{"id":31699,"date":"2015-10-30T11:09:52","date_gmt":"2015-10-30T16:09:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/?p=31699"},"modified":"2015-11-05T20:12:47","modified_gmt":"2015-11-06T02:12:47","slug":"formal-equivalence-hah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/index.php\/2015\/10\/30\/formal-equivalence-hah\/","title":{"rendered":"Formal Equivalence – hah!"},"content":{"rendered":"

While having a few days off in France earlier this year, I am ashamed to admit that I found myself reflecting on Liturgiam Authenticam<\/em>. As is well known, this document insists on a literalist translation of liturgical texts and the use of Latin cognates and syntax whenever possible. It claims that the \u201cdynamic equivalence\u201d theory of translation is now dead and discredited and that \u201cformal equivalence\u201d is the way to go, despite the fact that professional translators know that exactly the opposite is true. (\u201cIf we didn\u2019t use dynamic equivalence, we\u2019d very soon be out of a job.\u201d) It earned Dr Peter Jeffery\u2019s description of it as \u201cthe most ignorant statement on liturgy ever issued by a modern Vatican congregation\u201d. (Dr Jeffrey\u2019s demolition job on the document was recorded in 2010 here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

I found myself wondering what would happen if we applied the provisions of LA to other aspects of our everyday lives, in this case touring abroad. My reflection was prompted by a notice in a French hotel lavatory: sacs pour garnitures p\u00e9riodiques<\/em><\/strong>. How would LA have us translate this into English? \u201cSacks for periodical garnish\u201d or \u201cSacks for periodic accessories\u201d? What on earth could either of those mean to anyone? \u201cSanitary disposal bags\u201d is the accepted phrase.<\/p>\n

Or how about the French road signs Allumez vos feux<\/em><\/strong>, literally \u201cLight your fires\u201d, or Avancez jusqu\u2019au feu<\/em><\/strong>, \u201cAdvance as far as the fire\u201d? \u201cTurn on your headlights\u201d and \u201cDrive right up to the traffic lights\u201d are what we would say.<\/p>\n

Perhaps a more liturgical slant is to be found in Attachez vos ceintures: d\u00e9collage imm\u00e9diat<\/em><\/strong>, literally \u201cAttach your cinctures: immediate ungluing\u201d rather than \u201cFasten your seat belts: take-off is imminent\u201d. Still with liturgical vesture, there is plenty of scope for misunderstanding with aube<\/em><\/strong>, which normally means \u201cdawn\u201d or \u201ca beginning\u201d, occasionally \u201ctwilight\u201d, but can also mean \u201calb\u201d. Thus the phrase aube nouvelle<\/em><\/strong> means \u201cA new day is dawning\u201d or \u201cA new beginning\u201d, and not \u201cnew alb\u201d.<\/p>\n

Without multiplying examples, I think the point is clear: formal equivalence would simply not work in real life. So why do we try to make it work when we come together to worship? Even if you accept the argument for a sacral language, it needs to be a genuine language and an accurate one.<\/p>\n

More urgently, when will we realize that Liturgiam Authenticam<\/em> is a laughing-stock and needs to be replaced (not repealed, for it is not the Vatican way ever actually to repeal anything), and acknowledge that the 1969 document it supplanted, Comme le pr\u00e9voit<\/em>, was actually full of wisdom grounded in common sense?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When will we realize that Liturgiam Authenticam<\/em> is a laughing-stock and needs to be replaced?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[93,24],"tags":[1363,3005,106,477],"class_list":["post-31699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-humor","category-translation-new-missal","tag-dynamic-equivalence","tag-formal-equivalence","tag-liturgiam-authenticam","tag-translation-issues"],"yoast_head":"\nFormal Equivalence - hah! - Home<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/index.php\/2015\/10\/30\/formal-equivalence-hah\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Formal Equivalence - hah! 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