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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | How far would you go in a translation? | Gen 1:1 | Hank | 32981 | ||
Tim, in regard to your post concerning translation in which you say that an English word or phrase that properly translates a Greek word or phrase may be so archaic that few will understand it. I don't see this as being necessarily so, inasmuch as I can't think of any archaic English word or phrase, idiomatic or otherwise, that doesn't have a counterpart in contemporary English. Thus, why should it be any more difficult to give transparency of the ancient tongues in today's English than it was for the King James Bible translators to give it in theirs? It should, in fact, be an easier task, because the English vocabulary of our time is richer and larger than it was in 1611. I think it has become a fad among certain translators to try to simplify by the generous use of paraphrase. This trend can be based on nothing else but the idiotic assumption that Bible readers are inadequate both in brains and education and must be spoon fed. When I read a copy of the Bible in English, I want to know as nearly as possible what God said, not what some self-appointed guru of academia thinks He may have meant. --Hank ...... P.S. Suggestion: You might want to think about changing your customary closing from "Brother in Christ" to "Sibling in Christ." We must go to whatever lengths may be necessary to insure political correctness, you know :-) | ||||||
2 | How far would you go in a translation? | Gen 1:1 | Morant61 | 32985 | ||
Greetings Hank! Sibling - I like it! :-) Unfortunately, any time one depends upon a translation, one is depending upon what that translator thinks. I don't disagree, a translation should be as trasparent as possible. However, there must also (I think) be a balance between literalness and readability. Exactly where that point of balance should be is precisely one of the reasons we have so many translations. I don't believe in paraphrasing though! This issue concerns me more about the TNIV than the gender neutral language. I saw several examples on their web site which looked as though I was reading the Living Bible. Concerning readability, alas not everyone is as well read as you my friend! The current reading level in the United States is at about 6 grade level. So, there may be something to the theory that we need to simplify the text! :-) Your "Sibling" in Christ, Tim Moran |
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3 | How far would you go in a translation? | Gen 1:1 | Hank | 32987 | ||
As regards simplification, Tim, I wholeheartedly concur that something needs to be done for that portion of the public whose reading skills are limited. But, at the time time, I have misgivings whether the biblical text itself should be tampered with. Simpler locutions could be offered and possible meanings suggested by the use of marginal commentary without corrupting the biblical text itself. Does this make sense? Of course, to some degree at least, the vast array of so-called study Bibles are doing something to help along these lines. --Hank | ||||||
4 | How far would you go in a translation? | Gen 1:1 | Morant61 | 33000 | ||
Greetings Hank! Oh, I agree! I'm not saying that we should change the text. I'm just saying that the most current style and language would be the best way to translate the text. There are many examples in Greek, where translators adopt English style to bring out the meaning. For instance, a Genititive is often used like we would use an adjective. One example from Scripture is the phrase "coals of fire" (Rom. 12:20). Many translations simply translate this as "burning coals". This is true to the meaning, but not strickly literal. These are the kinds of decisions which translators are forced to make. I quess I would summarize my position on translation this way. A translation must be true to the text, but express the meaning clearly in the receptor language. This will not result in a woodenly literal translation. The style will take on more of the flavor of the receptor language, in terms of word order, phrasing, ect.... Translation is not an easy task! It is amazing how many choices one is faced with in the process. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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