Translation and the language theories of Gerhard Ebeling

Abstract

Attempts translation at arriving have been at comprehensive theories of bedevilled by two extremist debates. The first of them, between "li teral" and "free" transl ation, is as old as the craft itself and has indeed survived many attempts to reduce it to common sense . The second, between literary and lingui stic approaches, seems t o be the direct result of the modern penchant for producing theoretical models for practicall y anything. To my mind the most far-reaching attempt to show the uselessness of the dichotomy between "literal" and "free" is to be found in Steiner's 'After Babel'. Almost alone among modern language theorists Ebeling refuses to see contradictions between the various warring factions in modern language theory. In his view language '...is ultimately nothing other than the power which creates understanding and brings people to understand each other'.