Translating My Awareness of the World
The Nyaya View of Language and Translation
How is it possible for all the above sentences to have the same meaning?
In a previous article, I outlined the Nyaya view of linguistic meaning. The key point is that according to this view, one does not need to posit abstract entities such as propositions in order to account for language. Instead, mental states are able to account for the necessary functions of language which facilitate linguistic meaning.
Here, I would like to offer a possible implication for the Nyaya view, namely related to translation. If there are no abstract propositions, then what are we translating when we translate a sentence in one language to another?
My purpose is not to offer a complete or sound Nyaya view of linguistic translation, but rather to see what implications this view might have when applied to a specific area of language.
