The Limits and Cognitive Resources of Translating: On Paul Ricoeur’s Hermeneutics

Abstract

Hermeneutical thought suggests that translating involves not only transporting or mediating meanings, but also ‘acting’ on a communicative level, and putting different perspectives into dialogue. Drawing on the work of Paul Ricoeur, I describe translation as both a process and a task that we have to take on due to the plurality of languages and the opacity of meaning. In this sense, translation is a creative work of reinvention from a cognitive point of view. It can become a pluralistic paradigm, as a model of mediation, elaboration, and recognition. In conclusion, translation can be seen as an act of recognition of oneself and the other, as well as a gesture of hospitality and gratitude.