What the heck is wrong with the Latin-to-English translators?!?

I haven't blogged the new apostolic exhortation yet, but Fr. Z's comment on the line about Latin in the liturgy --- as translated FROM LATIN for the English-reading populace --- is important.

Latin: exceptis lectionibus, homilia et oratione fidelium, aequum est ut huiusmodi celebrationes fiant lingua Latina.

In Latin, the phrase aequum est means "it is reasonable, proper, right".  It can be rendered as "it is becoming", to use a somewhat archaic turn of phrase.

German: es ist gut, wenn außer den Lesungen, der Predigt und den Fürbitten der Gläubigen die Feier in lateinischer Sprache gehalten wird.

Italian: eccettuate le letture, l’omelia e la preghiera dei fedeli, è bene che tali celebrazioni siano in lingua latina.

French: excepté les lectures, l’homélie et la prière des fidèles, il est bon que ces célébrations soient en langue latine

Spanish: exceptuadas las lecturas, la homilía y la oración de los fieles, sería bueno que dichas celebraciones fueran en latín

Portuguese: exceptuando as leituras, a homilia e a oração dos fiéis, é bom que tais celebrações sejam em língua latina

Polish: z wyjątkiem czytań, homilii oraz modlitwy wiernych, dobrze będzie, jeśli takie celebracje będą odprawiane w języku łacińskim  (Literally: "It will be good, if such celebration will be officiated in Latin language").

Are you sensing a pattern in the rendering of aequum est, or rather how aequum est in Latin is more than likely the accurate reading of the original language of composition of the Exhortation?   

Let’s see the English.

English: with the exception of the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, such liturgies could be celebrated in Latin.

Frustrating, to say the least.  h/t Amy.

Comments

[JAMES]

Hi erin, I talked to my friend who leacturs at the ITI in Austria (where Waldstein is from) about this. (I was staying there last week).

While you're right that it seems 'could be' is not the correct translation in english and gives a rather misleading slant altogether - it appears the other languages are also not correct either.

Aequum est is certainly not the same as 'bonum est' which is how the other languages seem to have translated it. There are also several other words that would have been much more fitting and common to use to convey 'it is good' rather than aequum. if you do a search throughout the same document in latin, it can be seen where else the phrase 'aqeuum est' is used. Each time, there is a slightly different translation. indeed, once the translation into english has been omitted alogether.

It's a good example of a phrase that is - as the film goes - 'Lost in translation'. ;o)