Benjamin s Philosophy Of Language And Translation

Benjamin’s Philosophy of Language and Translation Walter Benjamin’s (1892-1940) thoughts and philosophy of language and translation are haunted by ghost and influenced by Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. This can be seen in his magna opera: On Language as Such and on the Language of Man (1916) and The Task of the Translator (1923). The former essay deals directly with the linguistic theory; the latter is concerned with the translation theory as a form of art. Benjamin’s inspiration comes from both the death of his close friend Christoph Friedrich Heinle (1894-1914) and Kabbalah. Benjamin’s writing underwent a change after Heinle’s death in 1914. His suicide at nineteen years of age was incredibly traumatic for Benjamin. Benjamin†¦show more content†¦For Scholem, â€Å"Kabbalah was not just another theory of language but an extraordinary opening up within Jewish tradition of the notion of revelation† (Handelman 18). Not surprisingly, Benjamin and Scholem believe that language has a divine origin and the experience of revelation is a linguistic one. Benjamin finds another source of Kabbalistic insight in the writings of Abraham Abulafia (1240-1291), who is considered the most remarkable figure in the prophetic Kabbalah. He is best known for his magnum opus, â€Å"The Science of Combination of Letters.† Abulafia develops a theory of mystical contemplation of letters and their configurations, â€Å"as they constitute of God’s name†¦the name of God which is something absolute, because it reflects the hidden me aning of the totality of existence; the name through which everything else acquires its meaning† (Wolin 40). According to Abulafia’s theory, all things exist only by virtue of their degree of participation in the Great Name of God, which manifests itself through the whole creation (40). This suggests that language is not merely a communication tool but goes beyond that to somehow participate in the divine nature, wherein it serves as the vital link between man and God. Based on the Biblical teaching of creation, Kabbalistic doctrine regards divine language as â€Å"a substance of reality.† God created the world through language. Thus, the ultimate origin for all being belongs to the language of God. Divine languageShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Task Of The Translator 1924 Words   |  8 Pagesshattered. (84) However, while ancient history no doubt plays a part in this interest in Ireland s ancient genealogy, the act of translation plays an – at least- equally integral part. And in The Task of the Translator, Walter Benjamin touches upon aspects of translation that would seem to make translation itself an ideal metaphor for cultural exploration. Benjamin posits translation as an almost organic, evolutionary aspect of some literary works. 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