Journal: Tyndale Bulletin
Volume: TYNBUL 75:1 (NA 2024)
Article: Literalism And Left Dislocation In The Greek Pentateuch
Author: Travis Wright

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Literalism And Left Dislocation In The Greek Pentateuch

Travis Wright

SIL Global

Abstract

This article argues that at least one case of literalism in the Septuagint is actually an epiphenomenon of crosslinguistic symmetry between biblical Hebrew and postclassical Greek. I examine translation of the Left Dislocation construction in the Greek Pentateuch and demonstrate that the translators were aware of its discourse-pragmatic meaning. I argue the best explanation for its distribution in the Pentateuch is that the translators licensed crosslinguistic symmetry in order to produce a direct translation that interpretively resembled the source.

In Memoriam: James K. Aitken (1968–2023)

1. A Happy Coincidence?

Since Soisalon-Soininen’s Die Infinitive in der Septuaginta, the study of translation technique has received extensive attention in Septuagint studies.1 The results have been constructive but ultimately inconclusive as the challenge of determining the relationship between the product and its source remains. Previous research on translation technique in the Septuagint has been largely product oriented: it has sought to characterise the relationship between the product and its purported source, while cognitive factors behind the translation process have been neglected. Yet a model of translation that

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integrates both process- (cognitive) and product-oriented approaches is essential for understanding any translation, ancient or otherwise.

Consider the notion of literalism.2 Literalism is a contrastive phenomenon: what counts as ‘literal’ depends on prior facts about the languages that come into written contact. A translation cannot be ‘literal’ unless the language pair has symmetry across multiple loci of grammar. A literal translator is one who ‘licenses’ (deliberately allows) this symmetry when translating. Linguists refer to this fact as ‘favouring connectivity’ and scholars do not dispute it is widespread in the Septuagint. However, students search in vain for a process-oriented explanation of why this procedure is so frequent. This oversight is unfortunate, since a process-oriented approach provides an attractive explanation of multiple curious features.

1. Routinised outcomes in translation occur because translators favour connectivity.3 Literalism does not entail unconventionality in the target language. Depending on the language pair, it is possible to translate literally and achieve a...