From Global Language to Local Translation

About the Grounds and Consequences of the “Translation Turn”

Abstract

The authors point out that translation has become a significant phenomenon not only in the fields of language and text, but also within political, social, and ontological spheres. The main purpose of the study is to define the “translation turn” not only as a continuation and development of the linguistic turn, but also as its denial and opposition of it. The authors propose to consider the main difference between these aforementioned turns as an ontological confrontation of identity and difference, where language is on the side of the former and while translation sides with the latter. The authors consider that the economic-historical foundation of this turn lies in the transition from globalization to “glocalization”. The distinctive feature of glocal capital is implied to be the emergence of platforms and relevant systems of production and consumption. The main outcome of the article is the formulation of the contradiction between the emancipatory potential of translation practices and the totalizing implementation of this principle in modern capitalism.