Translating news texts during wars and conflicts: Challenges and strategies

Abstract

This paper examines the characteristics of news translation during wars and conflicts. There is limited research available concerning the issues of English-Arabic news translation, especially during conflicts. Based on an analysis of 11 CNN news headlines and Al-Jazeera parallel translations during the 2003 Iraq War, this study discusses the mechanics of news translation and interpretation and the strategies and challenges involved. Particularly, the paper explores news translation in the context of global information flows across the boundaries of space, language and culture. Building on existing research on news translation, and employing critical discourse and framing analyses, the study shows how news coverage of the Iraq War was framed to serve the competing narratives of war chroniclers as active participants in the conflict.