“He stole our translation”
Translation reviews and the construction of Marxist discourse
Despite the centrality of translations in introducing Marxist ideas, we know little about the agendas that shaped
them. This paper investigates how reviews of translated Marxist theoretical texts, issued between 1927 and 1934 by the Communist Party of
Greece, were utilised in a struggle to appropriate Marxist discourse from its rivals. Drawing on Foucault’s procedures of discourse control,
and calling attention to power struggles among forces with counterhegemonic ideas, the paper analyses the party’s rules and conditions under
which it was legitimate for a translator to carry out a translation and for the translation to enter political discourse. It will be argued
that political tensions triggered changes in reviewing practices and efforts to renew translation quality criteria. These tensions shaped
contemporary debates on the correct interpretation of Marxism and helped advance the party’s position (a) by calling on readers to disregard
earlier translations issued by political rivals; (b) by constructing its own translations as truth-objects; and by fashioning itself as the
gatekeeper of Marxism. Studying translation reviews allows us to extend our understanding of the complexities of discourse formation, to
trace the history of discourses, to document how knowledge can be a resource in power struggles, and to understand how power struggles can
recast discursive practices.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Translation reviews
- 3.Power and discursive strategies
- 4.Struggle and strategies for discourse control
- 5.Expertise and inexpertness
- 6.Truth and fabrication
- 6.1Honest and corrupt translators
- 6.2True and false textual choices
- 7.Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
- Notes
-
References
References (50)
References
Agrafiotis, Panos. 1934. “Όταν ο γυμνοσάλιαγκας ρίχνει το βρώμικο σάλιο του” [When the slug pours out its dirty saliva]. Neoi Protoporoi 71: 277–278.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Aguilar-Amat, Anna, and Jean-Bosco Botsho. 2004. “Obscured Cultures: The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa.” In Less Translated Languages, ed. by Albert Branchadell, and Lovell Margaret West, 147–164. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Baker, Mona. 2006. “Translation and Activism: Emerging Patterns of Narrative Community.” The Massachusetts Review 47 (3): 462–484.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Baumgarten, Stefan. 2016. “The Crooked Timber of Self-Reflexivity: Translation and Ideology in the End Times.” In History, Ideology, Censorship and Translation: Past and Present, ed. by Martin McLaughlin, and Javier Muñoz-Basols, special issue of Perspectives: Studies in Translatology 24 (1): 115–129.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Bielsa, Esperança. 2013. “Translation and the International Circulation of Literature.” The Translator 19 (2): 157–181. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Bush, Peter. 2004/2005. “Reviewing Translations: Barcelona, London and Paris.” In Shelving Translation, ed. by Rebecca Beard, and Brenda Garvey, supplement of EnterText 4 (3). [URL]![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Callinicos, Alex. 1999. Social Theory: A Historical Introduction. Cambridge: Polity Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cohn, Deborah. 2006. “A Tale of two Translation Programs: Politics, the Market, and Rockefeller Funding for Latin American Literature in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s.” Latin American Research Review 41 (2): 139–164. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cronin, Michael. 2012. The Expanding World: Towards a Politics of Microspection. London: Zero Books.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Delistathi, Christina. 2011. “Translation as a Means of Ideological Struggle.” In Translation and Opposition, ed. by Dimitris Asimakoulas, and Margaret Rogers, 204–222. Bristol: Multilingual Matters. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Elefantis, Angelos. 1976. Η Επαγγελία της Αδύνατης Επανάστασης – ΚΚΕ και Αστισμός στο Μεσοπόλεμο [The announcement of the impossible revolution – KKE and bourgeoisie in the interwar years]. Αthens: Olkos.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Eribon, Didier. 1992. Michel Foucault. Translated by Betsy Wing. London: Faber and Faber.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Foucault, Michel. 1972. The Archaeology of Knowledge and the Discourse on Language. Translated by A. M. Sheridan Smith. New York: Pantheon Books.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Foucault, Michel. 1977. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Translated by Alan Sheridan. New York: Vintage Books.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Foucault, Michel. 1978. The History of Sexuality. Volume I: An Introduction. Translated by Robert Hurley. New York: Vintage Books.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Foucault, Michel. 1981. “The Order of Discourse.” In Untying the Text: A Poststructuralist Reader, ed. by Robert Young, 51–78. Boston: Routledge and Kegan Paul.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Godayol, Pilar. 2004. “Maria-Mercè Marçal: (Re)presentation, Textuality, Translation.” In Less Translated Languages, ed. by Albert Branchadell, and Lovell Margaret West, 365–374. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Gutting, Gary. 2005. Foucault: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Honneth, Axel. 1991. The Critique of Power: Reflective Stages in a Critical Social Theory. Translated by Kenneth Baynes. London: The MIT Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kemppanen, Hannu. 2011. “Pamphlet or Scholarly Work? Book Reviews and Determining the Place of Translations.” In Beyond Borders – Translations Moving Languages, Literatures and Cultures, ed. by Pekka Kujamäki, Leena Kolehmainen, Esa Penttilä, and Hannu Kemppanen, 145–162. Berlin: Frank & Timme.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kordatos, Gianis. 1927. “Introduction.” In Το Κομμουνιστικό Μανιφέστο [The Communist Manifesto], by Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels, translated by G. Kordatos, 3–16. Athens: Akadimaikon.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Lefevere, André. 1992. “Introduction.” In Translation/History/Culture: A Sourcebook, ed. by André Lefevere, 1–13. London: Routledge.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. (1848) 1974. Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei. In Werke 41, 459–493. Berlin: Dietz Verlag. [URL].![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. (1888) 1969. Manifesto of the Communist Party. Translated by Samuel Moore in cooperation with Frederick Engels. In Marx/Engels Selected Works 11, 98–137. Moscow: Progress Publishers. [URL].![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. (1913) 1998. Το Kοινωνιστικό Μανιφέστο [The Communist Manifesto]. Translated by Kostas Hatzopoulos. Athens: Courier.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. 1919. Το Κομμουνιστικό Μανιφέστο [The Communist Manifesto]. Prefaced by Aristotelis Sideris. Athens: SEKE.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. 1927. Το Κομμουνιστικό Μανιφέστο [The Communist Manifesto]. Translated by Giannis Kordatos. Athens: Akadimaikon.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. 1933. Το Κομμουνιστικό Μανιφέστο [The Communist Manifesto]. Translated by I. Iordanidis. Athens: Laiko Vivliopoleio.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Maximos, Seraphim. 1927a. “Το Κομμουνιστικό Μανιφέστο” [The Communist Manifesto]. Rizospastis July 2, 1927. [URL].![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Maxismos, Seraphim. 1927b. “Και πάλι για το «Μανιφέστο»” [Again on the “Manifesto”].
Rizospastis
July 4, 1927. [URL].![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Μ.P. [= Miltiadis Porfyrogenis?] 1935. “Ν. Λένιν Απ’ το Φλεβάρη στον Οκτώβρη 1917” [N. Lenin from February to October 1917]. Neoi Protoporoi 7 (8): 197.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Nida, Eugene. 2001. “Bible Translation.” In Routledge Encyclopaedia of Translation Studies, ed. by Mona Baker, 22–28. London: Routledge.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Noutsos, Panayiotis. 1993. Η Σοσιαλιστική Σκέψη στην Ελλάδα από το 1875 έως το 1974 [The socialist thought in Greece from 1875 to 1974]. Volume 31. Athens: Gnosi.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Paloukis, Kostas. 2003. “Η «Αριστερή Αντιπολίτευση» στο ΚΚΕ” [The “left opposition” in the KKE]. In Ιστορία της Ελλάδας του 20ού αιώνα, ed. by Christou Hatziiosif, B21, 203–243. Athens: Vivliorama.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Papakonstantinou, Theofylaktos. 1934. “Μαρξ-Ένγκελς, Το Κομμουνιστικό Μανιφέστο” [Marx-Engels, the Communist Manifesto]. Nea Epitheorisi (2nd period) 10 (25): 325–329.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Petranos, Orf. 1933a. “Το Κομμουνιστικό Μανιφέστο με το φακό του ελληνικού οππορτουνισμού, I” [The Communist Manifesto through the lens of Greek opportunism, I]. Kommounistiki Epitheorisi 81: 13–19.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Petranos, Orf. 1933b. “Το Κομμουνιστικό Μανιφέστο με το φακό του ελληνικού οππορτουνισμού, II” [The Communist Manifesto through the lens of the Greek opportunism, II]. Kommounistiki Epitheorisi 91: 14–20.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Petranos, Orf. 1933c. “Το Κομμουνιστικό Μανιφέστο με το φακό του ελληνικού οππορτουνισμού, III” [The Communist Manifesto through the lens of the Greek opportun- ism, III]. Kommounistiki Epitheorisi 111: 16–22.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
P.R. [=Petros Roussos?] 1933. “Να διαδώσουμε φαρδιά το ‘Κομμουνιστικό Μανιφέστο’” [Let’s spread broadly the ‘Communist Manifesto’]. Rizospastis. March 12, [URL].![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Rizospastis. 1927. “Αι αποφάσεις του Γ΄τακτικού συνεδρίου του κόμματος” [The decisions of the 3rd Party Conference]. April 16. [URL].
Rouse, Joseph. 2005. “Power/Knowledge.” In Cambridge Companion to Foucault. 2nd ed. ed. by Gary Gutting, 95–122. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Rundle, Christopher. 2011. “Translation as a Threat to Fascism.” In Translation and Opposition, ed. by Dimitris Asimakoulas, and Margaret Rogers, 295–304. Bristol: Multilingual Matters. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Rundle, Christopher, and Kate Sturge, eds. 2010. Translation under Fascism. New York: Palgrave MacMillan. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Sideris, Aristotelis. 1919. “Introduction.” In Το Κομμουνιστικό Μανιφέστο [The Communist Manifesto], by Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels, ε΄–ιβ΄. Athens: SEKE.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Skytalis, P. 1933. “Μια κλεμένη μετάφραση” [A stolen translation]. Neoi Protoporoi 111: 362–363.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Stoddart, Mark. 2007. “Ideology, Hegemony, Discourse: A Critical Review of Theories of Knowledge and Power.” Social Thought & Research 281: 191–225.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Venuti, Lawrence. 1991. “Genealogies of Translation Theory: Schleiermacher.” TTR: Traduction, Terminologie, Rédaction 4 (2): 125–150. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Venuti, Lawrence. 1995. The Translator’s Invisibility. London: Routledge. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Weeks, Jeffrey. 2000. Making Sexual History. Cambridge: Polity Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cited by (1)
Cited by one other publication
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 10 july 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers.
Any errors therein should be reported to them.