{"id":11697,"date":"2013-10-01T23:29:59","date_gmt":"2013-10-02T03:29:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/thecrescat\/?p=11697"},"modified":"2017-01-26T16:05:51","modified_gmt":"2017-01-26T21:05:51","slug":"lost-in-translation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/thecrescat\/2013\/10\/lost-in-translation.html","title":{"rendered":"Lost In Translation …"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u2026 Let\u2019s discuss translations for a moment. Are they 100% accurate? Not always. Hence the phrase, \u201clost in translation\u201d. Knowing that, I am willing to take into consideration that this is sometimes the case with Pope Francis; however, I refuse to accept it as an excuse. On that note I\u2019d like to share this post, Francis: Interview 2, by Sr. Anne Flanagan<\/a>. <\/p>\n

There are things in that conversation that will raise questions; I\u2019ve only scanned the interview and found two eyebrow-raisers. A bit of research into the Italian original showed me that both are translation issues. And serious ones, to my mind. (What? Did they use Google Translate?) So I am going to just hurry to post the differences between the English as published, and my own rather literal Italian.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And then she gives this example of the variations in translations and their implied<\/em> meaning. <\/p>\n

If \u201ceveryone has his own idea of good and evil and must choose to follow the good and fight evil as he conceives them,\u201d is the Pope saying that there is no such thing as objective truth, or objective right or wrong? This is where it is really, really helpful to know Italian: \u201cCiascuno di noi ha una sua visione del Bene e anche del Male. Noi dobbiamo incitarlo a procedere verso quello che lui pensa sia il Bene\u201d is more literally (and helpfully?) translated as \u201cEach one of us has his\/her own vision of the Good or even of Evil. We must encourage him\/her to move toward that which he\/she sees as the Good.\u201d <\/p>\n

The Pope is not leveling the difference between truth and untruth, right and wrong: he is saying that we all have a duty to encourage people to pursue the Good, knowing that the true Good will not fail to manifest himself, even if \u201cthrough a glass darkly.\u201d <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I see the subtle nuances in the different translation, yes. But is it now our duty to read into what may or not be implied? Even with the help of Sr. Anne\u2019s more literal translation I have to wonder at the ambiguous answer to such a straight forward question. And it is ambiguous, no? Or else it wouldn\u2019t have so many people scrambling to interpret the Pope\u2019s meaning. <\/p>\n

Are we supposed to read Francis\u2019s comments like protestants read their bibles now, through the lenses of their own personal interpretation? It\u2019s exhausting. And confusing. And I don\u2019t know that I buy the language barrier excuse anymore, not that I ever really did. The Pope is a smart man and capable of saying what he means and, it\u2019s the fact that he doesn\u2019t that\u2019s so troubling. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And how many interviews has it been now? I think it\u2019s safe to say we\u2019ve crossed the point were we can continue to ignore the intentional vagueness of his remarks. I hate to say it but maybe Francis should stick to well thought out and carefully worded encyclicals and addresses, or at the very least, give off the cuff interviews to media outlets that can be trusted not to heavily edit the content to fit their specific narrative. Because let\u2019s be honest, how many of you thought of calling BS while reading it \u2014 that\u2019s how wonky the whole thing read. When people are making excuses for language or suspecting La Reppulica of taking liberties with the Holy Father\u2019s words maybe it\u2019s time to hang up the informal interview gig. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s ecumenical outreach time in Rome. Meanwhile, all this effort to chase after the lost sheep leaves the rest of the herd alone to wander off. Or at least that is what it feels like.<\/p>\n

So there it is. My final word on the subject of this particular interview. Should more develop I\u2019ll add more, redact all the wrongs, and mea all the culpas. In the meantime, below you\u2019ll find some excellent articles written by others. <\/p>\n

Related<\/strong>: Fr. Z \u2014 What Did The Pope Really Say<\/a> and, Pope Francis interview in La Repubblica, or, \u201cIs This Now My Fate?\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Simcha Fisher \u2014 Utterly Predictable News Flash : Pope Mistranslated<\/a><\/p>\n

Tom McDonald \u2014 Parsing Francis, Shepherd of a Lost Sheep<\/a><\/p>\n

Calah Alexander \u2014 Less Fear, More Faith<\/a><\/p>\n

Will Duquette \u2014 Dissent Detectors<\/a><\/p>\n

Elizabeth Scalia \u2014 Translating Francis <\/a><\/p>\n

Terry Nelson \u2014 I was going to write a post today on how similar Pope Francis\u2019 spirituality is to the Little Way of St. Therese\u2026 However, I doubt it makes any difference now<\/a><\/p>\n

Fr. Longenecker \u2014 Yes, I Am Trying To Convert You<\/a> and, My Interview With Pope Francis<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2026 Let\u2019s discuss translations for a moment. Are they 100% accurate? Not always. Hence the phrase, \u201clost in translation\u201d. Knowing that, I am willing to take into consideration that this is sometimes the case with Pope Francis; however, I refuse to accept it as an excuse. On that note I\u2019d like to share this post, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[620],"tags":[765,766,91919],"class_list":["post-11697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pope-francis","tag-eugenio-scalfari","tag-la-repubblica-interview","tag-pope-francis"],"yoast_head":"\nLost In Translation ...<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"... Let's discuss translations for a moment. Are they 100% accurate? Not always. Hence the phrase, "lost in translation". 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