Translation Research in the Arabic Language: A Bibliometric Study

Abstract

Over the past two decades, Translation Studies has experienced exponential growth in published articles, with bibliometric analysis increasingly used to explore research trends. This study employs corpus-based bibliometric method to analyse translation research output in the Arabic language from 2000 to 2020. A total of 1043 articles published in the Arabic language were obtained and classified using research area classification proposed by Williams and Chesterman (2014). The results indicate a substantial focus on Genre Translation as the primary interest within the Arab world, while the Translation Process and Interpreting Studies have received less attention. Keyword analysis further highlights Quran Translation as the most prevalent topic among these publications; however, it remains largely isolated from English-language research, which rarely cites Arabic studies. Moreover, the study examines the geographical distribution of the research, highlighting significant disparities in output across the Arab world, which can be attributed to publishing practices that favour English over Arabic. This pattern suggests a disconnect that might impede the global discourse in Translation Studies, particularly concerning the integration of insights across linguistic divides. The study provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of Arabic Translation Studies and stresses the need for further comprehensive explorations into underrepresented areas within Arabic translation research.