Translation in Translatology: given the recurrence of a term in an author's work, it does not mean necessarily that the sign always symbolizes the same concept (e.g. the adjective 'proud', usually portraying 'loftiness' in Shakespeare, also appears in parts of the Midsummer Night's Dream when Bottom is on stage, and generally in every parody of the tragic hero).

Translation: in many canonical areas of Literature, an image is forced into expressing the opposite to the meaning attributed by cultural conventions (e.g. in Nietzsche, the much-repeated Will to Power is Wille zurt Macht, the Will that aspires inextinguishably to Power, whilst Superman is Ubermensch, "Overman", something that has no longer anything to do with man).

Translation: here we enter the realms of mysticism, the ineffability of the translating process. A good example would be the tale by Borges entitled Pierre Menard, Author of Don Quixote, which represents the aleph, the essential beginning, for every translator. We shall return to this soon.

This is a corollary to item 4.

Translation: the most important part of a novel is the part that remains unwritten, but which the translator must be able to perceive, running beneath the narrative. For example, who is Ishmael, the character who introduces us to the story of Moby Dick, and what has brought him so low that he needs to take ship with Captain Ahab ? Probably a murderer, running from the law. If he is, then his inevitable attitude of ethical indifference to the intensity of the unfolding tragedy takes on another significance. Rereading Moby Dick, I'm convinced that he is just that'

Here we are completely at home, because this is a quotation from King Lear: beware of over-interpretations. The obsession that seeks to make everything clear is the death of poetry. There are passages in the great works of literature which can be 'difficult' even in the original language. Why should they be any easier in the target language ? The translator must not explain the text (more dogma I'm afraid'). If in doubt, stick to the voicings and the punctuation of the original and stand your ground cheerfully with the editor of the publishing house (e.g. with sentences expanded, all Nietzsche is all Kafka, and with elliptic compression, the same is true in reverse. If anyone happens to unearth an Italian translation of these two authors that observes the original geometry of the sentence, please write and tell me).

This is a corollary to item 7.

Whereas reiteration and symmetry are so beloved of German poetry, with its roots in the Volkeslied, they are insufferable to the Neo-latins, champions of the variatio. In his Alto Rhapsody, Brahms sets to music a fragment of Goethe taken from Harzreise Em Winter, which begins with 'aber', 'but'. Listen to this disturbing masterpiece, and discover what metaphysical depths are laid bare by that 'aber'. No further examples are necessary, but beware of that 'nice style' they taught in school. How well Dostoievsky writes, in Italian translations !

Translation: unlike the reader, the literary translator reads the book through before attempting any interpretation. Consequently, the translation will tend to be coloured right from the start with the overall image of the book formed in the translator's mind. In effect, the translator hates chaos, but when approaching a narrative like Nerval's Aurelia ¾ a series of chinese boxes ¾ this is a prejudice that has catastrophic effects.

Ah! A nice corollary to item 13. This could be a third dogma'

The entire second part of the course will be dedicated to this question.