Le Directoire de Jean de Vignay, une traduction littérale au début du xiv^e siècle

Was Jean de Vignay a staunch supporter of literal translation ? This question is difficult to answer, as the Livre Flave Vegece de la Сhose de Сhevalerie, whose prologue seems to be a manifesto for literal translation, apparently cannot be ascribed to him. This paper addresses this issue by analyzing his still unedited Directoire. Three of de ­Vignay’s translations (the Directoire, the Merveilles de la Terre ­d’Outremer, the Enseignemens) are ­connected to the crusading project of Philippe IV, dating back to the beginning of the year 1330. These translations hold a particular place in de ­Vignay’s work, because they ­contain numerous syntactical and semantic borrowings. The character of these borrowings most likely indicates that Jean de Vignay identified accurate translation with calquing, being under the influence of ­Donatus’s Ars Minor school versions. But he nevertheless strove for that degree of accuracy only in a particular social ­context, namely when the translation was meant for the King and could therefore influence State policy.