“Forms effect meaning”. Éditions et traductions

Abstract

Inspired by the work of D.F. McKenzie, this article identifies five reasons that determine the plurality of texts in a “single” work: the regime of attribution between authorship and anonymity, between the author’s name and the writer’s identity; variations in text across editions; changes in materiality across publication forms; migrations between languages and genres produced by translations;
readings and interpretations of works. The article does so by examining the publishinghistory of Castiglione’s Libro del Cortegiano, tracing the transformations of this work in its Italian editions and its translations into Spanish, French, and English during the sixteenth century. In particular, the article focuses on the challenge posed by translating that “nova parola” that defines the courtier’s grace:
“sprezzatura” as opposed to “affettazione”.