This paper is a brief account of one of the impacts the German linguist-translator
Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767-1835) has had upon French language philosophy. Henri
Meschonnic (1924-2009) elaborates his theory by developping Humboldian conceptions.
As his precursor, he sees the activity of language best incarnated in the rhythm, and
emphasizes the rhythmic structure of biblical verses in his translation of the Old
Testament; so that it often goes out of accord with the syntax. Translation here is
expected to enable to hear what the text says, rather than comprehend what it means.
These two translators, however, agree no longer in respect of what language to translate
(into): Meschonnic insists every Occidental (i.e., Christian) language render the
Hebraic Bible, while Humboldt barely take anything into consideration but his own and
Classical Greek. The question will be to investigate the historical relationship of
languages through the general application of this rhythmic translation.
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