[B-Greek] Semnatic domain of SARX

Remington186 at aol.com Remington186 at aol.com
Sun Dec 5 18:50:39 EST 2004


Steven Lo Vullo wrote, 12/5/04 11:27:08 AM Pacific Standard Time,
On Dec 5, 2004, at 5:45 AM, Remington1896 at aol.com wrote:

Yada, yada, yada.

My dear Steven,
I wrote: 
And now you seem to be saying that a English lexicon of Greek words is "a 
**definition** [...] rather than a **translation**. [**After all**, that is what 
a lexicon is for.]

And you answered:
I didn't say that a lexicon IS a definition. A good lexicon CONTAINS 
definitions.

You got me there. But what I copied: "a **definition** of a word rather than 
a **translation**. **Is exactly what you had written.**

I've also noticed that that the Greek and Hebrew 'Lexicons' in the back of my 
Young's Analytical Concordance are no more than glosses - listing each 
instance of *how* the Greek and Hebrew word is 'listed/translated' in the KJV.

I've also noticed that my Zondervan, The Analytical Greek Lexicon, has "An 
Alphabetical Arrangement of Every Occurring Inflexion of Every Word Contained in 
the Greek New Testament Scriptures, with a Grammatical Analysis of Each Word, 
and Lexicographical Illustration of the Meanings. A Complete Series of 
Paradigms, With Grammatical Remarks and Explanations."

And to cut this short, I have noticed in the last 30 and more years, whenever 
I am translating from German to English, Hebrew to English, French to 
English, Spanish to English, Greek to English, Russian to English, Portugese to 
English, Latin to English ... I **always**, **always**, **always**, go to the 
specific dictionary.

I *never* go to Bibles to translate Greek. I translate Greek with Greek 
dictionaries,
sources like Moulton and Milligan, even [horrors!] Strong's dictionary has 
given me good clues. What I use Bibles for in translating is collating all the 
contexts of one word [Greek or Hebrew] and deciphering the similarties in the 
context and the vast differences of opinion in the English translations of that 
one Greek or Hebrew word.

For instance: UPOSTASIS has been variously [guessed at] as ground, assurance, 
substance, person, confidence, title deed, essence, sediment, urine, belief, 
knowledge, etc. And from the LXX: burden, support, rate, some, encampment, 
ground of hope, existence, standing, being, counsel, hope, plan, foundation, etc.

Granted, I will check what others have translated - and to my mind early 
dictionaries were little more than glosses. The earliest English dictionary has at 
Horse, "a well-know beast."

Translate: to put into the words of a different language

Remington: How do Greek words get Englished without a translation? Aren't the 
lexicons you use Greek words translated into English?

Steven: No, in fact they are NOT primarily that at all.

Thank you for responding to my benightedness, Steven. You're a good sport.
Please don't respond to this.

Warmest Regards,
Remington Mandel
Hemet CA USA



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