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New Digital Exhibition: Tower of Babel or Universal Understanding? The Art of Translation in the Eighteenth Century

Published: 30 May 2011

"Traduttori, traditori" is an old Italian proverb: "translators, traitors". Are translators really traitors? Does translation undo the confusion of tongues wrought by the destruction of the Tower of Babel or only add to the confusion? What role does translation play in the dissemination of ideas and of the results of the voyages of discovery? Does translation aid or impede understanding among societies and cultures? What is the role of women in translation? This exhibition tries to address these and other interesting and sometimes perplexing questions about the practice of translation in the eighteenth century.

This digital exhibit consists of 82 high-resolution images digitized from works held by Rare Books and Special Collections, McGill University Library.

Visit the digital exhibition http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/babel

 

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