Productively losing control, or how Architecture can inspire translation ethics

Abstract

In this article, an attempt is made to view Architecture as a source of inspiration for translation ethics. First, it is argued that Architecture is not a discipline that is as distant from translation studies as it might seem at first sight. Second, the example of the Wyly Theater in Dallas is discussed in an attempt to summarize contemporary concerns in architectural practice: “productively losing control,” a motto used by Prince-Ramus (2009), is then applied to translation ethics and the paper goes on to explore possible parallels between how a building may function within its surroundings and how texts may function within a social context. More specifically, it is shown that selected functional aspects of the Wyly Theater might form a guiding principle for teaching how to resolve ethical issues in the translation of politically sensitive texts taken from the Greek and Cypriot contexts.