Abstract

This paper was originally given to a meeting of the Institute of Religion and Theology in London. It was in response to a specific request to consider how far it is desirable, or even necessary, for a student or a teacher of a religious tradition to know at least the main language of the tradition in question. To what extent, to put it slightly differently, is it possible to gain knowledge of, and insight into, religion and religions through translations; and without being able to avail oneself of aids which require linguistic knowledge–such things as dictionaries and concordances. I have made no attempt to change the form or the content of the paper as it was given. It depends, obviously, on the more general issues involved in translation and interpretation; if these are unfamiliar, there is an excellent and brief introduction in S. Basnett-McGuire's Translation Studies