Märksõnu eesti tõlkeloost 1906–1940: tõlkediskursust organiseerivad kujundid
Images of literary translation in Estonian translation criticism 1906-1940

Summary/Abstract: Discourse on translation forms a part of translation history. The article analyses expressions and imagery characterizing literary translation in Estonian translation criticism published from 1906 to 1940 in two central literary journals, Eesti Kirjandus („Estonian Literature”) and Looming („Creation”). The study reveals that literary translation is foremost considered an art, as opposed to viewing it as a craft requiring no more than some skill. This is especially manifested in regard to poetry translation. Seeing translation as art is often accompanied by a presumption of congeniality between the translator and the original author as well as by a focus on recreating style as opposed to mere rendition of content. Also, a literary work to be translated is often viewed as a living being with translator bearing the responsibility for its destiny in the target culture. Next to the dominant group of expressions treating translation as art, translation is often discussed in terms of c o mme r c e (translating as importation, translations as cheap, valuable etc. goods) and as t r a n s p l a n t a t i o n (translating as planting into Estonian language or Estonian soil; translations as weeds etc.).

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