Translation Studies Diary of June 20, 2024

Itamar Even-Zohar, like Gideon Toury, is also from University of Tel Aviv. He is an Israeli culture researcher who established polysystem theory. The polysystem theory explains cultural complexity by taking into account multifaceted factors. The theory viewed translated literature as a system operating within the larger social, literary and historical systems of the target culture.

Within these researches, he identifies three main cases in which translated literature occupies a primary position.

1. When a 'young' literature is being established

2. When a literature is 'peripheral' or 'weak'

3. When there is a critical turning point in literary history

This move was significant in that it showed translated literature, previously regarded as peripheral, could play a major role in the target culture.