Elements of the Functioning of the Universal vs. Relative Concept Antinomy in Translation

Abstract

Recent research in the field of translation studies frequently frames issues related to the choice of translation strategies determined by several factors of an objective and subjective nature. Among the subjective factors of particular importance is the cognitive one, i.e., cultural, encyclopedic, and linguistic personality of the translator, since it is the translator who ensures the quality of intercultural communication and the degree of pragmatic, semantic and communicative transfer of the message from the original into the translation. At the heart of the researched topic is an attempt to examine, in a concrete pragmatic context, an antinomy that influences the choice of the translation strategy. This is the binomial constituted by the concepts of universal vs. relative and how they motivate the choice of the translation algorithm, especially of a literary text. The theoretical framework of the problem addressed is represented by the views Professor Eugeniu Coșeriu has about language, and about particular languages in a re-evaluation adapted to the translation process. A special value in this process is given to the primary universals of creativity, semanticity, otherness as well as to the secondary universals - historicity and materiality which are seen in the light of literary translation of languages belonging to different language families - Romance, Germanic, Slavic. In conclusion, we try to argue that there is no need, but it is rather beneficial to avoid categorical separation of conceptual and translation approaches, either from the perspective of universalism or relativism. The choice of translation strategy is always flexible, it is adapted to the concrete translation situation, to the national culture and to the rules and norms of functionality of concrete languages.