From Binaries to Borders

The metaphor of ‘borders’ is considered in this chapter as a way of exploring the fast-changing and fluid nature of the translation (studies) landscape. The chosen approach reconceptualises the traditional translation dichotomy of literary/non-literary from a range of perspectives, including genre, people/things, readers, agency, terminology, institutions/professional activity, and training, all of which reveal cross-border activity. Often presented as unidirectional with non-literary translators venturing onto literary territory, borders – even if ‘soft’ – could, it is concluded, give way to an alternative approach which aims to explore a borderless landscape as exhibiting shared features in some areas.