الترجمة إلى العربية : دورها في تعزيز الثقافة وبناء الهوية (الترجمة في لبنان نموذجاً)

Role of Arabic Translation in the Advancement of Culture and the Consolidation of Identity (With Focus on Translation in Lebanon)

Abstract

This article explores the role of translation in advancing knowledge and reinforcing cultural identity in the Arab world. It argues that translation is not a final product but a transitional stage in the continuum from information to knowledge, culture, and identity. While translation provides access to global ideas, its true value emerges when scholars, thinkers, and institutions critically engage with these texts, reinterpret them, and integrate them into their own intellectual traditions. Historical examples, particularly from the Abbasid translation movement and the contributions of Ibn Rushd, demonstrate how translated works were transformed into original philosophical and scientific thought that shaped both Arab and global culture. The study stresses that translation alone cannot ensure cultural progress; it requires active participation by intellectuals and institutional support from governments and cultural organizations. Translation, thus, remains a vital catalyst for cultural development and identity formation in Arab societies.