Target. International Journal of Translation Studies - Volume 37, Issue 3, 2025

Abstract

Conceptual theories are generally understood as more or less static models that provide an argumentative basis for a scholar’s work. They present their intellectual genealogies through citation and referencing by which they are connected to existing works. The purpose of this article is to promote an alternative understanding, namely, that theories be treated as historical phenomena, which are influenced by space and time and are therefore constantly changing. Using the theoretical works of Hans J. Vermeer and Andrei V. Fedorov as examples, the article will trace their respective handling of secondary sources, their roots, and connect them to the subsequent circulation of these theories, their routes. In so doing, we suggest a more complex and unpredictable relationship between the roots and routes of theoretical models.

Abstract

This article analyses specific instances of cultural transfer between Poland and the Soviet Union during the early post-Stalin era. It investigates the magazine Polska, published in several languages, as a part of the Polish People’s Republic’s foreign cultural policy. Employing the framework of cultural transfer theory, this case study examines key aspects: the content disseminated within the target system via translations of the monthly Polska; the responses generated by this transferred product and the subsequent impact of its reception back in the source system. While acknowledging the clear centre-periphery dynamics, the most influential factors in this bilateral cultural exchange were the unpredictable nature of the Thaw in the Soviet Union and the pivotal role of cultural intermediaries in determining the transferred products’ content and form.

Abstract

This article examines the two Japanese back-translations of Arthur Waley’s English rendition (1925–1933) of Murasaki Shikibu’s 源氏物語 Genji monogatari ‘The tale of Genji’ to underscore the complexities of back-translation as process and product. The back-translations by Samata Hideki (2008–2009), and Mariya Marie and Moriyama Megumi (2017–2019) are clearly attempts to reinvigorate the millennium-old Japanese tale and renew interest among the domestic readership, but they also serve to canonize Waley’s version. It is important that these two back-translations be read against a long history of successful translations of the novel — both intralingual and interlingual — to see the peculiarities of the new textual interventions. Unlike what usually happens with translations in general, the back-translators engage with two source texts (by Shikibu and by Waley) instead of one. Through close textual analysis, this study aims to demonstrate how back-translations can be an ideal site for exploring issues related to rewriting, canonization, retranslation, and textual authority in historical and cultural contexts.

Abstract

Jo March, the protagonist of the classic Little Women, has often been viewed as a ‘creative intellectual’ in pursuit of a literary career. While Jo has attracted scholarly attention across different disciplines, research on her portrayal in early Chinese translations during the New Culture Movement (a critical period marked by the introduction of Western ideologies in China) is limited. Adopting Culpeper and Fernandez-Quintanilla’s (2017) characterization model, this article aims to investigate how the iconoclastic protagonist was reconstructed in the two earliest Chinese translations. It utilizes a mixed model that encompasses textual aspects of narratorial and translatorial control, self-/other-presentation, and explicitness/implicitness, demonstrating that Jo was portrayed as a demure lady in the 1920s and as a masculine woman in the 1930s, shaped by prevailing ideologies, poetics, and patronage. Integrating narratology and cognitive stylistics within Descriptive Translation Studies, the research sheds light on the dynamic interplay between cultural ideologies and literary representations.

Abstract

Isaiah 7:14 has consistently sparked controversies in Bible translations due to its potential translation of the Hebrew ‘almah as ‘young woman’ or ‘virgin’. This distinction is significant to the doctrine of Mary’s virgin birth of Jesus. This article explores the ideological battles tied to the translation of this verse within Norway’s Protestant landscape, highlighting the power dynamics influencing translation decisions. Drawing upon the sociocultural context, the study focuses on the NO1978 and Bibel 2011 translations by the Norwegian Bible Society, shedding light on the institutional and religious-ideological factors at play during their preparation. Notably, during the 1978 translation process, audience groups wielded diverse forms of power to effect a change from ‘young woman’ (ung kvinne) to ‘virgin’ (jomfru). In contrast, when producing the 2011 version, the Norwegian Bible Society tactically employed various forms of power, including media strategies, to ensure support for the contentious translation ‘the young girl’ (den unge jenta) among conservative circles.

Abstract

Replication has the potential to substantiate tentative research claims and consolidate the existing evidence base. Translation and interpreting (T&I) scholars have argued for the need for replication and generated initial data on practices and attitudes towards replication. In three inter-linked studies described in this article, we shed further light on how replication is perceived, practiced, and expected by relevant stakeholders. We find that (a) most of the T&I journal editors surveyed support replication, but give lower priority to direct replication; (b) the overall prevalence rate of replication was 0.6% among 3807 research articles published in eleven leading T&I journals (2000–2022), and most of the identified replications were partial replication; and (c) the majority of the T&I researchers who participated in this research expected their study to be replicated based on various alterations. These findings help us develop an enhanced understanding of replication and formulate strategies to promote replication in empirical T&I studies.

This article reviews Translating in the Local Community