6 Best David Bellos Quotes

“Translation is not a matter of words only: it is a matter of making intelligible a whole culture.”

Bellos discusses the cultural dimension of translation, arguing that translators must convey not just words but the context and assumptions behind them.

“The idea that translation is a kind of loss is a very modern one, and it is wrong.”

In the opening chapters, Bellos challenges the common view that translation inevitably loses something from the original.

“There is no such thing as a perfect translation, but there are many good ones.”

Bellos discusses the criteria for evaluating translations, arguing that perfection is not the goal.

“To translate is to change, and to change is to translate.”

Bellos reflects on the transformative nature of translation, both for the text and for the language it enters.

“The translator is a writer, and the translation is a work of literature in its own right.”

Bellos argues for the creative role of the translator, especially in literary translation.

“Machine translation is a tool, not a replacement for human translators.”

In the chapter on machine translation, Bellos discusses the limitations of automated systems.