Telling the truth - a new corrected translation


Fr Z links to and quotes an important point made at the blog Serviam: A Semantic Proposition. He outlines the different reactions to the new ICEL translation and points out that many people have no idea what is really going on:
As most people don’t know there is anything wrong with the current translations, their default position will likely be “why hassle me with a change where none is needed?” They might also conclude that the original prayers were simply re-written by Pope Benedict to reflect his conservative agenda. Then we are put in a defensive position from square one.
In my own comments to people about the new translations, I have always pointed out that the older translations are inaccurate in many places and deficient in many others, and that the new translations are a vast improvement in terms of fidelity to the text that we were supposed to be using all along.

When people (especially priests) look doubtful about this, I generally quote my favourite example which has appeared several times on this blog before:
Latin text
accipens et hunc praeclarum calicem in sanctas ac venerabiles manus suas

Old ICEL
he took the cup

New ICEL
he took this precious chalice in his holy and venerable hands
There are many, many other examples of the disservice done by the translation which we have had to use for several decades.

There is much talk of the need for preparation and catechesis for the new translations. In some cases, at least, I think this is just a part of the foot-dragging that has dogged the process of preparing the texts. Nowhere have I seen any official preparatory material that actually admits that primary reason for the new ICEL translations is that the old translations were faulty and defective. if we do not tell people this, we are simply not being honest with them. I agree with Serviam who says:
I suggest our default reference be “corrected translation” or “new corrected translation.” By adding the word “corrected” to all references, we teach that the original translations were defective and that this was a repair, not the promotion of an agenda. We communicate the the real reasons for the change from the outset, not in defense against those on the left who ARE promoting an agenda.
So it's "new Corrected translation" here from now on.

Fr Z has a poll too.

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