'Bearing sons' in the Old English Heptateuch translation of Genesis: an evidence against translation automatisms
2022
Abstract
The aim of the poster was to identify the translational strategies of the female references between the Latin Vulgate and Old English Heptateuch - Genesis in the manuscripts London, British Library, Cotton Claudius B. iv. (B), and Cambridge, University Library, Ii I.33 (C). The research identified several editorial interventions (masculinisation, pluralisation, partial masculinisation) - most of them which are space-related.
However, the strategy of masculinisation regarding females 'bearing sons' seems to be cultural especially concerning the manuscript (C) in which the formula 'woman bore a son' is changed to 'man begot a son' in several instances.