Homer and Translation theory Flashcards
Q: How is translation a political act?
A: Translation involves ideological decisions about what should be preserved (words, meaning, style), and these choices can reflect cultural or political biases.
Q: What does translation theory question about the “original” text?
A: Translation theory questions the status of the “original” text, often suggesting that all texts are inherently translations themselves, shaped by context and interpretation.
Language is inherently a translation:
It translates the non-verbal world..
Each sign or phrase translates another sign or phrase.
No text is entirely original because of this translation process.
Q: What does translation of classical texts reveal?
A: It shows the development of the literary tradition in English and debates about the status and meaning of classical literature in English literary traditions.
Q: What was Cicero’s view on translation?
Translation should preserve the sense and ideas, but not necessarily be a word-for-word translation, aligning with his oratorical approach.
Q: What are John Dryden’s three types of translation?
Metaphrase – word-for-word translation.
Paraphrase – translation with some flexibility, preserving the sense.
Imitation – free adaptation based on general hints from the original.
Q: What is the difference between domesticating and foreignizing translation?
Domesticating makes the translation easy to read, removing linguistic or cultural oddities.
Foreignizing keeps the original cultural differences, resisting ethnocentrism.
Q: What does Venuti argue about foreignizing translations?
A: Venuti argues that foreignizing translations resist cultural imperialism and allow for democratic geopolitical relations by retaining cultural “otherness.”
