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Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Hermeneutics Questions & Answers


                                        The Discipline of Hermeneutics

Regarding  Bible Translations

Define the terms “formally equivalent” and “functionally equivalent” with regard to translation theories.
Formal equivalent refers to a literary translation of the Greek and Hebrew text into English syntax.  This process “prioritizes preserving the form and structure of the text over what is the most intelligible English.”[1] By seeking to remain as close as possible to the original form of the Greek and Hebrew language, the form equivalent “may appear awkward, less sensitive to a contemporary audience, and may sacrifice meaning for form.”[2] In contrast, the functionally equivalent renders more of a dynamic interpretation of the Greek and Hebrew language into English. This rendering seeks to “reflect better English,” placing the “priority on clarity over grammar and syntax.” Another way to define the functional is that it brings the text closer to the language of the contemporary reader (an attempt to reproduce the same effects as experienced by the original audience).[3]