Gadamer and the translation of poetry: Co-listening, hermeneutics, and (un)translatability

This article analyzes Hans-Georg Gadamer’s reflections on the act of poetic translation, focusing on an interview with the philosopher in Heidelberg on September 28, 2001, and a previous correspondence between Gadamer and her Brazilian translator dated July 9, 2001. Based on the thesis of the (un)translatability of lyrics and the concept of co-listening (mithören) in the act of translation, the study articulates Gadamer’s position with the foundations of philosophical hermeneutics, exploring its implications for an epistemology of translation. Through reflections on Paul Celan’s lyrics, topic of the interview and the letter, we examine this “chord” between reading, interpreting, and translating in the translator’s act of “listening”. The article identifies and explores the constitutive tensions in Gadamer’s position, proposing that his specific contribution lies in understanding translation as a transformative hermeneutic act that demands co-listening, radical fidelity to the source poem, and responsible creativity in the target language.

Keywords
Hans-Georg Gadamer; poetic translation; mithören ; philosophical hermeneutics; Paul Celan