Basque translation in the structure of Basque literary historiographies

Abstract

In this paper, our source for the study of the representations of translation has been historiographies of Basque literature. There have been several reasons for this choice: firstly, in this type of work other works tend to be systematized; secondly, instead of looking only at one specific time or work, they tend to look at the field of literature in its entirety; and, thirdly, from decade to decade, various authors have written various historiographies and there has been a certain amount of development, so the evolution of the representations can be analyzed. Our main goals in examining the presence of translation in historiographies of Basque literature through time have been as follows: a) to identify, examine, and classify modes of discourse about translation history in literary historiographies; b) to consider the space and function that translation has occupied in the structure of Basque literature; and c) to take note of the evolution of the representation of translation. Therefore, we have endeavoured here to answer questions about historiography, such as: are translations mentioned in histories of Basque literature? Is it specified that they are translations? Why would that be? Does it have anything to do with the habitus of the creator of the historiography? Are translations over- or underestimated? What criteria should be followed? Is there any justification for including translated works in the field of literature? How do writers of historiographies justify their inclusion? From one time period to another, does the presence of translation change in historiographies by the same author? Does the presence of translation change from historiography to historiography? According to what criteria? Historiographies have also undergone a process of evolution throughout the process of autonomisation of literature (Casenave 2012), and we have tried to show how the representations of translation have changed throughout the above-mentioned evolution.