From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Wed Dec 29 1999 - 11:56:57 EST
At 11:09 AM -0500 12/29/99, yochanan bitan wrote:
>jbt:
>>Should it be translated?
>>was built
>>has been built
>>has been in the process of being built
>
>translation always depends on audience.
> your third option is convoluted english and too incomplete anyway.
> your second option fits standard english practice.
> but your first option reflects the 'sound' of the greek,
>since the aorist ignores the present validity of a 'perfect' and the author
>used an aorist in jn 2.20.
>such simplifications were common in the koine period and also match the
>simplicity of hebrew and aramaic, since neither distinguish simple past and
>perfect.
For idiomatic English I'd suggest something like "has been 36 years in the
building, and you're going to destroy it in three days?"
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics/Washington University
One Brookings Drive/St. Louis, MO, USA 63130/(314) 935-4018
Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649
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