Rabbis, Language and Translation in Late Antiquity

Comprehensive discussion of how languages and translations were perceived and practised in the multilingual Jewish societies of Late Antiquity.

Willem F. Smelik (Author)

9781107026216, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 31 October 2013

591 pages
23.5 x 16.1 x 3.2 cm, 1 kg

'A very extensive bibliography and two indices top off the book, which is bound to become the standard work on the rabbinic view on languages and translations.' Lieve Teugels, Journal for the Study of Judaism

Exposed to multiple languages as a result of annexation, migration, pilgrimage and its position on key trade routes, the Roman Palestine of Late Antiquity was a border area where Aramaic, Greek, Hebrew and Arabic dialects were all in common use. This study analyses the way scriptural translation was perceived and practised by the rabbinic movement in this multilingual world. Drawing on a wide range of classical rabbinic sources, including unused manuscript materials, Willem F. Smelik traces developments in rabbinic thought and argues that foreign languages were deemed highly valuable for the lexical and semantic light they shed on the meanings of lexemes in the holy tongue. Key themes, such as the reception of translations of the Hebrew Scriptures, multilingualism in society, and rabbinic rules for translation, are discussed at length. This book will be invaluable for students of ancient Judaism, rabbinic studies, Old Testament studies, early Christianity and translation studies.

Introduction
Part I. Multilingualism and the Holy Tongue: 1. The family of languages
2. The holy tongue
3. The multilingual context of language selection
Part II. The Locus of Translation: 4. The terminology of translation
5. Chanting the Scriptures
6. Between holy writ and oral Torah
7. Ashurit and alphabet
Part III. Rabbis and Translation: 8. Targum in Talmud
9. The faces of Aquila
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Judaism [HRJ], Old Testaments [HRCF1], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA]