summary


 * Please read this text and ask questions about parts you don't understand or add definitions for difficult words.**

Much of translation theory from Cicero to the twentieth century centred on the recurring and sterile debate as to whether translations should be literal (word-for-word) or free (sense-for-sense), a diad that is famously discussed by St Jerome in his translation of the Bible into Latin. Controversy over the translation of the Bible and other religious texts was central to translation theory for over a thousand years. Early theorists tended to be translators who presented a justification for their approach in a preface to the translation, often paying little attention to (or not having access to) what others before them had said. Dryden's proposed triad of the late seventeenth century marked the beginning of a more systemmatic and precise definition of translation, while Schleiermacher's respect for the foreign text was to have considerable influence over scholars in modern times.


 * Summary** **of Chapter 2 of Munday, J.** (2001) //Introducing Translation Studies// London: Routledge p.33

Question: I am still comfused with "What historical and contextual elements determined the difference between Cicero's and Jerome's approach of translation?" Could you help me? //Where has this question come from?// It comes from our Translation Studies seminar Question sheet for week two.I just want to make it clear. Thanks.(Shuang) //I see - I think you are meant to research the differences between Cicero and St. Jerome which could lead to understanding their different approaches to translation. They lived at different times (historical element) and in different cultures (contextual element) so you need to find out when and where they each lived, and then think about what difference that makes to their idea of translation. At the same time there were similarities in their approach so you need to think about those too.//

//Thank you so much! I know what I should do next.//