On the subject of translation theory in general
Translating is the written rendering of a text into another language.
The complexity which is inherent in this relatively simple definition is described by Jiři Levý as follows: "From a teleological viewpoint, translating is a communication process. The aim of the translation process is to convey the knowledge of the original text to the reader of the target language. From the point of view of the work situation of the translator (i.e. from a pragmatic point of view) the translation is always a decision-making process. A specific number of consecutive situations - or of moves as in a game - which force the translator to make a choice between a specific (and very often exactly assignable) number of alternatives." (In: Wilss, 1981, p. 219) Added to this are the conflict-ridden cultural aspects, described in the following quotation from Prof. Dr. Irene Weber-Henking: "Translating always means meeting another culture. How this meeting is to take place in detail is something which is, however, disputed. In general, two known contrasting concepts/schools are facing each other. Believing in cross-border humanism, the Universal Philosophy sees translation in principle as a contribution to the establishment of a language common to all. The Romantic Movement, as represented among other things by the Schleiermacher theory, in contrast understands translating as a kind of cross-breeding and cross-fertilisation of the cultures through the recognition of their respective unchanging peculiarity. Each act of translation must in principle declare its position in the area of conflict marked by these two poles."
What is more, Ester Saletta gets to the heart of the problem: "If translating is therefore not just rendering from one language into another or from one source text into a target text, but rather a transfer between cultures, then the different forms of contact between the cultures in question must not be ignored. The act of translating overcomes the linguistic difficulties in this sense and directs its interest to human beings and their relationships. Reference is made to an inner and external characteristic of translating, where the first refers to the subject matter to be translated, i.e. to the text, but the latter to the contexts, and specifically those into and from which translations are made."
In short, such theoretical considerations mean for us: to always keep in mind for which purpose and for which user category each individual text is translated and whether the translation has the practical value demanded by our customers.