Combining top scholarship with impressive erudition, África Vidal Claramonte makes a compelling case for translation as original repetition. Through rigorous application of philosophical insights to actual literary and artistic practices, she invites us to re-think a range of key concepts in translation theory and criticism. In this refreshing view which subverts the conventional notions of authorship and originality, translation is an adventure: a unique, creative, and ludic experience.
Piotr Blumczynski, Queen's University Belfast, UK
This insightful little book ratifies two basic truths: the first is that every act of originality is a repetition; and the second, that in their derivativeness translators are innovatively
original. -
Ilan Stavans, Amherst College, USA
Where and when does a text begin?' Such is the probing or rather the existential question that shapes África Vidal's fine musings on authorship, originality, translation, repetition, reading and interpretation in this book. An innovative and timely contribution that expands the horizons of translation studies and literary theory.
María Laura Spoturno, La Plata National University, Argentina
'This book offers a necessary reflection on what can be considered original, even if it does not conform to the traditional canon. Its theoretical observations are complemented with abundant examples of literary creativity and repetition in writing or in translation, each more striking than the last. Thus, the book is an example of Vidal Claramonte's idea of reading, authorship, creation and translation: no two readers will be the same, but neither will the reading of this book, at different times, always be the same.'
Jorge Leiva, University of Málaga
'By understanding translation as a form of creative repetition, Vidal Claramonte departs from an essentialist conception of meaning and presents translation as the endless possibility of altering and enriching the source text. This book confirms that translation is a core issue in contemporary thought, both because of the multiple perspectives from which it can be approached and because of the many disciplines to which it can contribute: philosophy, sociology, linguistics, literary theory, art. As Vidal Claramonte reminds us, "Translation is more ludic than ever and, therefore, more serious than ever".
David Marín,
Babel volume 70, Issue 3, 2024: https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00391.mar
