Books & Bibles
Entertainment
Fashion & Jewelry
Gifts & Giving
Home Decor & Accents
Kitchen & Gourmet
Beauty & Health
Specialty Stores
|
|
|
|
|
Understanding English Bible Translation: The Case for an Essentially Literal Approach
| Our Price |
$ 9.86
|
|
| Retail Value |
$ 12.99 |
|
| You Save |
$ 3.13 (24%) |
|
| Item Number |
451538 |
|
|
|
|
|
Available on the Internet only.
|
|
|
|
|
Item description for Understanding English Bible Translation: The Case for an Essentially Literal Approach by Leland Ryken...
Overview
Provides a clear path through the maze of English Bible translations, defining the issues, contrasting the main traditions of modern Bible translation, and making a strong case for an essentially literal translation philosophy.
Publishers Description
An expert, up-to-date clarification of the issues underlying modern Bible translation, combined with sound argument for an essentially literal translation philosophy. From the KJV to the NIV, NLT, ESV, and beyond, English Bible translations have never been as plentiful as they are today. This proliferation has also brought confusion regarding translation differences and reliability. This book brings clarity to the issues and makes a strong case for an essentially literal approach. Taking into account the latest developments in Bible translation, Leland Ryken expertly clarifies the issues that underlie modern Bible translation by defining the terms that govern this discipline and offering a helpful Q&A. He then contrasts the two main translation traditions—essentially literal and dynamic equivalence—and concludes with sound reasons for choosing the former, with suggestions for using such a translation in the church. This book will appeal to thoughtful readers who have questions about Bible translation; individuals, churches, and ministries in the process of choosing a translation; and college and seminary students and faculty. |
Item Specifications...
Studio: Crossway Books
Pages 205
Dimensions: Length: 0.5" Width: 5.5" Height: 8.5"
Weight: 0.555 lbs.
Binding Softcover
Release Date Sep 1, 2009
Publisher Crossway Books/Good News
ISBN 1433502798
ISBN13 9781433502798
|
Availability 5 units.
Availability accurate as of May 25, 2012 11:25.
Usually ships within one to two business days from Reno, NV.
Orders shipping to an address other than a confirmed Credit Card / Paypal Billing address may incur and additional processing delay.
|
More About Leland Ryken
Product Categories
Christian Product Categories
Books > Bible Study > Language Tools
Books > General Interest > General Topic > Reference
Similar Products
Reviews - What do customers think about Understanding English Bible Translation?
 | The other side of the argument May 12, 2010 |
A line of reasoning from Proverbs highlights the importance of Understanding English Bible Translation by Leland Ryken: "The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him" (Proverbs 18:17 ESV). After reading the Essential Guide to Bible Versions (2000) by Philip W. Comfort, I was persuaded about the merits of the translation method known as dynamic equivalence or functional equivalence. Eugene Nida defines this as "the reproduction in a receptor language [i.e. English] of the closest national equivalent of the source language [i.e. Hebrew or Greek] message, first in terms of meaning, and second in terms of style (italics added)."
The difference between dynamic equivalence and the essentially literal philosophy advocated by Ryken is the former seeks to translate "meaning" while the latter is concerned with translating "into something that corresponds to or is identical with the words of the original (subject of course to the changes required by translation from one language into another.)" Whereas the former finds meaning in phrases (thought-for-thought translation), the latter is concerned with preserving the meaning found in the actual words (word-for-word translation).
This may seem rather technical, but it marks a significant change in translation philosophy. As Ryken points out, "The mid-twentieth century saw a paradigm shift in the theory and practice of English Bible translation." Prior to this, the publication of the King James Version, marked "the culmination of nearly a century of profuse Bible translation activity in England." Not only did the KJV translators build upon previous work, they "strove to find an English equivalent for the actual words of the original Hebrew and Greek texts."
Thankfully, the author does not assume a King-James only position, but he does extol it as one of the finest examples of an essentially literal translation. Though it is not the author's primary intent,this is the best defense of the King James Bible that I have read.
The shift in theory from translating words to translating meaning is the foundation of many modern Bibles. What makes this book essential reading is that Ryken shows clearly and convincingly what is lost. It stems from what dynamic equivalent translators do, "consisting of such things as changing syntax and word order, adding exegesis and interpretive commentary to the text, simplifying the content of the original text, removing figurative language from sight, producing a colloquial style for the English Bible, and adapting the translation to the expectations of a target audience."
Ryken does a masterful job of concisely going into detail. His arguments are scholarly but readable. He illustrates changes with specific examples.
He is also charitable to the point of recognizing common ground and recognizing that dynamic equivalent translations have value as commentaries.
This should be required reading for translators and all in Christian leadership. Anyone interested in this subject will profit from this volume. If those on the other side want to defend the thought-for-thought theory of translation, they must convincingly answer the issues raised here.
This has given me new respect for the King James Version and other essentially literal translations. I also see the limitations of translations based on functional equivalence. I welcome the opportunity to read further on this important and fascinating subject, remembering the importance of weighing both sides of an argument.
| | | | Literal Bible Translations are Superior Dec 2, 2009 |
His new tome might be called How to Find the Best Bible Translation for the Confused, but Leland Ryken - a topnotch scholar (he is not a biblical language scholar; James White is such and authored a book that may interest readers) - is on to something extremely important. Exhortations and directions on handling the Word of God are useful and necessary. Ryken delivers the evidence and the arguments for the case of a literal translation of the Greek text to English. With the overabundance of English Bibles, many pastors and lay people are often confused when shopping for a Bible.
The author is committed to Scripture as God's Word and offers engaging, rational, historical, and scriptural evidence to utilize for discernment in selecting an English Bible to read and study.
Powerful, yet appealing and very readable. I commend the author and recommend this work for all believers including ministers and bible teachers.
God Does Exist!: Defending the faith using presuppositional apologetics, evidence, and the impossibility of the contrary | | | | a breath of fresh air in a stale debate Oct 22, 2009 |
Understanding English Bible Translation: The Case for an Essentially Literal Approach
By
Leland Ryken
ISBN-10: 1433502798
ISBN-13: 9781433502798
The one who avoids this book due to a fear of it being overly scholarly and hard to understand will certainly make a mistake. While the book is indeed well researched and intelligently written, it is also easy to read and to understand.
Ryken deals with the differences between dynamic equivalent translations of the Bible (those that translate in a more thought by thought manner) and formal equivalent translations (those that attempt to translate word for word).
Ryken claims that an essentially literal translation, or a formal equivalent translation is more to be desired than a dynamic equivalent.
Why? He gives a number of reasons. Two of these reasons stand out to me above all others. One is that the dynamic equivalent translations are not consistent. They vary from one translation to the other so that one is not sure which translation is correct. This leads to a destabilized text. It leads people to wonder which is correct. Another reason is that dynamic equivalent translations often present commentary instead of translation. Thus the reader gets the understanding of the translator, but doesn't always get the understanding of the underlying text.
An essentially literal translation, however, seeks to translate word for word the original language into the receptor language. For the subject at hand, that language is English, because that is the language with which Ryken deals. (As an aside, I read one person who took issue with Ryken because things don't always work as well when translating into languages other than English. Ryken specifically states, however, that he is only dealing with English and understands that other languages present significant challenges in this respect.) With an essentially literal translation, there may be variance in the words used to translate, yet they will still yield basically the same understanding when compared one to the other. An essentially literal translation will also present essentially the same words and phrases as the original texts so that the reader will be reading basically the same thing that the Biblical writers presented to their original readers.
In a day when there is much confusion over Bible translations and translating philosophies this book is a breath of fresh air. I believe it also brings some needed clarity to the debate. I could only wish that everyone saw the need for an essentially literal translation.
(This book provided for review by Crossway Publishers.)
| | |  | An Interesting and Engaging Book About Bible Translation Oct 12, 2009 |
Yes,the title of my review is correct. This is actually an interesting and engaging book about English Bible translation. Ryken has written an accessible volume arguing for a translation which attempts to render in English a translation that stays close to the wording and grammar of the original languages of Scripture. Ryken is at the same time making the case against the dynamic equivalence approach to translation which has grown in popularity through the past several decades. Ryken points out the ways that dynamic equivalence translations, while seeking to be clear to the modern reader, can actually obscure, soften, or oversimplify the text. I was most persuaded in reading this book by Ryken's argument that the culture of the Bible should not be modernized for the sake of clarity, as is often the case in dynamic equivalence translations. Figures of speech and cultural idioms that are simplified often take away much of the richness of the text. Ryken's arguments for the Bible as a literary work befitting its subject matter were also persuasive. The Bible in its original languages does employ exalted language quite often because of its subject matter and Ryken argues that this should not be diminished in our translations.
Where Ryken falls short in this book, in my opinion, was in saying that the line between formal and dynamic equivalence puts all translations into one of two camps. I think a case can be made that the NIV and the HCSB walk a line between the two camps that is a third way in Bible translation. I certainly believe that there is more distance between the NIV and the Message (two dynamic equivalence translations according to Ryken) than between the NIV and the ESV (an essentially literal translation). I personally am more likely to use the NIV or HCSB than the NASB (which I find to be so grammatically unclear that I have trouble reading it). So all dynamic equivalent translations are not created equal and the same is true of essentially literal translations. I am not persuaded that there are two camps. I am convinced that, contrary to Ryken, there really is a continuum or range of translations which value accuracy and clarity to greater or lesser degrees.
With that said, Ryken is a thoughtful and skilled writer and I believe that whether one buys into all of his conclusions or not, this is a worthwhile book which will deepen one's understanding of English Bible translation. | | | | Ryken's Defense of an Essentially Literal Approach Sep 29, 2009 |
When it comes to the Bible, we, in the English-speaking world, are profoundly blessed for we have at our disposal scores of translations of Scripture. While they range from excellent to abysmal, in many cases even the worst of them is far superior to the best available in any number of other languages. And, of course, we acknowledge that multitudes of languages remain which still have no access at all to God's Word. Certainly we have little cause to complain and every cause to express gratitude to God. We have the luxury and responsibility even, of not just studying the Bible, but of first seeking out the best translation available. And that is increasingly becoming a daunting task as each seems to have its strengths and its weaknesses. Meanwhile, the translation philosophies that bring about such strengths and weaknesses remain hidden to most readers who prefer to leave such discussions in the hands of the academics.
In 2002 Leland Ryken wrote The Word of God in English, a book that laid out the criteria for a superior translation of the Bible into the English language. Though not quite an academic book, neither was it particularly easy reading. Still, it did a good of presenting arguments for what Ryken calls an "essentially literal" approach to translating the Bible. An essentially literal translation is one that strives to translate the exact words of the original-language text but not in such a rigid way as to violate the normal rules of language and syntax in the receptor language. The Word of God in English cemented in my mind the importance of selecting an excellent translation of Scripture and of having confidence that the words we read in the Bible are the words the Author intended for us to read.
Seven years later, Ryken returns with Understanding English Bible Translation. It is shorter and more streamlined than its predecessor and is written for more of a general audience. Also, it is updated, reflecting new realities that have come about even in the past seven years. It is a book that any Christian can read and understand, avoiding the more difficult nuances and focusing primarily on the big-picture. Ryken's purpose is to show once more the superiority of the essentially literal approach to translation and to display the negative consequences of depending upon lesser translation philosophies such as dynamic equivalence or paraphrasing.
Ryken launches a five-pronged attack. In the book's first part, he provides an overview of the issues related to translation and provides answers to common questions associated with translating the Bible. In part two he briefly tells the story of English Bible translation, starting with Wycliffe and continuing to Eugene Peterson and beyond. The third part looks to the two main genres of Bible translation, showing how the two genres are, foundationally, vastly different. They have divergent goals for translation, divergent views of the Bible, divergent views of the Bible's authors, reader and translators, divergent methods of translation and divergent styles of translation. In the fourth part he provides a vision for the ideal English Bible translation before, in part five, showing how an accurate, high-quality translation of the Bible is of critical importance to the life of the church.
Throughout, he argues well. I must say, though, that a weakness remains that, in my mind, threatens to undo his argument and it is this: his definition of an essentially literal translation remains just a little bit too nebulous, a little too subjective. I realize that a brief definition can hardly capture all of the complexities of a translation philosophy, but still, I do wonder at times whether perhaps the lines are just a little too hazy. It seems that any translation is only as strong as its greatest compromise and every translation must in some way compromise the original words. Though this does not hamper the book itself or the issues it introduces, I do feel that it is often lingering in the background but that it goes largely unaddressed.
I am of the opinion that every Christian can benefit from reading a good book on the subject of Bible translation. When we understand the issues faced by translators, and when we then turn to a sound version of the Bible, we have renewed confidence that the words before us are the very words of God. And this, really, is the core of most of Ryken's arguments. He wants Christians to have before them a Bible that accurately conveys the words that God has spoken--not a paraphrase of those words, not an interpretation of them, but simply a translation that, as much as possible, takes the exact words of the original and carries them over to English. One would think that this would not be difficult to come by, but the modern history of English Bible translation shows few versions that adhere to this philosophy.
In Understanding English Bible Translation Ryken argues persuasively that there is much to gain in depending upon an essentially literal translation of Scripture and he argues equally well that there is potential for great loss if we turn instead to dynamic equivalents or other less-stringent translations. The book is suitable for any Christian reader and whether you choose to read this book or another like it, I am convinced you will benefit from understanding the distinctions between the genres and from grappling with the larger issues. In the end I hope, I trust, you will have greater confidence in the Bible you read. | | | Write your own review about Understanding English Bible Translation
Ask A Question or Provide Feedback regarding Understanding English Bible Translation
|
Shopping Cart (0 Items)
