The Rabbit in the Theory Translation, Doubt, Trust and Teaching; and the Aesthetic Attitude to Translating

“Languages” says Donald Davidson, “we will not think of as separable from souls; speaking a language is not a trait a man can lose while retaining the power of thought” (Davidson 1974/1984: 185). I will consider the long history of faith in translation before turning to a serious, contemporary doubt about the possibility that our different languages (souls/thoughts) are intertranslatable. I will address that concern with reference to Quine’s parable of the linguist and the rabbit and Davidson’s more optimistic view.

Having laid the untranslatability argument to rest, I will consider the advantages to be had from the possibility of translation, and muse on the efforts and cost of keeping us in touch with one another in large international institutions without having to relinquish our preferred modes of speaking and writing. I will argue that given the centrality of translation in our lives, it is important to try to make people aware of translation and of its nature, and that we must think about how we can describe translation and how we can teach it.

I will present my own view of the nature of translation as set out in Translation and Creativity (2020) and of how I think it might helpfully be taught, as suggested in Introducing Translation (2025). In both books, I have sought to avoid a problem-driven approach to translation in favour of a focus on an approach to translation as a creative, art-ish activity best undertaken with an aesthetic attitude (Scruton 1974/1988) to the texts and process involved in mind. I will include a brief example of translation undertaken with the due care and attention that such an attitude demands, and an example of translation undertaken without it.

I will conclude by arguing that while we must bear the rabbit in mind, translating is a safe, justifiable and beneficial way to facilitate intercultural and interpersonal communication.

Program in Translation and Intercultural Communications | View More Events
Co-hosted with: Princeton Institute for International & Regional Studies

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