Rousseau in Arabic: Between Clarity and Opacity in Text

Through an examination of the translation of Rousseau into Arabic, this study addresses the question of translation in its entirety. The importance of this study lies in its focus on the translation of French works, particularly since the French language was among the first European languages to be encountered by the pioneers of the linguistic, literary, and intellectual renaissance in Arab countries. Moreover, Rousseau was among the first Western figures to be widely read in the Arab world, which led his language to be adapted to Arabic, his symbolisms to Arab symbolisms, and his thought to Arab thought and culture. The study primarily focuses on Rousseau’s The Social Contract, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, and The Confessions. 

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Through an examination of the translation of Rousseau into Arabic, this study addresses the question of translation in its entirety. The importance of this study lies in its focus on the translation of French works, particularly since the French language was among the first European languages to be encountered by the pioneers of the linguistic, literary, and intellectual renaissance in Arab countries. Moreover, Rousseau was among the first Western figures to be widely read in the Arab world, which led his language to be adapted to Arabic, his symbolisms to Arab symbolisms, and his thought to Arab thought and culture. The study primarily focuses on Rousseau’s The Social Contract, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, and The Confessions. 

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