Les expressions de la gradation absolue dans Dzienniczek (Petit Journal) de la sœur Faustine et leurs traductions en français

Abstract

What are expressions of absolute gradation in the mystical speech and how should they be translated? To answer this question, we will first give the definition of gradation that includes implicit comparison and intensity. As intensity is inseparable from mystical experience, it also marks the mystical speech. To grasp the specificity of the linguistic sign in a mystical catholic speech we will present the mystical experience which is a precise reference to the linguistic sign. It is in this context that we will analyze the expressions of absolute gradation, namely the superlative forms of adjectives and adjectives with prefixes marking a "beyond" of the boundaries of a scale of values. The analysis will be conducted on the examples of the original text and of the translated text in order to show difficulties of a mystic in expressing his/her mystical experience and the difficulties of the translator trying to render the emotion and the beauty of the mystical language.