Early Theories of Translation

"Early Theories of Translation" by Flora Ross Amos is a book that looks at how English writers thought about translation, mainly from the Middle Ages to the 1500s. It tells how translation ideas changed over time, showing big shifts that happened especially when the Renaissance caused new ways of thinking. The author starts by telling how she will explore the topic, pointing out that it's hard to follow a straight line of progress because old critics didn't always build on each other's work. She dives into the Middle Ages, checking out how translators like King Alfred and Aelfric handled the tough job of translating Latin and French texts into English. She brings up how they used different ways of translating, like sticking closely to the words or focusing on the meaning, and how they struggled to be accurate while also making the texts easy for more people to understand; this careful look prepares us for a more in-depth talk about rules and habits for translation as they grew in different times.