Steiner and Bellos comments

Hermeneutic is a term that I am familiar with after studying religion, but it was interesting to see it applied to the field of translation. Interpretation seems to have a different connotation from translation, possibly interpretation having a freer, more flexible meaning. Steiner's piece on translation here is so theoretical and almost emotionally linked that it's hard to isolate the practical application of their opinions on the process of translation. 

I have never understood the need to relay "foreignness" in translation. I think it's a strange mindset that may have been more relevant when the world's countries were more isolated. But in modern times especially, many people have access to so many different cultures that a "foreign" element almost seems bizarre to me. Preserving the authenticity of a work's cultural background can be achieved through content, and trying to replicate a foreign sound is just impossible in my opinion. I think the most important aspect of translating foreignness is maintaining appreciation of the different culture by not replacing objects, ideas, places, etc., with a local equivalent, and that in itself is enough to make it distinct in its origin.

Joanne