ABSTRACT
When experts think about humanistic translation, they typically focus on the details of humanistic texts. This chapter argues that this “paradox of big details,” which characterizes expertise (Chapter 1), is the result of what this book calls “part-whole thinking.” Simply put, translation experts consider details important because, in their view, small and local textual parts often contribute significant meaning to numerous larger wholes that the experts ably project onto the text. The chapter argues that part-whole thinking is a mode of thinking shared by translators and scholars, even if used for different purposes. Moreover, although many translators are wary of translation theory, the chapter argues that the concepts of “part-whole thinking” and “big details” may help defend humanistic translation expertise in the age of artificial intelligence. Specifically, it is proposed that “part-whole thinking” is a more translation-oriented term than the “hermeneutic circle.” This chapter mostly engages with discourse on literary translation yet observes parallelisms with audiovisual translation.
