Yanyalı Esad Efendi's Translation of Physics (Book)

The Physics Translation of Yanyalı Esad Efendi is one of the notable examples from the Ottoman intellectual translation tradition. Examined by Cahid Şenel, this work analyzes the 17th-century Arabic version of Aristotle’s Physics, translated by Yanyalı Esad Efendi, within historical and conceptual frameworks.

The study directly compares Yanyalı Esad Efendi’s Arabic translation with Latin commentaries and early Islamic philosophical translations. The findings reveal that the translation activity was not merely a linguistic transfer but also reflects the richness of Ottoman thought regarding issues of plagiarism and conceptual differences. The work aims to uncover conceptual clarity through intertextual dialogue.

• Translation and Authorial Synthesis: Yanyalı Esad’s incorporation of his own interpretations into the translation process.
• Intertextual Dialogue: Comparison of Aristotle’s versions in different languages with the Ottoman text.
• Exploratory Thought: Parallel developments between the Ottoman philosophical tradition and intellectual currents from antiquity through the Renaissance.

Cahid Şenel examines the work with academic rigor, evaluating textual analysis, comparative translation studies, and the boundaries between interpretation and translation within a theoretical framework. The research is enriched by Latin and Arabic source texts, revealing linguistic and philosophical nuances.