A Study of the Role of Translation in the First Magazines of Mashhad: A Case Study of Danesh, Al-Kamal, and Dabestan

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Mojtaba Khalifeh ¹

Ali Najafzadeh ¹

Saeed Ameri ²

¹ Department of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

² Department of English Language, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/lts.2025.92102.1329

Abstract

Despite their significance, periodicals have received scant scholarly attention in translation studies. This study aims to examine the status of translation, the language of translation, the content of translated texts, the backgrounds of the translators and societal reactions to translation in the three magazines of Danesh, Al-Kamal and Dabestan in Mashhad. The findings indicate that translation held significant importance in these magazines, aligning with their objectives. A considerable volume of their content comprised translated texts from French, Arabic and English. The translations covered a wide array of subjects, including social, cultural and scientific issues, as well as biographies, novels, and discussions on scientific and religious topics. The translators of these journals were often journalists, merchants and civil servants who engaged in translation of foreign publications and books non-professionally. Translation in Mashhad encountered several challenges, particularly when translations conflicted with Islamic and Iranian cultural values, which led to opposition from clergymen. This research, while examining the status and role of translation in periodicals, can pave the way for future studies in translation history.

Highlights

 

Keywords

Translation History

Magazines/Periodicals

Danesh

Al-Kamal

Dabestan

Mashhad

Subjects

• Translation Studies

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References