A False Opposition in Translation Studies
Theoretical versus/and Historical Approaches
Published online: 1 January 1991
https://doi.org/10.1075/target.3.2.02del
https://doi.org/10.1075/target.3.2.02del
Abstract
After some preliminary notes on the fragmented state of Translation Studies, the author directs his attention to one of the seemingly irreconcilable oppositions within the discipline, namely, between "theoretical" and "historical" approaches to translation. On the basis of insights from modern epistemology it is claimed that the two are, in fact, complementary and that one should aim for a continuous interplay between them. Normative approaches fail to achieve this and prove to have little explanatory power when confronted with the historical reality of translation. Four discursive strategies are discussed whereby this anomaly is often camouflaged or explained away.
Résumé
Après avoir commenté en quelques lignes l'état fragmenté de la "Science de la traduction", l'auteur de l'article concentre la discussion sur une des distinctions apparemment irréductibles acceptées jusqu'ici par les spécialistes, à savoir la distinction entre les approches dites "théoriques" et "historiques". Sur labase de vues empruntées à l'épistémologie contemporaine, l'auteur soutient queles deux sont en fait complémentaires et que les chercheurs feraient bien de viserune interaction constante entre les approches en question. Or, les approchesnormatives ne respectent pas une telle démarche, ce qui fait que leur pouvoird'explication est bien limité face à toute réalité historique en matière de traduction. Vient alors la discussion de quatre stratégies discursives à propos desquel-les les lacunes en question sont souvent camouflées ou délibérément ignorées.
Article outline
- 1.The Study of Translation
- 2.Theory versus/and History
- 3.Restricted Models of Translation
- 4.Restricted Models of Wordplay Translation, and the Art of Evasion
- 5.A Final Remark
- Notes
References
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2001. The adequate translation as a methodological tool. Target. International Journal of Translation Studies 13:1 ► pp. 1 ff.
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1995. Interpreting Research and the ‘Manipulation School’ of Translation Studies1. Target. International Journal of Translation Studies 7:1 ► pp. 29 ff.
van Doorslaer, Luc
1995. Quantitative and Qualitative Aspects of Corpus Selection in Translation Studies. Target. International Journal of Translation Studies 7:2 ► pp. 245 ff.
Delabastita, Dirk
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1993. Stegeman, Jelle. 1991. Übersetzung und Leser: Untersuchungen zur Übersetzungsäquivalenz dargestellt an der Rezeption von Multatulis 'Max Havelaar' und seinen deutschen Ubersetzungen.. Target. International Journal of Translation Studies 5:1 ► pp. 115 ff.
[no author supplied]
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