I really liked Schleiermacher's take on the ideal audience for a translation. I always thought it would be hard to make a translation that appealed to everyone. Those who simply want to understand, versus those who want to be challenged. Everyone has a different goal when reading a text.
I think a great translation can only be appreciated/understood by those reading, knowing they are entering an area of unique expression, and requires the audience's help to decipher what's going on. At the start of class, I wondered, "What's the point in trying so hard to faithfully translate when the audience won't reciprocate that amount of attention?" This reading helped reassure the value of our translations.
That said, I think Schleiermacher's statement isn't right. I agree that for a translation to be fully understood, the audience needs to have a certain mindset towards the reading. But translation is important for every reader, those who want to be changed by the reading, and those who simply want to understand what's being said.
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