Translation as a Diplomatic Negotiation: Insights on Türkiye-Africa Partnership Summit Declaration (2021)

Authors : Hatice Delibaş
Pages : 219-233
Doi:10.51726/jlr.1803469
View : 73 | Download : 233
Publication Date : 2025-12-29
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :: This paper delves into how translation functions as a discursive instrument in shaping Türkiye-Africa relations addressing the 2021 partnership summit declaration as a case study. Specifically, the study sheds light on the translation of ideological underpinnings and lexical choices in the declaration texts to reveal the vision and engagement of Türkiye towards the African continent through translation-based discourse analysis. In order to analyze recurrent discursive and lexical patterns, a corpus software program called Antconc (2022) was benefitted and frequency and concordance analyses across Turkish, English and French texts were uncovered. In addition to corpus-oriented analysis, Fairclough’s (1992) three-dimensional model was applied as a tool for critical discourse analysis at micro, meso and macro levels through the integration of translation strategies. According to the results of lexical and discursive patterns of analysis, diplomatic discourse could be reproduced for different audiences through translation within the context of Türkiye-Africa relations. Results of the study also elucidate that translation strategies might be adopted either to reinforce the presence of Türkiye in Africa or soften the discourse to avoid politically sensitive notions for different target audiences in line with the purpose of 2021 declaration text. As a result, this study reveals how translation can operate as an effective form of diplomatic negotiation which shape the image of Türkiye as a “key player” in South-South Cooperation across Africa. It is anticipated that the research will contribute to the fields of translation studies, discourse analysis and international studies by bringing them into an interdisciplinary collaboration.
Keywords : çeviri, Türkiye, Afrika, Uluslaraarsı ilişkiler, diplomatik söylem

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