Formal aspects of medieval Arabic rhymed prose in translation: the Maqamas of al-Hariri in Polish
The author discusses the first Polish translation of two Arabic Maqamas by al-Hariri
(1054–1122). The maqama genre originated in Arabic literature in the tenth century.
It is a short picaresque narrative written in ornate rhymed prose. It features two main
characters: the narrator and the eloquent rogue, who uses his rhetorical skills to earn
his living, not always in an honest way. Translation of this genre presents specific
challenges, some of which are scrutinised. First, the problem of the intertextuality of
the Maqamas is pointed out (both the original version and the translation are
footnoted but in different ways). Then, it is argued that the rich linguistic form
(rhythm, rhyme, homonyms, even graphic properties of the Arabic alphabet)
constitutes the genre and must be preserved in translation. This, however, generates
difficulties, given the different aesthetic traditions and morphological discrepancies
between Arabic and Polish. Some interesting problems and solutions are discussed.

The author discusses the first Polish translation of two Arabic Maqamas by al-Hariri
(1054–1122). The maqama genre originated in Arabic literature in the tenth century.
It is a short picaresque narrative written in ornate rhymed prose. It features two main
characters: the narrator and the eloquent rogue, who uses his rhetorical skills to earn
his living, not always in an honest way. Translation of this genre presents specific
challenges, some of which are scrutinised. First, the problem of the intertextuality of
the Maqamas is pointed out (both the original version and the translation are
footnoted but in different ways). Then, it is argued that the rich linguistic form
(rhythm, rhyme, homonyms, even graphic properties of the Arabic alphabet)
constitutes the genre and must be preserved in translation. This, however, generates
difficulties, given the different aesthetic traditions and morphological discrepancies
between Arabic and Polish. Some interesting problems and solutions are discussed.