Following the Spring 2017 issue of our Journal, the articles featured in the current issue will take readers across time and cultures. The necessity to engage oneself with the thoughts, opinions and attitudes of the Other is, of course, an age-old one. Classic stories from e.g. Ancient Babylon, Greece and Rome were taken by individuals who not only translated them, but (re)interpreted their contents and messages for new audiences. For speakers – and especially readers - of English today, immersed as they are in Tolkienesque tales of fantastic kingdoms, armed prowess and bawdy debauchery, a reminder of the importance of translation in the struggle to Christianise the English speaking peoples might - at first glance - seem mundane. However, the impact of the letters so painstakingly and beautifully created by dipping a feather over and over into a simple inkwell to create individual letters on vellum has proven far greater over time than many a battle with a sword. Language was translated to import meaning, worldview, a new way of life, a culture and, indeed, a new universe of existence. On a different note, Boccaccio’s infamous tome serves as a prime example of a collection of characters, stories and messages which has won new audiences – and new critics – through its translation into many languages over the centuries since its original appearance. The theme of translation as translation not only of texts but also of cultures is continued. Translation of translated poems, linking two cultures and languages as diverse as China/Chinese and Hungary/Hungarians forms the theme of one paper; whilst the Eastern connection continues with a look at the challenges, history and potential future of translation from Korean. Explanatory comments as a way of solving problems involving disparities in readers’ prior knowledge in different cultures form the focus of a paper approaching the topic of Translation from the perspective of technical translation and Translation Studies. On behalf of the Editorial Board, we enjoin our readers to explore the diverse worlds presented in this issue and look forward to receiving submissions for our next issue.
