Obstacles to Achieving Dynamic Equivalence in Translating Semantic Complexity: A Quantitative Study among Second-Year English Department Students at Omar Al-Mukhtar University

Abstract

This study investigates the linguistic and conceptual challenges that undergraduate students encounter when translating semantically complex structures from Arabic into English. While existing literature frequently focuses on specialized translation tracks, this paper addresses a critical pedagogical phase: second-year undergraduate students in the English department who are navigating introductory translation tasks prior to formal specialization. Utilizing a quantitative survey design with fifty (N = 50) participants from the second-year cohort at Omar Al-Mukhtar University in Bayda, Libya, the research examines how novice translators respond to culturally dense expressions, idioms, and multi-layered vocabulary. The empirical findings reveal that a striking majority of students experience significant cognitive friction when attempting to move beyond formal correspondence. Due to limited strategic training at this specific academic stage, students predominantly default to literal, word-for-word translation as a psychological safety net. The paper concludes with targeted pedagogical recommendations, emphasizing the need to shift second-year introductory curricula toward task-based, dynamic equivalence methodologies rather than traditional grammar-centric approaches.