The Fundamentals of Constructing a Hermeneutical Model for Poetry Translation

Poetry translation involves certain complexities that cannot be easily tackled through the methods developed by linguistics. Such problems as authorial intention, the aesthetical and rhetorical value of translated works, bicultural ideological conflicts, the affective role of literary criticism, and the metaphysical nature of the final textual product require a more systematic and valid approach. To evaluate the difficulties and propose certain possible solutions, first the general points of convergence between hermeneutics and translation are discussed. Then, it is argued that the existing translation theories are not flexible enough to process poetry. This study sheds a new light on the process of poetry translation through proposing a model sensitive to hermeneutical conceptions. Specifically, the discussions show that there is a strong inevitable relationship between hermeneutics and poetry translation. Generally, the study proposes certain implications for developing a postmodern approach to literary translation.