Power dynamics in collaborative translation

Abstract This article explores the power dynamics in long-term collaborative translation. While power plays an essential role in collaborative translation, the sources and dynamics of power have received limited attention. The present study uses the concept of interdependence and an analytical framework from collaborative governance to examine the case of the Yangs, one of the most prominent co-translation teams in China. The case study analyzes textual and paratextual strategies employed in their co-translations and respective solo translations to identify their individual fingerprints in their co-translations. The study reveals how they obtained, negotiated, and accumulated four sources of power at different stages of their career, how their power relations evolved over time, and what factors may have contributed to the power dynamics between them. This research aims to enrich translation studies with insights into the mechanism of power play in collaborative translation and translators’ agency, autonomy, and empowerment.