0000000000588261
AUTHOR
Andrejs Veisbergs
showing 6 related works from this author
Latvian Translation Scene at the Turn of the 19th and 20th Century
2020
The paper looks at the Latvian translation scene at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. It is a continuation of the study of translation history in Latvia reflected in previous issues of Vertimo studijos (vol. 7, 8, 11). These decades are marked by a huge growth of translation, especially in periodicals. German was gradually losing its dominant position as a source and intermediate language, Russian was advancing, so was also the scope of other languages. In contrast to previous periods there was a particular interest in the quality of the originals and modernity.This period also saw a change of generations among translators, and women became visible in translation sc…
The Fuzzy Concept of Idiom and What It Might Mean for Bilingual Dictionaries
2019
Linguistic categories were developed as tools for describing language systems and making them easier to learn. However, like many theoretical concepts and systems, they do not fully represent the real world and, in some cases, seek to imprison linguistic units within a well-ordered system – a procrustean bed as it were. Besides, although the most general categories are universal, the lower-ranking ones are often language-specific. Idiom (or phraseologism) is a very unclear linguistic concept, subject to never-ending debate. However, a strict adherence to categorisation is observable in practical bilingual lexicography and phraseography. This may lead to unwanted compartmentalisation and a…
Language Planning in Latvia as a Struggle for National Sovereignty
2018
Focuses in particular on the language policies of the Second Independence period, directed at ensuring the Latvian language the status of sole official language of the country. The chapter also examines the Russian-Latvian ethno-linguistic ‘cleavage’ in the context of the new language policies.
Latvian Translation Scene at the Beginning of the 20th Century
2021
The first decade of the 20th century was a period of huge advances and expansion in the Latvian translation scene. New, contemporary authors’ works became available to Latvian readers. The Latvian readership was consciously being integrated into general European literary trends. It was also a heyday of periodicals that published numerous translations, including numerous novels. There are countless parallel translations even reaching double digits. Translations included various genres and the traditional Latvian interest in plays was obvious. German was gradually losing its dominant positions as both a source and intermediate language, Russian was advancing. This period also saw a change of …
Defensive and Defective Stance in Translation and Translation Criticism in Latvia between the Wars (1918–1940)
2016
Abstract Latvia's independence period saw translations on a massive scale. The range of source languages was growing, with English overtaking German (German was also the main intermediary language). The literature translated was also extremely varied, as was quality. The choice of works to be translated was in the hands of translators and publishers, who thought of marketing interests. The agents of translation (translators and publishers) pursued mainly defective stance in translation, while criticism staunchly supported defensive stance. Translations always numerically surpassed native production in the domain of novels. The variety of translation scene came to an abrupt end with the sovi…
The Translation Scene in Latvia (Latvian SSR) during the Stalinist Years
2018
[full article, abstract in English; abstract in Lithuanian] In this paper the author continues to explore the translation scene in 20th century Latvia (Veisbergs 2016a). The period under discussion covers 1945–1953, the years of Stalin’s rule after WWII until his death in 1953. The translation situation is described by discussing nationalisation and centralisation of publishers, book liquidation, censorship, ideologisation and politicisation, russification, Latvian émigré translations and other aspects of importance in an attempt to present the translation scene of the period from different angles. At the end of the article an extensive list of references is provided that can serve as an in…