Students’Approachto the Translation of the Present Perfect from English into Arabic

Abstract

This research sheds light on the translation of the grammatical rules from English into Arabic, more particularly the present perfect tense. The main aim of this study is to analyse to what extent the technique (Laqad + el Madi) is used by the first year master students of English in translating the present perfect tense into Arabic. The study also tests students’ awareness about the appropriate use of the present perfect tense in various contexts conceptually. In order to achieve these aims we administered a test in order to collect data which reveals that most of students overuse the form ( لقد + الماضي ). The study falls within the framework of Descriptive Translation Studies, English and Arabic Tenses, and the analysis of the test. The conclusions drawn regarding the appropriateness or otherwise of the strategies used are intended to increase an awareness of the problems involved and the solutions available to learners. IV