Research seminar: "Why and how to translate foreigner's notes about Early modern Russia (on example Peter Petreius's books)"

On October 2, the first meeting of the research group was held in the new academic year. Alexander Tolstikov, Associate Professor of Petrozavodsk University, presented a paper "Why and how to translate foreigner's notes about Early modern Russia (on example Peter Petreius's books)". 

In addition to the features of Petrejus's composition and the details of the description of the Moscow Kingdom, the speaker drew the audience's attention to the issue of borrowings and compilations in Early Modern texts, translation difficulties both in the 17th century and in later translations. Continuing the topic of Anton Kotov's paper, Alexander Tolstikov raised the question of the necessity to translate the sources into the language of the researcher as a whole. The speaker emphasized that researchers should turn to reprints and translations of sources, since this helps to contextualize both the language of description (for example, why the Swedish text is replete with Russianisms, and German - with translations) and the phenomenon described. It is also important for understanding the process of calculating words, studying discrepancies and, in general, for studying the image of the Other within the framework of the history of concepts. After the presentation participants of the seminar discussed the connection betwwen Swedish text to the Russian realities due to Russianisms; the reasons republication of the translation of the source; the necessity to translate using the authentic language of the period; the mutual influence of other texts on Petrejus and Petrejus on other authors.