Translation of Cultural Conceptualizations in War Literature: A Study of Cultural Schemas and Categories in Translation of Iran–Iraq War Literature

Abstract

Translation of cultural conceptualizations in the war literature seems to be an overlooked area of research both in Translation Studies and cultural studies dealing with war. In this study, we employed the framework of Cultural Linguistics at the heart of which lies the notion of cultural cognition to analyse translation of cultural schemas and categories in four books selected from the genre of Iran–Iraq war literature. The analysis indicated that typical translation techniques might lead to a change of cultural identity and may not be able to adequately transfer cultural conceptualizations. Therefore, ‘thick translation’ is suggested as a better way of translating them. This study can have implications for the theory and practice of translation and for those studying war from a cultural vantage point.

Keywords:

• Cultural linguistics
• cultural schemas
• cultural categories
• Iran–Iraq War literature
• cultural conceptualizations

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mohammad Shahi

Mohammad Shahi, PhD candidate in translation studies, Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. His research interests include intercultural competence, cultural cognition and translation, and the interplay of ideology and translation. His publications have appeared in Babel, Forum, Perspectives, Intercultural Pragmatics, and Research in Applied Linguistics.

Ahmad Moinzadeh

Ahmad Moinzadeh, Associate Professor of applied linguistics, Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. He has taught various courses on translation at graduate and post-graduate levels and supervised M.A. theses and Ph.D. dissertations. His publications have appeared in different national and international journals. Correspondence to: Associate Professor Ahmad Moinzadeh. Email: [email protected]

Mahmoud Afrouz

Mahmoud Afrouz, Associate Professor of translation studies, Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. He has been teaching translation and interpretation-related courses at the University of Isfahan (Iran) as a part-time instructor since 2009 and as a permanent faculty member since 2015. He is also a practising translator. His research interests include AVT, literary translation and studies related to culture and translation.