COMPARISION OF ENGLISH AND TURKISH TRANSLATION OF CAPITAL AND DIFFERENCES THAT AFFECT INTERPRETATION Yunus Emre Ayaz SOC 370 Final Paper INTRODUCTION Karl Marx’s Capital is one of the most important, influental and controversial books in economics and politics with its unique approach on relationship between capital owners and employees and also its rich terminology. Considering the complexity and heaviness of the text, the translation of such work into multiple languages has the potential to introduce uncertainties into the interpretation. Firstly, to examine how English and Turkish translations of Capital affect interpretation, this paper will give short brief about the Karl Marx’s Capital and mention the historical backgrounds of both English and Turkish translation processes and give information about people who took part in these activites. Secondly, the differences between the Turkish and English versions of Das Kapital and how these discrepancies shape the understanding of Marx’s work in Turkish culture as well as within the English context with examples from both books such as word comparisons and their closeness to the originals will be examined. As well as word-to-word comparisons and studying their connections with originals, this paper will also discuss quotations from both books and make sentence comparisons in order to study their accuracy. This paper also will look to see the impacts of English and Turkish translations on Marx’s Capital. Key terms and concepts will be used to show how readers in English and Turkish might perceive Marx’s ideas differently due to the political and social climate in their own countries. A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF MARX’S CAPITAL To understand Marx’s Capital and the language that he used to express his opinions on his work, we should understand his book thoroughly and his purposes for writing it. We should also look at the time and environment in which he gave his work. At the heart of Marx’s Capital, there is a critique of the economic structures of capitalism and its weaknesses. To Marx, the most significant challenge is understanding the process of value creation through labor and how under capitalism, the wage system is utilized to expropriate workers as surplus value, being the difference of value that has been created through labor and what the workers were paid. Marx further critiques the fetishization of commodities in capitalism, in the sense that the relations between people are masked by the relations between the goods. In this philosophical and economic work, Marx uses a technique named dialectical materialism, which underlines the importance of the ways such as material conditions and social relations in determining human consciousness and society. Marx’s dialectical method focuses to reveal the covered contradictions of capitalism that are effectively obscured by ideology and commodity fetishism. On the other hand, Marx’s ideas and expressions are known to be hard to translate because of the original language that Capital being wrote. The language that Marx used to write Capital was under a heavy influence of German philosophy especially the works of Hegel therefore translating Capital requires not only a basic linguistic equivalence but also protecting the depth and the nuances of the Marx’s ideas and critiques. HISTORY OF ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF CAPITAL Without a doubt, The English version of Karl Marx's Das Kapital is a remarkable piece of art that resulted from the combined effort and immense hard work of its translators. The first English copy of Capital was published in 1887 and this version was translated by Samuel Moore and Edward Aveling with the supervisıon of Frederick Engels. Samuel Moore and Frederick Engels who was a close friend of Karl Marx, made it his life mission to get the translation correct without losing any nuances and essence of the original German text. On the other hand, Edward Aveling played a big role in translating the text as he was married to one of the daughters of Karl Marx, Eleanor who was the first biographer of Karl Marx and also has the first translation of Flaubert’s Madam Bovary. She was also the mother of social feminism and she gave works on this agenda and managed to rephrase some of the complicated theoretical ideas into simple English. (Holmes,Eleanor Marx: A Life, 2014). Friedrich Engels, co-author of some of Marx’s works, along with Marx’s life-long companion also was an essential figure during the translation and its editing. He was hardworking in this sense as well. Trying to make sure that the ideas and messages that Marx wanted to convey were like he intended them to be trying to weaken the uncertain portions while providing notes where required. While providing translation for these complex pieces of work the team had to keep in mind the philosophical aspect along with accurate political statements serving as the foundation of the critique however their dedication paid off as they are highly respected for their efforts in the translation which spanned over years (Carver, Engels as Editor of Marx’s Capital,2004). HISTORY OF TURKISH TRANSLATION OF CAPITAL The Turkish translation of Karl Marx's Capital was also a diligent and joint effort. The firstever complete Turkish translation was published in 1965, and translated by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Selik directly from the original German version of Capital. That translation was published by Sol Yayınları in December 1965. Before that complete translation, Capital was introduced to Turkish readers during the Ottoman era, when it was summarized and translated from the French under the title Sermaye in the journal Ceride-i Felsefiye. The first translation in the Republican era also carried the same title and was published in 1933 (Yurtoğlu, B. (2016). Bahûr İsrâîl’in Cerîde-i Felsefiye’si ve osmanlı’da İlk Das Kapital Tefrikası. Dört Öge(9), 115-130.) A group of Turkish Marxist intellectuals including Mehmet Selik, Nail Satlıgan, and Erkin Özalp worked together on the translation of Capital into Turkish which gave birth to the most common and accepted version in 2011. It was very helpful to have them all working together because they knew how to read Marx's language and understand his ideas about economics. One common difficulty in translating Marx’s works that the team had to deal with was how to translate those difficult ideas in economics and philosophy so that they made sense in Turkish. Despite the difficulties in translating such a complex work into Turkish their translation still managed to preserve the core meaning and the nuance of the original. That was very important for the reception of the book even under the conditions of the political atmosphere that was cautious on anything Marxist. They made it possible for Turkish readers to be introduced to Marxist ideas and till today the translation remains a valuable resource for scholars. ENGLISH TRANSLATION: NUANCES AND INTERPRETATIONS English versions of Capital played a big role in making Karl Marx’s ideas known around the world. He worked closely with translators like Samuel Moore and Edward Aveling, and many people think that the English-language edition of Capital is one of the most definitive and accurate versions. Advantages: 1. Terminological Consistency: One advantage of English translations is that they often have consistent translations for Marx’s key terms thanks to its simplified grammar and word formation rules which preserves the nuance and depth of the Marx’s arguments which makes it easier to comprehend. 2. Accessibility: English is available to more people worldwide than any other language because of its common usage, which means that works that written in English can reach a wider spectrum of audience of scholars and activists. Thanks to this vast spectrum of readers, comments and critiques on Marx’s Capital is more collective than other languages. 3. Additional Explanations: Since the text itself may be complicated and hard to understand for most of the readers, English editions have lots of footnotes and long introductions that assist to comprehension. 4. Continious Revisions: In the course of time several attempts made to improve the original translation by Samuel Moore and Edward Aveling from 1887. These revisions aim to rephrase Marx’s intricate ideologies in a way to fit modernity and also rectify mistakes or misreadings from previous translations. These translations, incorporate insights from evolving Marxist scholarship, reflecting ongoing academic debates. One of the most significant examples include 1976 Penguin Classics version by Ben Fowkes which known for its accuracy and clarity. Disadvantages: 1. Linguistic Structure: In German, Marx can write more complex and relatively longer sentences including many nested clauses, to convey the ideas that are quite complicated and delicate. Sentence structure in English, in contrast, tends to be simpler and more straightforward than German. This difference makes it challenging to translate Marx's work smoothly and accurately without losing any depth and nuances. 2. Vocabulary Inventory: With a rich and precise vocabulary that refers to philosophy and economics, German is a language that Marx has very well used to convey his ideas in the briefest possible sense. With German, Marx can build compound terms capturing detailed and relatively complex concepts under one word, such as surplus value (Mehrwert) and commodity fetishism (Warenfetischismus). English, on the other hand, has no such direct equivalents and therefore forces the translators to express these ideas by longer phrases or by several words what can be expressed in one term in German. This difference leads to translations that seem to be less precise, thus misconveying the Marx's intended tone. TURKISH TRANSLATION: NUANCES AND INTERPRETATIONS The Turkish translation of Capital has played a significant role in introducing Marxist ideas to the Turkish-speaking world. Especially during times when there were intellectual movements in both political and economic fields in the 20th century. Turkish Marxist intellectuals and theorists such as Mehmet Selik, Hikmet Kıvılcımlı, and Nail Satlıgan were one of the most important ones to contribute to this effort (Mayıs 2011, Cihangir). Advantages: 1. Fidelity To Original Text: Turkish is well-suited for word-for-word translation of books that include complex expressions and new terminologies thanks to its agglutinative structure and elasticity to form detailed explanations. This flexibility allows translators to create exact, word-for-word equivalents without losing any depth and nuance of original text. This feature of Turkish becomes more significant in complex and hard-to-understand books such as Capital since even a mistranslation of one word may create significant misunderstandings. 2. Relevance To Turkish Society: Since Turkey is a relatively new country to industrial and political revolutions compared to European countries, Turkish readers will relate to Marxist ideas and understandings of economic relations better as it emphasizes the significant gap between workers and the capital owners or bourgeois. Since the Turkish translation activities of Capital and economic and political shifts in Turkey coincide as both happened in the 20th century, the effects of capitalism on working-class are more obvious than in any other country in Europe, therefore this creates an opportunity for the translators to engage with the text more and make better translations. Disadvantages: 1. Ambiguity In Abstract Concepts: German, the original language of Capital, is known for its ability to create complex and multi-layered abstract ideas with precision. In Capital, Marx often uses technical and conceptual terms that take their roots from German philosophical traditions, such as works from Hegel and Kant. Although Turkish is well-suited for creating word-for-word translations and creative equivalents thanks to its flexibility, the lack of philosophical tradition often requires further explanations for abstract terms to convey their meaning precisely. 2. Structural Differences: German is an inflected language; word order and grammatical case provide complex relations. In Turkish, relationships between words depend more heavily on suffixes and sentence structure which can make it challenging to preserve the depth of Marx’s dense and interdependent clauses. Translating these clauses often requires breaking down sentences which carries the risk of losing the rhetorical impact of the original version. TERMINOLOGIC COMPARISION OF ENGLISH AND TURKISH VERSIONS ANALYSIS OF THEIR EFFECTS ON INTERPRETATION Examples from the terminology-English 1. Mehrwert: One of the most important words in Marxist terminology to understand Marx’s ideas and create a solid foundation for economic concepts. In English, this word is often translated as “value-added” or “added value” yet in the English translation of the Capital this word is translated as “surplus value” which captures the economic concept and therefore quite accurate and accepted but ın general and non-specialized use this translation may be misleading because the word “surplus value” lack the nuance of “extra” value which inherent in the original. 2. Warenfetischismus: Another important word from Marxist terminology and translated as “commodity fetishism” which is highly accurate and straight-forward. It captures the conceptual and historical nuance as Marx intended. Apart from its usage in Capital, ın general context accuracy of “commodity fetishism” as translation of “Warenfetischismus” remains high and keeps its connections with the original. 3. Gebrauchswert and Tauschwert: The translation of “gebrauchswert” into English is “use-value" which is quite accurate because it captures the idea of a commodity’s capacity to fulfill needs while use focuses on practical meaning and value focuses on economic framework. On the other hand, the translation of “tauschwert” into English is “exchangevalue” which is also accurate because it captures the idea of the commodity’s market-based characteristic and its role in exchange systems. Examples from the terminology-Turkish 1. Mehrwert: As mentioned above, “mehrwert” is one of the most important terms in Marxist terminology to understand Marxist economic concepts and engage with the text more deeply. In Turkish this word translated as “artı değer” which is a compound word that exactly means increased value. Although this translation conveys the main essence of the word, it can lead to misunderstandings as referring profit in general. To eliminate that misunderstanding, translators often add comments that underlines “artıdeğer” refers to unpaid labor that creates surplus value in capitalist systems. 2. Warenfetischismus: The concept of “Warenfetischismus” critiques this puzzlement of social relations under capitalism, commodity is seen as carrying inherent value, independent of the labor producing it. In Turkish, this is translated as “meta fetişizmi”, which, if translated back into English, means exactly "commodity fetishism." Although the translation keeps the metaphor of fetishism and conveys the idea, in Turkish, the word "fetiş" could connote more its psychological or cultural meanings rather than its Marxist theoretical application. This may cause some problems in interpretation for those readers who are not well familiar with the particular philosophical roots of this concept. Translators may need to insert explanatory notes to clarify this term, which is crucial to expose the reification of social relations under capitalism. 3. Gebrauchswert and Tauschwert: Translated as “kullanım değeri” and “değişim değeri” in Turkish. These terms, while translated word-for-word exactly, can feel bulky in dense theoretical passages where Marx uses them frequently. Their length and complexity can disrupt readability and the flow of the text. Moreover, these translations have potential to lose some of the philosophical nuance of the original terms. “Gebrauchswert” emphasizes inherent properties linked to a commodity's physical nature, while “kullanım değeri” may be understood more general as utility. Similarly, “değişim değeri” might reduce “Tauschwert” to mere transaction, ignoring its foundation in abstract labor. Because of these complications translators need to provide further explanations to preserve Marx’s theoretical precision. PASSAGE COMPARISIONS FROM ENGLISH AND TURKISH VERSIONS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON INTERPRETATION This section examines selected passages from the English and Turkish translations of Capital with a view to assessing their accuracy and the possible effects these translations have on the interpretation of Marx's ideas. It does so by looking at both texts side by side to see how faithfully the original German meanings and nuances are preserved in each translation. Moreover, linguistic and cultural differences that may affect the way the reader comprehends and interprets the theoretical concepts will be discussed. This comparative approach will underline the strengths and weaknesses of both translations and complete the comparision. Following passages are excerpted from, English Version: Capital Volume 1, Howkes, Penguin Classics, 1976 Turkish Version: Kapital Birinci Cilt, Selik-Satlıgan, Yordam Kitap, 2011 1. English Passage Commodities come into the world in the form of use-values or material goods, such as iron, linen, corn, etc. This is their plain, homely, natural form. However, they are only commodities be- cause they have a dual nature, because they are at the same time objects of utility and bearers of value. Therefore they only appear as commodities, or have the form of commodities, in so far as they possess a double form, i.e. natural form and value form. (Chapter 1, Part 3, p. 138) 2. Turkish Passage: Metalar, kullanım değerleri ya da demir, keten bezi, buğday vb. gibi meta cisimleri biçiminde dünyaya gelir. Bu onlann basit fiziksel biçimidir. Buna karşın yalnızca iki yönlü olduklan, aynı anda hem kullanım nesne­ leri hem de değer taşıyıcıian olduklan için metadırlar. Bu yüzden, bunlar ancak ikili biçimde, yani fiziksel biçimde ve değer biçiminde olduklan sürece meta olarak görünürler ya da meta biçimine sahip bulunurlar. (Kısım 1, Bölüm 1-3, s.60) Comparision The translation of the selected passage into Turkish is generally accurate, conserving the main point in the original English text; there are, however, still little differences that may affect interpretation. Significant terms such as "use values" (kullanım değerleri) and "bearers of value" (değer taşıyıcıları) are translated effectively, ensuring that the dual nature of commodities is conveyed in both versions clearly. On the other hand, definite stylistic nuances in the English version, such as the phrase "plain, simple, natural form," are simplified and translated to Turkish as "basit fiziksel biçim" ("simple physical form"). Although this word selection is accurate, it shifts the focus slightly from the simplicity and naturalness inherent in commodities to their physical form, which could switch interpretive discussions related to the "natural form" of commodities. 1. English Passage: Commodities cannot themselves go to market and perform exchanges in their own right. We must, therefore, have recourse to their guardians, who are the possessors of commodities. Commodities are things, and therefore lack the power to resist man. If they are unwilling, he can use force; in other words, he can take possession of them. (Chapter 1, Part 1, p.179) 2. Turkish Passage: Metalar piyasaya kendi başlarına gidemez ve kendi kendilerini mübadele edemez. Dolayısıyla, bunların ellerinden tutan kimseleri, yani meta sahiplerini de tanımamız gerekir. Metalar şeylerdir ve bundan ötürü insanlar karşısında direnme güçleri yoktur. Gerektiği zaman, insan zor kullanabilir, diğer bir deyimle, bunları alabilir. (Kısım 1, Bölüm 2, s.93) Comparision The English and Turkish translations of the selected passage differ in tone, style, and subtle nuances that have the potential to affect interpretation. A relatively more formal and precise tone is used in the English version as usual when compared to the Turkish one by using phrases like "recourse to their guardians" to underline the metaphorical authority of people over commodities. On the other hand, the Turkish version uses "ellerinden tutan kimseler" (“those who hold their hands”) which is a more exact translation and a more culturally resonant way to express the idea that conveys care rather than authority. The Turkish translation reflects the tradition of the Turkish language by using idioms which is useful in delivering the ideas to the readers more precisely. Similarly the English phrase "lack the power to resist man" emphasizes the asymmetry of power, engaging with Marx’s critique of objectification under capitalism while the Turkish version uses, "insanlar karşısında direnme güçleri yoktur" (“lack the power to resist humans”), translates the phrase accurately but not with the same philosophical weight. This is because the English version uses the singular word “man” which refers to a more systematic and ideological aspect. On the other hand Turkish version uses the plural “insanlar” which shifts focus to a more basic and concrete concept and feels less tied to a systematic aspect which leads to potential misinterpretation as a straightforward observation that is only about human-commodity interaction. Conclusion The linguistic differences in the translation of Capital into English and Turkish show the unique features of each language and affect the way Marx's ideas are interpreted. The logical structure and the global effect of the English language, is influential in conveying the abstract and universal features of Marx's analysis, preserving the theoretical rigor and philosophic depth. Turkish on the other hand, has the potential for translation to be very specific and detailed thanks to its agglutinative structure, which is emphasized in the concreteness aspect at times even if it can lose the nuance of the abstract philosophical thoughts. However, the usage of idioms and expressions helps the readers to understand the book more easily, which leads to good comprehension. Ultimately, English translations are more towards retaining Marx's tendencies such as his ideological and systemic critiques, while Turkish translations are clearer and maintain cultural harmony, these show each language's strengths and natural inclinations. References https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surplus_value#:~:text=However%2C%20Marx%20uses %20the%20term,from%20"value-added". http://www.musicinphasespace.com/2020/04/26/mehrwert-value-added-vs-surplusvalue/ https://tureng.com/tr/almanca-ingilizce/mehrwert... https://files.libcom.org/files/David%20Harvey%20%20Companion%20to%20Marx%27s%20capital.pdf https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/bio/family/aveling.htm https://www.chathamhouse.org/2014/06/5-things-eleanor-marx Yurtoğlu, B. (2016). Bahûr İsrâîl’in Cerîde-i Felsefiye’si ve osmanlı’da İlk Das Kapital Tefrikası. Dört Öge(9), 115-130. https://web.archive.org/web/20130910044117/http://www.sendika.org/2011/06/nailsatliganla-kapital-uzerine/ https://moodle.bogazici.edu.tr/pluginfile.php/1681223/mod_folder/content/0/Capital% 20Volume%20I.pdf https://moodle.bogazici.edu.tr/pluginfile.php/1681223/mod_folder/content/0/Kapital% 20Birinci%20Cilt.pdf
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