Translation of the Resumptive Conjunctions wa and thumma in the Qur`an

Abstract

The Arabic conjunctions 'wa' and 'thumma' have particular functions, which differ from those found in the English conjunctions 'and' and 'then'. One of these functions is resumption, and the main purpose of using the resumptive 'wa' and 'thumma' in language is to show continuity in a topic. This thesis aims to identify the resumptive use of 'wa' and 'thumma' in the Qur`an and to determine the accuracy of their translations as offered by Pickthall (1930), Ghali (2003), and Shakir (1993). Six Ayahs have been selected from different surahs in the Qur`an of which three Ayahs are examples of the resumptive 'wa' and the other three are examples of the resumptive 'thumma'. The adequacy of the translations of these conjunctions under investigation is examined according to tafsiir and Newmark's 1988 model. The thesis concludes that translating the resumptive 'wa' and 'thumma' in the selected Ayahs has not been done successfully. The translators miss the functions of the resumptive 'wa' and 'thumma', hence the translations are considered out of context and fail to convey the intended message. It is therefore suggested that translators give more recognition to the function of the resumptive 'wa' and 'thumma' in the Qur`an and understand the contexts in the Qur`an, as well as they may have to consult with Arabic speaking exegetes.