Study of Pragmatic Losses in the English Translation of Surah Al Ikhlas: A Comparative Pragma-Linguistic Analysis

The comprehension of the message of the Holy Qur’ān is obligatory for the whole of humanity which is revealed in the Arabic language. Scholars all over the world, Muslims as well as non-Muslims have devoted their best efforts to translate the word of Allah Almighty in different languages of the world, although absolute translation is not possible. These translations from Arabic to other languages of the world result into pragmatic losses. Small wonder, these pragmatic losses cause problems in the process of understanding the actual message of the Holy Qur’ān enshrined in the source text. This study was conducted to analyze the pragmatic losses in the English translations of Sūrah Ikhlāṣ (chapter 112) through a comparative pragma-linguistic analysis. Three different translations have been selected for the study. A comparative and critical study of these translations has established the presence of certain pragmatic losses which are likely to bear upon the comprehension of the reader in more than one way. To the researchers, the presence of these losses calls for the greater sensitivity towards and understanding of the pragmatic aspects of interlingual translation, specifically for a text which in its primordial form was intended to be a Speech (Kalām). To retain the pragmatic value and meaning of the source text become all the more paramount when the text translated is sacred one with its own canonical conventions and discursive norms.

A Secondary Science Teachers Beliefs About Environmental Education and its Relationship With the Classroom Practices

Global environmental issues are increasing due to the rapid developments in science and technology. To address these environmental issues there is a need to create an awareness about environmental education among the masses. This can only be possible through teachers and teacher educators. My underlying assumption is that science teachers are teaching environmental concepts as scientific facts, without creating an awareness about environmental education. The ultimate purpose of this study was to explore the beliefs of a secondary science teacher about environmental education and how his stated beliefs matched with his classroom practices. The study was conducted in one of the co-operative schools of the Aga Khan University- Institute for Educational Development, in Karachi Pakistan. And the sample for this study included one secondary science teacher. The research design was qualitative, which included multimethods. The methods included semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, pre-post conferences, document analysis and the teacher's teaching/learning stories. The study employed different data collection tools such as interview guidelines, a classroom observation checklist, teaching/learning stories and pre-post conference guideline questions. The findings of the study suggest that the participant science teacher in this sample believed in teaching environmental education in a science classroom. He also believed that students should be given a free choice to be involved in environmental participatory activities such as environmental management projects in the real environment. However his enacted teacher centred classroom practice was contrary to his stated beliefs. The factors that prevented him from enacting his beliefs were identified as his content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and support from the administration. The study thus suggests professional development programmes and workshops for that employ reflective practices. Moreover, constructivist approaches should be designed to help teachers to enhance their content, pedagogical content knowledge about environmental education, and that should develop them professionally.