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Questions and Answers
What is the name of the debate that western translation theory was locked in until the second half of the twentieth century?
Who introduced the distinction between 'word-for-word' and 'sense-for-sense' translation?
What was the low social status of in ancient Rome?
What did Cicero aim to preserve in his translation?
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What was Cicero's occupation apart from being a translator?
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Who wrote about the 'triadic model' of translation?
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In what year did Cicero write De optimo genere oratorum?
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What was the focus of Cicero's translation approach?
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Who underlined the goal of producing an aesthetically pleasing and creative poetic text in the target language?
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What was commissioned by Pope Damasus in 382?
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What did St Jerome decide to return to for the Old Testament?
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What was the Greek Septuagint?
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What was the title of St Jerome's letter to his friend, the senator Pammachius, in 395?
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What was the purpose of St Jerome's letter to Pammachius?
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What was the result of St Jerome's comparison of the Greek Septuagint with the Hebrew original?
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Who did St Jerome cite as an authority to justify his own Latin revision and translation of the Christian Bible?
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Study Notes
Translation Theory and History
- The 'triadic model' of translation, consisting of 'literalism', 'paraphrase', and 'free imitation', dominated Western translation theory until the mid-20th century.
Cicero's Approach to Translation
- Cicero outlined his approach to translation in De optimo genere oratorum (46 BCE), emphasizing the importance of preserving the general style and force of the language.
- Cicero did not translate word for word, instead focusing on conveying the same ideas and forms, or 'figures' of thought, in language that conformed to Roman usage.
Ancient Roman Attitudes towards Translation
- The term 'interpreter' in ancient Rome referred to a low-status mediator, often disparaged for lacking education and producing inelegant, word-for-word translations.
- The poet Horace, in his Ars Poetica (c. 20 BCE), emphasized the goal of producing aesthetically pleasing and creative poetic texts in the target language.
St Jerome's Translation of the Bible
- St Jerome, commissioned by Pope Damasus in 382 CE, revised and translated the Christian Bible into Latin, producing the Latin Vulgate.
- Jerome returned to the original Hebrew texts for the Old Testament, a decision that was controversial among those who preferred the Greek Septuagint translation.
- Jerome's overall translation strategy is outlined in De optimo genere interpretandi, where he defends his approach against criticism and emphasizes the importance of understanding the source text.
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Description
This quiz covers the historical development of Western translation theory, including the debate between literalism, paraphrase, and free imitation. It explores the contributions of classical authors such as Cicero and St Jerome.
