Creativity and Literary Translation: Analyzing the Relationship between Translators’ Creativity and their Translation Quality
Subject Areas : Journal of Language, Culture, and Translation
راضیه رشیدی نژاد
1
,
ندا فاتحی راد
2
1 -
2 -
Keywords: Translation quality, Literary Translation, Creativity in Translation,
Abstract :
The present study analyzed the relationship between translators’ creativity and their translation quality. It also aimed at finding the possible connection between the Iranian translators' gender and the quality of their translation. To achieve this end, 40 translation students of both genders were selected from Azad University of Kerman participated in this study. First, the Oxford placement test was administered to achieve a homogeneous sample. Second, Kaufman creativity Scale was distributed to them for exploring the translation students’ creativity. Third, an examination of poem translation was administered to the sample. Having finished their translation, the researcher applied Waddington's (2001) model to assess the quality of translation. Data were descriptively and inferentially presented, and the results were shown in the form of tables and figures. According to the careful analysis, a significant relationship was found between students’ creativity and the quality of their translation; however, no significant association was achieved between Iranian translators’ gender and their translation quality. It is hoped that the present study's findings will open new horizons for translation students and masters, leading to good awareness of the role of individual differences in the process of translation.
References
Abedi, M. (1983). Abedi Creativity Test. Hooshazmy-e Novin
institution.
Akbari, A. (2015). How Creativity Impacts Cognitive Strategy Choice in
Reading Comprehension. MAGNT Research Report, 3 (4), 167-
176.
Akbari, O., & Ebrahimi, A. (2014). On the Relationship Between
Creativity, Emotional Intelligence and Quality of Consecutive
Interpreting. MA Thesis, Imam Reza International University.
Baker, M. (2011). Translation and interpreting. In James Simpson (Ed.).
The Routledge handbook of applied linguistics. London:
Routledge, 39–52.
Bassnett, S., & and Lefevere, A. (1998). Translation, History, and
Culture. London: Pinter.
Bayer-Hohenwarter, G. (2010). Comparing translational creativity
scores of students and professionals: Flexible problem-solving
and/or fluent routine behavior? In Göpferich Susanne/Alves,
Fabio/Mees, Inger (eds.), New Approaches in Translation
Process Research. Copenhagen Studies in Language.
Copenhagen: Samfundslitteratur, 83-111.
Rashidi, R. & Fatehi Rad, N. / Journal of Language, Culture, and Translation 4(1) (2021), 1–24
23
Bayer-Hohenwarter, G. (2011). “Creative shifts” as a means of
measuring and promoting creativity. Meta 56, 3, 663-692.
Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for quality learning at university.
Maidenhead, UK: McGraw Hill International.
Boase-Beier, J. (2007). “Loosening the grip of the text: theory as an aid
to creativity.” In PERTEGHELLA, Manuela and LOFFREDO,
Eugenia. Translation and creativity. London: Continuum, 2007,
p. 47-56.
Bontempo, K., & Napier, J. (2011). Evaluating emotional stability as a
predictor of interpreter competence and aptitude for interpreting.
Interpreting 13, 1, 85-105.
Collins, M. (2004). Motivation and creativity. In STERNBERG, Robert
J. Handbook of Creativity. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2004, p. 297-312.
Dörnyei, Z., & Taguchi, T. (2010). Questionnaires in second language
research: construction, administration, and processing. UK:
Routledge.
Fahim, M. & Tavajjohi, V. (2012). On The Relationship between
Creativity and Translation Quality of Iranian EFL Learners.
M.A. Thesis in English Translation Studies. Islamic Azad
University of Central Tehran Branch.
Ghonsooly, B., & Esgandari, P. (2013). On the Relationship between
Creativity, Self-efficacy, and English to Persian Translation
Ability of Translation Students. M. A Thesis in English
Translation. Imam Reza International University of Mashhad.
Guetouche, K. (2017). The Use of Translation in TEFL Advantages and
Disadvantages Case of Third Year Pupils and English Teachers.
Dissertation Submitted to the Department of English in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master
Linguistics.
House, J. (2009). Translation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Jakobson, R. (2002): Closing Statement. Linguistics and Poetics. In:
Sebeok, Thomas A. (ed.): Style in Language. Cambridge, Mass.:
MIT Press, 350-377.
Kabir, S.M. (2016). Methods of Data Collection. Research Gate
Publication. ISBN: 325846997.
Khazaeefar A (2007). Scientific or Poetic Method in Translating Poetry.
Iranian Translat. Mag., 13 (39) - 90.
Loffredo, E, & Perteghella, M. (2006). Translation and Creativity:
Perspectives on Creative Writing and Translation Studies.
London/New York: Continuum.
Rashidi, R. & Fatehi Rad, N. / Journal of Language, Culture, and Translation 4(1) (2021), 1–24
24
Mirzasuzani, S. & Kordzangeneh, A. (2017). The Relationship between
Translators' Creativity and Their Use of Translation Strategies
for Translation Journalistic Texts. M.A. Thesis in English
Translation, Islamic Azad University of Marvdasht.
Newmark, P. (1988). Approaches to Translation. Hertfordshire:
Prentice-Hall.
Pacte. A. (2000). Acquiring translation competence: Hypotheses and
methodological problems of a research project. In: Beeby, A.,
Ensinger, D. & Presas, M. (eds.) Investigating Translation.
Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company,
99-106.
Rezvani, A., & Arefnasab, M. (2012). The relationship between
intelligence and openness to experience to translation creativity.
Journal of Social and Behavioral Science, 15, 2137–2141.
Rojo, A., & Meseguer, P. (2019). Creativity and Translation Quality:
Opposing Enemies or Friendly Allies. Journal of Language and
Communication in Business, 57-2018.
Silvia, P., Kaufman, J., & Pretz, J. (2009). Is creativity domain-specific?
Latent class models of creative accomplishments and creative
self-descriptions. In Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the
Arts 3, 3, 139-148.
Sirén, S. & Hakkarainen, K. (2002) Expertise in translation. Across
Languages and Cultures, 3(1), 71-82.
Waddington, C. (2001). Different methods of evaluating student
translation: The question of validity. Meta, XLVI, 2, 2001.
Wilss, W. (1996). Knowledge and Skills in Translational Behavior.
Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamin Publishing Company.
Youssefi, K. (2009). An Analysis of the Translation of Metaphors in
Hafiz’s Selected Poems. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation. The
University of Sains Malaysia.
