Translators, as cultural and economic intermediaries, are often members of marginalized groups. Historically, they occupy fragile positions, on the fringes of power. When they are, in addition, members of colonial or neocolonial societies, their work is saturated with the knowledge which comes from daily exposure to the conflictual aspects of language exchange. They are attentive to the fact that cultural traffic does not circulate freely about the globe, that its flow is regulated by the existence and condition of trade routes, the availability of willing vehicles and the needs and pleasures which cultural commerce caters to. In that words, they know that the circulation of translations is not to be equated with the logic of the gift, but with the rules of commodity exchange.

- Sherry Simon, Changing the Terms

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