Lost in translation. Homer in English; the patient's story in medicine.

Robert J. Marshall, Alan Bleakley

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In a series of previous articles, we have considered how we might reconceptualise central themes in medicine and medical education through 'thinking with Homer'. This has involved using textual approaches, scenes and characters from the Iliad and Odyssey for rethinking what is a 'communication skill', and what do we mean by 'empathy' in medical practice; in what sense is medical practice formulaic, like a Homeric 'song'; and what is lyrical about medical practice. Our approach is not to historicise medicine and medical education, but to use thinking with Homer as a medium and metaphor for questioning the habitual and the taken-for-granted in contemporary practice. In this article, we tackle the complex theme of 'translation'. We use the lens of translation studies to examine the process of turning the patient's story into medical language. We address the questions: what makes a 'good' translation? What are the consequences of mistranslation and poor translation? And, while things are inevitably lost in translation, does this matter?
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)47-52
Number of pages0
JournalMed Humanit
Volume39
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2013

Keywords

  • Communication
  • Education
  • Medical
  • Empathy
  • Famous Persons
  • Greece
  • Ancient
  • History
  • Humans
  • Language
  • Metaphor
  • Narration
  • Physician-Patient Relations
  • Poetry as Topic
  • Thinking
  • Translations

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