Translation and the Spanish Empire in the Americas

Two are the starting points of this book. On the one hand, the use of Doña Marina/La Malinche as a symbol of the violation of the Americas by the Spanish conquerors as well as a metaphor of her treason to the Mexican people. On the other, the role of the translations of Bartolomé de las Casas’s Brevísima relación de la destrucción de las Indias in the creation and expansion of the Spanish Black Legend. The author aims to go beyond them by considering the role of translators and interpreters during the early colonial period in Spanish America and by looking at the translations of the Spanish chronicles as instrumental in the promotion of other European empires. The book discusses literary, religious and administrative documents and engages in a dialogue with other disciplines that can provide a more nuanced view of the role of translation, and of the mediators, during the controversial encounter/clash between Europeans and Amerindians.

África Vidal, University of Salamanca:
A necessary, groundbreaking and full-length study which raises key questions on the importance of the role of the translator during the conquest of the Americas, forcing the reader to reflect on sensitive issues concerning the practice and ethics of translation. Through a perceptive and detailed analysis, the book presents an outstanding and well-researched response to traditional perspectives on the subject. By addressing the intersections between translation, histor(y)/(ies) and asymmetrical powers, this book will be a touchstone for future research in postcolonial studies.