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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Daniel 6:27 (time indefinite) II

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  • From: Awohili AT aol.com
  • To: K0434995 AT kingston.ac.uk, rob AT designceramics.co.uk, b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Cc: Awohili AT aol.com
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Daniel 6:27 (time indefinite) II
  • Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2005 10:06:09 EST


If memory serves me, one purpose of the NWT was to help its readers
appreciate something of the Hebrew flavor of the text. _The Five Books of
Moses_ by
Everett Fox attempts the same thing. Is Fox's translation "good English"?
Many think so, it has become quite popular in some circles, though it takes
some getting used to if one is unfamiliar with Hebrew style and syntax.

I find nothing hard to understand about "time indefinite." It takes more
effort to wrap the mind around the philosophical concept of "forever." If
by
"good English," what is meant is English that can be generally understood, I
think one rendition is as "good" as another.

I possess and read scads of different English Bible translations, Jewish,
Catholic, and Protestant. They all have their different ways of expressing
things in English. Not everyone will be as enlightened by one translation
as by
another.

The King James Version was my first Bible, and the Bible that is imprinted
on my mind. It's full of archaic English and terms difficult to understand.

Does that make it "bad English"?

I do not purport to speak for "the rest of the English speaking world," but
I am aware that many, many English-speaking people read the NWT without
stumbling over "time indefinite." It's really a non-issue with them, as it
is
with me.

Solomon Landers

In a message dated 11/18/2005 6:26:50 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
K0434995 AT kingston.ac.uk writes:

As someone who has studied the bible with JW's and has spent a number of
years
frequenting their meetings but had not grown up in the religion I have to
say
that when I first read the NWT I really did not understand the use of the
term
'time indefinite' as I had never ever heard this combination of words before
in
my 21 years of life as a native English speaker previous. It took me quite
some
time to get used to this funny sounding phrase and only finally accepted its
usage (against my instincts) because the reason for its use was explained to
me.

Considering all the evidence we would really be fighting a losing battle to
convince
the world at large that this is good English because the well accepted fact
for
the rest of the English speaking world is that it isn't, plain and simple.

I think that we would only bring discredit on ourselves to insist that it
was
good English.








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