18th April 2011

Babel: The English language and globalisation, Genesis, 11:1-9

Author Douglas Adams uses Babel as a metaphor to propose a ‘solution’ to ‘the problem’ of multilingualism and of communication –

 ‘ – the Babel Fish, … is small, yellow and leech-like, and probably the oddest thing in the Universe. …if you stick a Babel fish in your ear you can instantly understand anything said to you… Meanwhile, the poor Babel fish, by effectively removing all barriers to communication between different races and cultures, has caused more and bloodier wars than anything else in the history of creation.’

Equally in our world, global English brings potential for greater destruction and unsustainable practices in the context of globalization.

References:

Genesis, 11:1-9

Douglas Adams 1979 The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. London: Pan

11th April 2011

Psalms 8:2: Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

Matthew 21:16: And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

‘"Out of the mouths of babes," we now say (slightly misquoting), come the darndest things. Children sometimes speak, in their simplicity, more wisely than their elders.

But adults will notice that, in coining this phrase, the author of Psalm 8 (allegedly David) isn't talking about darling little remarks or amusing notes. What he is talking about depends on the translation. In the King James Version, the Lord "ordains strength" (issues strong words) against his enemies, even through "babes and sucklings." In the New English Bible, babes likewise "rebuke the mighty." But in the Revised Standard Version and in the Jerusalem Bible, the little ones chant the glory and majesty of the Lord.

Though translators can't agree on whether the Psalmist's babes spout fighting words or waft hosannas -- either way it's a miracle -- Jesus preferred the latter. When the chief priests and scribes of the Jerusalem Temple cringe at the din of children crying "Hosanna to the son of David," Jesus scolds them: "Yea, have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?" (Matthew 21: 16). Jesus' quote, or rather paraphrase, is the main reason "out of the mouths of babes" became a popular catchphrase. But it didn't ensure the phrase would be well employed. ‘

Michael Macrone, http://www.gracecathedral.org/enrichment/brush_excerpts/brush_20050816.shtml

4th April 2011

In the Preface to The Obedience of the Christian Man (1529), William Tyndale wrote of the need for readers to have access to the Bible whether they were learned or not.  According to this source, he wrote that ‘if they go abroad and walk by the fields and meadows of all manner doctors and philosophers, they could catch no harm; they should discern the poison from the honey and bring home nothing but that which is wholesome.’ (p149)
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~sben0056/Tyndale.London.htm