Lecture 2 translation history in the west and in the east. Plan: translation history in the west

TRANSLATION IN THE IX CENTURY
Alfred (849-901) — King of the West-Saxons, chose theological, historical and philosophical works for translation, which to his mind were to favor the growth of education. The first translation works of Alfred are «Dialogues», «Anglo-Saxon Chronicle», «Cura Pastorals» («Pastoral care»). «Cura Pastorals» was translated in the IX century. The aim of that book was to help the priests. Alfred’s choice of translation of this book was explained in the preface. He wrote that few learned priests were to be found in the country destroyed by Danish tribes. He composed the preface. The dialect was West Saxon. Alfred did not use the complicated Latin constructions in his translations.
King Alfred made a great contribution to the development of literal norms. Alfred also translated «The old English charters» and the translation was in Mercian dialect.
Besides them Alfred the Great ordered to write the history of England, the name of this book «The Anglo-Saxon chronicle». This book is kept in the British museum in London. In this book you can get information of the events took place in England. Only scholars who have studied the Anglo-Saxons language, in which it was written, can understand it and translate into English. At that time books were translated into different dialects of the English language. Two tendencies existed: free and word for word renderings. Word for word rendering, which destroyed the main content of the text and the language, was used in Bible (it was translated into Latin and Greek) and in philosophic works. Free rendering, which reflects the spirit of the content in a language and a text, preserves the requirements of the language.
Questions:

1. 
   Can you describe the influence of Arabian literature on Spain?
   
2. 
   What was the contribution of Alfred the Great?
   
3. 
   What books were translated by Alfred the Great?
   
4. 
   Whom do you know besides Alfred whose main activity was translation?
   
5. 
   How translation was developed in the IX century?
   
6. 
   What translated books do you know in the IX century?