An appraisal of a thinker’s ideas may communicate them better than translation can

Evidence

Translation, of course, is neither a prerequisite nor a guarantee of acquaintance or influence. Some American sociologists are well-versed in European sociology, whether translated or not, and others, perhaps, do not fully utilize what renditions exist. And it is a question whether a translation is as helpful in communicating a thinker’s ideas as an appraisal of his thought. — Georg Simmel, The Sociology of Georg Simmel, 273

Categorization

• QUESTION: Is there empirical evidence on whether translations or secondary appraisals spread a thinker’s influence more effectively?
• XREF: connects to: A thinker’s core innovations lie dispersed, needing extraction and synthesis