On the need for a new research agenda for corpus-based translation studies: a multi-methodological, multifactorial and interdisciplinary approach

Twenty-five years after the emergence of corpus-based translation studies the present paper offers a critical analysis of the current state of the art in corpus-based translation studies, focusing on what it has yielded in terms of description, methodology and theory. This analysis leads to the detection of problem areas which result in limitations to progress in the field. We argue that these limitations can be overcome, by adopting a revised research agenda for empirical translation studies, with a broader methodological scope and more theoretical awareness. At the very heart of this agenda is the description of translation as an inherently multidimensional linguistic activity and product, which is simultaneously constrained by sociocultural, technological and cognitive factors, leading ultimately to a better understanding of what translation exactly is, how it is shaped by varying circumstances, and how it relates to other types of constrained communication. The added value of this research agenda is illustrated in two case studies on optional that in English complement clause constructions.