1. Transfer and Transformation:
* Carrying: Many early metaphors likened translation to the act of carrying something across a physical or metaphorical boundary. This includes images like "carrying across" a river, "transporting" goods, or "carrying" a message from one place to another.
* Transformation: Translation was also often seen as a process of transformation, changing the form or nature of the original text. This could be represented by images of recasting, molding, or reshaping.
2. Fidelity and Loss:
* Mirrors: The metaphor of the mirror was prevalent, suggesting that translation should reflect the original text faithfully. However, the mirror also implied the potential for distortion or imperfection in the translation process.
* Vessel: Another common metaphor was the vessel, suggesting that translation contained or held the original meaning. But the vessel also implied the possibility of spillage or leakage of meaning during the transfer.
3. The Translator as Mediator:
* Bridge: The image of a bridge emphasized the translator's role as a connector between languages and cultures. This metaphor also highlighted the translator's need to navigate between different linguistic and cultural contexts.
* Interpreter: The metaphor of the interpreter emphasized the translator's role as an explainer or clarifier of the original text. This metaphor highlighted the translator's need to decode and re-encode meaning.
4. The Importance of Context:
* Garment: The metaphor of the garment or clothing highlighted the idea that translation needed to be tailored to the specific context and audience.
* Soil: The metaphor of the soil emphasized the idea that translation needed to be grounded in the specific cultural and historical context of the original text.
These metaphors demonstrate that early understandings of translation were often marked by a sense of tension between the need for fidelity and the inevitability of loss in the translation process. They also emphasized the active role of the translator as a mediator and interpreter between languages and cultures.