Preserving Original Meaning in Modern Language Translation
Translating ancient texts, particularly biblical and patristic writings, into modern language presents a significant challenge: how to preserve the original meaning while making the text accessible to contemporary readers. This tension often involves choices between literal adherence to the source language and idiomatic clarity in the target language [2, 5].
One key aspect of preserving original meaning lies in accurately rendering specific words and grammatical structures. For instance, in 2 Timothy 1:13, the Greek phrase for "Hold fast the form" is more accurately translated as "Have (that is, keep) a pattern of sound words," emphasizing the idea of retaining a deposit rather than merely grasping it [1]. Similarly, in John 17:4, the precise past tense in the original Greek ("I glorified," "I finished") is crucial to convey that Jesus's work was already complete in his perception, encompassing his future crucifixion and resurrection, not just his earthly ministry up to that point [3]. Neglecting such grammatical nuances can alter the theological implications of a passage [3].
The challenge extends to idioms and expressions. Augustine, in On Christian Doctrine, notes that when encountering unknown words or idioms from foreign tongues, one must either consult native speakers or learn the languages oneself [9]. He also preferred the Itala translation of the Bible for its balance of literalness and clarity, and recommended using Greek versions, especially the Septuagint, to correct Latin translations of the Old Testament [10]. This highlights an early recognition of the need to cross-reference and understand the source language deeply to ensure accuracy.
Translators of patristic works, such as those by John Chrysostom, have grappled with similar issues. Editors of Chrysostom's homilies have aimed to improve earlier translations by making "frequent minor changes in phraseology" to clarify the sense and replacing "archaic and obsolescent words or expressions" with more idiomatic modern language [2]. However, this process is not without pitfalls. One critique of a particular translation of Chrysostom noted that it "thought more of sound than of sense," sometimes diluting or interpolating material to make a passage run smoothly, without sufficient regard for whether Chrysostom would have expressed himself in that manner [4]. This underscores the risk of prioritizing readability over fidelity to the original author's thought and style.
John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion also illustrates the meticulous care required in translation. Calvin was known for packing "great plenty of matter in small room of words," crafting his language "circumspectly and precisely" to avoid misinterpretation [6]. A translator of Calvin's work would perform a great service by providing footnotes that reproduce the original Latin text at "crucial points, where translation is difficult or most accurate translation impossible," along with commentary on its exact import [5]. This approach acknowledges that some concepts are inherently difficult to transfer perfectly across languages and that transparency about these difficulties can aid the reader.
The goal is to render the text in a way that is "germane, both to the matter and manner" of the original author, even if it means drawing on "elder idioms of our tongue" rather than strictly modernizing every phrase [8]. This suggests that a translator might sometimes choose a slightly less contemporary phrasing if it better captures the original author's voice or the theological weight of the text. The removal of excessive bracketing in some translations of Tertullian, for instance, aimed to improve readability without losing the implied meaning of the original Latin, indicating a balance between literal marking and natural flow [7].
Sources
- 2 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Timothy 1:13: Hold fast the form--rather as Greek, "Have (that is, keep) a pattern of sound (Greek, 'healthy') words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love." "Keep" suits the reference to a deposit in the context. The secondary position of the verb in the Greek forbids our taking it so strongly as English Version, "Hold fast." The Greek for "form" is translated "pattern" in Ti1 1:16, the only other passage where it occurs. Have such a pattern drawn from my sound words, in opposition to the unsound doctrines so current at Ephesus, vividly impressed (WAHL”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: iii Preface to the American Edition. ———————————— In the preparation of this volume of Chrysostom’s Homilies on Acts and Romans, the effort has been to improve the Oxford edition by some changes and corrections, and by the addition of critical and explanatory notes. The translation remains substantially unchanged. Frequent minor changes have, however, been made in phraseology, where it has seemed to me that the sense could thereby be made plainer. Archaic and obsolescent words or expressions have often been replaced by more idiomatic modern language.”
- John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 17:4: I have glorified thee on the earth--rather, "I glorified" (for the thing is conceived as now past). I have finished--I finished. the work which thou gavest me to do--It is very important to preserve in the translation the past tense, used in the original, otherwise it might be thought that the work already "finished" was only what He had done before uttering that prayer; whereas it will be observed that our Lord speaks throughout as already beyond this present scene (Joh 17:12, &c.), and so must be supposed to include in His "finished work" the "dece”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: oftener still amplifies, or rather dilutes: and interpolates matter which sometimes is demonstrably borrowed with little disguise from the Catena (see p. 113, note 1; 279, note 3; 280, note 2); or which, when it is his own, is little worth. In short, he has thought more of sound than of sense, and if he could make a passage run smoothly to the ear, has given himself little concern whether St. Chrysostom was likely to have so thought, or so expressed himself. The notes appended to our Translation will abundantly substantiate this censure. To have note”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 2: translation of Calvin’s Institutes into English is a real desideratum . In fulfilling this need the translator or translators would perform the greatest service if the work of translation were supplemented by footnotes in which at crucial points, where translation is difficult or most accurate translation impossible, the Latin text would be reproduced and comment made on its more exact import. Furthermore, footnotes which would supply the reader with references to other places in Calvin’s writings where he deals with the same subjec”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 4: an ancient zealous gospeller, as plain and true a friend as ever I knew living, and as desirous to do anything to common good, especially by the advancement of true religion. At my said first edition of this book, I considered how the author thereof had of long time purposely laboured to write the same most exactly, and to pack great plenty of matter in small room of words; yea, and those so circumspectly and precisely ordered, to avoid the cavillations of such as for enmity to the truth therein contained would gladly seek and abuse”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — INTRODUCTION, BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR. (part 4): Preface and Elucidations. These, therefore, I have removed necessarily and with no appreciable loss to the work, but great gain to the beauty of the page. But, again, Dr. Holmes' translations are all so heavily bracketed as to become an eyesore, and the disfigured pages have been often complained of as afflictive to the reader. Many words strictly implied by the original Latin, and which should therefore be ummarked, are yet put between brackets. Even minute words (and, or to wit, or again,) when, in the nature of the case”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — PREFACE TO SOLILOQUIES. (part 2): already possessed and forgotten. In the Retractationes he gives the true explanation, namely, that the mind is so constituted, that by the light of the Eternal Reason present in it, it is capable according to its measure of apprehending truths of which it had never before laid hold. I have endeavored, in the rendering, to avail myself, wherever requisite, of the elder idioms of our tongue, which appear more germane, both to the matter and manner of St. Augustin, than the unmellowed English of the nineteenth century.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 14.--HOW THE MEANING OF UNKNOWN WORDS AND IDIOMS IS TO BE DISCOVERED.: 21. About ambiguous signs, however, I shall speak afterwards. I am treating at present of unknown signs, of which, as far as the words are concerned, there are two kinds, For either a word or an idiom, of which the reader is ignorant, brings him to a stop. Now if these belong to foreign tongues, we must either make inquiry about them from men who speak those tongues, or if we have leisure we must learn the tongues ourselves, or we must consult and compare seve”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 15--AMONG VERSIONS A PREFERENCE IS GIVEN TO THE SEPTUAGINT AND THE ITALA. (part 1): 22. Now among translations themselves the Italian (Itala)(1) is to be preferred to the others, for it keeps closer to the words without prejudice to clearness of expression. And to correct the Latin we must use the Greek versions, among which the authority of the Septuagint is pre-eminent as far as the Old Testament is concerned; for it is reported through all the more learned churches that the seventy translators enjoyed so much of the presence a”