Traducción y caracterización lingüística: La prosa anglosajona

Abstract

This article considers some possible influence of translation on the frequent and biased characterization of Old English as a 'primitive language', as a language at a 'primary stage of development', 'formally simpler' than others. Some common and traditional errors of translation turn out to be relevant to the case, as for example, the attention paid almost exclusively to lexicographic problems, as opposed to those of syntax, both in theory and in practice. The often useful and often mistakenly applied concepts of 'version', 'modern interpretation', etc. of old texts operate as a second factor, this one imposing the thought that two stages of the same language must obligatorily constitute two close systems. A third aspect considered is the underlying, permanent and clearly unfair comparison established between old languages and modern ones. And the list, obviously is not complete.