知识在翻译实践中一直在场,但在翻译研究中长期缺席。知识翻译学的提出填补了这一研究领域的空白,让翻译知识成为一个独立的研究对象。作为一门新兴学科,知识翻译学须从知识在翻译系统中的位置、研究对象、理论基础、研究方法、学科性质、学科定位等方面进行元反思,为其合法性寻找可靠的科学依据。知识在翻译系统中处于中心地位,是联通其他翻译元素的关键要素。知识翻译学研究翻译与知识的关系,以译者知识、文本知识、理论知识、翻译过程的知识生产、翻译批评的知识评价、翻译知识史等为具体研究对象。知识翻译学以哲学的知识论、知识社会学、知识学、认知科学为立论基础,但又保持自己的独立学科地位。知识翻译学将知识分为科学知识、社会知识、人文知识三大类,分别对应三种文本类型,不同的文本类型决定了不同的研究方法与理论性质。知识翻译学在学科性质上兼具科学性、社会性与人文性,纠正了传统观点的偏颇。知识翻译学具有整合各分支翻译学科的功能,是翻译研究的基础学科,可以称其为普通翻译学,与特殊翻译学与理论翻译学并列。

Knowledge is intrinsically present in translation practice, but has long been absent in translation studies. The new concept of Translation Studies of Knowledge fills a research gap in this field in which translation knowledge is established as an independent object of investigation. Meta-reflection concerning the new field of study is made on its position in the translation system, theoretical basis, research methods, and its disciplinary nature. All endeavors are intended to justify its legitimacy for the emerging field and secure a reliable foundation for its further development. Knowledge is a core element in a network of relations which lies at the pivotal position in the translation system. Translation Studies of Knowledge explores the relation between knowledge and translation, taking translator knowledge, theoretical knowledge, knowledge-based translation process, knowledge assessment in translation criticism, the history of translation knowledge, and so on, as its objects of study. It is built on Theory of Knowledge of Philosophy, Sociology of Knowledge, Cognitive Science, and Knowledge Studies, meanwhile keeps its autonomy potentially as an independent discipline. It classifies knowledge of all kinds into scientific knowledge, social knowledge and human knowledge, which correspond with three text types respectively, influencing or determining respective research methods and nature of translation theory. The discipline as such is characterized by a combined nature of natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities. The emerging discipline can effectively connect so-called sub-branches of various kinds with each other, and hence can be called General Translation Studies, parallel to Speical Translation Studies and Theoretical Translation Studies.