An analytical perspective on translation studies: Where are we?

Throughout the recent history of Translation Studies (TS), there are mainly two turns of (TS); the first is the Linguistic Turn, and the second is the Cultural Turn. Most of the discussions on (TS) revolve around these two turns. The present study is based on the rationale that the different paradigms of (TS) have different views on translation. The shifts of the paradigms can be viewed as the results of the developments of definitions; the results of the wars of definition. These shifts of paradigms and the developments of definitions seem to be quite natural keeping in mind the nature of translation itself. The question, then, is "to what extent is the paradigm theory appropriate to (TS)?, and if it is appropriate, what will be the consequences? The present study attempts to demonstrate that although (TS), in the West, has a very short history, this history can be divided into four characteristic periods: (1) Pre-Discipline; (2) Discipline; (3) Interdiscipline, and (4) Post-Discipline. Relatedly, the present study attempts, also, to demonstrate that studying the developments of (TS) through Kuhn's paradigm theory reveals that (TS) has five distinctive, yet interrelated paradigms, not two as commonly known: (1) Normative Paradigm; (2) Linguistic Paradigm; (3) Cultural Paradigm; (4) Fictional Paradigm; and (5) Social and Psychological Paradigm.