Past and present in translation collaborative practices and cooperation. An introduction

In recent years, the landscape of translation studies has undergone a transformation as scholars increasingly recognise and emphasise collaboration as an integral aspect of the translation process. While historical translation studies have traditionally focused on the solitary translator, contemporary research challenges this singular perspective and highlights the collaborative nature of translation (Cordingley and Frigau Manning 2017; Folaron 2010; Malmkjaer 2013; O’Hagan 2013). This changing understanding recognises that the notion of the solitary translator is culturally determined and that translation processes inherently involve multiple agents (Bistué 2016). Despite this shift in perception, there remains a significant gap in research: a comprehensive history that explicitly focuses on the cooperative strategies and collaborative efforts of translators and language mediators. This gap prompts a critical examination of collaborative practices throughout history, shedding light on the dynamic and evolving nature of cooperation – or the absence of it – in the fields of translation and intercultural communication.