The central argument posits that translation is not simply a matter of conveying information from one language to another. Instead, it concerns itself with revealing the inherent relationship between languages, a relationship existing independently of any specific text. The goal, according to this perspective, is not to replicate the source text perfectly, but to allow the pure language underlying both the source and target languages to shine through. This pure language represents a realm of meaning that transcends individual languages and manifests differently within each.
This conceptualization challenges traditional notions of fidelity in translation, shifting the focus from semantic equivalence to a more abstract and philosophical understanding of linguistic interconnectedness. By prioritizing the revelation of this “pure language,” translation becomes an act of literary and linguistic critique, offering insight into the nature of language itself. Historically, this perspective arose during a period of significant intellectual inquiry into language and its relationship to thought, influenced by movements such as Romanticism and early forms of linguistic theory.