Review 4: Chosen Chapters from Translation Studies I (2019) by Vladimír Biloveský and Martin Djovčoš

Reviewed by Matej Martinkovič

Proper mastery of any given field of study requires knowing its basic premises, origins, and developments. However, gaining such knowledge may not be a simple matter, as primary sources can prove difficult to obtain. Authors of the third edition of the publication Vybrané kapitoly z translatológie I [Chosen Chapters from Translation Studies] are aware of these facts and that is why they have collected in this publication significant studies they consider to be of high importance for translation studies discipline, even if some of them may nowadays be considered outmoded – but nonetheless useful –, and included their full texts in their original language along with original notes. The aim is to make these texts readily available to students and others who might be interested in the field. Since the publication of the first edition in 2010 it has become an often-used study material at universities around Slovakia. The present third edition has been modified based on the experience of the authors in using the publication as a study material in their teaching practice.

Much like in the previous editions, the included studies have been divided into three chapters based on theme, with each chapter also containing a brief commentary by the authors introducing the chosen studies and giving reasons for their inclusion, questions designed to check the readers have fully grasped the studied material, space for readers’ notes, and tips for further reading. Furthermore, brief biographies of the authors of the individual studies are included at the end of the publication. The first chapter, On Basic Terms of Translation Studies, introduces readers to the bedrock of translation studies – its basic terminology along with the field’s origins as a stand-alone field of study with studies The Name and Nature of Translation Studies by James S. Holmes and On Linguistic Aspects of Translation by Roman Jakobson.

Having established the basics, the second chapter, Development of Thinking on Translation Studies – as the name suggests – moves on to acquaint readers with various approaches to translation from across history. This longest chapter consists of five studies – History of Translation Theory by Susan Bassnett which provides a general overview of the history of translation, and studies by Slovak authors Ján Ferenčík, Anton Popovič, and Jana Rakšányiová. The last chapter, Equivalence in Translation, gives readers an opportunity to apply knowledge they have gained throughout the publication in reading studies by John C. Catford, Eugene Nida, and Ján Vilikovský. All of them focus on equivalence, which the authors consider a central issue of translation even if some researches nowadays prefer other terms, such as adequacy.

The publication represents a valuable study material especially for students, but also for researches in the field of translation studies. It conveniently collects in one place studies key to properly understanding the field and makes them easily accessible. The included commentaries help explain their importance and offer additional insight, and the questions may aid readers in fully grasping them.