56 



E. J. SEWELL, ESQ., ON THE 



could only have done so from a height above the plain, but this 

 is a mere inference from the geographical position and not 

 inherent in the language. It is therefore an explanation and 

 not a translation. 



The distinction seems clear, and one that ought to be 

 observed. 



There has already been occasion to give some consideration 

 to the rival claims of accuracy and intelligibility. A very 

 similar question arises in connection with the use, to express 

 Christian ideas, of words in very general use, but tainted with 

 heathen associations. This is a difficulty which faces almost 

 every translator at the outset of his work when he has to find a 

 word for God. But it occurs in many other connections also. 

 Many heathen religions have a system of sacrifices and words 

 for sacrifice ; they also have words corresponding to " heaven " 

 and " hell " to describe the world inhabited after death by the 

 pious and the wicked. But the sacrifices in question are very 

 often sacrifices to evil demons to avert their wrath, and the 

 word in common use for sacrifice cannot be freed from the 

 association of such ideas. The same objection applies in the 

 other case mentioned ; the words commonly used to represent 

 " heaven " and " hell " are the names of some specific heaven or 

 hell of the mythology of the country, and convey to the people 

 ideas quite foreign to the conception which Christian teachers 

 would desire to convey. 



There are two methods which have been adopted for dealing 

 with this case, and they differ so fundamentally that the differ- 

 ence may be described as a difference of principle. One is to 

 adopt some neutral or colourless term into which Christian 

 converts and those under instruction can be taught to read the 

 Christian idea. The principal objection to this course is that 

 such words are nearly always unfamiliar, and not in general 

 use. The other course is to use the heathen word with all its 

 undesirable associations as a word thoroughly familiar to the 

 people, and to trust to Christian instruction to lead those who 

 use it to read out of the word all those ideas which it connotes 

 which are in conflict with Christian ideas. 



Both these courses have strong advocates and opponents. As 

 far as my knowledge goes, the majority of foreign translators 

 favour the use of the familiar word in spite of its associations, 

 while the objections to that method have usually been put 

 forward by natives of the country, themselves converts from 

 heathenism, and therefore specially sensitive to the distinctively 

 heathen ideas which such words connote. 



