Before Translation?

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

    Abstract

    This chapter addresses the question of the existence of a tradition of translation into Hindi prior to the adoption of the term anuvad to mean translation (circa 1870). To this end it examines definitions of the concept 'language' and their relation to the Indic terms bhasa, samskrta and prakrta and explores how the term 'Hindi language' may be understood. The chapter then discusses the history of Hindi medical literature since the late sixteenth century, providing an example of early forms of translation. Finally, developments from the late eighteenth century onwards which led to the adoption of the term anuvad to mean translation in Hindi are analyzed. The chapter concludes that the question of the existence of a tradition of translation into Hindi before 1800 needs to be re-examined, especially in light of medical works, previously available only in Sanskrit or Persian, that were rendered comprehensible to new Hindi Bhasa speaking publics from the sixteenth century onwards.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationTranslation in Asia: Theories, Practices, Histories
    Editors Ronit Ricci and Jan Van der Putten
    Place of PublicationUSA
    PublisherRoutledge
    Pages45-56
    Edition2nd
    ISBN (Print)9781905763313
    Publication statusPublished - 2011

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