A Socratic lesson
By: VIEIRA, Trajano
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ArticlePublisher: São Paulo : IEA, set./dez. 2012Online resources: Acesso Estudos Avançados - USP 26, 76, p. 101-107Abstract: Philological translations of Greek poetic works often overlook key aspectsAbstract: of literary expression. This stems from the delusion of literalness: it is believed that rigorous, literal translation is able to capture the essence of the original. This procedure ignores what actually constitutes a poetic work: its rhythm, its form, its figures of speech, its melopoeia. Generally, none of these aspects are reworked in the target language by academic Hellenists, who seem to view translation as a mere framework for their comments. We must consider poetic translation from another angle. Re-imagining the formal elements is a challenge that must be faced out of respect for readers who dont have access to the original poem. The awareness that is impossible to fully retrieve the formal dimension of the text should not discourage a translator sensitive to poetic expression. In this case, a resolute bias is worth more than the illusion of totality
Philological translations of Greek poetic works often overlook key aspects
of literary expression. This stems from the delusion of literalness: it is believed that rigorous, literal translation is able to capture the essence of the original. This procedure ignores what actually constitutes a poetic work: its rhythm, its form, its figures of speech, its melopoeia. Generally, none of these aspects are reworked in the target language by academic Hellenists, who seem to view translation as a mere framework for their comments. We must consider poetic translation from another angle. Re-imagining the formal elements is a challenge that must be faced out of respect for readers who dont have access to the original poem. The awareness that is impossible to fully retrieve the formal dimension of the text should not discourage a translator sensitive to poetic expression. In this case, a resolute bias is worth more than the illusion of totality
ISSN Online: 18069592
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