Re: Articles, theology, and translation

From: Jonathan Robie (jonathan@texcel.no)
Date: Thu Jan 08 1998 - 14:46:36 EST


At 08:21 PM 1/8/98 +0100, mjoseph wrote:
>Jonathan Robie wrote:
>
>>EMOI, a translation should not be based on a "systematic theology", but
>>every translation is based on an understanding of what the author intended
>>to say, and when more than one interpretation is possible for a given
>>passage, our overall understanding of the author's intent does influence
>>which interpretations we find plausible. In translating John, we try to
>>gain an understanding of what "light", "life", "the Word", etc. mean to
>>John in the whole gospel, and this influences our understanding of what it
>>means in a particular instance. To me, this *is* a kind of theology, and it
>>does affect translation.
>
>I would hope that no one disputes this. On the other hand, it is not my
>point at all! What I am trying to maintain in saying that Koine should
>optimally be read as any other language is that in doing so, we get
>around using *our* theology as a basis for tanslation, **NOT** that we
>get around using the theology of the *author*, which is necessary as one
>component to the background of the text.
 
But my understanding of John's theology is not the same as your
understanding; after years of reading the text, I build up my own biblical
world view, based on my understandings of each of the different authors,
and this world view is in some ways unique to me. In other words, it is not
John's theology that shapes my interpretation, it is my own understanding
of John's theology. Now *I* happen to believe that *my* understandings are
the right ones, but other people disagree. That's why it is so helpful to
bump into people who believe differently and compare maps - it helps me see
where my understandings can not be supported.

Jonathan
___________________________________________________________________________

Jonathan Robie jwrobie@mindspring.com

Little Greek Home Page: http://sunsite.unc.edu/koine
Little Greek 101: http://sunsite.unc.edu/koine/greek/lessons
B-Greek Home Page: http://sunsite.unc.edu/bgreek
B-Greek Archives: http://sunsite.unc.edu/bgreek/archives



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat Apr 20 2002 - 15:38:48 EDT