A Meta-analytical Critique of Antoine Berman’s Retranslation Hypothesis

Authors

Abstract

The present article addresses the validity of Berman’s Retranslation Hypothesis (which posits that literary retranslations are closer to the original than first translations) through a systematic, meta-analytical investigation of the empirical studies conducted to the present day on this topic. To this end, a representative sample of the empirical studies regarding RH over the past three decades was collected. The list contained fourteen studies carried out in different settings and between different language-pairs. The results of the meta-analysis demonstrated that empirical data has failed to confirm RH as roughly 60% of the studies have refuted it while the remaining 40% have lent support to it. Furthermore, the results illustrated that all the studies conducted shared one finding: apart from ‘ageing’ of the translations, there are more important motivations giving rise to retranslation including source and target literary norms, translational norms, ideology, socio-political relations, translators’ attitude and experience, and so forth. The meta-analysis conducted also revealed that Berman has apparently overlooked the influence of two important factors in the formation of retranslations: text type, and the potentials of multiple (re)interpretations of texts. In light of the data, his claim that retranslations occur because first translations are ‘incomplete’ also faces serious challenges.

Keywords:

Antoine Berman, Meta-analysis, Retranslation, Retranslation Hypothesis

Author Biographies

Mir Saeed Mousavi Razavi, Allameh Tabataba’i University

Assistant Professor of English Translation Studies, Department of English Translation Studies, Faculty of Persian Literature and Foreign Language, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran;

Sajjad Tahmasbi Boveiri, Allameh Tabataba’i University

M.A. Graduate in English Translation Studies, English Department, School of Graduate Studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran;

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Published

2019-07-06

How to Cite

Mousavi Razavi, M. S., & Tahmasbi Boveiri, S. (2019). A Meta-analytical Critique of Antoine Berman’s Retranslation Hypothesis. Iranian Journal of Translation Studies, 17(65), 21–36. Retrieved from https://www.journal.translationstudies.ir/ts/article/view/700

Issue

Section

Academic Research Paper

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