Barbarity Quote by John Dryden
“It is almost impossible to translate verbally and well at the same time; for the Latin (a most severe and compendious language) often expresses that in one word which either the barbarity or the narrowness of modern tongues cannot supply in more. ...But since every language is so full of its own proprieties that what is beautiful in one is often barbarous, nay, sometimes nonsense, in another, it would be unreasonable to limit a translator to the narrow compass of his author's words; it is enough if he choose out some expression which does not vitiate the sense.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Preface to John Milton's "Paradise Lost", 1667
Translation often loses nuance; some languages convey complex ideas in a single word that others cannot match.
In simple terms: Languages differ in expressive capacity.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize meaning over literal wording.
Themes
translation
language
expression
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- literary translation
- legal documents
- subtitles
- interpretation
- academic writing
Key Concepts
semantics
lexical richness
cultural nuance
Questions to Reflect On
- How can translators balance fidelity and readability?
- When does a word's cultural weight matter?
A Different Perspective
Literal fidelity can obscure intended meaning.
