Reviewing Critical Translation Theory: New Ideas for Writing Translation History

This article explores the implications of Lydia H. Liu’s Critical Translation Theory for the study of translation history, examining its theoretical framework, methodological approaches, and the challenges it poses to traditional historiography of translation. It begins with an overview of existing research on translation history, highlighting the limitations of conventional approaches and tracing recent scholarly discussions on critically rewriting translation history. The article then focuses on Liu’s theoretical contributions. Drawing on interdisciplinary tools from history, semiotics, and postcolonial theory, Liu reveals the dynamic role of translation in the production of power, culture, and knowledge. Her critical translation theory not only offers a set of critical tools for translation historians, but also prompts a rethinking of translation’s role in global cultural exchange and power negotiations. Liu’s methodological innovations facilitate a shift in translation history research from a history of linguistic transfer to a history of power relations and knowledge production, thus providing both theoretical resources and practical pathways for rewriting the history of translation.