Los censores y el pensamiento traductor en la España del siglo XVIII

Abstract

The present text outlines the principal theoretical attitudes concerning translation in 18th-century Spain as evidenced by government prior censorship reports, based on an analysis of some twenty representative official documents. There is a difference between reports drawn up before 1763 (until then included in the printed editions) and those drawn up after that date, because of the changed manner in which the comments about translation are made; not necessarily the ideas put forward, since the reports make evident a continuation of basic features of the translation framework which link back to classical times and were updated as the translation process adapted to new challenges deriving from the variety of subject matter and languages involved. Both in positive reports and negative ones it is possible to detect an indirect presentation of the principles of what might be considered good translations, which are no different from those applicable to the theoretical fundamentals present in other types of writing, but which additionally demonstrate their degree of relevance to the specific activity of many translators. As a result mistakes identified in translations submitted reveal features which the theoretical framework had not taken note of.