Lingua inglese III - Appunti

Summary

Introduction

This book covers major areas of the now established discipline of translation studies, with particular reference to systematic translation theories and models of contemporary importance. It aims to bring together and clearly summarize the major strands of translation studies that have previously been dispersed, in order to help readers acquire an understanding of the discipline and the necessary background and tools to begin to carry out their own research on translation.

The translation studies is the new academic discipline related to the study of the theory and phenomena of translation. By its nature, it is multilingual and also interdisciplinary, encompassing languages, linguistics, communication studies, philosophy and a range of types of cultural studies. In this book aims to be a practical introduction to the field. We can read the different contemporary models that are applied to illustrative texts in brief case studies so that the reader can see them in operation. The new research contained in these case studies, together with the discussion and research points sections, is designed to encourage further exploration and understanding of translation issue. The aim is to enable the readers to develop their understanding of the issues and associated metalanguage, and to begin to apply the models themselves.

The book can provide a stimulating introduction to a range of theoretical approaches to translation that are relevant both for those engaged in the academic study of translation and for the professional linguist. The book has been structured so that it can function as a coursebook in translation, translation studies and translation theory. Clarity has been a major consideration, so each chapter follows a similar format of:

• An introductory table clearly presenting key terms and ideas;
• The main text, describing in detail the models and issues under discussion;
• An illustrative case study, which applies and evaluates the main model of the chapter;
• Suggestions for further reading;
• A brief evaluative summary of the chapter;
• A series of discussion and research points to stimulate further thought and research.

This volume has had to be selective. The theorists and models covered have been chosen because of their strong influence on translation studies and because they are particularly representative of the approaches in each chapter. The emphasis is on encouraging reflection, investigation and awareness of the new discipline, and on applying the theory to both practice and research.

A major issue has been the choice of languages for the texts used in the illustrative case studies. There are examples or texts from English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. Some additional examples are given from Dutch, Punjabi and Russian.

Chapter 2

Much of translation theory from Cicero to the twentieth century centered on the recurring and sterile debate as to whether translations should be literal (word-for-word) or free (sense-for-sense), a diad that is famously discussed in St Jerome's translation of the Bible into Latin. Controversy over the translation of the Bible and other religious texts was central to translation theory for over a thousand years. Early theorists tended to be translators who presented a justification for their approach in a preface to the translation, often paying little attention to (or not having access to) what others before them had said. Dryden's proposed triad of the late seventeenth century marked the beginning of more systematic and precise definition of translation, while Schleiermacher's respect for the foreign text was to have considerable influence over scholars in modern times.

This chapter describes some of the major issues that are discussed in writings about translation up to the middle of the twentieth century. This huge range of over two thousand years, beginning with Cicero in the first century BCE, focuses on the literal vs. free translation debate, an imprecise and circular debate from which theorists have emerged only in the last fifty years. The chapter describes some of the classic writings on translation over the years, making a selection of the most well-known and readily available sources. It aims to initiate discussion on some of the key issues.

Chapter 3

This chapter has examined important questions of translation raised...