The Satire–Hyperbole Nexus in Qur’anic Interpretation and Translation: Ideological Implications and Strategic Approaches

Abstract

At the crossroads of satire and hyperbole, this study delves into the interpretation and translation of Qur’anic discourse, unveiling the complex typologies and communicative functions of speech acts shaped by this potent rhetorical fusion. It engages with the extensive body of interpretative frameworks surrounding hyperbolic and satiric speech acts, exploring the complexities inherent in translating these figurative expressions into English. The data are methodologically analyzed through Sperber and Wilson’s (1986) Relevance Theory, and Nida’s (2003) Theory of Equivalence, employing a qualitative approach to facilitate a rigorous and interpretive analysis of the subject matter. The findings of this study underscore that the figurative language of the Qur’an—specifically the confluence of satire and hyperbole—poses peculiar  translational challenges due to both interlingual and intralingual divergences between Arabic and English. Conventional one-to-one or literal translation methodologies prove inadequate in capturing the full semantic and pragmatic nuance. Consequently, alternative translational model, mainly, a syntactic, pragma-cognitive model that unites Relevance Theory with post-modifier adjectival strategies, empowering translators to penetrate the text’s deeper semantic layers and faithfully transmit its rhetorical brilliance.