Creativity and Literary Translation: Analyzing the Relationship between Translators’ Creativity and their Translation Quality

Abstract

The present study analyzed the relationship between translators’ creativity and their translation quality. It also aimed at finding the possible connection between the Iranian translators' gender and the quality of their translation. To achieve this end, 40 translation students of both genders were selected from Azad University of Kerman participated in this study. First, the Oxford placement test was administered to achieve a homogeneous sample. Second, Kaufman creativity Scale was distributed to them for exploring the translation students’ creativity. Third, an examination of poem translation was administered to the sample. Having finished their translation, the researcher applied Waddington's (2001) model to assess the quality of translation. Data were descriptively and inferentially presented, and the results were shown in the form of tables and figures. According to the careful analysis, a significant relationship was found between students’ creativity and the quality of their translation; however, no significant association was achieved between Iranian translators’ gender and their translation quality. It is hoped that the present study's findings will open new horizons for translation students and masters, leading to good awareness of the role of individual differences in the process of translation.