From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Thu Nov 09 2000 - 06:07:20 EST
At 4:42 AM -0500 11/9/00, yochanan bitan wrote:
>>(mark nichols egrapsen:)
>>> What I mean is, I get the impression that Luke's Greek is quite formal
>and
>>>precise. Should an English translation attempt to capture this underlying
>>>form?
>>(wayne lyman APEKRIQH:)
>>Yes, translation from Greek to English should try to preserve stylistic
>>differences among Biblical authors, within the stylistic resources of
>>English (being sure not to use Greek style if it communicates the wrong
>>meaning in English or does not have a formal equivalent in English style;
>>instead, use the English style which is translationally equivalent to the
>>Greek style).
>
>While Luke's introduction is a classic 'period' and he uses some pieces of
>Greek more freely than other gospel writers I wouldn't agree with the above
>characterization.
>Luke's style is very irregular, not formal or precise. It waivers in and
>out of literal Hebraisms and Greek smoothing-outs.
>The "real Lucan style" can probably be seen in Acts 16-28, including the
>Hebrew speech of Acts 22, quite a bit different from the Gospel.
>
>Tough on translators.
I don't think I'd argue with Randall in any case, but in this one I
certainly do agree; I once characterized Luke as writing consistently
"better" (I know this is a loaded word, but I'm referring to 'educated'
style) Greek in the narrative parts of the NT, but I've come to realize
just how uneven the writing in Luke's narrative prose actually is, how
varied stylistically.
--
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
cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/
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