Traduire la presse au XVIIIe siècle : à l’écoute de la voix du traducteur dans le péritexte

In the 18th century press and its translations disseminate international information, they contribute to cultural transfer and they are acknowledged as privileged vehicles for the circulation of ideas and for political acculturation. Newspapers can be adapted to readership not only from the point of view of the translated texts, with omissions or additions, but also from the point of view of paratext and, more precisely, of peritext. Even if this one is under the supervision of the editor, the translator is always involved. Indeed, it is in the peritextual spaces that the presence of the translator can be identified and that it is possible to hear his voice. This article deals with the peritext of newspapers written in French and translated into Italian in the 18th century, placing emphasis on the ways in which the translator expresses himself in this liminal space. It explores the reasons that lead him to make his voice heard and it speculates about the specific characteristics of the peritexts of periodicals in translation comparing them to the peritexts of other textual genres. To answer these questions, we examine some periodicals translated into Italian. The general macro-structural features of the editorial peritext are first analysed. The spaces of the peritext where the translator expresses himself are then sifted through. Finally, the results of the analysis are discussed and some general comments are made concerning the translator’s voice in the paratexts of the 18th century press.