 2.2.2 A Survey of Dawood's Translation -29- 2.2.3 A Survey of As ad's Translation -31- 2.2.4 A Survey of Arberry's Translation -33- 2.2.5 A Survey of Taqi-u-din's Translation -35- -Iv- Chapter Three Pragmatics and Speech Acts 3.0 Layout of the Chapter -38- 3.1 Definition of Pragmatics -39- 3.2 Semantics vs Pragmatics -41- 3.3 Truth-Conditional Semantics -42- 3.3.1 Grice's Maxims and Theory of Relevance -43- 3.4 Speech Acts -44- 3.5 Classification of Speech Acts -46- 3.6 Classification of Illocutionary Acts -5 1- 3.6.1 Austin's Taxonomy -52- 3. 6.2 Searle's Taxonomy -54- 3.6.3 Bach's and Harnish's Taxonomy -57- 3.7 Performative/ Constative Utterances -60- 3.7.1 Explicit Performative Utterances -63- 3.8 Sentence Types -64- Chapter Four Peiformative Utterances in Arabic 4.0 Layout of the Chapter -68- 4.1 Sentence Types -69- 4.1.1 Declarative -69- 4.1.2 Performative -70- 4.1.3 The Truthfulness and the Untruthfulness of an Utterance -71- V 4.2 Demand Performative Utterances -73- 4.2.1 Imperative -73- 4.2.1.a Secondary Meanings of the Imperative -74- 4.2.2 Negative Imperative -80- 4.2.2.a Secondary Meanings of the Negative Imperative -81- 4.2.3 Interrogative -86- 4.2.3.a Secondary Meanings of the Interrogative -89- 4.2.4 Vocative -98- 4.2.4.a Secondary Meanings of The Vocative -102- 4.2.5 Wish -104- 4.2.5.a Secondary Meanings of Wish -105- 4.3 Correspondence Charts -108- Chapter Five Performative Utterances in English 5.0 Layout of the Chapter -111- 5.1 Sentence Types -112- 5.2 Imperative -113- 5.2.1 What is an Imperative? -113- 5.2.2 Secondary Meanings of Imperatives -117- 5.3 Vocative -120- -VI- 5.3.1 What is a Vocative? -120- 5.3.1. a Imperative Subject and Vocative -122- 5.3.2 Secondary Meanings of Vocatives -124- 5.4 Negative Imperative -126- 5.5 Interrogative -130 5.5.1 What is a Question ? -130- 5.5.1. a Classification of Interrogatives -131- 5.5.2 Secondary Meanings of the Interrogative -136- 5.5.2.a Rhetorical Questions -136- 5.5.2.b Questions and Their Functions -144- 5.6 Wish -144- Chapter Six Analysis and Questionnaire Results 6.0 Layout of the Chapter -147- 6.1 Imperative -151- 6.1.1 Secondary Meanings of the Imperative -151 - 6.1.1. a Challenge and Incapacitation -152- 6.1.1.b Continuation and Excitation -155- 6.1.1. c Advice and Guidance -158- 6.1.1.d Prayer and Supplication -160- 6.1.1. e Threat -161- 6.1.1.f Scorn and Disdain -164- 6.1.1. g Permission -165- -VII- 6.1.1.h Equalization -169- 6.2 Negative Imperative -171- 6.2.1 Secondary Meanings of the Negative Imperative -172- 6.2.1.a Continuation and Excitation -172- 6.2.1.b Denial of Hope -175- 6.2.1.c Advice and Guidance -177- 6.2.1.d Prayer -178- 6.2.1.e Petition -179- 6.3 Interrogative -180- 6.3.1 Secondary Meanings of the Interrogative -182- 6.3.1.a Exclamation -182- 6.3.1.b Order -185- 6.3.1.c Negation -187- 6.3.1.d Improbability -190- 6.3.1.e Inducing of Fascination -193- 6.3.1.f Negative Imperative -196- 6.3.1.g Scorn and Mockery -198- 6.3.1.h Expression of Awe and Exaltation -201- 6.3.1.1 Wish -203- 6.3.1.j Affirmation -205- 6.3.1.k Disaffirmative -211- 6.4 Vocative -223- 6.4.1 Secondary Meanings of the Vocative -225- 6.4.1.a Profound Regret -225- 6.4.1.b Friendliness and Politeness -226- -VIII- 6.4.1.c Exaltation -228- 6.4.1.d Affront -230- 6.4.1.e Compassion and Sympathy -23 1- 6 .5 Wish -232- 6.5.1 Secondary Meanings of Wish -234- 6.5.1.a JI__-__A -234- 6.5.1.b J---J -237- 6.5.1.c LI__JL__I -239- Chapter Seven Conclusion 7.1 Preface -242- 7.2 Translation of the Qur'an -243- 7.3 Performative Utterances -246- 7.4 The Five English Translations with Regard to Performative Utterances -249- 7.5 Translation Issues -251- 7.6 Areas for Further Research -25 3- 7.7 Recommendations -254- Appendices 1- Questionnaire -256- 2- Results of the Questionnaire -277- 3- Further examples -285- Bibliography 1- English Bibliography -308- 2- Arabic Bibliography -319- -IX- Dedicated to all those who seek the truth Copyright © 1995 Al-Malik .F. "The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without Al-Malik Fahad's prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged" -XI- Declaration I, the author of this thesis, declare that none of the material in this thesis has been previously submitted by me or any other candidate for a degree in this or any other university Acknowledgments ci--I :II g , ;.:, L-\J L-1=-II (0-.1-; g, n 4 ji __I I ci--.11 =.--.)--NJ I . a.--1--.,, j .1-.÷-..3. 0-1-g in ii--J I g ii U-1-Jig , ca—; 1—LLL.4 I g ci—i-,!-.i g.- First of all, praise be to Allah, The Almighty God, without Whose decree and determine this work could not have been accomplished.