[B-Greek] FORMAL EQUIVALENCY--

Jeffrey B. Gibson jgibson000 at comcast.net
Thu Sep 16 12:54:32 EDT 2004



Jerrel Sturdy wrote:

> If it pleases anyone on the Greek list, may I ask a question?   I realize
> that this is a list for discussion of the koine Greek language.  My problem
> has to do with what is FORMAL EQUIVALENCY?   I know that that is a
> translational word, but if it would not be against the rules, please,
> someone, inform me what that is.  I think, I think, it means word-for-word
> translation from the Greek text or Hebrew for that matter.

According to Matthew Demos's _Pocket Dictionary for the Study of New Testament
Greek_ (a book that no one on B-Greek should be without), Formal Equivalence is
"an approach to translation that seeks to reproduce the original with great
literalness, including sentence structure and word order; or the end product in
such a translation".

It is synonymous with "direct equivalence" and it contrasts with "dynamic
equivalence".

Jeffrey
--

Jeffrey B. Gibson, D.Phil. (Oxon.)

1500 W. Pratt Blvd. #1
Chicago, IL 60626

jgibson000 at comcast.net





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