Translation to standardize the vulgar language. A grammarian, logician and translator in 1694: Antoine Arnauld

Abstract

Translation is a crucial path for language tooling /equipment, and plays a singular role in the making of French in the 17th century. After presenting the outlines of the issue, the article examines a particular writing. At the end of the century, Arnault, arguing in favour of Port Royal’s options in his translation of the Bible, puts forward a practical application of his Logique des idees to a vulgar tongue (the question of signification). Resting on the joint examination of translation rules and critical reflexions on the « good usage » as defined by Vaugelas, he separates neither general grammar and particular grammar, nor language and discourse (or genres) in the construction of meaning. This reasoned defence illustrates his positions as logician and grammarian, and strenghthens the translator’s role as an agent for inventing and stabilizing the usages of a language.