Further Reading
Some other well-known philosophical writings on translation are included in
Schulte R. and J. Biguenet (eds) (1992) Theories of Translation. An Anthology of Essays from Dryden to Derrida, Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.
For example
For example
Ortega y Gasset, J. (1937/1992) ‘The misery and splendor of translation’, translated by E. Gamble Miller, pp. 93–112.
Paz, O. (1971/1992) ‘Translation: Literature and letters’, translated by I. del Corral, pp. 152–62.
See also
Borges, J.-L. (1935/2004) ‘The translators of The Thousand and One Nights’, translated by E. Allen, in L. Venuti (ed.) (2004) The Translation Studies Reader, 2nd edition, London and New York: Routledge, pp. 94–108.
For a different approach to hermeneutics
Stolze, R. (2011) The Translator’s Approach: Introduction to Translational Hermeneutics. Theory and Examples from Practice, Berlin: Frank and Timme.
For a general introduction to deconstruction and translation
Davis, K. (2001) Deconstruction and Translation, Manchester: St Jerome.
For more on Derrida
Derrida, J. (1972/1982) Margins of Philosophy, translated by A. Bass, London and New York: Prentice Hall.
Research projects
- Analyse Steiner’s ‘hermeneutic motion’ in another ST-TT pair. Compare your findings with the case study of Heaney’s preface to Beowulf analysed in the chapter.
- Read the feminist criticisms of Steiner in Chamberlain (1988/2004, see chapter) and Simon (1996, see chapter). How far do you agree with their comments? Investigate other metaphors for translation.
- Philosophical texts contain specialized terminologies and experimental structures. Investigate what form a translation of a philosophical text might take. Look at published translations of Benjamin, Borges, Heidegger and Derrida to see what strategies have been employed. Compare translations of other texts, such as the work of Freud, in your languages (see Boynton (2010) ‘Adam Phillips and the new Freud’, an online review from the New York Times,10 June 2000, at www.robertboynton.com/articleDisplay.php?article_id=64)
- There is a strong ethical element to philosophical approaches to translation (compare also the ethical perspective in Chapters 8 and 9). Identify where these ethical points are in the theorists considered in this chapter. Look also at a selection of prefaces written by literary translators. How many seem to consider their work in an ethical or philosophical way?
Exploration
10.5 Derrida’s article on relevance, and discussion of Venuti’s translation
See also the Free Reading Materials tab.