On fidelity and infidelity in translation. On the “belles infideles“ of the feministic paradigma
The following paper tries to offer a short outlook on certain aspects of the feminist paradigm in translation theory such as it has emerged from the gender studies and to point out some of the limitations of this paradigm. After outlining the anti-feminist characteristics of the general discourse in translation studies in western culture, the paper discusses the contribution of the so called belles infideles in the 18th century to the consolidation of a gender discriminating attitude towards translation. The feminist paradigm has been trying to offer an alternative approach, viewing the translation not as a mere copy of the original, but as a creation in itself and the translator as a creator equally important to the author of the source text. It leaves open the question wether it would be acceptable from an ethical point of view to replace the male dominated theoretical discourse in translation studies with an equally ideologically framed one.
Keywords: gender studies, feminist paradigm, belles infideles, male dominated approach, ideological frame
2. Babel, George: After Babel. New York Oxford University Press 1975, S. 38.
