On authenticity in translation

Although authenticity has become a major research topic in tourism studies, food studies, and cultural studies in general, it remains virtually unexplored in translation studies. Authenticity is nevertheless operative in translations, not so much as an intrinsic property of texts but more as a type of claim made by mediators and assessed by receivers. Two case studies illustrate how such claims work: English translations of Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha, where translators increasingly foreground their own subjectivities and reading experiences; and diasporic Chinese restaurants in San Francisco, Melbourne, and Lima, where authenticity has shifted from object-based claims (geographic origin, tradition) to agent-based claims (chef identity, personal expression, visibility). In both case studies, a historical trajectory emerges through movements away from object-based authenticity claims and toward reflexive and attitudinal forms. Comparing literary and culinary translation reveals surprising parallels but also key differences, particularly regarding the constraints of authorship and the reconfiguration of cultural time and space. This raises questions for future research, notably regarding the impact of generative AI on supposedly authentic language, the ethical implications of marketing ethnicity, and the role of trade-offs that balance danger and control in receptive experiences of authenticity.