Uncovering Translation Plagiarism: A Case Study on The Life of Abdul Hamid II in Turkish

Abstract: Although plagiarism as a significant problem in literary works as well as various fields of art and media faced frequently and is realized from now and then, “translation plagiarism” has been scrutinized especially in the last 10-15 years in the context of translation studies with its diversified aspects by translation studies researchers. In this study, English writer, also known as a biography writer, Joan Haslip’s work called The Sultan. The Life of Abdul Hamid II (1958) and its five different Turkish translations made in 1964, 1998, 2001, 2008 and 2009 are examined in the focus of “translation plagiarism”. In the analysis, the similarities and differences of these target texts translated by different translators and published by different publishing houses are dwelt on. Thus, it is aimed to uncover whether there are “translation plagiarisms” in these target texts despite being “reprints” presented to Turkish readers. In this regard, firstly “translation plagiarism” is discussed taking into account researches carried out in this subject. Later, being the research objects of this present study the source text and the target texts are examined comparatively with respect to paratextual and textual elements. The study determines that the second and third target texts asserted to be translated by two different translators and the last translation lacking a translator name are “reprints” of the first translated text and for they were presented as new translations, they can be regarded as “translation plagiarism”, only the fourth target text is a new “translation” in the conclusion. It is thought that this study will help to exemplify and detect “translation plagiarism”, to uncover the ways of translation plagiarizing and especially to understand and make sense of the dimensions of “translation plagiarism”.

Keywords

Translation, Translation Plagiarism, Reprint, Joan Haslip, Abdül Hamid II