Review article
A Theoretical Account of Translation - Without Translation Theory? Theoretical Account of Translation - Without Translation Theory? Ernst-August Gutt. Translation and Relevance: Cognition and Context.
Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1991. ix + 222 pp. ISBN 0-631-17857-0 £ 30.00.

Sonja Tirkkonen-Condit
University of Joensuu
Table of contents

An understanding of such a complex phenomenon as translation calls for a theory. Ernst-August Gutt's contribution is theoretical, and its aim is to improve our understanding of translation. Paradoxically, however, its aim is also to argue that a theoretical account of translation can simply do away with translation theory. This is done by describing translation in terms of a general theory of human communication, i.e., by embedding translation in the theory of relevance, which has its bases in cognitive psychology. But Gutt's argument is not altogether convincing. It all depends on what one wants to understand.

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