Biblical Hebrew Forum

[peter_kirk AT sil.org]

I guess the reason for avoiding "alien" is not so much political 
correctness as that that word now has strongest connotations of the 
likes of ET, not the object marker but the Extra-Terrestrial. Also I 
don't think Ben Crick has understood, as I think I do, that for this 
project Matthew is deliberately looking for the one best single 
equivalent, for a computer-generated interlinear text. He should of 
course be very careful about using that equivalent everywhere in any 
translation for general use.

I would suggest "migrant" for the very reason that Rodney Duke seems 
to reject it, that the word implies impermanence. I would think that 
the nearest modern equivalent may well be migrant workers such as the 
Turks in Germany. Or can anyone suggest any better analogies? In more 
legal and modern terms, the idea would I think be of someone with 
permission to reside and work in a country of which he is not a 
citizen. But it is not clear to me whether the "ger" would in general 
expect to return later to his homeland. It is of course important that 
we (or Matthew) first exegete the texts to find out what the word 
means before trying to choose an English equivalent.

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator 
_________________________________
Subject: Re: Meaning of ger
Author:  ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk at internet
Date:    08/07/1999 06:36


On Wed  7 Jul 99 (17:04:00), manstey AT portal.ca wrote:
> Just wondering what people thought was a good word to use for ger for
> its usual meanings. We want to try to avoid "resident aliens," "aliens," 
> or "strangers" if possible. What does NJPS use? The current revisors of 
> the NIV are removing the word "alien" from the translation altogether,
> and we too are looking a better word. What do people think of these 
> possibilities:
>  1. immigrant
>  2. outsider
>  3. foreigner
>  4. refugee
>  5. person in exile
>  6. migrant

 Dear Matthew,

 I see that Ita Sheres suggests "joiners"!  To us in the UK that means 
 carpenters!  "Carpenter of Nazareth seeks Joiners: no prior experience 
 necessary" (commonly seen Church poster). Is this the connotation that 
 you want?  - hardly.

 You seem to be going along with the "political correctness" lobby in 
 seeking to discard words with pejorative racist connotations. But surely 
 the whole point of the Biblical exhortations to be kind to GeRiYM is to 
 *combat* Xenophobia and hostility to outsiders. So in fact, the most 
 derogatory racist term you can think of is likely to be the very best one 
 to choose!

 You stick with the "theologically correct" word, and challenge the 
 "politically correct" lobby. The *context* of GeR should in each case 
 determine the most appropriate synonym from your list in 1-6 above. 
 The Prophets of Israel were challenging the political establishment 
 all the time, in spite of the unpopularity it brought them. Political 
 awareness and sensitivity to the "target" group is a good trait in 
 translators; but not political expediency.

 Henry Churchyard's suggestions are very apposite; but to use the 
 old-fashioned word "sojourner" would obfuscate the issue for today's 
 generation, not brought up on the King James Version. From Latin
 Sub (under or about) and Diurnus (belonging to the day), it suggests 
 travellers rather than residents.

 IMHO.
 Ben
--
 Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
 <ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk>
 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK) 
 http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm