Exploring Baghdad Translation School from the viewpoint of Skopos Theory

The Baghdad translation school (Baker 2009) is considered as a turning point in the history of translation. The school is mainly characterized by adopting a scientific approach to and utilizing various strategies in translation practice, and by the variety of subjects translated. On the other hand, skopos theory which was first introduced by Hans Vermeer in the late 1970s is among the most important functional approaches to translation studies in which the skopos or the purpose of translation is the main criterion that determines the final product in the target text. Paying special attention to the readership in the strategies used by the translator and considering the demands of the ‘order’ placed by the translation agent as part of the process of a professional translation for the first time in the history of translation are some other distinct characteristics of skopos theory in the field of translation studies. The present research sought to study the Baghdad translation movement according to the aforementioned features of the skopos theory. The findings indicate clear manifestations of the basic characteristics of skopos theory in the Baghdad school.