Linguistic Colonization through Print and Translation: John Eliot’s Algonquin Bible and Writings on the Algonquin Language
Puritan missionary John Eliot, translator of the Bible into Algonquin and author of several texts related to the Algonquin language, also wrote texts that reveal a very politically minded seventeenth-century colonialist. In recent years, critics have characterized Eliot’s translations and writings o...
Main Author: | |
---|---|
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English French |
Published: |
Société d'Etudes Anglo-Américaines des XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles
2023
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doaj.org/article/8cfef6cf2c3b42ad86bdf70d4fb75fd4 |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:8cfef6cf2c3b42ad86bdf70d4fb75fd4 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:8cfef6cf2c3b42ad86bdf70d4fb75fd4 2024-02-11T09:55:04+01:00 Linguistic Colonization through Print and Translation: John Eliot’s Algonquin Bible and Writings on the Algonquin Language Dan Mills 2023-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doaj.org/article/8cfef6cf2c3b42ad86bdf70d4fb75fd4 EN FR eng fre Société d'Etudes Anglo-Américaines des XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles http://journals.openedition.org/1718/12189 https://doaj.org/toc/0291-3798 https://doaj.org/toc/2117-590X 0291-3798 2117-590X https://doaj.org/article/8cfef6cf2c3b42ad86bdf70d4fb75fd4 XVII-XVIII, Vol 80 (2023) John Eliot Algonquin print culture translation ethnography History (General) and history of Europe D article 2023 ftdoajarticles 2024-01-14T01:49:43Z Puritan missionary John Eliot, translator of the Bible into Algonquin and author of several texts related to the Algonquin language, also wrote texts that reveal a very politically minded seventeenth-century colonialist. In recent years, critics have characterized Eliot’s translations and writings on the Algonquin language as colonial and linguistic imperialism but have not adequately addressed the extent to which Eliot’s translation projects and his conscious use of the print trade inform this cultural and linguistic imperialism. Close examination of the printings and paratexts of Eliot’s “Indian Library” reveals colonial agendas, and placing Eliot’s translation projects in the context of early modern translation theories underscores Eliot’s single-minded purpose for learning Algonquin: to indoctrinate the Native Americans into Christianity. Once known as the “Apostle to the Indians,” Eliot thus becomes a colonizer subjugating the colonized with religion. Although Eliot’s missionary work likely stemmed from a sincere Christian concern for the state of Native Americans’ souls, the presentation of his texts reveals an unconscious agenda of biopolitical theology that unintentionally undermines Eliot’s genuine project as a man of God. Article in Journal/Newspaper algonquin Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Indian |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English French |
topic |
John Eliot Algonquin print culture translation ethnography History (General) and history of Europe D |
spellingShingle |
John Eliot Algonquin print culture translation ethnography History (General) and history of Europe D Dan Mills Linguistic Colonization through Print and Translation: John Eliot’s Algonquin Bible and Writings on the Algonquin Language |
topic_facet |
John Eliot Algonquin print culture translation ethnography History (General) and history of Europe D |
description |
Puritan missionary John Eliot, translator of the Bible into Algonquin and author of several texts related to the Algonquin language, also wrote texts that reveal a very politically minded seventeenth-century colonialist. In recent years, critics have characterized Eliot’s translations and writings on the Algonquin language as colonial and linguistic imperialism but have not adequately addressed the extent to which Eliot’s translation projects and his conscious use of the print trade inform this cultural and linguistic imperialism. Close examination of the printings and paratexts of Eliot’s “Indian Library” reveals colonial agendas, and placing Eliot’s translation projects in the context of early modern translation theories underscores Eliot’s single-minded purpose for learning Algonquin: to indoctrinate the Native Americans into Christianity. Once known as the “Apostle to the Indians,” Eliot thus becomes a colonizer subjugating the colonized with religion. Although Eliot’s missionary work likely stemmed from a sincere Christian concern for the state of Native Americans’ souls, the presentation of his texts reveals an unconscious agenda of biopolitical theology that unintentionally undermines Eliot’s genuine project as a man of God. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Dan Mills |
author_facet |
Dan Mills |
author_sort |
Dan Mills |
title |
Linguistic Colonization through Print and Translation: John Eliot’s Algonquin Bible and Writings on the Algonquin Language |
title_short |
Linguistic Colonization through Print and Translation: John Eliot’s Algonquin Bible and Writings on the Algonquin Language |
title_full |
Linguistic Colonization through Print and Translation: John Eliot’s Algonquin Bible and Writings on the Algonquin Language |
title_fullStr |
Linguistic Colonization through Print and Translation: John Eliot’s Algonquin Bible and Writings on the Algonquin Language |
title_full_unstemmed |
Linguistic Colonization through Print and Translation: John Eliot’s Algonquin Bible and Writings on the Algonquin Language |
title_sort |
linguistic colonization through print and translation: john eliot’s algonquin bible and writings on the algonquin language |
publisher |
Société d'Etudes Anglo-Américaines des XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doaj.org/article/8cfef6cf2c3b42ad86bdf70d4fb75fd4 |
geographic |
Indian |
geographic_facet |
Indian |
genre |
algonquin |
genre_facet |
algonquin |
op_source |
XVII-XVIII, Vol 80 (2023) |
op_relation |
http://journals.openedition.org/1718/12189 https://doaj.org/toc/0291-3798 https://doaj.org/toc/2117-590X 0291-3798 2117-590X https://doaj.org/article/8cfef6cf2c3b42ad86bdf70d4fb75fd4 |
_version_ |
1790593713419845632 |