The Scandals of Translation (Towards an Ethics of Difference) ||

‘The Scandals of Translation is one of the most provocative and far-reaching books to be published in the field of Translation Studies in recent years. Lawrence Venuti has proved himself a cultural commentator of the very first order. This book should be required reading for all those engaged in the humanities.’ ‘Venuti proposes a radical reformulation of what constitutes a valid translation... I find everything he says intellectually stimulating. If a good book makes the reader want to enter into a personal dialogue with the author, this is a very good book.’ Translation remains on the margins of society. Stigmatized as a form of authorship, discouraged by copyright law, depreciated by the academy, exploited by publishers and corporations, governments and religious organisations. Lawrence Venuti argues that translation is in this predicament because it reveals the contradictions and exclusions of dominant cultural values and institutions and thereby calls their authority into question. Venuti exposes what he refers to as the ‘scandals of translation’ by looking at the relationship between translation and the practices which at once need and marginalize it. The book moves between different languages, cultures, periods, disciplines and institutions and is richly illustrated by numerous case studies including: Bible translation in the early Christian Church; translations of poetry and philosophy from classical Greek and German (Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Wittgenstein, Heidegger); translations of the modern Japanese novel; the translation of bestsellers, advertisements and business journalism; and the author’s own translation of the Italian writer, I.U. Tarchetti. The Scandals of Translation advances current thinking about translation, as Venuti works towards the formulation of an ethics that enables translations to be written, read and evaluated with greater respect for linguistic and cultural differences.

translation Is Stigmatized As A Form Of Writing, Discouraged By Copyright Law, Deprecated By The Academy, Exploited By Publishers And Corporations, Governments And Religious Organizations.
lawrence Venuti Exposes What He Refers To As The 'scandals Of Translation' By Looking At The Relationship Between Translation And Those Bodies - Corporations, Governments, Religious Organizations, Publishers - Who Need The Work Of The Translator Yet Marginalize It When It Threatens Their Cultural Values.
venuti Illustrates His Arguments With A Wealth Of Translations From The Bible, The Works Of Homer, Plato And Wittgenstein, Japanese And West African Novels, Advertisements And Business Journalism.

the New York Times Book Review - Graham Robb

venuti Supports Most Of His Ideas With Practical Examples. He Shows How Translation Cna Twist Any Work Into An Expression Of Domestic Values....his Range Of Reference Is Impressively Wide. He Conveys Large Amounts Of Detail With A Pleasant Urgency.

Venuti exposes what he refers to as the 'scandals of translation' by looking at the relationship between translation and the practices which at once need and marginalize it. The book moves between different languages, cultures, periods, disciplines and institutions and is richly illustrated by numerous case studies including: Bible translation in the early Christian Church; translations of poetry and philosophy from classical Greek and German (Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Wittgenstein, Heidegger); translations of the modern Japanese novel; the translation of bestsellers, advertisements and business journalism; and the author's own translation of the Italian writer, I. U. Tarchetti. The Scandals of Translation advances current thinking about translation, as Venuti works towards the formulation of an ethics that enables translations to be written, read and evaluated with greater respect for linguistic and cultural differences. Provocative and controversial, The Scandals of Translation explores the anxious relationships between translation and the institutions that at once need it and marginalize it. Lawrence Venuti, a professional translator, argues that prevalent concepts of authorship degrade translation in literary scholarship and underwrite its unfavorable definition in copyright law. Exposing myriad abuses, Venuti provides stinging critiques of institutions such as the Modern Language Association for its neglect of translation, as well as publishers for their questionable treatment of translators. From Bible translation in the early Christian Church to translations of modern Japanese novels, Venuti reveals the social effects of translated text and works towards the formulation of an ethics that enables translations to be written, read and evaluated with greater respect for linguistic and cultural differences

Translation is stigmatized as a form of writing, discouraged by copyright law, deprecated by the academy, exploited by publishers and corporations, governments and religious organizations.
Lawrence Venuti exposes what he refers to as the 'scandals of translation' by looking at the relationship between translation and those bodies - corporations, governments, religious organizations, publishers - who need the work of the translator yet marginalize it when it threatens their cultural values.
Venuti illustrates his arguments with a wealth of translations from The Bible, the works of Homer, Plato and Wittgenstein, Japanese and West African novels, advertisements and business journalism.