Translation and Interpreting Research
Research Institute for Translation Studies (RITS)

Retranslation and Recreation of Child Speech: The Case of Shirley Jackson’s Charles in Persian

Document Type : Translation Studies

Author

Hossein Heidari Tabrizi

Professor, Department of English, Khorasgan Branch of Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22054/tir.2026.95319.1081
Abstract
The comparative study of retranslations has long been a topic of interest in Translation Studies, particularly as a means of assessing translation quality. One illustrative case in the Iranian context is Shirley Jackson’s Charles, a short story translated into Persian multiple times over the past two decades. Accordingly, this paper conducted a comparative and analytical critique of eight existing Persian translations of Charles, focusing on the retranslation of child speech. Specifically, the study examined whether repeated translations merely duplicated existing versions or offered added value. Drawing on Emam’s (2014) framework of child speech characteristics and Khazaeefar’s (2022) principles of naturalness in spoken-language translation, the analysis evaluated how each translator rendered Laurie’s childish language and tone. The findings revealed that most translators defaulted to formal, adult-oriented registers. The study concluded that retranslation is justified when it addresses earlier shortcomings and offers new approaches. The paper underscores the necessity of translation criticism as a quality-assessment tool and contributes to discussions on retranslation, children’s literature translation, and the recreation of child speech in Persian.

Keywords

Child speech in translation
children's literature translation
Persian translation
retranslation
translation criticism
Translation and Interpreting Research
Volume 3, Issue 11
Summer 2026
Pages 1-12

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