Ecotranslation with commentary: Aspects of Amazonian Vegetation and Animal Migration

Abstract

This ecotranslation with commentary presents a descrption and critical reading on the translation process of the text “Aspects of Amazonian Vegetation and Animal Migration”, chapter XXIII of Richard Spruce’s book, Notes of a botanist on the Amazon and Andes, written during the second half of the 19th century and published in 1908. The text is here translated into Brazilian Portuguese under the title “Aspectos da Vegetação Amazônica e da Migração Animal”. The commentaries on the translation process of the text present a historical and critical interpretation, taking into account time and social matters observed over the forest exploration, justified by research on the fauna and flora of the Amazon, as well as humanistic and social considerations about the people involved in the forest exploration at that time. The present historical context is also taken into account, besides a brief description of Spruce in order to identify aspects of the explorer’s style that might have influenced translation choices. The objective is to reinforce the documental, historical and environmental care value via the translation of texts that report and illustrate the exploration and research of the Amazon during colonization.