Perspectives on translation and world literature

ABSTRACT

This article presents an overview of world literature with regards to comparative and translation studies, notably through the publications of André Lefevere, Susan Bassnett and Edwin Gentzler, as an introduction to this thematic special issue, which showcases the variety of approaches and interests in literature by translation scholars. Although literary translation accounts for a small percentage of all the translation work carried out in the world, it continues to attract considerable attention on the part of academics and researchers. This interest is partly a result of the change of status of translated works since the mid-twentieth century, as translation research was gradually accepted as crucial by comparatists. The articles selected for this thematic issue, which look at literary translation in China, Latin America, Europe and India, analyze some important topics such as the role of translators as initiators of the translation process, the imprint they leave on the target texts and on the target cultures, the translation of gender and the significance of translation projects.

KEYWORDS:

• World literature
• comparative studies
• translation studies
• cultural studies

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Qin Huang

Qin Huang is a professor of Translation and Interpreting Studies at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST). Her major research interests lie in Translation Studies, discourse analysis etc. She has published extensively in the forms of books, book chapters and CSSCI journal articles such as Chinese Translator, Foreign Language Education, Foreign Languages and Their Teaching, and articles in SSCI and A&HCI journals such as Target, Babel, Perspectives, Australian Journal of Linguistics.

Roberto A. Valdeón

Roberto A. Valdeón is professor in translation and pragmatics at the University of Oviedo, guest professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, South China Business College and Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, all in China; he is also affiliated with the University of the Free State, South Africa. He is also a member of the Academy of Europe, general editor of Benjamins Translation Library and has recently edited a special issue of Journalism devoted to journalistic translation. He is currently editing a special issue of Journal of Pragmatics devoted to the translation of swearwords.