Mistranslation, pseudotranslation, and wandering translation as modes of trans-translating: a translanguaging perspective

Drawing on translanguaging as a theoretical lens, this article reconceptualizes mistranslation, pseudotranslation, and wandering translation as distinct yet interrelated modes of trans-translating. Examining examples from colonial encounters, feminist writing, and digital culture, it shows how these practices enact epistemic resistance and cultural innovation, subverting linguistic hierarchies and amplifying marginalized voices. Trans-translating transcends source-target binaries to foster transcultural dialogue—yet this dialogue is not politically neutral. Its significance lies in what we theorize as situated accountability: a heuristic that assesses any translational act by asking who it serves, with what intention, under what conditions for reinterpretation, and through what counter-hegemonic spaces. By grounding ethical judgment in these concrete factors, the framework advances equitable exchange not by celebrating fluidity wholesale but by distinguishing emancipatory enactments from harmful ones.