Shaping the canon of translation history: translation anthologies in the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

Anthologies of the discourse on translation are one of the most popular genres in the area of translation history. In recent decades, the publication of anthologies in the Iberian Peninsula has experienced a continuous increase. Like any anthology, those dealing with the discourse on translation serve, amongst other purposes, to recover, collect and transmit reflections on translation throughout history. Therefore, anthologies play a fundamental role in the configuration, alteration and dissemination of a canon on translation. In this article, the selection of authors included in anthologies of translation discourse published in the Iberian Peninsula is examined and compared with compilations from other traditions; on the one hand, in order to identify the underlying trends guiding the selection process involved, and on the other hand to analyse to what extent the Iberian tradition is covered and incorporated into the canon of historical thought on translation created by these anthologies. As shown in this study, even in anthologies published within the Iberian domain, contributions specific to this cultural space merely occupy a peripheral position, whereas Western canonised authors and texts seem to be prioritised, leading to the consolidation of a Western canon in which only certain central cultural and linguistic domains are represented.