Vision of the world and translation

Translation by the successive substitution of words is impossible. This, however, does not mean that translation is impossible. For the translator, language is a means of expression; it is a path leading to an object. Different languages take different paths to the same object, the translation. Translators and interpreters have reached the conclusion that they should always translate into their native languages and not into foreign languages. One can arrive at a theory of translation by observing human communication, not by describing languages. Various theories of translation are discussed that are insufficient since they address themselves only to language and not to people and meaning. J. Hartling