Translation of literary texts suffer always an ungrateful position in academic and cultural discourse. Generally, there are only two ways of treatment: no acknowledgment at all or criticism about the unfaithfulness. One can decide which way he prefers but translators todays are mostly praised for their invisibility and not for their actual work. This is especially the case in book reviews where the focus is on the meaning, thus the content of the book, instead on the translator’s work. Already in 1994 Lawrence Venuti wrote his influential essay about The Translator’s Invisibility concerning the focus on fluency in translation instead of a foreignization. Here, book reviews show exactly this trend. Nevertheless, the fact of being from another culture comes into account in their attempt of settling the book into their own culture. Linked to that is André Lefevere’s theory of literature as a system which he depicts in his essay Mother Courage’s Cucumbers: Text, System and Refraction in a Theory of Literature (1982).
In my essay I would like to show how both Lefevere’s and Venuti’s concepts and criticism are internalised in contemporary book reviews and therefore in our (literary) culture in general. Concerning that, I will shortly present the theoretical background of Venuti and Lefevere with their most interesting points for literary criticism. Followed by that is the case study where I analyse three different literary reviews and finish with a contemporary translator dispute in newspapers. Thus, the invisibility of the translator as well as the disappearance of the source culture will be highlighted.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Lawrence Venuti: The Translator's Invisibility
- André Lefevere: Mother Courage's Cucumbers: Text, System and Refraction in a Theory of Literature
- Case study: Book reviews today.
- Conclusion.
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay aims to demonstrate how the concepts and criticisms of Venuti and Lefevere are reflected in contemporary book reviews and, consequently, in our broader (literary) culture. It will explore the theoretical background of Venuti and Lefevere, highlighting their key insights relevant to literary criticism. The essay will then analyze three different literary reviews as a case study and conclude with a contemporary translator dispute in newspapers. Through this analysis, the invisibility of the translator and the disappearance of the source culture will be highlighted.
- The invisibility of the translator in literary reviews
- The role of fluency and domestication in translation
- The importance of the source culture in translation
- The concept of literature as a system
- The influence of patronage and poetics on literary works
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction establishes the central argument that translation often faces neglect or criticism for its perceived unfaithfulness, highlighting the prevalent preference for invisibility in the translation process. This essay explores how Venuti and Lefevere's theories on translation and literary systems are reflected in contemporary book reviews.
The chapter on Lawrence Venuti's "The Translator's Invisibility" focuses on the concept of fluency as a dominant factor in Anglo-American culture, where translations are deemed acceptable when they read smoothly and transparently, concealing the translator's intervention. Venuti argues that this emphasis on fluency leads to the domestication of the translated text, effectively erasing the source culture.
The chapter on André Lefevere's "Mother Courage's Cucumbers" introduces the concept of literature as a system, with translation acting as a bridge between cultures. Lefevere critiques the Romantic notion of the literary text as a sacred, untouchable object, advocating for a systematic approach that recognizes the importance of refractions, including translations, criticism, and other elements surrounding a literary work.
The case study chapter analyzes three literary reviews to demonstrate the practical application of Venuti and Lefevere's theories. These reviews exemplify the invisibility of the translator and the dominance of domestication, revealing how the source culture is often marginalized in favor of the target culture's expectations.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key terms and concepts explored in this essay include translation invisibility, fluency, domestication, foreignization, literary system, refraction, patronage, poetics, and book reviews. The essay examines how these concepts intersect and influence the reception of translated works within a specific cultural context.
- Quote paper
- Jana Schäfer (Author), 2015, Invisible translation in literary reviews, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/316578
