Latest research trends on translators and translation

This introductory article reviews the research into the status and role of translators, focusing on three main strands: historical approaches, the study of writers-translators and the fictionalization of translators, all of which have received attention in recent decades. The first section introduces the so-called translators’ turn proposed by Robinson in 1991 and the subdiscipline of translatOR studies suggested by Chesterman in 2009. Then follows a brief overview of the work on translators in history, including their role in European expansion but also in the promotion of national sentiments (e.g. during the early imperial period in China) and in times of crisis. The next section considers the relationship between writing and translation, as many renowned authors have also translated foreign classics. The fictionalization of translation and translators, a research strand that has gained much popularity in recent years, is presented in the next section. Finally, the articles included in this thematic issue are introduced. While most of them focus on real translators and their work, some also discuss theoretical and methodological issues that may prove useful for future research.