The Original is Unfaithful to the Translation: Conversion and Authenticity in Abner of Burgos and Anselm Turmeda

Abstract

Ryan Szpiech (“The Original is Unfaithful to the Translation: Conversion and Authenticity in Abner of Burgos and Anselm Turmeda”) contributes a study of two authors, Abner of Burgos (Alfonso of Valladolid), who converts from Judaism to Christianity, and Anselm Turmeda (Abdallah al-Turjuman), who converts from Christianity to Islam. Szpiech draws productive parallels between the authors’ conversions and the translations of their confessional texts. In both cases the two experiences (unconverted/converted, ‘original’/translation) establish competing authorities that are metaphorical for the ‘uncloseable gap between text and experience.’