Pedants' Paradise

[gurnemanz]

But 'Word' here translates Λόγος/Logos which had a specific meaning in Christian writing. Very loosely translated as 'the Word of God'. I thought 'In the beginning &c.' meant something like 'Before anything else existed there was God and his Word and what he intended for the world which he hadn't yet created'.

I knew it had a different meaning in Christian ideology from an interpretation that would actually make any sense to me, i.e. one not involving intervention by a supernatural deity.

[french frank]

And don't forget that The Word became flesh...

Yes, it was I was trying to say something that made sense.

'The Word was made flesh' - I had forgotten that followed, and it refers to the doctrine of the divinity of Christ, I think - the particular point which John was making in that reference. Not sure about word order.

PS Quote included didn't make sense - I meant to include the one about my translation being 'too loose'!

[french frank]

It's always interested me that the word order is different in the Greek (and in Jerome's Latin) - ΕΝ ΑΡΧΗ ΗΝ Ο ΛΟΓΟΣ ΚΑΙ Ο ΛΟΓΟΣ ΗΝ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΝ ΘΕΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΘΕΟΣ ΗΝ Ο ΛΟΓΟΣ - the Word was with God, and God was the Word. Why did the KJV change it?[/I]

Wikipedia is quite good on the various interpretations.

As I read it, it's saying that 'The Word was God' is a better word order in English to convey 'The Word was divine' - the essence of God rather than the Being God.

Hmm. Out of depth as usual

[Padraig]

But apostrophes or none, appropriate or otherwise and "political statement" or none, irrespective of whether it might, if it exists, have, or be thought to have, a "place here", that "message" has already been lost, surely?

Eh?

[Serial_Apologist]

Well, one might suppose that sticking and stamp collection do have at least something in common (not that I'm a stamp collector)...

I reckon Cailban is saying that philately can get you anywhere.

[jean]

Hmm. Out of depth as usual

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God...

[jean]

I reckon Cailban is saying that philately can get you anywhere.

But what about tautology?

[ahinton]

I reckon Cailban is saying that philately can get you anywhere.

Typically delightful S_A conclusion!

"...and many glories of immortal stamp" (as Keats ends his sonnet written in disgust at vulgar superstition)...

[ahinton]

But what about tautology?

That can get your anywhere twice.

[Nick Armstrong]

I reckon Cailban is saying that philately can get you anywhere.

Sorry if I was pushing the envelope!

[Serial_Apologist]

Sorry if I was pushing the envelope!

Sorry I was making a packet out of it!

[Serial_Apologist]

But what about tautology?

My rendering a literal translation to The Word made it so according to my understanding, but you (and others) have now helped to clarify the matter.

[french frank]

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God...

Nor the egg from the omelette.

[ahinton]

Nor the egg from the omelette.

...presumably despite it being impossible to make the latter without breaking the former?...

Anyway, if in the beginning the Word was God, shouldn't God sue Microsoft for intellectual property rights infringement?

[jean]

In an article quoted on another thread, I find the curious but quite widespread half a bitter

There is no such thing as a bitter that you could drink half of. What people are really asking for, whether they realise it or not, is a half of bitter.