I noticed that the German edition of the study Watchtower for today didn't include the phrase about the husband "hitting" the sister. Instead it just says that he became ferociously angry, which need not imply physical abuse. I wonder if the German translator altered it off his own back or was instructed, and how other language editions compare.
Alteration in the German Watchtower about spousal physical abuse
by slimboyfat 41 Replies latest watchtower bible
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slimboyfat
Instead of saying he hit her it says, "aber er wurde fuchsteufelswild". Which I think means he was out of control with anger. But it does not necessarily involve hitting, which could easily have been translated into German if they wanted.
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designs
Why would the Wt writers think spousal abuse is ok to mention to an American audience but not in other countries. Very strange.
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cedars
As I've said on other similar threads, the literature gets translated by teams of about five translators working at the same desk. You can be sure that the decision to substantially change the meaning of the original English was both deliberate, and the result of a group decision. Whether they did it because their consciences couldn't permit the article to go through unaltered, or whether it was for more pragmatic purposes (i.e. this contravenes German law, we don't want to get sued) will probably never be known.
Cedars
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designs
I can see the legal issue but what perception does the writing department have of the American JW that they would think this is a good example of faithfulness. Are they working from statistics on domestic violence to draw some weird assumption of what an American woman is willing to take.
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moshe
Which I think means he was out of control with anger
I would be upset too, If I was a German and it took a big mouthful of words just to say, I'm really pissed.
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blondie
I said on another thread that laws differ from country to country re abuse. The WTS had to edit publications advocating spanking children when spanking was made illegal in s everal European countries. I would not be surprised that these European countries also view hitting women as bad as hitting children evey by parents.
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blondie
(from 2005 stats) Worldwide, eight states do not allow parental spanking (all of them in Europe): Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Finland, Italy, Latvia and Cyprus.
Other countries making progress toward banning corporal punishment of children through legal and/or educational campaigns are Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Spain, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico, Namibia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Korea, and the United Kingdom (EPOCH-USA, 1999b).
In the United States, however, corporal punishment of children in the schools is legal in about half the states, and "reasonable" corporal punishment of children by their parents or guardians is legal in every state except Minnesota (Bitensky, 1998). Prohibition of corporal punishment in family day care, group homes/institutions, child care centers, and family foster care varies according to state laws (EPOCH-USA, 1999b).
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designs
Why not just have a single issue that says what the european issue said and make the example a verbal argument. This reminds me of Circuit Assemblies in the early 1970s that had physically abused sisters on stage giving themselves as an example of faithfulness. Something twisted in the writing department and what they think motivates American JWs.
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breakfast of champions
You can be sure that the decision to substantially change the meaning of the original English was both deliberate, and the result of a group decision. Whether they did it because their consciences couldn't permit the article to go through unaltered, or whether it was for more pragmatic purposes
This is another reason for smaller mags. You can get rid of some of the translators who don't toe the company line when there is less material to translate. After they downsize the magazines, I bet they'll rarely be a discrepancy like this one ( it's still pretty rare anyway)
BTW - for anyone who cares, th French version says he hit her