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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Review Alter's translation

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  • From: Jim West <jwest AT highland.net>
  • To: Bearpecs AT aol.com
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Review Alter's translation
  • Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 15:02:14 -0500

At 02:52 PM 1/5/2005, you wrote:

What about, however, when I sit down with the original Hebrew and in
addition to using the dictionaries (BDB and HALOT), I also refer to a variety of
English translations (including Alter, Fox, NJPS, AB, etc.)? Does that not
count as an actual "translation from the original Hebrew" because I've used other
translations?

If it is, how do we draw a clear line between working from translations but
referring to the original and working from the original but referring to
translations?

I think it depends entirely on how dependent you are on the English version. If, for instance, you translate your sentence from Hebrew to english and then check it against an existing translation - thats one thing. If you take an English translation and you look at the Hebrew text in order to, as it were, view it interlinearally, then thats another. The more dependent you are on English versions to verify your own work, the less translating you end up doing and the more paraphrasing.

Lets take two hypothetical students. One sits with his Hebrew text- a dictionary, and a grammar and slogs through the tough work of translating. When hes done, he picks up an english version and says "wow, they are pretty similar"!
That person has translated.

One, however, sits with an english version, a hebrew text, and a dozen "helps" including an interlinear, a computer program with which to look up words, and two or three phone numbers of hebrew scholars. he take his hebrew text and without taking an eye off the english he "renders" what the hebrew appears to say. That person has paraphrased.

Jim


++++++++++++++++++++
Jim West, ThD

http://web.infoave.net/~jwest Biblical Studies Resources
http://biblical-studies.blogspot.com Biblical Theology Weblog







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