Linguistic and Cultural Knowledge as Prequisites to Learning Professional Translation

2.2.2.5.3.2. Arabic Culture Test Quantitative Description

Following is a quantitative description of the test's results. Table 7: Classification and Quantification of Arabic Culture Answers

Answer Correct Partially No Answer Wrong

number Correct

1	15%		46%	38%
2	16%	77%	0%	5%
3	53%	38%	7%	0%
4	11%		77%	11%
5	22%		50%	27%
6	50%		16%	33%
n = 31

Figure 6: Overall Students' Performance on the Arabic General Culture Test

100% - ci) 0,^0 80% 2.^1 60% c tle) 40% s 20% as u_ 0%
																									q Correct q Partially Correct q No Answer q Wrong
									ni i 3 4 5
					2															6

Question Numbers

Qualitative Description

The results of the general cultural test were revealing. The highest correct answers percentage wasn't more than 53%. The lowest wasn't more than 11%.

The largest proportion of correct answers concerned the question about the Sunnite Traditions. Still, many wrong and partially correct answers showed fundamental gaps in the students' knowledge. Many included the Shiite Tradition within the Sunnite ones. Many others did not give more than two of the four traditions. The "no answer" cases were considered as "don't know" responses. Only 7% of the sample did not know anything about the answer.

The next largest proportion of right answers concerned the question about Israel. It might be supposed that 50% is a relatively high percentage. However, this information is part of the History course of

third year of secondary school. In other words, the students, being freshmen, should have been exposed to this information only some months ago. In addition, it should be noted that this very information is constantly mentioned on TV programs because of the Palestinian Issue.

The third largest correct answers percentage is related to the question about the Frankfurt's Annual Book Fair. It is, nevertheless, clearly low (22%). The fact that this famous book fair devoted the year 2004 to the Arabic Culture was an important current event. It was mentioned daily on TV. One might be tempted to deduce that 22% represents the students who are interested in the Arab World and International news.

Much more revealing is the results concerning the question of countries situated on the frontier with Algeria. Only 16% gave a fully correct answer. The 77% partially correct answers indicated a considerable knowledge gap. Some examples might be those that dropped important countries like Libya from the list; others, those that included Egypt, Sudan or Senegal in the list.

The fact that only 15% knew the capital of Bahrain is not very surprising. What could reveal much more about the students' knowledge lies in the following examples. Some students did not confuse "Almanama" with other capitals, but with other Golf countries like Qatar and the Emirates. They seemed to know a lot of names that they heard in

a way or in another, but not which of them is a country and which is a city.

The lowest amount of right answers corresponded to the historical personality Abd al-Rahman al-Dakhil who founded the Umayyad State in al-Andalus in 756. No more than 11% knew the answer. This seemed to imply that the majority of the subjects do not watch TV serials of historical character.