The Place of Latin in the Church

[ProVobis]

If we have to go to the vernacular anyway for an explanation, for understanding, it seems perfectly ok to pray the Mass in the vernacular (given that God understands the intent, the meaning, anyway). And to then argue that it “loses” something in translation when the Missal provides the very translation in which meaning is supposedly lost seems ludicrous.

I’m not sure where you’re going with this. What’s ludicrous? Are you arguing that any translation is more reliable than the source? And that the Latin or Greek can and should be safely suppressed because now you have a more understandable concept? And when that changes you use the new translation as the standard? If I “translate” the mathematical truth π as 3.141593, are you going to tell me you now fully understand π and can now derive other equations, formulas, and concepts with that “translation?” You won’t go very far with that. You can’t just throw out π, plain and simple, because that is the most precise. If you don’t think much isn’t lost in translations, then we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

 

[ProVobis]

If we have to go to the vernacular anyway for an explanation, for understanding, it seems perfectly ok to pray the Mass in the vernacular (given that God understands the intent, the meaning, anyway). And to then argue that it “loses” something in translation when the Missal provides the very translation in which meaning is supposedly lost seems ludicrous.

I’m not sure where you’re going with this. What’s ludicrous? Are you arguing that any translation is more reliable than the source? And that the Latin or Greek should be suppressed because now you have a more understandable concept? And when that changes you use the new translation as the standard? If I “translate” the mathematical truth π as 3.141593, are you going to tell me you now fully understand π and can now derive other equations, formulas, and concepts with that “translation?” You won’t go very far with that. You can’t just throw out π, plain and simple, because that is the most precise. If you don’t think much isn’t lost in translations, then we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

 

[viveret]

I advocate, with all my strength, the teaching of Latin and/or Greek to all Christians.
These are our languages; some of the greatest documents in world history are written in them. We have no business forgetting what is so central to us.