Single Idea 18285

[catalogued under 19. Language / F. Communication / 6. Interpreting Language / a. Translation]

Full Idea

I do not believe in translatability without loss of content, and therefore I think that the content of a world description is influenced to a certain degree by choice of a language form. But that does not mean that reality is created through language.

Gist of Idea

All translation loses some content (but language does not create reality)

Source

Rudolph Carnap (Letters to Schlick [1935], 1935.12.04), quoted by J. Alberto Coffa - The Semantic Tradition from Kant to Carnap 19 'Truth'

Book Reference

Coffa,J.Alberto: 'The Semantic Tradition from Kant to Carnap' [CUP 1993], p.374


A Reaction

It is a mistake to think Quine was the first to spot the interest of translation in philosophy of language. 'Does translation always lose content?' is a very nice question for focusing the problem.