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History and Theory of Translation�TP2

Lecturer: Zsófia Gombár

Date: 13 March 2024

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John Dryden (1631-1700)

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John Dryden (1631-1700)

Metaphrase =

Paraphrase =

Free imitation =

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John Dryden (1631-1700)

Metaphrase = literal translation = word for word translation

Paraphrase =

Free imitation =

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John Dryden (1631-1700)

Metaphrase = literal translation = word for word translation

Paraphrase = faithful translation = sense-for-sense translation

Free imitation =

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John Dryden (1631-1700)

Metaphrase = literal translation = word for word translation

Paraphrase = faithful translation = sense-for-sense translation

Free imitation = very free translation = or it is more or less what today might be understood as ‘adaptation’

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Cicero (106-43 BC) and (St Jerome (c. 342-347 – 400 AD)

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Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC)

Roman statesman
considered the founder of Western Translation Theory
the first to comment on the process of translation and to offer advice
De Optimo Genere Oratorum, [On the Best Kind of Orators] (64 BC): introducing his own translation of the speeches of the Athenian orators Aeschines and Demosthenes.

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De Optimo Genere Oratorum

That is to say I translated the most famous orations of the two most eloquent Attic orators, Aeschines and Demosthenes, orations which they delivered against each other. And I did not translate them as an interpreter, but as an orator, keeping the same ideas and forms, or as one might say, the ‘figures’ of thought, but in language which conforms to our usage. And in so doing, I did not hold it necessary to render word for word, but I preserved the general style and force of the language.

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Horace: Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65-27 BC)

Ars Poetica (20 BCE?):

A theme that is familiar can be made your own property so long as you do not waste your time on a hackneyed treatment; nor should you try to render your original word for word like a slavish translator, or in imitating another writer plunge yourself into difficulties from which shame, or the rules you have laid down for yourself, prevent you from extricating yourself.

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The educated Romans could also read the texts in Greek
(Good) Roman translators were aware of their reading audience’s language skills, so they rendered the texts creatively = stylistic exercise
The stress was more on enriching Latin vocabulary, language, and culture rather than showing faithfulness to the original Greek text.

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Ancient Rome

sense-for-sense translation was preferred over word-for-word translation

Christianity

Bible translators were instructed by the Church to avoid sense-for-sense method

Fear of open interpretation of the sacred texts

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St Jerome, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus (c. 342–419/420)

Vulgate, a Latin translation of the Bible ordered by Pope Damasus in 382 to revise the Vetus Latina Gospels used by the Roman Church.
His non-biblical translations and texts follow classical rhetorical rules

His biblical style evokes the early Christian literal style

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St Jerome as translator of the Bible

the first to use truth (veritas) as a critical concept
his first concern being accuracy of the source text
revised and corrected earlier Latin translations of the Greek New Testament
For the Old Testament, he returned to the original Hebrew (Martin Luther)

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De optimo genere interpretandi

a letter addressed to his friend, the senator Pammachius, in 395
justifying his translation of a letter from Pope Epiphenius to John, the Bishop of Jerusalem
defends himself against accusations of ‘incorrect’ translation

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Now I not only admit but freely announce that in translating from the Greek– except of course in the case of the Holy Scripture, where even the syntax contains a mystery – I render not word-for-word, but sense-for-sense.

(St Jerome 395 AC, Robinson, 1997: 25)

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Sense for Sense Translation (2)

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1) What are John Dryden's three terms for translation?

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1) What are John Dryden's three terms for translation?

1) metaphrase
2) paraphrase
3) free imitation

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2) Please give a short definition of each type.

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2) Please give a short definition of each type.

1) metaphrase = literal translation = word for word translation
2) paraphrase = faithful translation = sense-for-sense translation
3) free imitation = very free translation = or it is more or less what today might be understood as ‘adaptation’

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3) Who is the author of the following text?

And I did not translate them as an interpreter, but as an orator, keeping the same ideas and forms, or as one might say, the ‘figures’ of thought, but in language which conforms to our usage. And in so doing, I did not hold it necessary to render word for word, but I preserved the general style and force of the language.

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4) Who wrote the following line?

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5) ‘Word-for-word translation’ was despised by Cicero and by Horace.

True
False

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5) ‘Word-for-word translation’ was despised by Cicero and by Horace.

True
False

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6) For Roman translators, the task of transferring a text from language to language could be perceived as an exercise in comparative stylistics, since they were freed from task of translating the texts literally.

True
False

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True
False

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7) In Classical Roman period “sense-for-sense” translation was preferred over “word-for-word” translation.

True
False

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7) In Classical Roman period “sense-for-sense” translation was preferred over “word-for-word” translation.

True
False

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8) St Jerome’s Vulgate was

A) the first translation of the Bible.
B) the first Greek translation of the Bible.
C) Vulgate was the first significant challenge to the position of the Septuagint as the Bible of the Church.
D) was the first Latin translation of the Bible.

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8) St Jerome’s Vulgate was

A) the first translation of the Bible.
B) the first Greek translation of the Bible.
C) Vulgate was the first significant challenge to the position of the Septuagint as the Bible of the Church.
D) was the first Latin translation of the Bible.

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9) Who is the author of the following text?

Now, I not only admit but freely announce that in translating from the Greek- except in the case of the Holy Scripture, where even the syntax contains a mystery, I render not word-for-word, but sense-for-sense.

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10) The Septuagint__________________.

A) is a word-for-word translation of the New Testament.
B) is the earliest extant Greek translation of the Old Testament from the original Hebrew.
C) is the first Demotic translation of the Old Testament.
D) was translated by 72 Jewish scholars in Egypt into Greek between the 2nd and 3rd century AD.

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10) The Septuagint__________________.

A) is a word-for-word translation of the New Testament.
B) is the earliest extant Greek translation of the Old Testament from the original Hebrew.
C) is the first Demotic translation of the Old Testament.
D) was translated by 72 Jewish scholars in Egypt into Greek between the 2nd and 3rd century AD.

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References

Baker, Mona; Kirsten Malmkjær, and Gabriela Saldanha. Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies, London: Routledge, 2011.
Bassnett, Susan. Translation Studies. London and New York: Routledge, 2014
Deslisle, J. and J. Woodsworth (eds). Translators through History. Revised edition. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 2012.
Munday, Jeremy. The Routledge Companion to Translation Studies. London: Routledge, 2009.
Robinson, Douglas. Western Translation Theory from Herodotus to Nietzsche. Manchester: St. Jerome Publishing, 1997.
Weissbort, D. and A. Eysteinsson (eds) Translation – Theory and Practice: A Historical Reader. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.