What it is to Translate

I’m crossing my fingers and making another attempt at reading Calvin’s Institutes, this time the Henry Beveridge translation, which seems to actually be easier to read than the Ford Lewis Battles translation. I’m not sure if this is because Beveridge was a better translator than Battles, or if the publishers at Henderickson (whose edition I’m using) decided to provide the extra service of inserting more periods. Either way, the sentences are easier to read, because they’re shorter.

I come, however, across this passage on translating from the Preface of the original translation by Thomas Norton:

For I dared not presume to warrant myself to have his meaning without his words. And they that know what it is to translate well and faithfully, especially in matters of religion, do know that not only the grammatical construction of words suffices, but the very building and order to observe all advantages of vehemence or grace, by placing or accent of words, makes much to the true setting forth of a writer’s mind.

In the end, I rested upon this determination, to follow the words so near as the phrase of the English tongue would suffer me. …

Norton has been talking about how terse Calvin’s Latin original is. Calvin packed a lot of meaning into the original, and Norton found that the goal of putting out the same meaning in English required either a lot more words or a book that was a lot harder to read. His solution was to hue close to a word-for-word translation.

But what catches me is is phrase that “those that know what it is to translate well and faithfully” know that following the precise word order is important. Apparently the folks who prefer to translate in paraphrase know no such thing. Recent translation research proves otherwise.

Below the Radar

Having rested a bit, I’m ready again to write.

Folks have probably noticed I haven’t written anything in this blog in nearly half a year, and there’s a good reason for that: I’ve been away in the Army. I’ve actually had internet access a good part of that time, but I’ve always had a hard time writing when I haven’t had any time to think. Basic Training and Army OCS are hardly hardly good times to collect y our thoughts.

But now I’ve got a bit of time: my next school starts in February, and the jobs I’m going to get in the mean time are supposed to be low-impact leave-your-work-on-the-desk sorts of jobs. We’ll see. The man told me Monday I’d probably be doing something with a Transportation AIT company.

Since it’s been so long and I’ve had so many changes since I wrote last, I thought I’d take a moment and re-calibrate. You might be thinking, When he was in seminary he wrote about theology; now he’s a soldier, he’ll write about the army. You would be mistaken.

First of all, six months a soldier makes, but not a very wise one. I really don’t have a clue about the army. Second of all, war is politics by other means. At OCS, we were strongly encouraged not to blog at all. Everything I could say about the army has political ramifications I’m not allowed to pursue – a soldier tries to stay out of political concerns, because he wants to please his commander. There are also operational security concerns – If I tell you I’ve been stationed at Falujah and on such and such a date we’ll be doing x activity, well, the enemy can search the Internets too.

But I love to write, and I love to share what I write. And I think I know how. The only way I can continue blogging and stay “below the radar” is if I write about something so innocuous, so innocent, that it couldn’t possibly have any effect on anything. In other words, I plan to continue writing about religion.

Possibly there may be some literature and philosophy, some thoughts on education and child-rearing. But as always, there will be nearly nothing about “what I’m doing right now” and all of nothing about what’s going on with the army. A war correspondent I am not.

The name of the site is “Neumatikos,” which means “spiritual,” and I intend to write about spiritual things.

Five Years and Counting

I can’t believe that Kyle and I have been married for five years now. If feels like it’s been both longer and shorter at the same time. We have already gone through so many changes together and are about to go through Army life together; time truly goes by faster than we expect. I am so blessed to have him as part of my life. He has been a wonderful husband for me and I thank God for such a special person to spend my life with. I just wish that he was here right now. May the Lord bless your day, and if you are with your loved one, go ahead and smooch and squish them in honor of our anniversary.

Pictures from our wedding can be found in the gallery.

Time Keeps on Slipping Into the Future

I cannot believe how inattentive I can be sometimes. In my defense I am now taking care of two little boys and the toddler is very active. Still, I do believe it is long past due to give an update for family and friends on what’s going on in the lives of the Frenches.

Firstly, Kyle has completed basic training for the army and is currently in his third week at officer training school at Fort Benning, GA. Continue reading “Time Keeps on Slipping Into the Future”

Tick…tick…tick….

Ten weeks and two days until KB leaves for approximately six months. He will have nine weeks of basic training followed by twelve weeks of officer’s training down in Ft. Benning, GA.

We also have eleven weeks and three days until the expected arrival of our newest addition to the family. Seeing as stress levels are going to continue to mount between now and then (especially since I can have up to twenty children on my case load), I would not be surprised if these two countdowns actually end up being closer together than they are.
Continue reading “Tick…tick…tick….”

One side or the other

Since I don’t bother with news from conventional sources, I learned this morning from Doug Wilson that there are folks in Congress actually considering passing a bill that permits open homosexuality in the military, along with his analysis that passing such a law just flips whose activities are illegal. If sodomy is permitted in the military, then Christians who agree with God’s word on sodomy are not. One of us has to be banned to let the other in.

To this I have to add only two thoughts:

  1. November.
  2. Please pray for me as I’m joining the army, that this sort of evil will not go through. And if it does, pray that I’ll have the courage to say what needs to be said at appropriate times, despite the consequences.

3 Stories

I’ve always been the sort of person who is profoundly affected by fiction. When I hear people talk about the importance of reading, only to discover that every book they ever read falls in the category of non-fiction, I get a little testy. Okay, I get mad. Non-fiction isn’t reading; it’s being lectured at.

Recently, it’s come to mind that there are three stories that have profoundly affected the direction of my life, and under the guise of being brief, I’ll tell you their titles and authors without explaining wherefore:

  1. Emma by Jane Austen
  2. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
  3. The Vorkossigan saga by Lois McMaster Bujold

    4. The last one’s a cheat, I know, since it’s a series of some 20 books, instead of a single volume like the others, but you have to read most of them to get the full effect.

Mince Meat

Here’s an email conversation between my mom and her aunt Iwanna, regarding my great-grandmother’s famous mince meat pie recipe. To this day, Mamma’s mince meat is my favorite desert, but nobody seems to be willing to make it for me!

From: “mom”

Subject: mince meat

To: “Iwanna”

Date: Wednesday, December 16

I remember you saying once you made Mamma’s mincemeat using pork roast [which is good since I since I don’t want to tackle a hogs head]. Would you share that with me, please. And include any necessary information as to how to can things since I’ve never canned anything.

thanks

di

From: “Iwanna”

Date: Wed, Dec 16

Subject: Re: mince meat

To: “mom”

This is the original recipe mother and I used back in the 40’s and 50’s.

In the 40’s we used the huge black cast iron pot and cooked it outside over a fire.

I helped with the stirring. In the 50’s Mother used the pressure cooker to cook the pork and cooked the fruit in a roast pan in the oven. I make half the recipe and cook it in my 18 qt. electric roaster.

Mince Meat

  • 2 hog heads I made half the recipe in 2007 and used an 8.5 lb pork roast and 4 pig feet. The feet are needed to make it jell. I found them at Homeland.
  • Salt to taste
  • 4 lb. raisins
  • 2 lb. dried apricots
  • 3 lb. dried peaches
  • 3 lb. dried apples If you can’t find these, a gallon of applesauce will work
  • 2 qt. sorghum
  • 1 qt. vinegar
  • 15 lb. sugar (may need more)
  • 1-3.5 ounce can each of
    • Cinnamon
    • Nutmeg
    • Cloves
    • Allspice
    • Ginger

Cook pork in enough liquid to cover until it is easily pulled apart.

Pull off the bone and grind. Salt to taste.

Save the liquid from cooking pork, skim off excess fat, and use it to cook the fruit.

Grind the fruit and cook in enough of the liquid for it to appear little thicker than applesauce, the dried fruit will absorb a great deal of the liquid. Add all the other ingredients to the cooking fruit.

If it is too thin it needs cook a little longer to evaporate some of the liquid. It needs to be thick.

Taste for salt and sweetness as you go.

If you make the full recipe you will need to mix in a small tub. Bring to a boil and fill jars while hot. You do not have to use the pressure cooker or a hot water bath for the finished product. It has enough vinegar.

Makes 35 or so quarts. My half recipe made 18 qts.

Canning

Wash and sterilize jars, rings and lids in hot water. (I wash mine in the dishwasher, it’s faster). Fill hot jars with hot mince meat, wipe the top of the jar if anything is on it. Screw on the cap and turn upside down and place on the counter free from drafts and cover with a towel or a few dish towels. When you hear the ‘pop’ you know it is sealed. If the lid doesn’t pop check to see if the lid has an indention. Turn right side up when they have cooled. Fill and cap only a couple of jars at a time, so they won’t cool too quickly.

When you hear the ‘pop’ you know it is sealed. If the lid doesn’t pop check to see if the lid has an indention. If not, heat and try again.

One quart makes two pies. If you want to make only 1 pie, can in pint jars.

Bake like any other 2 crust pie.

I cook my roast and feet overnight and start on the other ingredients the next morning. This will take most of the day, so don’t plan too much for the rest of the day.

Good Luck!

Merry Christmas

Iwanna

Good Luck is right!