The translator’s imperial experience and the dual role of translation

Abstract

Abstract The present research, which focuses on the rarely examined dynamic reception process, aims to extend and enrich the current discussion of the role of translation in colonial and postcolonial history. Based on a case study of George Jamieson’s English translation of the Qing Code, this study examines how this translation operates in Hong Kong courts, paying special attention to judges and expert witnesses, who interact closely with Jamieson’s work. The cooperative and competing relationship between experts and Jamieson’s translation sheds light on the centrality of the translator’s imperial experience, highlighting both the colonizing and decolonizing roles of the translation. Moreover, the findings illustrate that Jamieson’s imperial experience facilitates the court’s acceptance, on the one hand, while making his translation obsolete and subject to challenges from experts, on the other.