A Phenomenological Reflection on Translating Latin: What Education Does With Us

Abstract

Phenomenological reflection can refer to methods for analyzing empirical data and, more broadly, to a guiding philosophy that can be used to facilitate reflection upon an experience or phenomenon. Such reflection can help to uncover assumptions that would otherwise remain implicit or taken for granted. Common practice in phenomenology is to gather insights from various sources (e.g. poems, legends) in order to enrich our understanding of the phenomenon. Grounded in the writing of Max van Manen, the author provides a phenomenological reflection on the experience of studying Latin and translating poetry, as a defense of the liberal arts. In doing so, the author suggests that the goal of evaluating one’s education primarily in terms of its practical or technical value may itself have to be reconsidered.

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Dally, a brilliant bulldog and Latin scholar in his own right, for his insights into the Aeneid and the warmth of his companionship.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).