Postcolonial Translation: Theory and Practice

by Susan Bassnett (Editor), Harish Trivedi (Editor), Susan Bassnett (s Editor) (Editor)

This outstanding collection brings together eminent contributors (from Britain, the US, Brazil, India and Canada) to examine crucial interconnections between postcolonial theory and translation studies. Examining the relationships between language and power across cultural boundaries, this collection reveals the vital role of translation in redefining the meanings of culture and ethnic identity. The essay topics
* links between centre and margins in intellectual transfer
* shifts in translation practice from colonial to post-colonial societies.
* translation and power relations in Indian languages
* Brazilian cannibalistic theories in literary transfer.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published December 10, 1998

About the author

Susan Bassnett is Professor of Comparative Literature in the Centre for Translation and Comparative Cultural Studies at the University of Warwick.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_B...

Reviews

[Silvia Brandao]

Easy to read and a great starting point.

[Animesh Mitra]

Good book on post colonial translation theory and practice. Translation is a very important activity to widen and broaden the horizon of a community specially if that particular community is backward, savage, uncultured and uncivilized. Translation helps a community to becomes progressive, cultured, civilized and enlightened. At the time of British colonial period of India the translation of English literature into the vernacular Indian languages made the Indians more civilized, cultured, educated, enlightened and liberal. The birth of modern Bengali literature came into fruition because of the translation of the Bible and other English literature into vernacular Bengali language by the Christian missionary priest William Carey and other priests of Srirampur Church. The founder of Bengal renaissance Raja Rammohan Roy also initiated and conducted the translation of English and European literature and philosophy into Bengali language.

[Musdar]

thats good

[WIlliam Gerrard]

I've read a few articles on the subject of postcolonial translation and have found the area to be interesting. I thought I'd delve a little deeper into the subject. This book is a collection of nine extended essays. My first criticism is that there is too much of an emphasis on postcolonial translation in India. Whereas, due to the nature of the Indian multilingual community and its relationship with the British Empire, I can see how it can be an important focus in postcolonial translation, I felt that this book devotes too much to this one region and doesn't fully explore more exotic regions of the world. There is very little reference to Africa and not much on South America, certainly not the Spanish-speaking part of South America. Thus, the book takes into consideration English as a primary language and the effect of British imperialism. A more varied range of essays with reference to other colonial powers would, I feel, add some spice to the book's material. The essay on border writing in Quebec, was, I feel, the best essay in the collection. I did also, however, surprisingly, take a lot out of the Hélène Cixous / Clarice Lispector essay. Although, at first glance, the study of a famous French feminist's obsession with a Brasilian (feminist) writer, may seem a bit trivial, I found that this essay best introduced me to new ideas and ways of viewing postcolonial translation. It is in essence a power struggle of differentials between colonised people and coloniser. When you add in the mix of a feminist outlook into translation, then some truly profound revelations come into play and I felt that the author of this particular essay (Rosemary Arrojo), developed some very interesting and original ideas, which could be applied to the whole field of postcolonial translation. Overall, this book was perhaps a bit too advanced for my tastes and it was rather difficult to maintain elevated excitement throughout the course of reading it.

[Andrew]

Fascinating articles about the role translation plays in the domination of one culture over another.

[Jaykumar B]

translation as such is not my area of interest, be that as it may, this is an interesting collection of essays that offers a variety of post-colonial perspectives of translation studies theory.

[Rita]

It's a shame it focuses too much on the Indian case. I would love to know more about the Caribbean ex-colonies.