[B-Greek] NET - Novum Testamentum Graece Diglot (Greek / English)

Eduard C Hanganu eddhanganu at hotmail.com
Fri Aug 27 15:38:13 EDT 2004



Dear Iver:

As a fully bilingual scholar with two degrees in linguistics I think I 
understand language and communication ( Are you native or near-native in 
more than one language?). The thoughts you ascribe to me are not present in 
my messages (did you read them?). A translation, whether literal or dynamic 
cannot "add" to the text or "subtract" from it if the translator's purpose 
is to be faithful to the writer's communicative intent. Because our exchange 
has so far been in the theoretical realm and you seem to claim that you are 
familiar "with translation and communication theory" please read the NET 
translation passage of Hebrews 9:6-12 below and answer the questions I 
posed:

*****

9:6 So with these things prepared like this, the priests enter continually 
into the outer tent8 as they perform their duties. 9:7 But only the high 
priest enters once a year into the inner tent,9 and not without blood that 
he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in 
ignorance.10 9:8 The Holy Spirit is making clear that the way into the holy 
place had not yet appeared as long as the old tabernacle11 was standing. 9:9 
This was a symbol for the time then present, when gifts and sacrifices were 
offered that could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper. 9:10 They 
served only for matters of food and drink12 and various washings; they are 
external regulations13 imposed until the new order came.

******

1.Do you agree with the way the translator rendered the Greek text in 
English?
2. Did the translator express faithfully the original intent of the Bible 
writer?
3. Did he add or subtract to the meaning of the passage?
4. Did the translator violate the integrity of the text by inserting words 
that distort the origiinal meaning of the passage?
5. What are the problems with the translation of the above passage, if any?


Please, let me know what you think.

Regards,

Eduard Hanganu



From: "Multitech" <ialarsen at multitechweb.com>
To: "Eduard C Hanganu" <eddhanganu at hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: [B-Greek] NET - Novum Testamentum Graece Diglot (Greek / 
English)
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2004 18:12:37 +0300

Dear Eduard,

You are free to abstain from using dynamic translations, but your comments
show clearly your lack of familiarity with translation and communication
theory. You claim to be familiar with dynamic translations, but you are
certainly not familiar with the theories behind them. If you are interested
in learning about this topic, you can either get some very useful textbooks
or check the bible translation list at
http://www.geocities.com/bible_translation/list/

What you call "real" translation is what Dr. Buth calls "quasi-translation",
because it is not real translation in terms of modern translation and
communication theory. "Real" translation is the way professional translators
do their work, and that is very different from how students of Greek do
their class-room quasi-translation, the kind of "translation" you find in
the literal versions that obscure the originally intended meaning, simply
because they mishandle the receptor language.

Literal translations and class-room translation has their legitimate places,
but they should not be confused with communicative translations.

Best wishes,
Iver Larsen
SIL International Translation Consultant

 >
 > Dear Remington:
 >
 > You are right, the abbreviation NET was what confused me in the
 > first place.
 > This morning, though, I went to the web site and checked the
 > mentioned New
 > English Translation. As usual, I look at some known passages in
 > order to get
 > a feel of the translation work and I have to say that I was disappointed.
 > This NET seems to me more like a paraphrase than a "real"
 > translation. I am
 > familiar with the literal or word for word translations and with
 > the dynamic
 > equivalent translations, but this is more like an interpretation of the
 > original text which I find of little use. I guess I got so accustomed to
 > going to the original text that I became "spoiled" and lost patience with
 > the "translations" that bring in the ideas of the interpreters. The notes
 > added to the text also seem rather amateurish, most of them just personal
 > opinions with little textual support and confused exegesis.
 >
 > Eduard Hanganu

_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! 
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/




More information about the B-Greek mailing list