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In:Intralingual Translation: Beyond language and text
Edited by Hilla Karas and Hava Bat-Zeev Shyldkrot
[Benjamins Translation Library 168] 2026
► pp. 71–93

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Tackling controversial elements in intralingual translation

A case study of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray

ORCiD logo with link | University of Tartu
Published online: 20 February 2026
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https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.168.04mor
Abstract
Aiming to enhance our understanding of controversy in translation studies, this article puts forward the concept of controversia, defined as source text elements that the agents involved in the process of translation perceive as capable of giving rise to controversy. Such elements might be retained or manipulated in translation. The article contains a study on Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and a corpus of ten target texts, all of which are graded readers. Potential controversia in connection to homoeroticism, misogyny, and anti-Semitism are identified and analysed on the basis of extratextual knowledge about the controversies surrounding the novel. Controversia are found to be helpful to study how controversy is tackled on a micro-structural level.
Article outline
  • Reflections on controversy and translation
  • From “controversial” to controversia
    • Controversia in relation to other concepts
    • The Picture of Dorian Gray as an example of a controversial text
    • A case study of controversia in intralingual translation: The corpus
    • A case study of controversia in intralingual translation: The methodology
    • Analysis of controversia regarding homoeroticism
    • Analysis of controversia regarding misogyny
    • Analysis of controversia regarding anti-Semitism
  • Conclusions and closing remarks
  • Notes
  • References
References (41)
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