After More Than Two Decades of Work, a New Hebrew Bible to Rival the King James - The New York Times

After More Than Two Decades of Work, a New Hebrew Bible to Rival the King James - The New York Times

"[Translator Robert] Alter regularly composes phrases that sound strange in English, in part because they carry hints of ancient Hebrew within them. The translation theorist Lawrence Venuti, whom Alter has cited, describes translations that 'foreignize,' or openly signal that a translated text was originally written in another language, and those that 'domesticate,' or render invisible the original language. According to Venuti, a 'foreignized' translation 'seeks to register linguistic and cultural differences.' Alter maintains that his translation of the Bible borrows from the idea of 'foreignizing,' and this approach generates unexpected and even radical urgency, particularly in passages that might seem familiar."

Hat tip to Language Hat.