Translation as a Social Fact

Tyulenev, S.

doi:10.1075/tis.9.2.01tyu

Translation as a Social Fact

Tyulenev, S.

Authors

Professor Sergey Tyulenev sergey.tyulenev@durham.ac.uk
Professor

Abstract

This article proposes a reading of classical works of Emile Durkheim, one of the founding fathers of sociology, in light of their applicability to translation research. It is argued that, since translation is a social phenomenon, Durkheimian sociological thought may be of considerable help to Translation Studies (TS). The sociology of translation should be methodologically distinguished from the psychology of translation. In the sociology of translation, even studies of individual translations and translators should be conducted within a social context. In accordance with Durkheimian theory, it is argued that methodology for a sociologically-informed study of translation should avoid relying on common sense, which more often than not turns out to hamper, rather than help, the perception of translation as a social phenomenon. In other words, translation is presented as a social fact and the need to study it as such is strongly emphasized. Examples are borrowed from present-day translation research.

Citation

Tyulenev, S. (2014). Translation as a Social Fact. Translation and Interpreting Studies: The Journal of the American Translation and Interpreting Studies Association, 9(2), 179-196. https://doi.org/10.1075/tis.9.2.01tyu

Journal Article Type	Article
Publication Date	Jan 1, 2014
Deposit Date	Nov 4, 2015
Publicly Available Date	Mar 24, 2016
Journal	Translation and Interpreting Studies
Print ISSN	1932-2798
Electronic ISSN	1876-2700
Publisher	John Benjamins Publishing
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	9
Issue	2
Pages	179-196
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1075/tis.9.2.01tyu

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