Abstract

This article examines how the Gothic New Testament translated the personal names of the Greek New Testament(a Greek Vorlage). Having analysed all personal names in Paul’s letters, I show the following facts to be some characteristics of the Gothic translation of Greek proper names. First, in terms of gender, the Gothic translation followed gender of Greek names, which might have been attributed to the gender-distinction in personal names. Second, in terms of declension, the Gothic word-forms did not always correspond to Greek. Although both Greek and Gothic have five categories of declension, i.e., the 1st, 2nd and 3rd declensions, irregular declensions and non-declensions, the Gothic manner of treating declensions of Greek personal names was independent from Greek. This indicates that Gothic maintained its own system of declension in translating Greek personal names. Finally, in terms of pronunciation and orthography, Gothic translation was almost faithful to Greek pronunciation. However, several personal names show a clear difference between Greek and Gothic, for example, Lwij< Laudijai and Silouanoj, Silbanus. Lwij< may be transliterated into Lauis, and Silouanoj, into Siluanos. But Gothic simply did not stick to Greek pronunciation. Instead, such forms, i.e., Loide and Silvanus, are found in Latin translation(the Vulgata) even if there are some differences. This reveals that Gothic translation of Greek personal names was never a blind imitation, but a considerate translation for the receptor language.

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