ABSTRACT
The chapter begins by surveying the types of discourse about translation prevalent in Early Modern Europe and listing some landmark documents. The main exposition comprises four parts. First, translatability is taken for granted throughout the period; its theoretical justification does not prevent the recognition of practical translation problems. Second, translation is related to other textual practices in accordance with its social function as a public service and with its personal dimension as part of the overarching concept of imitation. Third, justifications for engaging in the labour of translation follow social and personal lines as well, with arguments stressing personal improvement and emancipatory agendas. Fourth, the richly figurative metalanguage of the Early Modern period reveals the relative value of translation and its practical challenges. The chapter ends with three brief scenes featuring the deployment of discourses about translation in particular contexts: controversies surrounding Bible translation across confessional divides, the issue of the trustworthiness of dragomans working for European powers at the Ottoman court, and the collaborative nature of translation feeding the steady growth of botanical knowledge. A brief conclusion highlights the relevance of Early Modern thinking about translation for modern translation studies.
