EUROPEAN KNOWLEDGE IN PETER'S TIME BOOKS: THE DIFFICULTIES OF TRANSLATION

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Abstract

This article examines the organisation and standardisation of translations of European scientific works in the earliest printed editions produced during the reign of Peter the Great. Its principal aim is to analyse how the large-scale production of such translations supported Peter’s cultural reforms and contributed to the development of a distinct Russian scientific language. As part of the Tsar’s modernising vision, the widespread dissemination of educational, scientific, and technical literature was conceived as a key instrument for transforming Russia into a Europeanised state. This ambition led Peter to take a keen interest in translations, particularly in standardising the language of newly published works. To investigate these efforts, the article employs the concept of linguistic “normalisation,” framing translation not merely as a linguistic act but also as a sociocultural process situated within the broader context of the early eighteenth century. The study’s primary sources comprise Peter’s decrees and correspondence relating to the selection, translation, and publication of books. Analysis of these documents demonstrates that the Tsar personally selected works for translation, appointed translators, demanded the use of “plain” language, issued detailed instructions, and even made his own emendations to manuscripts. Peter also established key principles for the “normalisation” of translations: they were to convey the core ideas of the original texts, remain accessible to Russian readers, omit extraneous details, and not contradict Orthodox doctrine. Furthermore, he set out guidelines for the organisation of translators’ work and their professional training, insisting that linguistic proficiency alone was insufficient – translators were also required to possess expertise in the scientific fields they rendered into Russian. The article concludes that Peter’s standardisation of translations constituted a significant milestone in defining the norms of the Russian scientific language and greatly accelerated the transfer of European scientific knowledge to Russia.

About the authors

Y. P. Zaretsky

National Research University Higher School of Economics

Author for correspondence.
Email: yzaretsky@hse.ru
Moscow, Russia

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