Bible Translations - Four Methods of Translation
|
Highly Literal
Often these versions, while highly literal, fail to deal with the various shades of meanings within a word. They also fail to deal adequately with idioms, pun, plays on words, structures, acrostics, and alliteration. Because the source language (Greek or Hebrew) is unlike English, they may appear awkward, strain the English language to the breaking point, an be difficult to read. In some cases they make understanding almost impossible.
Modified Literal—Formal Equivalence
This type of translation is best suited for scholarly work and serious study. It takes into account the form and meaning of the words. It uses more than one word if a word has different shades of meaning or if the receptor language requires it. These versions are often difficult to read for the young, because they are more interested in literally translating than in ease of understanding.
Idiomatic—Dynamic Equivalent
This type of translation demands that the original languages be understood by the reader in the receptor languages. It strives for understandability, sometimes at the sacrifice of accuracy. It has a tendency to interpret rather than to translate. Dynamic Equivalent translations strive to give not only the information of the text but also its ideas and impact. It strives to respect both languages and to make whatever adjustments are necessary to say in the receptor language what has been said in the original. It asks what is the point, the meaning of the text. Occasionally to reach its goals, forms must be changed in the receptor language, which provides a free expression.
Unduly Free—Paraphrase
These loose versions often give information not in the text. They substitute meanings and do not respect the form in the original. A paraphrase is not actually a translation; it is an interpretation. It is the meaning an author assigns to his understanding of the Bible.
| Highly Literal |
Modified Literal
Formal Equivalence |
Idiomatic
Dynamic Equivalence |
Unduly Free
Paraphrase |
Revised 1881,
ASV 1901,
Young’s Literal,
Interlinears
|
KJV, NKJV,
RSV, NRSV,
NASB,
McCord
|
NEB, NIV,
TEV,
GW
|
Contemporary EV,
New Living,
Phillips,
Living Bible,
The Message
|
|
|
| | | | |
|