Scholarly record
WESTERN EUROPEAN GEOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE ROMANIAN PRINCIPALITIES IN THE 18TH CENTURY
Abstract
Our research starts with a much circulated work of the 18th century, namely Patrick Gordons Geography Anatomized, a geography school book compiled after a new method for that time. Extensively used in Britain, it was also very popular in France and Italy and even reached Eastern Europe. The present paper follows an analysis we have undertaken on the European versions of the book and on the linguistic characteristics of its Romanian translation. Focusing on the texts, we now analyze a particular aspect, namely how the Romanian Provinces are presented throughout the Western European versions of the treatise, thus illustrating the Western perception of Eastern realities. We will then proceed to the Greek and Romanian versions, which alter the text. This procedure can be noticed in the French and Italian translations as well, aiming to better present local realities well known to each translator. Therefore, the way in which the Eastern translators intervened contributes to better outline the local mentalities of that age. Finally, the transfer of information from West to East during the 18th century proves that the Romanian Provinces struggled to keep in contact with Western European news and be part of a European knowledge community.
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Dima G.E., Dima E., Patrick Gordon şi avatarurile geografiei sale în Europa secolului al XVIII-lea in Impulsul Iluminismului în traduceri româneşti din secolul al XVIII-lea, Iaşi, Editura Universităţii „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iaşi, Romania, pp. 21- 57, 2014.
Gordon P., Geography anatomiz'd: or, the geographical grammar. Being a short and exact analysis of the whole body of modern geography, after a new and curious method. Comprehending I.A general view of the Terraqueous globe, being a compendious system of the true fundamentals of geography; digested into various definitions, problems, theorems, and paradoxes; with a transient survey of the surface of the Earthly Ball, as it consists of land and water. II. A particular view of the Terrqueous globe, being a clear and pleasant prospect of all remarkable countries upon the face of the whole earth ; shewing their situation, extent, division, subdivision, cities, chief towns, name, air, soil, commodities, rarities, archbishopricks, bishopricks, universities, manners, languages, government, arms, religion. Collected from the best authors, and illustrated with divers maps. The sixteenth edition, corrected, and somewhat enlarged; and a set of new maps, by Mr. Senex. By Pat. Gordon, M.A.F.R.S. Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. Hor. London: Printed for D. Midwinter, A. Ward, J. and P. Knapton, S. Birt, T. Longman, J. Clarke (Exchange), C. Hitch, J. Brotherton, J. Hodges, T. Cooper, and the executrix of R. Ford, M. DCC. XL. United Kingdom, 1740.
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Puisieux P.F de, Toussaint F.V. (translators), Grammaire géographique, ou Analise exacte et courte du corps entier de la geographie moderne. Comprenant sous une methode singuliere et nouvelle 1. Un examen général du Globe, précédé d’un abregé des vrais fondemens de la Géographie, réduits en définitions, problémes et théorèmes. 2. Un examen particulier du Globe, dans lequel on indique les noms, la situation, l’étendue, la division, les sous-divisions, les capitales, les villes principales, les archevêchés, les évêchés, les universités, la nature de l’air et du sol, les marchandises et denrées, le commerce, les choses rares, les moeurs, le caractere de la langue et des habtans, la religion, le gouvernement et les armes des principales contrées répandues sur la surface de la terre. D’après les auteurs les plus estimés. Ouvrage traduit de l'anglois de M. Pat. Gordon sur la seiziéme édition. Et revû, corrigé & augmenté par M.***, A Paris, chez Durand et Pissot fils, M.DCC.XLVIII, France, 1748.
Chiari P. (translator), Gramatica Geografica, ovvero analisi esatta, e brieve dell’intero corpo della Geografia moderna, che comprende con un metodo nuovo, e particolare, I. un esame generale del Globo, preceduto da un compendio dei veri fondamenti della Geografia, ridotti in definizioni, problemi, e teoremi. II. Un esame particolare del Globo, nel quale s’indicano i nomi, il sito, la estensione, la divisione, le suddivisioni, le Capitali, le Città principali, li Arcivescovati, i Vescovati, le Università, la natura dell’aria, e del terreno, le mercanzie e derrate, il commercio, le rarità, i costumi, il carattere del linguaggio, e degli abitanti, la religione, il governo, e le arme de’ Paesi principali, sparsi sulla superficie della terra, il tutto tratto dagli Autori moderni più accreditati. Opera tradotta dall’Inglese dal Sig. Pat. Gordon, sulla sedicesima Edizione riveduta, corretta, ed accresciuta dal Sig.... ed ora in Italiano tradotta per uso massime delle Scuole, e della Gioventù. In Venezia. Nella Stamperia di Andrea Poletti, in 8°, Italy, 1752.
Phatseas G. (translator), Γραμματική Γεωγραφική,: ή μάλλον Ανάλυσις καθαρά, εξηκριβωμένη, και σύντομος του ολοκλήρου σώματος της Νεωτέρας Γεωγραφίας ήτις Με νέαν, και μερικωτέραν Μέθοδον, θεωρεί, και εξετάζει όλην την υδρόγειον Σφαίραν, ήτοι την Επιφάνειαν αυτής' Χρησιμωτάτη, Και Πάνυ Ωφέλιμος, δια εκείνους οπού καταγίνονται εις την μελέτην της Γεωγραφίας'. Πρότερον μεν εις την Αγγλικήν Συγγραφείσα Διάλεκτον, ύστερον δε εις την Γαλλικήν μεταφερθείσα, εξ ης εις την Ιταλικήν, και τελευταίον εις την απλήν των Ελλήνων, εις ην και ηυξήνθη τα μάλιστα παρά Γεωργίου Ιερέως Φατζέα του εκ Κηθύρων Διαιρεθείσα μεν εις Τόμους Τρεις. Venice, Antonio Zatta, volume 2, Italy, 1760.
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Gherasim Putneanul, Geografie noao, ms. 121 Iasi National Archives, manuscript. Romania, 1780.
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