Lecture 1: A Brief History of Translation

A Brief History of Translation

• Translation practice dates back to the golden age of Roman civilization, during the times of Roman Cicero and the poet and critic Horace.

The Debate between Word-for-Word and Sense-for-Sense Translation

• Cicero, in 46 B.C., raised the issue of word-for-word vs sense-for-sense translation, opting for the latter, prioritizing conveying the intended meaning over literal translation.
• Cicero's approach to translation avoided using equivalent words and structure, focusing on style that conveys the intended meaning.

Contributions of Horace and St. Jerome

• Horace, in Ars Poetica, emphasized the importance of creative translation that is aesthetically pleasing and moving.
• St. Jerome, in the 4th century A.D., adopted Cicero's approach to translation, but with caution, recognizing the sacred nature of the Holy Scripture.

The Abbasid Period and the Arabs' Approach to Translation

• During the Abbasid period, Arabs translated Greek works into Arabic, initially using a literal approach, but later favoring a free or sense-for-sense translation, introducing Arab neologisms, explanatory commentaries, and notes.

The Debate in the Western World

• The debate between literal and free translation continued in the Western world, with the Roman Catholic Church insisting on a correct translation of the Bible, while Martin Luther preferred non-literal translation, arguing that word-for-word translation could not convey the original meaning.
• John Dryden, in the 17th century, introduced a three-category classification of translation, rejecting metaphrase (word-by-word translation) and imitation, and preferring paraphrase (a way towards sense-for-sense translation).

Friedrich Schleiermacher's Concept of Translatability

• In the early 19th century, Friedrich Schleiermacher introduced the concept of translatability and untranslatability, highlighting the difficulty of translating literary texts due to cultural specificities.