Translating religious texts

Question 1

The Hebrew Bible

Answer 1

• came into existence over a millennium (12-2century BC)
• divided into 3 divisions (Torah or the Law, The Prophets, The Writings)
• one of the earliest and most translated texts in history.
• crucial role in shaping religious, cultural, and linguistic landscapes across the world

Question 2

The status of Hebrew

Answer 2

• at some point (6th cen BC) Aramaic became more popular among Jews (post Babylonian exile)
• parts of the Hebrew Bible are Aramaic

Question 3

Targums

Answer 3

• Ancient Aramaic translations of the Hebrew Bible. (initially oral translations during service)
• Developed to make the Hebrew Bible accessible to Jews who no longer spoke it as their primary language.
• “Targum” literally means “translation” or “interpretation”
• Targums are not literal translations but include paraphrases, explanations, and expansions of the original text
• The interpretive nature of the Targums influenced how later Jewish and Christian translations and commentaries were developed
• Targum Onkolos (Pentateuch) + Targum Jonathan (The Prophets) = most authoritative

Question 4

The Septuagint

Answer 4

• A Jewish Greek trans. of the Hebrew Bible
• includes books not found in the Hebrew Bible (they could have been lost)
• the Letter of Aristeas suggests that the trans. began in 3rd cen BC
• translated by 70 (or 72) Jewish scholars in 72 days, hence the name “Septuagint” (“of the seventy”). Made in Alexandria, Egypt,

Question 5

The Septuagint impact

Answer 5

In Christian Times, it became the canonical form of The Old Testament for Greek-speaking Christians

• The source of Christian theological concepts
• Inventive use of Greek poetics
• Cultural adaptation: (references to Greek philosophy (arche/the Prime Mover); messianic undertones) emphasised:

Question 6

The Vulgate

Answer 6

• A Christian Latin translation of the whole Bible made by Jerome (382-406)
• Revision of the existing „Old Latin” versions of the the NT and the translation of the Old Testament from the Hebrew (!)
• Only became canonical in the Middle Ages and printed in the Gutenberg Bible (1455) and declared the authentic form of the Latin Bible by the Council of Trent (1546)
• Coptic, Armenian, Georgian, Ethiopic, Arabic and Syrian translations (Peshitta)

Question 7

The Vulgate - impact

Answer 7

1. Standarization of Christian Scripture - The Vulgate provided a more uniform and authoritative text for the Western Church.
2. Translation - the Vulgate is a landmark in the history of translation. St. Jerome’s commentaries on the challenges of translating sacred texts contributed to early discussions about translation theory, including issues of literal versus dynamic equivalence.
3. Language - crucial in the Latin lng development

Question 8

The Vernacular

Answer 8

refers to the language or dialect that is spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region

Question 9

The Vernacular - English Bibles

Answer 9

1. John Wycliffe’s Bible
   - 1st complete Eng trans. (1380s)
   - based on the Latin Vulgate
2. Willam Tyndale’s Bible
   - 1st to be printed
   - translated from Greek and Hebrew texts
   - influenced modern english
3. The King James Version
   - famous, (published 1611)
   - lasting impact on eng lit.

Question 10

The Vernacular - Luther’s Bible

Answer 10

NT -> DE lng 1534

• helped unify DE
• printed
• spread of protestantism

Question 11

The inclusive bible translation

Answer 11

Inclusive Bible translation refers to the approach in translating biblical texts that aims to be more inclusive of gender, race, culture, and other aspects of human identity.

Question 12

How do approaches to translation differ in different religious traditions Christianity

Answer 12

1. Christianity

• long tradition of trans. due to missionary nature (starting with the Septuagint and Vulgate)
• both word-for-word and thought-to-thought trans.

Question 13

Buddhism

Answer 13

2. Buddhism

• words of Buddha lost in original form (written down in 1cen BC -> trans. into Pali )
• Buddhism’s primary texts are in Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Chinese, among others, reflecting the religion’s spread across Asia. Each tradition has its own approach to translation.
• emphasis is often on conveying the essence of the teachings in a way that resonates with the local cultural context.

Question 14

Judasim

Answer 14

3. Judaism

• the Hebrew language has a special status as the language of the original Torah. Translations are used for study and understanding but are considered a step removed from the sacred Hebrew text.
• Jewish translations often include extensive commentaries that not only explain the text but also provide interpretations from various rabbinic sources.
• emphasis on maintaining the integrity of the original Hebrew text, with a focus on precise and scholarly translation work.

Question 15

Islam

Answer 15

4. Islam

• the Arabic Quran is considered the literal word of God, untranslatable.
• Translations are viewed as interpretations or explanations of the meaning of the Quran, not as the Quran itself.
• translations of the Quran are often accompanied by the Arabic text, and they make a clear distinction between the translation and the original.

Question 16

What do I think about the strategies used in translating ancient/sacred texts?

Answer 16

• no single translation strategy is sufficient for all contexts and needs.
• multi-faceted approach
• Combining word-for-word and thought-for-thought strategies
• Providing footnotes, glossaries, and appendices
• ncouraging the use of multiple translations