Abstract:
Translation is the basic source of transforming language and culture in literary or non-literary texts. According to Bassnett (2002) , in addition to replacing lexical and grammatical components between two languages, translation entails transmitting the cultural context of a piece of writing. This study compares various strategies used while translating The Crooked Line from its source text, i. e. , Terhi Lakir by Ismat Chughtai to present various instances of cultural imagination and social realities in language. The researchers focused on the use of various literary devices, cultural terms, idioms, and proverbs of the source text in the light of Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS). The study also probes the fact to determine as to what extent Tahira H. Naqvi is successful at portraying the culture-specific items, literary devices, idiom and proverbs in her translation by transforming the form and meaning of the source text. They also explore various strategies used by her to portray faithful pictures of a society in her work. The translation strategies of Tahira H. Naqvi were placed and analyzed under the lens of various strategies and translation techniques recommended by the significant theorists in the field to find out whether she is a creative translator who captures the very essence of an event or story in her translation. The analysis of both the texts proves that she is not a creative translator and a skillful master of Urdu language while translating the idioms, proverbs, and culture specific items of Terhi Lakir into The Crooked Line. The study further concludes that She fails to acquire the true spirit and form of the original text in her translation and misrepresents socio-cultural realities as described in the source text.