Essay on the Principles of Translation

First General Rule: A Translation should give a complete transcript of the ideas of the original work—Knowledge of the language of the original, and acquaintance with the subjec...

Second general Rule: The style and manner of writing in a Translation should be of the same character with that of the Original—Translations of the Scriptures—Of Homer, &c.—A ju...

Examples of a good Taste in poetical Translation—Bourne’s Translations from Mallet and from Prior—The Duke de Nivernois, from Horace—Dr. Jortin, from Simonides—Imitation of the...

Limitation of the rule regarding the Imitation of Style—This Imitation must be regulated by the Genius of Languages—The Latin admits of a greater brevity of Expression than the...

Third general Rule: A Translation should have all the ease of original composition—Extreme difficulty in the observance of this rule—Contrasted instances of success and failure—...

It is less difficult to attain the ease of original composition in poetical, than in Prose Translation—Lyric Poetry admits of the greatest liberty of Translation—Examples distin...

Of the Translation of Idiomatic Phrases—Examples from Cotton, Echard, Sterne—Injudicious use of Idioms in the Translation, which do not correspond with the age or country of the...

Other Characteristics of Composition which render Translation difficult—Antiquated Terms—New Terms—_Verba Ardentia_—Simplicity of Thought and Expression—In Prose—In Poetry—_Naiv...

The genius of the Translator should be akin to that of the original author—The best Translators have shone in original composition of the same species with that which they have...

If it were possible accurately to define, or, perhaps more properly, to describe what is meant by a _good Translation_, it is evident that a considerable progress would be made...

FIRST GENERAL RULE—A TRANSLATION SHOULD GIVE A COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT OF THE IDEAS OF THE ORIGINAL WORK—KNOWLEDGE OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORIGINAL, AND ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE SUBJECT...

If it is necessary that a translator should give a complete transcript of the ideas of the original work, it becomes a question, whether it is allowable in any case to add to th...

In the preceding chapter, in treating of the liberty assumed by translators, of adding to, or retrenching from the ideas of the original, several examples have been given, where...

SECOND GENERAL RULE: THE STYLE AND MANNER OF WRITING IN A TRANSLATION SHOULD BE OF THE SAME CHARACTER WITH THAT OF THE ORIGINAL.—TRANSLATIONS OF THE SCRIPTURES;—OF HOMER, ETC.—A...

EXAMPLES OF A GOOD TASTE IN POETICAL TRANSLATION.—BOURNE’S TRANSLATIONS FROM MALLET AND FROM PRIOR.—THE DUKE DE NIVERNOIS FROM HORACE.—DR. JORTIN FROM SIMONIDES.—IMITATION OF TH...

LIMITATION OF THE RULE REGARDING THE IMITATION OF STYLE.—THIS IMITATION MUST BE REGULATED BY THE GENIUS OF LANGUAGES.—THE LATIN ADMITS OF A GREATER BREVITY OF EXPRESSION THAN TH...

From all the preceding observations respecting the imitation of style, we may derive this precept, That a Translator ought always to figure to himself, in what manner the origin...

THIRD GENERAL RULE—A TRANSLATION SHOULD HAVE ALL THE EASE OF ORIGINAL COMPOSITION.—EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN THE OBSERVANCE OF THIS RULE.—CONTRASTED INSTANCES OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE...

IT IS LESS DIFFICULT TO ATTAIN THE EASE OF ORIGINAL COMPOSITION IN POETICAL, THAN IN PROSE TRANSLATION.—LYRIC POETRY ADMITS OF THE GREATEST LIBERTY OF TRANSLATION.—EXAMPLES DIST...

OF THE TRANSLATION OF IDIOMATIC PHRASES.—EXAMPLES FROM COTTON, ECHARD, STERNE.—INJUDICIOUS USE OF IDIOMS IN THE TRANSLATION, WHICH DO NOT CORRESPOND WITH THE AGE OR COUNTRY OF T...

familiarly acquainted with the modern invention of gunpowder; “Had we but a mortar now to play upon them under the covert way, one bomb would make them scamper,” _Fundam tibi nu...

There is perhaps no book to which it is more difficult to do perfect justice in a translation than the _Don Quixote_ of Cervantes. This difficulty arises from the extreme freque...

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPOSITION, WHICH RENDER TRANSLATION DIFFICULT.—ANTIQUATED TERMS—NEW TERMS—VERBA ARDENTIA.—SIMPLICITY OF THOUGHT AND EXPRESSION—IN PROSE—IN POETRY.—NAÏ...

In a preceding chapter, while treating of the translation of idiomatic phrases, we censured the use of such idioms in the translation as do not correspond with the age or countr...

THE GENIUS OF THE TRANSLATOR SHOULD BE AKIN TO THAT OF THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR.—THE BEST TRANSLATORS HAVE SHONE IN ORIGINAL COMPOSITION OF THE SAME SPECIES WITH THAT WHICH THEY HAVE...