Functional equivalence is an approach to Bible translation that focuses on conveying the meaning and function of the original text in the target language, rather than a word-for-word translation. The goal is to produce a translation that has the same impact on modern readers as the original had on its audience. Here is a more in-depth look at functional equivalence and its role in Bible translation:
Definition of Functional Equivalence
Functional equivalence translation tries to communicate the meaning of the biblical writers in a way that is clearest to the modern audience. It focuses on reproducing the function or impact of the original text by using natural equivalent terms and idioms in the receptor language. The translator seeks to transfer the meaning and intent of the biblical texts as accurately as possible.
This differs from formal equivalence (also called literal translation), which focuses on strictly adhering to the form, grammar, and word choices of the original language. Formal equivalence translations are more concerned with literary precision and getting the details exactly right. Functional equivalence is focused on making sure the meaning and impact come through clearly for the modern reader.
Goal of Functional Equivalence
The main goal of functional equivalence Bible translation is clarity and naturalness. The translators want the text to make sense to readers today as it did for the original audience. To achieve this, the translation may alter the form or structure of the original passage in order to effectively communicate its meaning in the new language and culture.
Some key goals of functional equivalence include:
- Conveying the original meaning accurately
- Using natural equivalent terms and idioms
- Creating the same impact as the original text
- Making sure the translation is clear and understandable
- Producing a translation that sounds natural and flows smoothly
By pursuing these goals, functional equivalence translation aims to make the Bible engaging and relevant to modern readers. The priority is not replicating the exact form, but reproducing the functionality of the text by communicating its essential meaning in an natural, easy to understand way.
Tools Used in Functional Equivalence
There are various literary tools and translation techniques utilized to achieve functional equivalence in Bible translation:
- Dynamic Equivalence – Translating concepts thought-for-thought rather than word-for-word. Focuses on eliciting the same response in readers as the original text.
- Paraphrase – Altering the form of the passage substantially to communicate the meaning clearly in the receptor language.
- Neologisms – Creating new words or expressions in the receptor language to transfer an idea.
- Idiomatic Translations – Using idioms natural to the receptor language rather than a literal translation.
- Rearranged Word Order – Changing the sequence of ideas or syntax to sound more natural in the receptor language.
- Substituting Concepts – Replacing obscure concepts with ones that communicate meaning more effectively to modern readers.
Skilled translators know when and how to utilize these literary tools appropriately to produce clear and natural functional equivalence translations. The techniques give translators creative license to modify the form of the text in order to accurately convey the meaning.
Examples of Functional Equivalence
Here are some examples of how functional equivalence appears in modern Bible translations:
- “Son of man” (Ezekiel 2:1 ESV) is translated “mortal” or “human one” to convey the intent in languages that don’t have that idiom.
- “God opened her womb” (Genesis 30:22 ESV) is rendered “God enabled her to conceive” to communicate the meaning clearly in some languages.
- “Love your neighbor as yourself” (James 2:8 ESV) is translated “treat others as you would like to be treated” or “love others as much as you love yourself” to capture the meaning.
- Parables are sometimes adapted significantly or restructured to make sense to modern readers unfamiliar with the original context.
As these examples illustrate, functional equivalence translators take certain liberties to communicate effectively rather than just transliterating the original words and phrases. This allows the translations to impact modern audiences similarly to the way the original texts impacted their audience millennia ago.
Strengths of Functional Equivalence
There are several advantages that explain why many modern translators favor the functional equivalence approach:
- It facilitates clarity and comprehension for readers of the translation by using natural wording that makes sense in their language.
- The translation has higher readability and flows smoothly since it sounds natural rather than awkward or overly literal.
- It allows the meaning of the original to come through more precisely rather than being obscured by unfamiliar terms or idioms.
- There is greater emotional impact when the translation elicits the same kind of response as the original text did.
- The translation seems more relevant when obscure concepts are conveyed with phrases that make sense to modern readers.
- It minimizes misinterpretation by communicating the intended meaning rather than just transliterating without regard for clarity.
Due to these strengths, functional equivalence allows the Bible to speak to our time and culture as powerfully as it did in the original context. It removes unnecessary cultural and linguistic barriers to understanding the text.
Criticisms and Weaknesses
Despite its strengths, functional equivalence Bible translation does have some potential weaknesses and criticisms:
- It can veer too far from the original and take unjustified liberties in translation choices.
- Some nuance or literary beauty from the original languages may be lost.
- It risks obscuring technical/theological terms by replacing them with simpler concepts.
- The translation may sound too informal or conversational compared to the original text.
- It requires substantial interpretation by the translator, introducing their own perspective.
- The original wording and phrasing is obscured, making word studies difficult.
To avoid these pitfalls, translators must strike the right balance between accuracy and clarity. Responsible functional equivalence does not change the meaning but simply makes lexical adjustments needed for understanding. It also maintains the appropriate level of dignity and gravitas fitting of sacred Scripture.
Functional Equivalence Translation Philosophy
The philosophy undergirding functional equivalence is that transferring ideas takes priority over transferring words. Translators aim to produce the closest natural equivalent in the receptor language that communicates the meaning and impact of the original text. As Bible scholar Eugene Nida explains:
“The best translation does not sound like a translation. It has the feel of something originally written in the receptor language, while faithfully transferring the meaning and impact of the original.”
This requires looking beyond the surface level vocabulary and grammar to understand the authors’ communicative intent. Words are merely symbols used to convey deeper meaning and values. Functional equivalence seeks to decode that deeper meaning from the symbols of the original text, then accurately re-encode it using the receptor language’s symbols and communication patterns.
This philosophy gives priority to conveying concepts accurately over retaining original wording or grammatical forms. The test of a good translation is whether it communicates the full meaning of the original clearly and naturally to the intended audience.
Usage in Modern Translations
Most modern English Bible translations utilize functional equivalence to some degree. Here are a few examples and how they employ this translation approach:
- The New International Version (NIV) – A dynamic equivalence translation that balances readability and accuracy. Renders some idioms and theological terms in simplified modern speech.
- New Living Translation (NLT) – Uses a thought-for-thought approach to convey concepts clearly. Favors readability over literal precision.
- Good News Translation (GNT) – A very free dynamic equivalence translation. Prioritizes clarity and naturalness in modern English.
- New English Translation (NET) – Utilizes some functional equivalence methods while retaining a more literal approach overall.
Even more literal translations like the English Standard Version (ESV) and New American Standard Bible (NASB) incorporate functional equivalence for certain idioms, metaphors, and concepts that require adaptation to make sense in English.
The degree to which a translation utilizes functional equivalence depends on where it falls on the spectrum between formal/literal approaches and highly dynamic approaches. But all modern versions employ it to some extent in order to facilitate clarity.
Relation to Other Translation Methods
Functional equivalence represents one approach on the spectrum of Bible translation theories. Here is how it relates to some other methods:
- Formal Equivalence – Retains original wording and structure as much as possible. Functional equivalence adapts these to communicate clearly.
- Optimal Equivalence – Seeks the right balance between formal and functional approaches on a case-by-case basis.
- Paraphrase – Focuses so much on readability that it loses much of the original form. Functional equivalence modifies form only as needed to convey meaning.
- Literal Translation – Preserves lexical and grammatical features of the original languages. Functional equivalence adapts these when needed to transfer meaning.
While functional equivalence does move further from formal correspondence than literal translation theories, it seeks to strike a balance between accuracy and clarity. Responsible functional equivalence uplifts the meaning without taking unnecessary liberties with the form.
Principles for Functional Equivalence
When executed properly, functional equivalence provides an accurate yet accessible Bible translation. Here are some key principles practitioners follow:
- Maintain the original meaning at all costs, even if the form changes.
- Adapt only as much as required for clear communication; no further.
- Utilize the types of natural expressions and idioms the original audience would have used to convey those ideas.
- Preserve theological and technical terminology when possible; replace with care when necessary.
- Test translations on target audiences to ensure clarity and avoid misinterpretation.
- Work from the original language texts rather than translating another translation.
- Employ qualified translators thoroughly familiar with the original languages and cultures.
Adhering to these principles allows functional equivalence to maximize comprehension and impact without compromising accuracy. The goal is an optimal balance between conveying the essence of the original texts and making them easy to grasp.
Word Choices in Functional Equivalence
One of the main ways functional equivalence facilitates clarity of meaning is through careful word choices that communicate the intent of the original. Here are some examples of word choices in functionally equivalent translations:
- “Slave” becomes “servant” or “bondservant” where the modern connotation differs from the original context (Ex 21:2).
- “Flesh” is translated “sinful nature” or “human nature” when referring to inclination to sin (Rom 7:5).
- “Sanctification” becomes “made holy” or similar phrase to convey the concept clearly (1 Cor 1:30).
- “Propitiation” rendered as “sacrifice of atonement” or “turning aside wrath” to clarify meaning (Rom 3:25).
- “Blessed are the meek” changed to “humble” or “gentle” if “meek” confuses modern readers (Matt 5:5).
These kinds of substitutions ensure theological and historical concepts are communicated effectively to contemporary audiences. The translators have freedom to find terms that transfer meaning accurately by avoiding archaic or confusing vocabulary.
Textual Basis for Functional Equivalence
Some critics argue functional equivalence strays too far from the original text. But there is biblical precedent for communicating God’s Word in the heart language of the audience. For example:
- When the Old Testament was translated into Greek (the Septuagint), the translators adapted the text as needed for Greek readers.
- Ezra translated the Scripture into Aramaic and likely made adjustments for comprehension (Neh 8:8).
- The New Testament writers often quoted from the Septuagint rather than the Hebrew Old Testament.
- Jesus and the apostles taught the Gospel using common vernacular that made sense to their listeners.
As these examples indicate, precedence exists for translating concepts thought-for-thought and utilizing the common language of the people. Functional equivalence continues in this tradition of communicating Scripture in the heart language of the audience.
The Art of Functional Equivalence
Ultimately, functional equivalence requires skill, knowledge, and careful judgment. Translators must strike the right balance between accuracy and clarity. As Bible scholar Grant Osborne notes:
“Functional equivalence walks a tightrope between being too literal and too dynamic. It requires ongoing evaluation of translation choices to hit the ‘sweet spot’ of maximum accuracy and comprehension.”
It relies more on the art of translation than the science. There are rarely perfect mathematical equivalents between languages and cultures. Functional equivalence involves creativity and wisdom to convey truths effectively in each unique context. This makes the diligent work of translators indispensable.
When done properly, functional equivalence removes barriers and illuminates God’s truth in a fresh way. It serves the purpose that all Scripture was written for – revealing the good news of Christ so that all may believe (Rom 10:17, John 20:31).
