Translating the untranslatable

Abstract

The translation of culturally embedded legal concepts presents a significant challenge, particularly when direct linguistic equivalents are absent. This study examines the case of mahr — the obligatory financial gift from a groom to a bride in Islamic marriage — within the Polish linguistic and socio-legal context. While mahr holds religious, legal, and cultural significance in Islamic law, Polish marital traditions lack a direct counterpart. The study investigates how mahr is rendered in Polish academic and public discourse, analyzing translation strategies, their legal and cultural implications, and the broader issue of untranslatability in cross-cultural legal adaptation. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining content analysis of 30 academic texts to examine translation strategies for mahr in Polish discourse with a nationwide survey of 180 young Polish speakers to assess public understanding and interpretation of the term, providing both qualitative and quantitative insights into the challenges of translating culturally specific legal concepts. Through content analysis of academic texts and a survey of young Polish speakers, the findings reveal a predominant reliance on borrowing, alongside various adaptation techniques. However, frequent mistranslations equating mahr with Polish historical marital institutions such as posag, wiano, and oprawa wdowia highlight the risks of conceptual distortion. The study argues that the most accurate approach is foreignization — retaining mahr in its original form with contextual explanation — to preserve its legal and cultural integrity. The results contribute to broader translation studies, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary approaches in translating culturally specific legal terms, particularly in an increasingly globalized world.