Theoretical Approaches to Translation Studies

Sessions led by Dr Rodríguez Espinosa

Cicero:

 A significant role in promoting the translation and adaptation of Greek philosophical and
rhetorical works into Latin,
 Making Greek ideas more accessible to the Roman world and contributing to intellectual
and cultural exchange.
 He aimed to capture the spirit and meaning of the Greek works rather than a strict word-
for-word translation.

Saint Jerome

 His renowned work is translating the Bible into Latin

 His translation became the standard Latin version of the Bible for the Western Christian
Church for many centuries.

William Tyndale
 He has a pioneering role in translating the Bible into English.
 William Tyndale believed that translation was a crucial means of bringing the Word of
God to the common people in their own language.

Etienne Dolet

 A crucial role in translating classical Greek and Latin works into French.
 Dolet believed that making the ancient texts of Greece and Rome available was essential
for the intellectual and cultural advancement of France.
 His translations helped introduce classical ideas to a broader French audience.

John Dryden

 He believed that a good translation should not only convey the meaning of the original
text but also capture its spirit and beauty in the target language.
 His translation work reflected his ideas on literary aesthetics and poetics.
Schleiermacher translation theories
 Emphasis on the role of interpretation and the translator's subjectivity.
 Schleiermacher made a distinction between two fundamental approaches to translation:
"domestication" and "foreignization."
 Schleiermacher believed that translation is an act of interpretation, and that the
translator's role is to understand and convey the author's intentions, capturing the spirit
and meaning of the source text.

Ferdinand de Saussure

 He emphasizes the relationship between signs, the arbitrariness of language, and the role
of cultural context.
 Conveying meaning accurately and culturally in translation
 Saussure's ideas underscore the importance of understanding both the form and cultural
context of the source language to effectively translate and communicate the intended
message.

Vinay and Dalbernet

 Significant contributions to translation studies
 Development of the concept of "equivalence" in translation theory.
 “Textual equivalence" and "pragmatic equivalence,"

Roman Jakobson
 "Interlingual equivalence" (translation between languages) and "intralingual equivalence"
(rewording within the same language)
 Various functions of translation, including "intralingual," "interlingual," and
"intersemiotic"
 Preserving meaning, style, and context when translating

EUGENE NIDA
 Work in the field of Bible translation
 Dynamic equivalence
 Need for translators to consider the cultural, linguistic, and social context of both the
source and target languages

Antoine Berman
 Emphasizes making the source text appear unfamiliar in the target language
 The preservation of the original text's style

Annie Brisset
 Importance of studying the translation process within its social and cultural context,
 Role of translators as cultural mediators
 Language, culture, and society in the practice of translation