Why Translate? From the Naivety of the Question to the Depth of Intertextual Engagement

Abstract

Translation is a linguistic, cultural, and epistemic arena mediating between civilizations. Its descriptive modes have always served as a field for methodological inquiry, immersing in complexities to establish rules and references that streamline the handling of intricate texts, regardless of thematic orientation. We then examine the epistemological foundations that treat translation as a cognitive activity within a comparative framework between languages and cultures. Otherness, a vision of contrasting realms of embodiment and abstraction, tests translational proficiency, moving beyond distorted lexical hybridization and literalism toward reformulations rooted in stylistic choices that respect the rules, conventions, and eloquence of the target language. This article studies the relationships between translation and language, translation and culture, and the challenges facing knowledge domains.