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

Questions:

1. 
   What kind of role translation plays in English Renaissance?
   
2. 
   Who was White?
   
3. 
   What was the purpose of Ph. Holland to translate “The history of the world”?
   
4. 
   Who gave in his book “On the way of translating well from one language into another” five rules of good translation in the XVI century?
   
5. 
   Why translators of the XVI century paid attention to language problems?
   
6. 
   Which translator’s translation of Homer remained the Standard English translation for two centuries?
   

TRANSLATION IN THE XVII-XVIII CENTURIES
In the middle of the XVII century teaching courses of Arabian and Persian were opened in the universities of Cambridge and Oxford and an oriental studies center appeared. Books, dictionaries and translated works were published in the Eastern languages.
Edmund Kastell (1606-1685) wrote a big research according to Eastern literature: he wrote commentary of works of Ibn Sino and enlightened scientific-literal essay about great scientist’s life and activity. At the end of the XVII century oriental studies formed as science in England, famous specialists appeared in order to research and translate the ancient Asian culture until the end of their life. G. Sale was one of the first European who translated the whole Koran into English.
William Johns (1746-1794), who was the first president of «Asian society», knew Eastern literature backwards and was talented translator. He also was one of the introducers of Eastern literature to England. The English people could have the opportunity to read classic Indian literature Kalidasa’s works, Indian eposes «Ramayana» and «Mahabharata» in W. Johns’ translations. Johns advised not to leave or add something and not to change the meaning during the translation of Nizomy’s «Layli and Majnun», when he recommended it. W. Johns recommended works to translate from Firdavsiy and Sa’diy and he translated Arabian verse selection «Muallakot» into English.