"Speak In Tongues"
October 9, 2011 9:01 PM Subscribe
That was pretty cool - thanks!
posted by guster4lovers at 9:09 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by guster4lovers at 9:09 PM on October 9, 2011
His performance style is, for me, quite off-putting, but it's a very clever and educational poem he's put together there.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:17 PM on October 9, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:17 PM on October 9, 2011 [5 favorites]
Nice! And that blog looks great, but I think a nod to Clement Clarke Moore is in order for the prosody in the video.
posted by trip and a half at 9:18 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by trip and a half at 9:18 PM on October 9, 2011
Very clever and inspiring indeed. Thanks.
John 1:1-3
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 9:48 PM on October 9, 2011
John 1:1-3
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 9:48 PM on October 9, 2011
Almost every single one of those phrases was borrowed directly or only slightly altered by Tyndale from John Wyclif's translation.
posted by koeselitz at 10:14 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by koeselitz at 10:14 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
John Wyclif's translation of the Bible, it should be known, had a vast and profound impact on the English language which is much less talked about today than it should be. We remember Tyndale's Bible produced for King James, but that translation followed very strictly the letter set down so many years earlier by Wyclif; it borrowed much from other Bibles, as well, but these others were, in turn, borrowing directly from Wyclif, so that all came from that first source, the first translation of the Bible into English. In fact, the Wyclif Bible can be said to be one of the two foundational texts of the development of Modern English from Middle English – the other being Geoffrey Chaucer's Caunterbury Tales.
posted by koeselitz at 10:23 PM on October 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by koeselitz at 10:23 PM on October 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
I couldn't make it through that. His attempt to make everything seem casual and spontaneous was enormously off-putting and his unwavering, sing-song-y delivery completely neutered the text.
This would have been a far more interesting piece of work if it were just written out.
posted by dobbs at 10:30 PM on October 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
This would have been a far more interesting piece of work if it were just written out.
posted by dobbs at 10:30 PM on October 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
i can't watch the guy. is the list somewhere? i'm curious but he's more than i can bear.
posted by rainperimeter at 10:42 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by rainperimeter at 10:42 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
@rainperimeter / dobbs: Here you go (linked to their respective sources straight from the Book).
And even more phrases.
posted by KMB at 10:47 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
And even more phrases.
posted by KMB at 10:47 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
SLYT
This is not how it is used in the Bible.
posted by three blind mice at 10:49 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is not how it is used in the Bible.
posted by three blind mice at 10:49 PM on October 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Nice, but to be clear: the King James Bible is not Tyndale's bible.
Tyndale's bible was solely translated by him. This was before the Reformation in England, when the Church did not want rogue English translations that weren't approved by their hierarchy. Tyndale was eventually executed as a heretic. It wasn't a complete bible. His New Testament was very influential: it was a surprisingly small, compact volume so you could easily conceal it from the authorities.
The King James bible was translated by a team of scholars much later, though they retained a lot of Tyndale's language. This was an approved, authorized translation issued to churches. There are subtle but significant differences to the wording. Tyndale said "elder", King James said "priest". Tyndale said "congregation", King James said "church". So, the King James version is friendlier to the idea of a formal church hierarchy.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 10:56 PM on October 9, 2011 [9 favorites]
Tyndale's bible was solely translated by him. This was before the Reformation in England, when the Church did not want rogue English translations that weren't approved by their hierarchy. Tyndale was eventually executed as a heretic. It wasn't a complete bible. His New Testament was very influential: it was a surprisingly small, compact volume so you could easily conceal it from the authorities.
The King James bible was translated by a team of scholars much later, though they retained a lot of Tyndale's language. This was an approved, authorized translation issued to churches. There are subtle but significant differences to the wording. Tyndale said "elder", King James said "priest". Tyndale said "congregation", King James said "church". So, the King James version is friendlier to the idea of a formal church hierarchy.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 10:56 PM on October 9, 2011 [9 favorites]
Also, semi-self-link, but I recently Asked Metafilter Do other languages have an equivalent of the King James Bible?
posted by TheophileEscargot at 10:59 PM on October 9, 2011
posted by TheophileEscargot at 10:59 PM on October 9, 2011
This sort of acting is why I dislike Shakespeare. The phrases come across as meaningless and empty to me, no matter how much emotion and effort goes into it, and in the end, it just feels like over-acting and excessive emotion for a meaning that is ordinary, not needing all the expression and extreme pathos that goes into it.
posted by brenton at 12:03 AM on October 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by brenton at 12:03 AM on October 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
Pretty neat. Not ordinarily a fan of the bible, but if you want to understand English idioms, it helps to have some knowledge of it.
posted by Kitty Stardust at 12:06 AM on October 10, 2011
posted by Kitty Stardust at 12:06 AM on October 10, 2011
Anyone get that Fall song in their head:
"I said drink the long draugh down, for the Hip Priest!"
posted by coolxcool=rad at 12:12 AM on October 10, 2011
"I said drink the long draugh down, for the Hip Priest!"
posted by coolxcool=rad at 12:12 AM on October 10, 2011
Jesus wept.
posted by Decani at 2:58 AM on October 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Decani at 2:58 AM on October 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
Phrases that should've come from the Bible, but came from the blues:
how many more years do i have to let you dog me around?
if you don't want my peaches, don't shake my tree
you oughtta seen me hug my pillow where my baby used to lay
the more you cry, the more you drive me away
leaving in the morning, about the break of day
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:03 AM on October 10, 2011 [6 favorites]
how many more years do i have to let you dog me around?
if you don't want my peaches, don't shake my tree
you oughtta seen me hug my pillow where my baby used to lay
the more you cry, the more you drive me away
leaving in the morning, about the break of day
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:03 AM on October 10, 2011 [6 favorites]
Hi! Can we film that spot for my portfolio now! Awesome!
Holy lord I can't take that kind of acting.
posted by efalk at 3:18 AM on October 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
Holy lord I can't take that kind of acting.
posted by efalk at 3:18 AM on October 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
koeselitz – We remember Tyndale's Bible produced for King James, but that translation followed very strictly the letter set down so many years earlier by Wyclif; it borrowed much from other Bibles, as well, but these others were, in turn, borrowing directly from Wyclif, so that all came from that first source, the first translation of the Bible into English
Are you sure you're not confusing the KJV with Tyndale, and Tyndale with Wycliffe here? As TheophileEscargot said, Tyndale's Bible was not produced for King James. It was based on a variety of texts, including those written in Greek and Hebrew, and as I understand it didn't make much use of Wycliffe.
posted by mattn at 3:25 AM on October 10, 2011
Are you sure you're not confusing the KJV with Tyndale, and Tyndale with Wycliffe here? As TheophileEscargot said, Tyndale's Bible was not produced for King James. It was based on a variety of texts, including those written in Greek and Hebrew, and as I understand it didn't make much use of Wycliffe.
posted by mattn at 3:25 AM on October 10, 2011
Yeah, there's no way Tyndale translated FOR the KJV. He died in 1538, KJV came out in 1611.
Wycliffe lived 200 years before Tyndale.
The KJV relies heavily on Tyndale's language and such, but was the work of a huge team of people, not an individual.
posted by hippybear at 4:32 AM on October 10, 2011
Wycliffe lived 200 years before Tyndale.
The KJV relies heavily on Tyndale's language and such, but was the work of a huge team of people, not an individual.
posted by hippybear at 4:32 AM on October 10, 2011
Really enjoyed that, very clever!
The BBC did a radio documentary on the KJV earlier this year (parts 1, 2, 3). The documentary does an excellent job of describing the political drive behind the King James translation, the translation process itself, and the legacy left by the language. Well worth a listen.
posted by KirkpatrickMac at 5:44 AM on October 10, 2011
The BBC did a radio documentary on the KJV earlier this year (parts 1, 2, 3). The documentary does an excellent job of describing the political drive behind the King James translation, the translation process itself, and the legacy left by the language. Well worth a listen.
posted by KirkpatrickMac at 5:44 AM on October 10, 2011
Some KJB is also featured in part four (of ten, yt) in the short series The History of English (in ten minutes) by the Open University.
posted by quoquo at 6:00 AM on October 10, 2011
posted by quoquo at 6:00 AM on October 10, 2011
What TheophileEscargot said. If you wouldn't say "Shakespeare's West Side Story," don't say "Tyndale's King James Version."
BTW, the lineage of English Bibles linking Tyndale and KJV is essentially Coverdale, the Great Bible, the Bishop's Bible. That'd be the place to look if you're interested in the textual history.
posted by eritain at 8:30 AM on October 10, 2011
BTW, the lineage of English Bibles linking Tyndale and KJV is essentially Coverdale, the Great Bible, the Bishop's Bible. That'd be the place to look if you're interested in the textual history.
posted by eritain at 8:30 AM on October 10, 2011
mattn: “Are you sure you're not confusing the KJV with Tyndale, and Tyndale with Wycliffe here? As TheophileEscargot said, Tyndale's Bible was not produced for King James. It was based on a variety of texts, including those written in Greek and Hebrew, and as I understand it didn't make much use of Wycliffe.”
Confusing Tyndale with the King James translators, yes. Sorry about that.
It's true about Wyclif, though – that translation was a masterwork. He had translators working with him, but the translation produced set the tone and much of the language of all future Bibles in English.
posted by koeselitz at 9:07 AM on October 10, 2011
Confusing Tyndale with the King James translators, yes. Sorry about that.
It's true about Wyclif, though – that translation was a masterwork. He had translators working with him, but the translation produced set the tone and much of the language of all future Bibles in English.
posted by koeselitz at 9:07 AM on October 10, 2011
Almost every single one of those phrases was borrowed directly or only slightly altered by Tyndale from John Wyclif's translation.
Not really. There are some familiar biblical phrases that first appear in Wyclif's translation, but there are many more that originate with Tyndale: e.g. 'eat, drink and be merry' (Wyclif: 'eat, drink and make feast'), 'the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak' (Wyclif: 'the spirit is ready but the flesh is sick'), 'speak with tongues' (Wyclif: 'speak divers languages'). Wyclif is influential, yes, but to give Wyclif all the credit is to over-simplify a very complex history of biblical translation spanning many centuries, in which all the different English translations (Wyclif, Tyndale, Geneva, Bishops' Bible, King James) contributed something to the common stock of familiar phrases.
posted by verstegan at 1:29 PM on October 10, 2011
Not really. There are some familiar biblical phrases that first appear in Wyclif's translation, but there are many more that originate with Tyndale: e.g. 'eat, drink and be merry' (Wyclif: 'eat, drink and make feast'), 'the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak' (Wyclif: 'the spirit is ready but the flesh is sick'), 'speak with tongues' (Wyclif: 'speak divers languages'). Wyclif is influential, yes, but to give Wyclif all the credit is to over-simplify a very complex history of biblical translation spanning many centuries, in which all the different English translations (Wyclif, Tyndale, Geneva, Bishops' Bible, King James) contributed something to the common stock of familiar phrases.
posted by verstegan at 1:29 PM on October 10, 2011
I don't understand why they didn't keep the counter on-screen the whole time; it kept disappearing and reappearing.
posted by jeremy b at 5:15 PM on October 10, 2011
posted by jeremy b at 5:15 PM on October 10, 2011
As far as I know, the first use of the word "beautiful" is in Tyndale's translation too.
posted by spinchange at 5:46 PM on October 10, 2011
posted by spinchange at 5:46 PM on October 10, 2011
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posted by bardic at 9:03 PM on October 9, 2011