The Bible as a Successful Migrant? Translation, Domestication, and Nordic National Identity
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Despite its ancient and foreign origin, the Bible has managed to integrate so seamlessly into the contemporary Nordic countries that it is seen to form the basis of specifically Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish identity and values. This paper will employ the work of translation scholar Lawrence Venuti on the politics and ethics of translation, and especially his concepts of foreignization and domestication, to explore this understanding of the Bible. Venuti’s thought informs critical reflection on how translation contributes to the cultural position of the Bible in the Nordic context, through examining translation principles, the function of retranslation, and the role of fluency. This contributes to our understanding of how the Bible has become a successful migrant to the Nordic region who is now used to keep others out.
Source: Religions
DOI: 10.3390/rel16050647
Author: Karin Neutel
Institution: Umeå University
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,172
OpenAlex ID: W4410517637