Lost & Found in Translation

In this course we will explore the fundamental philosophical, sociological, and linguistic questions raised by translingual communication through a survey of the greatest theoretical writings on translation together with a comparative study of multiple translations of coherent sections from major works such as the Bible, the Iliad, One Thousand and One Nights, and the Tao Te Ching, as well as other shorter texts. Questions to be considered include: How much does language determine how we think? How much of language is culture? What is unique to translating sacred texts, poetry, “exotic” languages, and dead languages? How do we define the “untranslatable”? Are translators traitors, drudges, or artists? Can machines translate? 3 hrs. lect./disc.