Cultural Translation in Theory and Practice

This contribution offers reflections from the perspective of a cultural historian on the history and problems raised by the ideas of translation and translatability—between languages, between media, and especially between cultures. How far can one stretch the term “translation” and which alternatives might work better? The essay discusses related concepts, from accommodation to re-employment, and the work not only of translators in the literal sense but also that of missionaries, anthropologists and historians whose work is often viewed as a kind of “translation.” The author outlines three main stages in scholars’ use of the term “cultural translation” and discusses examples from a variety of disciplines, languages and cultures. A series of case studies focuses on examples from Japan and China to illustrate salient points.