Retranslation and Development of the Translator's Translation Competence over Time: A Case Study of Saleh Hosseini’s Works

The present data-driven research addresses retranslation and the development of the translator’s (Saleh Hosseini) competence over time.  Saleh Hosseini is a very prolific translator of Anglo-American literature in Iran. He spent his time doing full-length translation and teaching translation. His translations are printed and reprinted in huge numbers, making him an influential figure in the Iranian translation market. Moreover, his retranslations of his own previous translations make him an exceptional figure in translation studies. Retranslation is not an easy task; it is an ‘artistic recreation’ rather than a mere repetition. In fact, the second translation challenges the first translation of the same original work. Thus, the re-translator needs both translation skills and the courage to take up the challenge. The groundbreaking discussion on translators (i.e., Translator Studies) proposed by Chesterman (2009) served as the theoretical point of departure for the present research. Accordingly, Chesterman (2009) suggested a diagram as one way for conceptualizing Translator Studies. In his opinion, there are three branches in this diagram: Cultural, sociological and cognitive branches. The cultural branch is related to history, values, ideologies, the role of translators, and so forth. The Sociological branch concerns the translators’ behavior and their social networks. The cognitive branch deals with the decision-making, mental processes, the influence of emotions, personality, and attitudes towards norms. The present research draws upon the third branch of Translator Studies i.e., the cognitive branch.