1st Edition

Translation and Empire

By Douglas Robinson Copyright 1997
    138 Pages
    by Routledge

    140 Pages
    by Routledge

    Arising from cultural anthropology in the late 1980s and early 1990s, postcolonial translation theory is based on the observation that translation has often served as an important channel of empire. Douglas Robinson begins with a general presentation of postcolonial theory, examines current theories of the power differentials that control what gets translated and how, and traces the historical development of postcolonial thought about translation. He also explores the negative and positive impact of translation in the postcolonial context, reviewing various critiques of postcolonial translation theory and providing a glossary of key words. The result is a clear and useful guide to some of the most complex and critical issues in contemporary translation studies.

    1. Postcolonial Studies, Translation Studies


    Translation and empire
    What does postcolonial mean?
    The rise of postcolonial theory
    Hegemony, subjectification and interpellation
    Language, place and self
    Beyond nationalism: migrant and border cultures


    2. Power Differentials


    Translating across power differentials
    Disproportionate translations
    'Inscrutable' texts
    Stereotypes
    Writing for translation
    Theorizing across power differentials


    3. Translation as Empire: The Theoretical Record


    Emperors and displaced populations
    The sublimation of empire: Cicero and Horace
    Translatio Imperii et Studii
    Taking the original captive
    Translation and empire


    4. Translation and the Impact of Colonialism


    Eric Cheyfitz and the colonization of the New World
    Repression and hierarch
    Projection
    Eloquence and dialogue
    Property
    Centre and periphery
    Niranjana and the British interpellation of India
    Rafael and the Spanish conversion of the Tagalogs
    The hierarch of languages
    Confession


    5. Resistance, Redirection, and Retranslation


    Tejaswini Niranjana and retranslation
    Vicente Rafael and mistranslation
    Samia Mehrez and métissés


    6. Criticisms

    Biography

    Robinson, Douglas