Reviewed by María A. Fernández-Parra, University of Wales Swansea, United Kingdom

The outcome of a conference held at the University of Lisbon in November 2002, this volume investigates translation studies as a transdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and interdisciplinary science.

In the first of three parts, the contributions examine translation studies as a discipline, rather than as a process, and discuss its interdisciplinary nature. The authors marvel at the development of the discipline while also fully aware of its shortcomings: on one hand, translation studies is praised as a kaleidoscopic entity in which ‘differences of approach should not be seen as disrupting but as enriching’ (50), while on the other hand, some authors cast doubt on the validity of certain aspects of the current methodology of translation research. Both ends of this continuum are well presented and convincing, thus leaving it to the reader to decide where translation studies currently stands.

Part 2 is devoted to the position of translation within a culture under the influence of a more predominant culture, such as Portuguese in relation to Spanish. Some doubt is shed on the validity of two well-established concepts in translation—namely, that the readership is conceptualized as a homogeneous entity and that translation is not only linguistic but also cultural. With good arguments, Alexandra Assis Rosa claims that the readership of a translation is anything but homogeneous and Matthew Wing-Kwong Leung offers a new perspective of translation not only as linguistic and cultural but also ‘as a means of ideological resistance’ (129).

The papers in Part 3 deal with the less-documented aspects of translation, including the concepts of overtranslatability and pseudooriginals. These concepts are explained using well-chosen examples. Also, a revealing account of the history of translation in China invites Western scholars to collaborate with Asian scholars in the study of the theory and practice of translation.

Overall, with themes that run from theoretical to practical, this volume is both thought-provoking and informative. This is a book for those hoping to view translation studies from a new perspective as well as engage in debate about its methodology and key concepts. This volume would sit well on the shelf of any linguist interested in translation.