Source and target texts

This chapter traces how the notions of ‘source text’ and ‘target text’ have evolved in translation research. It aims to show that they lack systematic theorization and are strongly linked to the Western models of translation and to the printed book paradigm. The chapter suggests that just as the mainstream scholarly jargon in translation research has benefited from the gradual replacement of ‘original/translation’ with ‘source text/target text’, so too may the discipline benefit from integrating broader, more flexible, and less binary classifications, the mapping of which is already underway in different subfields of translation research. The chapter starts by explaining why ‘source text’ and ‘target text’ are the cornerstone of translation research, and by discussing trends in main definitions of these concepts. The chapter then shifts the focus to the origins of these concepts in translation research, looking at how they evolved during different developments in the discipline. The chapter then moves on to discuss key issues that arise from the close inspection of these concepts. It also looks at current research and alternatives and summarizes how translation researchers identify source texts. To conclude, the chapter provides recommendations for translation practice, training and future research directions.