Translation and the Transformations of Linguistic Thought: From Classical Approaches to Modern Theories

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the relationship between translation and the transformations of linguistic thought by tracing the shift from classical approaches based on literal and sense-for-sense translation to modern theories that emphasize the semantic, pragmatic, functional, and cultural dimensions of language. It highlights the contributions of structural linguistics, generative linguistics, and text linguistics to the development of translation equivalence and the expansion of the unit of analysis from words and sentences to the text as a whole. It also examines how functional, interpretive, and cultural theories have redefined the translator’s role as an intellectual agent involved in reconstructing meaning while accounting for the linguistic and cultural specificities of different languages. The study adopts a descriptive-analytical method, complemented by historical and comparative approaches to translation theories. The findings indicate that translation is no longer regarded as a mere process of linguistic substitution, but rather as a complex cognitive and communicative activity requiring the integration of linguistic competence, cultural awareness, and interpretive skills. The study further concludes that achieving equivalence between texts does not require absolute formal correspondence, but rather the preservation of meaning, context, communicative function, and the stylistic features of the source text.