Examining translation and interpretation studies in GCC states: data from Web of Science (1991–2023)

Abstract

This bibliometric study examines translation and interpreting research within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, leveraging data from the Web of Science: the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E), and the Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI). It identifies publication trends, citation patterns, journal affiliations, historical developments, prominent research themes, and funding sources across academic institutions in the Gulf region. The results, processed through CiteSpace, Excel, and VOSviewer for data analysis and visualisation, indicate that GCC states contribute a relatively considerable number of publications. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia leads in contributions, followed by Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Among institutions, the Qatar Foundation and King Saud University are the most prolific, with significant contributions also from Kuwait University and UAE universities. King Fahd University, the Qatar Foundation, and King Abdulaziz University are particularly notable for their strong citation impact. Key research themes include the use of technology in translation, empirical studies, Arabic proficiency and translation theory. The study marks 2023 and 2022 as significant years for publication volume, indicating a growing interest in the field. Despite this growth, funding is relatively modest, with only 45 out of the 159 articles that were reviewed receiving financial support.