Abstract:

This research has revealed that science fiction as a sub-genre was introduced as “an option” into Ottoman and Turkish “culture repertoire” (Even-Zohar, 1997a; 1997b; 2002) via translations in the 19th century. Then from the 19th century onwards, the science fiction genre has continued to exist in the target repertoire mostly via translations, retranslations and reprints. For example, 383 retranslations of Jules Verne’s 32 novels were published in the period between 1875 and 2013, and 27 retranslations of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) have been presented to Turkish readers after its first translation by Hamdi Varoğlu in 1942. The number of indigenous science fiction novels has been lower than the number of translations until now. This study will reveal that some publishers have devoted their time and effort to promote the science fiction subgenre in Turkey. From the 1950s onwards, almost each decade has witnessed a novel publisher with a new series of re/translations. This study aims to suggest the interlinked role of translators and retranslators who form a small group within the repertoire of popular literature, and their persistent struggle to introduce, establish and reinforce the popularity of this genre in Turkey

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