1. Abstract
Al Qeisi, Adel Nemer Yousef. (2009). Problems Encountered by UAE University Students in Translating English Animal
Idioms into Arabic. Master Thesis, Yarmouk University. (Supervisor: Professor Abdullah Talal Shunnaq)
Key words: Idioms, Equivalence, Collocations, Cultural Differences, Figurative meaning, Target language culture.
The purpose of this study was to determine what problems encountered UAE University students in translating English Animal Idioms
into Arabic. In 2008, third year students at the Translation Department constituted the subjects of the study. The sample used in
this thesis included 75 female students of translation at the UAE University in Al Ain in the UAE. The test has been used as data
collection tool in this investigation. The purpose of the test was to collect all possible data on how far students can translate
English animal idioms into Arabic. The following results were obtained from this study:
1-English animal idioms are difficult to be translated into Arabic because of the big gap between the two cultures, which are reflected
in their languages.
2- English animal idioms are usually used in their figurative meaning; this is why translating them accurately, meaningfully and
normally into Arabic is considered to be problematic.
Following on from the results, it is suggested that exposure to target language culture is necessary in order to deal with what we refer
to as cultural background. Errors occur when students fail to provide the appropriate equivalent to the English Animal idioms due
to their lack of cultural background of the target language.

2. In chapter (1) both a general introduction to the entire study including brief discussions related to translation in general and to idioms
in particular and some topics related to idioms such as equivalence and collocations were discussed. Chapter (2) introduced a
review of related literature. Chapter (3) dealt with the analysis of the collected data of the students’ translations and a discussion of
some examples. Errors were categorized in detailed descriptive tables. Chapter 4 included a summary of the study, conclusions
and implications that the researcher hoped to be fruitful to further studies on this topic. The researcher believed that the results and
the recommendations would pave the way for those who are studying Translation and would lead to better understanding of
idioms.