The Age of Translation is the first English translation of Antoine Berman’s commentary on Walter Benjamin’s seminal essay ‘The Task of the Translator’. Chantal Wright’s translation includes an introduction which positions the text in relation to current developments in translation studies, and provides prefatory explanations before each section as a guide to Walter Benjamin’s ideas. These include influential concepts such as the ‘afterlife’ of literary works, the ‘kinship’ of languages, and the metaphysical notion of ‘pure language’. The Age of Translation is a vital read for students and scholars in the fields of translation studies, literary studies, cultural studies and philosophy.

"This series of HANDBOOKS OF LINGUISTICS AND COMMUNICATION SCIENCE is designed to illuminate a field which not only includes general linguistics and the study of linguistics as applied to specific languages, but also covers those more recent areas which have developed from the increasing body of research into the manifold forms of communicative action and interaction.For "classic" linguistics there appears to be a need for a review of the state of the art which will provide a reference base for the rapid advances in research undertaken from a variety of theoretical standpoints, while in the more recent branches of communication science the handbooks will give researchers both an overview and orientation."--

Translation Translation contributes to current debate on the question of translation dealt with in an interdisciplinary perspective, with implications not only of a theoretical order but also of the didactic and the practical orders. In the context of globalization the question of translation is fundamental for education and responds to new community needs with reference to Europe and more extensively to the international world. In its most obvious sense translation concerns verbal texts and their relations among different languages. However, to remain within the sphere of verbal signs, languages consist of a plurality of different languages that also relate to each other through translation processes. Moreover, translation occurs between verbal languages and nonverbal languages and among nonverbal languages without necessarily involving verbal languages. Thus far the allusion is to translation processes within the sphere of anthroposemiosis. But translation occurs among signs and the signs implicated are those of the semiosic sphere in its totality, which are not exclusively signs of the linguistic-verbal order. Beyond anthroposemiosis, translation is a fact of life and invests the entire biosphere or biosemiosphere, as clearly evidenced by research in “biosemiotics”, for where there is life there are signs, and where there are signs or semiosic processes there is translation, indeed semiosic processes are translation processes. According to this approach reflection on translation obviously cannot be restricted to the domain of linguistics but must necessarily involve semiotics, the general science or theory of signs. In this theoretical framework essays have been included not only from major translation experts, but also from researchers working in different areas, in addition to semiotics and linguistics, also philosophy, literary criticism, cultural studies, gender studies, biology, and the medical sciences. All scholars work on problems of translation in the light of their own special competencies and interests.

Quality in Translation is a compilation of papers from the ""Proceedings of the Third Congress of the International Federation of Translators."" This collection discusses the quality methods and criteria of translation, the training of translators, practical measures in translating, and terminologies. This text describes what a good translation should be. This book analyzes the problems encountered when translating from one language to another: language thought patterns, occurrence of transformations during translations, and the range of interpretability. Another concern this book addresses is the dilemma of quality versus quantity, especially in scientific materials when more studies need to be translated for wider exposure to the scientific community. The training of translators covers how Russian students are selected, the training methods, and emphasis on peculiarities of the English and Russian languages. Practical matters include choosing the right translator for the right job or subject, as well as some advice for clients seeking translators for embassy work. The terminological aspects in translating include the translator's confidence with his choice of words and how he uses a scientist's new coined words instead of his employing similar terminologies used by the scientist's colleagues. This book also cites the accomplishments of the International Committee for the Co-ordination of Terminological Activities. Translators and students studying foreign languages, overseas workers, consulate staff, linguists and administrators of international companies will find this book relevant.