MAP — Modular Aggregation of Principles for Bible Translation

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TransÜD – Arb e i t e n zu r Th e o ri e u n d Pra x i s des Üb ers etze n s u n d D o lme t sc h en s

Toward a Science of Translating? Eugene A. Nida and His Theory of Dynamic Equivalence Stefan Felber

Stefan Felber

Toward a Science of Translating? Eugene A. Nida and His Theory of Dynamic Equivalence

(TransÜD. Arbeiten zur Theorie und Praxis des Übersetzens und Dolmetschens, vol. 150) 600 pages, paperback Book: ISBN 978-3-7329-1121-9, EUR 68.00 E-Book: ISBN 978-3-7329-8795-5, EUR 78.00

Contents Eugene A. Nida is one of the pioneers and founders of modern translation theory, coining the terms dynamic equivalence and formal equivalence, and energetically promoting the former, though in his latter years preferring the term functional equivalence. Originally formulated for the Bible Translation efforts amongst people groups without the Bible, Nida’s theories of translation have also been widely influential in Translation Studies, making this presentation of Eugene A. Nida’s life (1914–2011) and assessment of his works especially timely and significant. Stefan Felber is a German Old Testament scholar, former seminary professor, and author of the (German only) Wesen und Würde des Wortes. Biblisch-theologische Grundlagen für das Verständnis von Sprache und Kommunikation (The Nature and Dignity of the Word. Biblical-Theological Foundations for Understanding Language and Communication), in: Zwischen Babel und Jerusalem – Aspekte von Sprache und Übersetzung, among other works. As such, he is uniquely qualified to offer this fair-minded and masterful, yet critical, evaluation of Nida’s model of translation, doing so from a rich variety of disciplines, including exegesis, theology, philology, and philosophies of language. Whether one agrees or disagrees with either Nida or Felber, I highly recommend this rigorous and wide-ranging exposition for advancing informed dialogue and promoting further understanding and advances in Translation Studies. Professor Tom McCormick, Tyndale University & College, Toronto Additional reviews inside this book.

Please order directly from the publisher: buchbestellung@frank-timme.de www.frank-timme.de +49 (0)30 88 66 79 11

The Author Dr Stefan Felber leads the Gemeindehilfsbund (Church Support Association) near Hannover (Germany) and teaches at Staatsunabhängige Theologische Hochschule Basel (Private Theological University Basel). The ordained minister of the Bavarian Lutheran Church taught the Old Testament at St. Chrischona Theological Seminary for 22 years. He is married and has three children.

Reviews

Although the theory of Dynamic (or Functional) Equivalence was the most widely used method in global Bible translation after the Second World War, there has been no comprehensive study of its foundations and how it was developed by Eugene Nida. Filling this gap is one of the great merits of Felber’s study. Felber, while showing great respect for Nida, critically evaluates Dynamic Equivalence from various perspectives: exegetical, theological, philosophical, and linguistic. This multi-dimensional, nuanced approach provides the reader with thought-provoking and helpful insights that further the discussion in important ways. Felber’s study is a must-read for all who deal with language and translation in theology and the church, in Bible translation, and mission! Prof. Dr. Markus Zehnder, Internationale Hochschule Bad Liebenzell / Evangelische theologische Fakulteit Leuven / Ansgarskolen Kristiansand

Stefan Felber’s Toward a Science of Translating? is a landmark study in Biblical Translation Theory, focussing on Eugene Nida (1914–2011), who for many years was a central figure in the American Bible Society and the United Bible Societies. Nida has been described as “probably the world’s leading scholar on translation” and his theory of Dynamic or Functional Equivalence provided a leading paradigm for Bible translators for decades. In this thorough analysis of his work and its reception, Felber highlights a number of weaknesses as well as some strengths affiliated with Nida’s theory – promoting translation theory based on reader-oriented thought-for-thought patterns rather than traditional source-oriented analysis of textual form and content. Felber’s evaluation raises a critical question: Are facets of the biblical text pertaining to biblical language and hermeneutics, theology, and the transcendent downplayed in Nida’s addresseeoriented approach to translation? I hope this book will be widely read by translators, biblical scholars and others interested in translation of the Bible. Dr. Tomas Bokedal, Associate Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, NLA University College, Norway & Docent of New Testament Exegesis, Lund University, Sweden

Reviews

Eugene A. Nida is one of the pioneers and founders of modern translation theory, coining the terms dynamic equivalence and formal equivalence, and energetically promoting the former, though in his latter years preferring the term functional equivalence. Originally formulated for the Bible Translation efforts amongst people groups without the Bible, Nida’s theories of translation have also been widely influential in Translation Studies, making this presentation of Eugene A. Nida’s life (1914–2011) and assessment of his works especially timely and significant. Stefan Felber is a German Old Testament scholar, former seminary professor, and author of the (German only) Wesen und Würde des Wortes. Biblisch-theologische Grundlagen für das Verständnis von Sprache und Kommunikation (The Nature and Dignity of the Word. Biblical-Theological Foundations for Understanding Language and Communication), in: Zwischen Babel und Jerusalem – Aspekte von Sprache und Übersetzung, among other works. As such, he is uniquely qualified to offer this fair-minded and masterful, yet critical, evaluation of Nida’s model of translation, doing so from a rich variety of disciplines, including exegesis, theology, philology, and philosophies of language. Whether one agrees or disagrees with either Nida or Felber, I highly recommend this rigorous and wide-ranging exposition for advancing informed dialogue and promoting further understanding and advances in Translation Studies. Professor Tom McCormick, Tyndale University & College, Toronto

Table of contents Preface ................................................................................................... 11 Preface to the English edition . ............................................................ 15 Conventions and Abbreviations ........................................................... 17 Guide to Foreign-Language Terms ....................................................... 19 1 Historical introduction ..................................................................... 21 1.1 “Revolution” through “new methods”: the significance of Eugene Nida’s theory ....................................... 21 1.1.1 Resounding success ............................................................. 21 1.1.2 Competition, crowding out, and clutter – recent market statistics ....................................................... 27 1.1.3 Impact on religious socialization ......................................... 35 1.1.4 Translations and types of translation ................................. 37 1.1.5 New developments in translation theory ........................... 47 1.1.6 The influence of “dynamic equivalence” on translation examples . ..................................................... 51 1.1.6.1 Preliminary considerations: Nida’s favorite example – Mark 1:4 – and its reception . .................................................. 51 1.1.6.2 On exegesis of Mark 1:1ff. ..................................... 55 1.1.6.3 On translations of Mark 1:4 .................................. 64 1.1.6.4 Further examples using word count statistics .... 69 1.1.6.5 Preliminary findings and issues . .......................... 73 1.2 Guiding questions, approach, and research contribution of this study . ....................................... 75 Limitations to the subject of study ................................................ 77 Research contribution . ................................................................... 79

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1.3 Research on Nida’s writings . ....................................................... 80 1.3.1 Overview ............................................................................ 80 1.3.2 A few works in detail ......................................................... 82 1.4 Eugene Nida: the man and his journey, new institutions, new translations ............................................. 97 1.4.1 Sources . ............................................................................. 97 1.4.2 Portrait ............................................................................... 98 1.4.3 Nida’s journey .................................................................... 99 1.4.3.1 Beginnings .......................................................... 99 1.4.3.2 The American Bible Society (ABS) . ................... 108 1.4.3.3 The World Federation of Bible Societies (UBS) . 111 1.4.3.4 The Bible Translator and Helps for Translators .... 113 1.4.3.5 Critical editions of the Urtext ............................ 117 1.4.3.6 Translation consultants ..................................... 120 1.4.3.7 “Practical Anthropology” ................................... 122 1.4.3.8 Versión Popular and Today’s English Version . .. 123 1.4.3.9 Rising criticism ................................................... 132 1.4.3.10 Impact and significance of Today’s English Version . .................................... 136 1.4.3.11 Imitators ............................................................. 139 1.4.3.12 Ecumenical collaboration among Bible societies ........................................ 143 1.4.3.13 Tireless travelling and writing ........................... 152 1.4.3.14 The British path .................................................. 155 1.4.3.15 The Greek Lexicon .............................................. 156 1.4.3.16 Scholarship and awards ..................................... 159 1.4.4 The man – a tribute ........................................................... 161 2 The dynamic-equivalent theory of translation as presented in Nida’s writing ....................................................... 165 2.1 Key concepts und continuity of Nida’s theory of translation .... 165 2.1.1 General theory of translation ........................................... 166

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2.1.2 Language as communication ............................................ Dynamic and functional .................................................... 2.1.3 Language as a mirror of culture ........................................ 2.1.4 Semantic classes, universals, and kernel sentences ....... 2.1.5 Focuses and developments . .............................................

170 174 177 185 188

2.2 Nida’s writings on translation before the 1960s ........................ 190 2.2.1 The first textbook (1947): a middle way .......................... Summary and perspectives . ............................................. 2.2.2 The 1950s: new questions, broadened horizons ............. 2.2.3 Incarnation and translation ..............................................

190 197 198 205

2.3 Studies in anthropology, communication, and mission ............. 210 2.3.1 Customs and Cultures (1965cc/1963cc): accept the foreign, subdue cultural pride ........................ 2.3.2 Message and Mission: The Communication of the Christian Faith (1960m/1990m) .............................. 2.3.2.1 Intercultural communication . ........................... 2.3.2.2 The theological basis of communication .......... 2.3.2.3 Language and revelation .................................... 2.3.2.4 Bible translation: transmission ensured by intelligibility . ............ 2.3.2.5 Summary and perspectives: continuity and change . ...................................... 2.3.3 Religion across Cultures (1968/1979): theology as the grammar of religion ................................

211 215 215 217 221 226 229 230

2.4 Toward a science of translating: transformational-generative grammar and Nida ....................... 232 2.4.1 Objectives and approach . ................................................. 2.4.2 Chomsky’s Revolution ....................................................... 2.4.3 Nida’s relationship with transformational-generative grammar ............................ 2.4.4 Previous work on the subject ........................................... 2.4.5 Preliminary findings and critical inquiries .......................

232 234 244 265 273

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2.5 Nida’s key works on translation theory ...................................... 281 2.5.1 Toward a Science of Translating (1964t) ............................. 281 Summary, perspectives, and approaches to criticism .... 307 2.5.2 The Theory and Practice of Translation (1969tp, with Charles Taber) . ........................................... 309 Summary and further approaches to criticism . .............. 327 2.5.3 Meaning Across Cultures (1981mc, with William D. Reyburn) .................................. 330 2.5.4 On Translation (1984t/2006t, with Jin Di) and Sign, Sense, Translation (1984ss) ....................................... 331 2.5.5 From One Language to Another (1986f, with Jan de Waard) . .............................................. 333 Summary ............................................................................ 347 2.5.6 Language, Culture and Translating (1993l) ......................... 349 Summary and perspectives . ............................................. 351 2.5.7 The Sociolinguistics of Interlingual Communication (1996si) and Contexts in Translating (2001ct) ................................. 354 Summary ............................................................................ 355 3 Critique ............................................................................................ 357 3.1 Preliminary considerations .......................................................... 357 3.2 General and specifically biblical translation theories ................ 359 3.2.1 Overlooked aspects of biblical communication processes ................................... 3.2.2 Methodological problems ................................................. 3.2.2.1 Universal semantic classes ................................ 3.2.2.2 Relevance of the deep structures . .................... 3.2.2.3 Specific responses . ............................................ 3.2.3 The Word and Name of God in its functional understanding ........................................ 3.2.4 Language in religious and everyday contexts ..................

362 370 370 375 377 378 393

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3.3 Language: more than communication ........................................ 404 3.3.1 Instrumental and connecting, constituting and delimiting .................................................................... 404 3.3.2 Loss and consistency in transmission .............................. 411 3.3.3 Nominalism, Cartesianism, and the consequences . ....... 414 3.4 Language and culture ................................................................... 421 3.4.1 Interdependence ............................................................... 3.4.2 Word and symbol: a translator’s view of the Gute Nachricht Bibel . ............. 3.4.3 The price of conforming to contemporary language . ..... 3.4.3.1 Loss of Psalms and hymns ................................. 3.4.3.2 Loss of theology and faith . ................................ 3.4.3.3 Loss of language – and yet: hope ......................

421 423 426 426 427 430

4 Perspectives .................................................................................... 439 4.1 Looking back: Luther Bible as forerunner? ................................. 439 4.1.1 Initial questions ................................................................. 440 4.1.2 Type of translation ............................................................ 442 4.1.3 “Watch their mouths and observe how they speak, and then translate accordingly …” .................................... 445 4.2 Looking forward: Bible translation and revision between church, theology, and translation studies . ................. 452 4.2.1 Contributions to an ethics of Bible translation and revision . ...................................................................... 453 4.2.2 Cooperation and commitment of those involved in Bible translation ............................................. 456 4.3 Summary of theses . ..................................................................... 459

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5 Appendix .......................................................................................... 469 5.1 Documentation: Mark 1:4 in 117 translations and renderings . ............................. 469 5.2 Literature ...................................................................................... 483 5.2.1 Additional conventions ..................................................... 5.2.2 Bible versions (selected) ................................................... 5.2.3 Catalogue of works by Eugene A. Nida . ........................... 5.2.3.1 Unprinted ............................................................ 5.2.3.2 Undated . ............................................................. 5.2.3.3 Forewords ........................................................... 5.2.3.4 Monographs and essays in chronological order ........................................ 5.2.3.5 Translation .......................................................... 5.2.3.6 Interviews ........................................................... 5.2.3.7 Reviews ............................................................... 5.2.3.8 Festschrifts for Nida . ......................................... 5.2.4 Literature on the theory of dynamic equivalence, on Nida, or on dynamic-equivalent translations ............. 5.2.5 Other literature . ................................................................ 5.2.5.1 Selected bibliographies . .................................... 5.2.5.2 Printed literature ................................................

483 483 484 484 485 485 486 514 514 514 517 518 529 529 530

5.3 Indexes .......................................................................................... 559 5.3.1 Biblical and other ancient sources ................................... 5.3.2 People . ............................................................................... 5.3.3 Subjects . ............................................................................ 5.3.4 Images, diagrams, and tables ...........................................

559 564 577 584

Reviews . .............................................................................................. 587

Toward a Science of Translating?

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