Abstract
Today, for any literary tradition to establish its recognition at the global
level, the most compelling condition is to get translated into English. At
present only those literary traditions are known the world over which
either have the works directly written in English such as American,
Canadian, British, etc., or have managed to get translated into English.
From this perspective, Urdu literature is at a serious disadvantage and, in
spite of its remarkable artistry and amazing sweep, remains largely
confined to its four walls. Historically the asymmetrical power relations
between Urdu and English always have had their bearings upon the
translation tendencies between the two languages. As a result the number
of works translated from English to Urdu is incredibly higher than the one
translated from Urdu to English. This lopsidedness has more to it than an
initial thought may suggest. Today, if in the international academia and
publishing industry Urdu literature is lost in anonymity, it is because it has
not been communicated to the world as such. Whereas there are legions of
English-Urdu translators; there have been really very few skilled UrduEnglish translators. The present paper takes into consideration some of the
linguistic, literary, historical, and sociopolitical concerns and makes a
plea for the greater visibility of Urdu literary works at the global level
through translations which are not just linguistically accomplished but also
culturally viable.
Dr. Jamil Asghar , Dr. Muhammad Uzair . (2017) The Necessity of Translating Urdu Literature into English: A Plea to Rend the Iron Curtain, Mayar , Volume 17-18 , Issue 1.
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