A SENT translation
Webb Mealy, PhD is writing a translation called SENT (the Spoken English New Testament). He says in the appendix to Romans:
He goes on to say:
For a look-see, you'll find three PDF files here. He has drafted Matthew, Mark, Romans, and 1 Corinthians.
His translation of OUN in Romans is thought provoking. I appreciate how he has tried to capture the flow of thought. This is difficult to do since "connective" words don't only have meaning, but perform a function within a discourse. English words like: therefore, so, finally and even phrases like let's review are not so much truth propositional as they are guides to the reader. Let's review is how Webb Mealy translates OUN in Romans 3:27.
My aim is to create natural spoken English, not literary English. This translation is especially intended for reading aloud--whether in church, or in one's own private reading. I find that the supposed virtue of reading "without moving your lips" is no help for really engaging with the scriptures. Silent reading may be good for maximizing reading speed, but it is not necessarily good for letting the full impact of the sacred text soak in.
He goes on to say:
My experience has been that the biblical text has the greatest impact on English-speaking hearers when it is translated so that it reads just as naturally in English as it presumably did in Greek.
For a look-see, you'll find three PDF files here. He has drafted Matthew, Mark, Romans, and 1 Corinthians.
His translation of OUN in Romans is thought provoking. I appreciate how he has tried to capture the flow of thought. This is difficult to do since "connective" words don't only have meaning, but perform a function within a discourse. English words like: therefore, so, finally and even phrases like let's review are not so much truth propositional as they are guides to the reader. Let's review is how Webb Mealy translates OUN in Romans 3:27.
posted by Mike Sangrey at 7:55 AM
7 Comments:
Link is broken.
Adam said:
Link is broken.
Hmmmmm...
Link is fixed.
Thanks.
Also, Webb has informed me of a better link and that he has also published a draft to Mark.
Please note that my translation philosophy is to aim for entirely natural-sounding English wherever possible, and so explanations of work-arounds end up in footnotes.
I also use the convention of putting words supplied for sense in lighter type, so that, in most cases, you could selectively read aloud to yourself only the regularly-formatted text to form a sense of the literal rendering.
At Rom. 3:27, commenting on my non-literal rendering of OUN as "Let's review", I supply this footnote: [[Lit. “So…”, Gr. oun. Putting a pause after the word “so” in spoken English would signal that what follows is a recap of the argument up to this point. It’s clear that he is reviewing the bidding in preparation for moving ahead in his argument.]]
Webb
Have you seen the Recovery Version? You can actually get a free bible just by asking for it. You should be able to find easy, I think it's under Bibles for America.
God bless,
Jim
It looks good. I agree that the best way to read Scripture is out loud. Though I rarely do so.
It looks good. I agree that the best way to read Scripture is out loud. Though I rarely do so.
It's alloued, Ted!
:-)
Wayne, Good point. I have been refreshed when doing so. Seems to get you more engaged in the text and thus in God's Word!
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