Literary Translation in the Light of Reception: Meaning and Interpretation

Abstract

This article provides a detailed exploration of the role of reception in literary
translation from a reader-centred perspective. It argues that the target reader’s
interpretation is a determining factor in the translational act, particularly in literary
discourse, where meaning is frequently implicit and culturally situated. Drawing on
reception aesthetics, the study combines theoretical reflection with a comparative
analysis of French and English literary translations to show how translational strategies
influence readers’ responses. The results highlight the translator’s role not only as a
mediator of language, but as a shaper of the reading experience. Accordingly,
translation choices must account for the audience’s expectations, cultural knowledge,
and sensibilities in order to sustain the source text’s aesthetic and emotional resonance.
In an era of digitalization and globalization, the article further demonstrates how these
dynamics reshape both the reader’s horizon of expectations and the translator’s
function.