The book is a thought-provoking and insightful exploration of the intersections between translation, history, and culture. Bassnett challenges traditional notions of translation as a purely linguistic activity and instead highlights the cultural and historical contexts that shape the translation process.
In Translation Studies , Bassnett systematically dismantled the myth of the “neutral” translation. She demonstrated that every translation involves choices—about syntax, lexicon, register, and cultural references—that reflect the translator’s historical moment, ideological stance, and target audience. To study translation, therefore, one must study the of that moment: the censorship laws, the dominant poetics, the patron figures (kings, publishers, academies), and the intercultural power relations. translation history and culture susan bassnett pdf