Transoceanic Worlds: Ecologies of Translation and Transplantation

This paper examines the transplantation of the breadfruit tree from the islands of the South Pacific to the British colonies in the Atlantic, exploring the imperial competition that surrounded such transoceanic botanical... [ view full abstract ]

This paper examines the transplantation of the breadfruit tree from the islands of the South Pacific to the British colonies in the Atlantic, exploring the imperial competition that surrounded such transoceanic botanical transfers as well as its impact on the indigenous and enslaved populations in both oceanic settings. It argues not only for a more sustained engagement with multilingual and comparative sources but also examines the role of translation in early modern empire formation. Looking at the writings of Rumphius, Forster, Cook, Bougainville, and others I analyze how these explorers and naturalists conceived of the breadfruit tree and how the circulation and translation of their works influenced government policies and imperial expansion. Within early transnational trade and print networks, translation especially was crucial not only for the transmission of information from one language to another, but also as a means to modify, correct, or even manipulate the latest scientific findings. This paper therefore also considers the textual and narrative strategies the translators of these texts adopted, as well as the ramifications of untranslatability and mistranslation for the circulation of knowledge of the Pacific for European and early American empire building. By analyzing these lesser-known accounts of transoceanic botanical transplantation, my paper not only considers the importance of translation for imperial expansion in the Atlantic and Pacific worlds, but also provides insights into the early modern commercial globalization of nature.