The Power of Translation | Avery Park | TEDxBowdoinCollege

Translation Accuracy & Context - The industry emphasizes the importance of carefully understanding and contextualizing ancient texts before translation, as translation is an imperfect art that can be influenced by the translator's bias and the new cultural surroundings [4][6] - The industry recognizes that mistranslations can compound over time, leading to questionably unfamiliar, incomplete, or uncontextualized versions of the original story [7] - The industry highlights how a single mistranslation can significantly alter the meaning and interpretation of a text, citing the example of "barbaros" shifting from "foreigner" to "barbarian" [9][11] Interpretation of Ancient Literature - The industry acknowledges the tendency of translators to euphemize sexual violence in ancient literature, depicting it as acts of love and adoration, which can normalize sexual violence and rape [15] - The industry points out how the Latin word "rapere," meaning "to seize," is often translated as "chase" or "pursue," diluting the forceful meaning and dismissing the violent undertones [17] - The industry notes that adaptations which soften the brutality of myths can justify ideas of rape culture and victim blaming [18] Impact on Modern Understanding - The industry stresses the importance of translators remaining faithful to the original text and contextualizing their translation for the modern reader, especially in ancient epics [22] - The industry warns that rewriting history through biased translations can be problematic [23]