Ottoman Translations: Circulating Texts from Bombay to Paris

This book explores the translation of texts into and amongst the languages of the Ottoman Empire, focusing on texts translated from Ottoman Turkish, Arabic, English, French, and Greek into Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Ottoman Turkish, Greek, Karamanlidika, Persian, Bosnian, and French. It challenges views of translation and text dissemination that center the West and includes case studies of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Shakespeare's Othello, Eugne Sue's Mystères de Paris, Khayr al-Din Pasha's Muqaddima, Abdulhak Hamit's Tarik, Qasim Amin's Tahrir al-Marâ, Muhammad Farid Wajdi's The Muslim Woman, and Fatima Aliye's Nisvan-? ?slam.

Format: Hardback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 31 December 2022
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Studies of translation into and among the many languages of the Ottoman Empire offer eight in-depth case studies of translation between Ottoman and associated languages, written collaboratively by scholars with diverse linguistic expertise. The focus of the book is on texts translated or adapted from Ottoman Turkish, Arabic, English, French, and Greek into Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Ottoman Turkish, Greek, Karamanlidika, Persian, Bosnian, and French. By displacing the epicenter of Translation Studies and Comparative Literature eastward, the book challenges views of translation and text dissemination that center on the West.

The case studies included in the book cover a wide range of texts, including Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Shakespeare's Othello, Eugène Sue's Mystères de Paris, Khayr al-Din Pasha's Muqaddima, Abdulhak Hamit's Tarik, Qasim Amin's Tahrir al-Marâ, Muhammad Farid Wajdi's The Muslim Woman, and Fatima Aliye's Nisvan-i?slam. These case studies provide a rich insight into the translation practices and strategies employed in the nineteenth-century Ottoman Empire, both within the government and private sectors, as well as among official and amateur translators.

One of the key themes of the book is the question of what constitutes an Ottoman language. The authors argue that the Ottoman Empire was a multilingual society, with a range of languages spoken and written by its subjects. The book explores the ways in which translation played a crucial role in maintaining communication and cultural exchange within this complex linguistic landscape.

Collaborative work has been a key aspect of the book's production. The authors have worked closely with working translators to gain insight into their practices and challenges. This has allowed the book to provide a unique perspective on the translation process, and to offer practical recommendations for translators working with Ottoman and associated languages.

Overall, Studies of Translation into and among the Ottoman Empire's Many Languages is a valuable contribution to the field of Translation Studies and Comparative Literature. It offers a fresh perspective on the translation practices of the nineteenth-century Ottoman Empire, and challenges traditional views of translation and text dissemination. The book will be of interest to scholars and students of Translation Studies, Comparative Literature, History, and Middle Eastern Studies.

Weight: 780g
Dimension: 240 x 162 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399502573