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Title: Bridging languages and cultures: The translation of un sustainable development goals into Arabic.
Vol. 14(1), 2026, pp. 21-42.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46687/XOZN3859
Author: Amjad Mohammad Badah
About the author: Amjad is a Ph.D. candidate in Applied Linguistics at the University of Málaga. He works as an instructor of English as a Foreign Language and a trainer in scientific research, academic writing, scholarly publication, and artificial intelligence. In addition, he serves as a consultant on the use of AI in education and research. His research interests include Translation Studies, Discourse Analysis, Language Education, English for Academic Purposes, Online Language Teaching, Technology-Enhanced Language Learning, and AI-assisted translation.
E-mail: amjad.badah@uma.es
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2729-1875
Author: Laura Esteban-Segura
About the author: Laura Esteban-Segura is a Professor of English Philology at the Department of English, French, and German Philology at the University of Málaga. She holds bachelor’s degrees in English Philology and Translation and Interpreting from the University of Málaga, a Master of Letters in English Language and English Linguistics from the University of Glasgow, and a PhD in English Historical Linguistics from the University of Málaga. Her research interests include Applied and Historical Linguistics.
E-mail: lesteban@uma.es
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7721-2210
Author: Mohammad Thawabteh
About the author: Mohammad Thawabteh is a Professor of Translation Studies at Alquds University. He holds a Ph.D. in Translation and Intercultural Studies from Universidad de Granada. He teaches language, linguistics, and translation at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. His research interests include Translator Training, Translation Studies, Pragmatics, Cultural Studies, and Discourse analysis.
E-mail: mthawabteh@staff.alquds.edu
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0434-6730
Link: http://silc.fhn-shu.com/issues/2026-1/SILC_2026_Vol_14_Issue_1_021-042_22.pdf
Citation (APA): Badah, A. M., Esteban-Segura, L., & Thawabteh, M. (2026). Bridging languages and cultures: The translation of un sustainable development goals into Arabic. Studies in Linguistics, Culture, and FLT, 14(1), 21-42. https://doi.org/10.46687/XOZN3859
Abstract: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) introduced by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 were meant to be universal and applicable to all developing and developed countries, establishing a global framework and a common ground for all people worldwide. Despite their global significance, limited scholarly attention has been paid to the translation of the SDGs into Arabic and the implications of such translations for meaning. The current study carefully examines the translation methods and procedures through which a selection of SDGs, along with their statements, were translated from English into Arabic. It explores how linguistic and cultural differences influence the interpretation of global sustainability agendas in Arab-speaking countries. The study employed the descriptive-analytical method to systematically analyze the translated Arabic texts. Following Vinay and Darbelnet’s (1995) translation model, two strategies and seven particular procedures applied in transferring the English SDGs into their Arabic counterparts were investigated. The findings demonstrated that the Arabic translation of the SDGs mainly employed direct translation procedures, including literal translation and borrowing to convey the intended meaning as accurately as possible. However, indirect translation procedures such as transposition, modulation, and equivalence were also used to ensure cultural appropriateness and natural rendering. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how global policy discourse is linguistically and culturally adapted in Arabic, highlighting key challenges in translating international policy texts. This combination of translation methods contributed to conveying the underlying meaning effectively and addressing the problematic linguistic and cultural elements appropriately.
Keywords: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Arabic-English Translation, Translation Strategies, Translation Procedures, Literal Translation
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