translation studies. retrospective and prospective views

and indeterminacy” (Eagleton, 2007: 5) in which hesitancy, negativity and
undecidability have only become new variables and not dilemmas.
The proliferation of the postmodern was not only felt in the artistic
field, but also in sociology (see Zygmunt Bauman’s works), psychoanalysis
and philosophy (see Deleuze, Guattari, Foucault), economics, social
geography and urban planning (David Harvey’s study is recognized as a
valuable picture of contemporary society), law, and it led to a spectacular
upgrading of cultural studies. Such proliferation was even proven
statistically taking into account the number of articles on this topic. As
Hans Bertens quotes Lance Olsen: “in 1980 21 articles appeared in major
American newspapers such as The New York Times, The Washington Post,
and The Los Angeles Times that used the word ‘postmodern’. In 1984 there
were 116. In 1987 there were 247.” (Bertens, 2005: 12)
This is the reason why the subsequent sections will focus on such
manifestations of both complex artistic strategies and loosely coherent
theoretical assumptions taking into account the arbitrariness and relativity
with which the contemporary world is imbued, displaying perspectives on
postmodernism which range from visions of liberation and emancipation to
visions of the apocalypse. This is also the reason why I have considered it
necessary to begin my analytical inquiry with a presentation of the moment
of transition from modernism to postmodernism and to present the manner
in which society, literature and critical theory, and Malcolm Bradbury
himself experienced this change. I have noticed that the general feeling is
that of loss and bewilderment or even awe at the new developments of a
society in which everybody de-constructs (and reconstructs distortedly),
de-centres (promoting the local), de-defines (and explains through
oppositions or through practical examples), de-historicizes (and hails the
end of history), de-naturalizes (creating a false, counterfeited or simulated
reality), de-patriarchalizes and de-totalizes (recognizing no absolute
authority), de-mythicizes (and introduces new false myths), de-creates (and
creates using the principles of collage and pastiche) and so on. Malcolm
Bradbury built a strong, savory satire against such practices derived
exclusively from the prefix “de-” or “dis-” which functions in the same way
condemning the postmodern world for having forgotten to build and
appreciate the inner world which issued such creations.
The main difficulties of our analysis started from the very term
“postmodernism” which many theorists consider a solecism on account of
the inappropriate prefix. But despite the various other prefixes that were
proposed (“trans-”, “ultra-”, “sur-”, “super-”, “hyper-”, “pseudo-”, “cyber-
”, “para-”, “meta-”, “counter-”) or the alternative independently formed
denominations (“surfiction”, “fabulation”, “post-contemporary fiction”,
“post-industrialism”, “contemporary post-realistic novel” or “anti-
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