Translation as a socially symbolic act : translations of the ancient Greek concept of 'democracy' in nineteenth-century Britain
The aim of this thesis is to employ an historical, non-prescriptive approach to translation, in order to examine the social constitution and role of translations of the ancient Greek concept of democracy in nineteenth-century Britain. For this purpose it develops two levels of argumentation in parallel. On the one hand, it suggests the necessity to historicise both the production of translation works and the concepts, methods and precepts of historiographic analysis by which these works become the object of knowledge and understanding. In this sense, part of this thesis focuses on a range of contemporary models for translation research, with particular emphasis on the notion of translation norms, in order to discuss their theoretical problematic, but also to trace their roots in conceptions of translation, knowledge and society developed in the intellectual and political tradition of modernity. On these grounds, it seeks to advance an understanding of translation that defines the translated text as a symbolic articulation of the social conditions that brought it into being, and also as a response to these conditions, which acts to channel them into new directions by rewriting them in a novel form of expression.
Lianeri, Alexandra
JC Political theory ; P Philology. Linguistics
Translation as a socially symbolic act : translations of the ancient Greek concept of 'democracy' in nineteenth-century Britain. The aim of this thesis is to employ an historical, non-prescriptive approach to translation, in order to examine the social constitution and role of translations of the ancient Greek concept of democracy in nineteenth-century Britain. For this purpose it develops two levels of argumentation in parallel. On the one hand, it suggests the necessity to historicise both the production of translation works and the concepts, methods and precepts of historiographic analysis by which these works become the object of knowledge and understanding. In this sense, part of this thesis focuses on a range of contemporary models for translation research, with particular emphasis on the notion of translation norms, in order to discuss their theoretical problematic, but also to trace their roots in conceptions of translation, knowledge and society developed in the intellectual and political tradition of modernity. On these grounds, it seeks to advance an understanding of translation that defines the translated text as a symbolic articulation of the social conditions that brought it into being, and also as a response to these conditions, which acts to channel them into new directions by rewriting them in a novel form of expression.
translation socially symbolic act translation ancient_greek concept democracy nineteenth_century_britain aim employ historical non prescriptive translation order_examine social constitution role translation ancient_greek concept democracy nineteenth_century_britain purpose develops two_level argumentation parallel one_hand suggest necessity production translation work concept method historiographic analysis work become object knowledge understanding sense part focus range contemporary model translation particular_emphasis notion translation_norm order discus theoretical problematic also trace root conception translation knowledge society develop intellectual_political tradition modernity ground seek advance translation defines translate_text symbolic articulation social_condition bring also response condition act channel new_direction rewrite novel form expression