The Impact of Globalization, Arabization, and Englishization on Translation in the Arab World

Abstract

Globalization is an outcome of crossing national and cultural boundaries over the ages, this ongoing process of eliminating national boundaries between countries with the assistance of telecommunication has encouraged interactions among nations and individuals without understanding each other's language, which makes language a barrier instead of a means of communication. Hence, a need for a global language has arisen to eliminate the communication barriers between people and nations in this global era. This global language or the lingua franca requires some modifications in order to be simpler, safer, and more economic.This exploratory paper aims at understanding the concept of globalization, its correlation with English as a lingua franca, and the impact of globalization on the field of translation. In addition, to its cultural impaction the Arab world and the main linguistics impacts of that affecting the usage of Arabic language. The examples provided will be from the Arab region in general and specifically from the State of Kuwait when applicable. Jovanovic (2010) believes that globalization is an emperor without an empire, but globalization is more like a boat that carries all people, from different nations, different cultures and different languages. Globalization makes them closer to each other. To make life easier on that boat, they have two options for communicating; either to find a common language that all people on board understand, or to find a translator to be a mediator between them. Either way, they should communicate, or they also should a ride on that boat of 'globalization'. In this paper, the concept of globalization will be discussed, its correlation with Englis has a lingua franca, and the impact of globalization on the field of translation. In addition, to its cultural impact on the Arab world and the main linguistics impacts of that affecting the usage of Arabic language. The examples provided will be from the Arab region in general and specifically from the State of Kuwait when applicable. Globalization The concept of globalization, despite being used for a long time, the term itself has been developed recently. Robertson (1992) refers the earliest usage of the term globalizationin the middle 1980s, at which the term was spread, and its usage increased enormously across many different areas of life all around the world. Beilsa (2005) likewise suggests that globalization is not a new phenomenon, since it was present in the world religions and empires of antiquity and traces the early modern period of globalization to the time when European political and military expansion took place. Unlike Robertson, Beilsa considers that the new phase of globalization has developed since the 1960s, because of the evolution of fiber optics and satellite technologies that enable the virtual, low-priced instant communication and allow people from any place and any time to follow significant world events on television screens or on social media-when Appadurai (1990) called medias capes-regardless of location or mobility. An example of such globalization is the inaugural speech of the new U.S president, Donald Trump, which was broadcast on hundreds of TV channels live, in almost all countries in the world, with instant translation (dubbing or subtitling). In addition to all the instant coverage on the social media and online news websites. In addition to technologies, global networks, and the reduction of communication costs, Shiyab (2010) signifies the role of economic investment and free trade policies that remove the economic, social, and cultural barriers among nations and make the world more integrated.