A Historical Study of Translation Works by Mori Ogari Examined from the Viewpoint of Meiji Era German Studies

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25370353
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: European literature
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Naka Naoichi 大阪大学, 言語文化研究科(言語文化専攻), 教授 (50143326)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: ドイツ学 / 森鴎外 / 翻訳 / 明治 / 異文化理解

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study over four years, the following four points were clarified. First, the translations of Mori Ogai revealed a gradual transition from the tendency to perform relatively free translation of his young years to the tendency to conduct academically strict translation of his later years. Secondly, it became clear that the change of Ogai's view of “translation” can be considered from the perspective of the qualitative change in German studies of the Meiji-era. Thirdly, by collecting the copies of books that Ogai himself collected in Germany and used as the base of his translation, I could clarify the correlation between his comprehension of German and the composition of his translation. And fourthly, it became clear that the technique of the translations in his young years includes technologies that can be applied to modern times, such as fairly faithfully following the word order of original language or, in some cases, making bold translations.

Free Research Field

人文学