Important Words section needs improvement
Don Parker
Member Posts: 143 ✭✭
Important words are repeated words, rare words, theologically significant words, and ambiguous words (including words rendered variously in English Bible translations and figurative uses). Words readily understood across languages are NOT generally important words that a Bible student need spend their limited time upon to uncover the message of a text. (So, words like the definite article, common pronouns, or simple copula verbs and ubiquitous conjunctions are seldom important words upon which to spend valuable word study time.)
One simple ex.: Is 33.2 Logos "Important Words" lists Heb. words for "the," "you," and "(to) be," [and although it is possible that a wordplay with the Tetragrammaton is intended in this verse, that would be uncovered by looking at the Tetragrammaton itself, not the "to be" verb]-- this is all misdirection for a logos user studying the text. On the other hand, actually important words are omitted: "(be) gracious/grace" (theologically significant), and "arm" (figurative usage). Also "trouble" [variously rendered as "distress/adversity/tribulation"] would be more significant than the listed word "time" for this verse.
To summarize: The "Important Words" section in Logos needs a great deal of revision, specifically omission of common and easily understandable words and addition of significant words.
The most efficient way to make this improvement would be to enlist seminary professors who teach exegetical courses on the biblical books (using the biblical languages) and their students to cull actually important words based on such simple guidelines as above, have these reviewed by the professor, and then reviewed by others. Determination of "important words" (even if erring on a more inclusive side) is not a terribly complicated undertaking. It can be achieved by anyone using such simple guidelines as above, combined with a decent knowledge of the original languages and basic theology and Bible study skills). It is just a rather large undertaking for the entire Bible.
I could also offer my services to help in this regard.
Sincerely, Don Parker
BA, NT Greek minor; ThM, OT and Semitics; Ph.D, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
One simple ex.: Is 33.2 Logos "Important Words" lists Heb. words for "the," "you," and "(to) be," [and although it is possible that a wordplay with the Tetragrammaton is intended in this verse, that would be uncovered by looking at the Tetragrammaton itself, not the "to be" verb]-- this is all misdirection for a logos user studying the text. On the other hand, actually important words are omitted: "(be) gracious/grace" (theologically significant), and "arm" (figurative usage). Also "trouble" [variously rendered as "distress/adversity/tribulation"] would be more significant than the listed word "time" for this verse.
To summarize: The "Important Words" section in Logos needs a great deal of revision, specifically omission of common and easily understandable words and addition of significant words.
The most efficient way to make this improvement would be to enlist seminary professors who teach exegetical courses on the biblical books (using the biblical languages) and their students to cull actually important words based on such simple guidelines as above, have these reviewed by the professor, and then reviewed by others. Determination of "important words" (even if erring on a more inclusive side) is not a terribly complicated undertaking. It can be achieved by anyone using such simple guidelines as above, combined with a decent knowledge of the original languages and basic theology and Bible study skills). It is just a rather large undertaking for the entire Bible.
I could also offer my services to help in this regard.
Sincerely, Don Parker
BA, NT Greek minor; ThM, OT and Semitics; Ph.D, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
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Comments
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A great suggestion! I even think it may be useful to allow the Logos user to toggle between a "smart" setting (where it obeys the rules you've advocated for) and a "frequency" setting (where it just goes by pure frequency, as it does currently).0
