Historical Translation: a study of the diplomatic relations between Spain and Great Britain from 1729 and 1755 during the Asiento Contract

Abstract

This PhD dissertation deals with a research area I call “historical translation” This term describes a process of translating, a discipline and a historical fact. Thus, historical translation can be seen as a particular theory, or as specialized translation, or as a historical phenomenon. Nevertheless, these three notions are not conceived separately, but in a continuous interchange. This dissertation is a result of a multidisciplinary project, in which translation and history are combined together with other sub-disciplines such as linguistics, politics and diplomacy. The thesis is divided into six chapters and focuses on giving an answer to the following four questions:

1. How to translate historical texts and why is a particular historical translation theory needed?

2. What is the Asiento Contract between the Spanish and British Crowns and how were diplomatic relations between both nations established due to the said Contract?

3. What was the role of translation during the Asiento Contract, who was in charge of this task and which strategies were followed when translating?

4. Why is it important to translate historical texts and, therefore, what is the impact of it on a global society?

My research is based on primary and secondary sources. However, it has to be mentioned that it is also the result of my own observation of the needs of translation studies. My conversations with lecturers, professors and professional translators in conferences and during my stays at the Universities of Leeds (United Kingdom) and Limerick (Ireland) have also been a point of reference and provided valuable help for developing and improving my thesis. I have visited five archives located in Spain (Archivo General de Indias, Archivo Histórico Nacional, Archivo General de Simancas, Archivo de Jerez) and in the United Kingdom (National Archives, Public Record Office, Kew) and have mainly searched for bibliography in translation, history, linguistics, diplomacy and politics.

The structure of this thesis obeys a general-to-specific knowledge criterion. In Chapter One, the concept and nature of translation is studied since I consider it a necessary step in the definition and development of the research area I call “historical translation”. In Chapter Two, historical translation as a historical phenomenon is analyzed, in the Enlightenment in this case. Thus, it is a study of the history of Spanish and English translation in the 18th century and of the role of translation within the relations between Spain and Great Britain during the said Contract. In Chapter Three, the features of historical translation as a sub-discipline are examined and a particular historical translation theory is described. Chapter Four presents an analysis of the historical translator with insights into the general and particular competences for translating historical texts, especially documents on the Asiento Contract. This chapter also focuses on discussions about translators in the 18th century, putting more emphasis on the people in charge of translating the documents related to the Asiento Contract. Chapter Five is a historical review and a personal and subjective interpretation of the said Contract. Chapter Six presents monolingual and bilingual translations of two diplomatic letters produced during the Asiento Contract, following the documentary, instrumental and docu-instrumental strategies.