Translation and Diplomacy: The Ins and Outs of Social-Systemic Boundaries

ABSTRACT Boundaries of social systems stratify into internal and external layers with respective social agencies. Diplomacy is an internal – endohomorous – phenomenon that cannot reach the other side of the boundary without an external – ectohomorous – phenomenon such as translation. Translation is the outmost contact point where the system meets the environment – another system. Ectohomorous phenomena can fulfil their social-systemic function without endohomorous, but not the other way round. Diplomats can deal with systems in the environment only indirectly via translation, which specialises in direct contacting the system’s other. Distinguishing between endohomorous and ectohomorous phenomena helps to appreciate the difference in social functioning of diplomacy and translation.