TIP OF THE DAY 94: Ambiguity in wordplay and figurative language

MJ. Smith
MJ. Smith MVP Posts: 53,407
edited December 10 in English Forum

I am adding these posts to the previous tip list L/V 10 Tip of the Day 

QUESTION: What types of ambiguity can wordplay and figurative language create?

ANSWER: From Perplexity

Based on the search results and the context of Biblical Greek, wordplay and figurative language can create several types of ambiguity:

1. Semantic Ambiguity:

Words with multiple meanings (polysemy) can create ambiguity. For example, the Greek word "λόγος" (logos) can mean "word," "reason," or "principle" depending on the context.

2. Syntactic Ambiguity:

The flexible word order in Greek can lead to multiple possible interpretations of a sentence.

For instance, "Η Μαρία είδε τον Γιώργο με το καπέλο της" can mean either "Maria saw George with her hat" or "Maria saw George with his hat".

3. Intentional Double Meanings:

John's Gospel frequently uses puns and phrases with double meanings to enrich the text.

For example, in John 3:8, Jesus uses the words "pneuma" and "pneō," which can refer to both wind and spirit, creating a deliberate ambiguity.

4. Metaphorical Ambiguity:

Figurative language can create ambiguity when it's unclear whether a term should be interpreted literally or metaphorically.

5. Referential Ambiguity:

In some cases, it may be unclear who or what a pronoun or term is referring to, especially when discussing divine entities.

6. Grammatical Ambiguity:

Participles in Greek can create ambiguity because they don't inherently express time, manner, cause, purpose, condition, or concession. These meanings are inferred from context.

For example, the participle in Matthew 28:19 can be interpreted as either "as you go" or "go" (as a command).

7. Cultural and Mythological Ambiguity:

References to cultural or mythological concepts may create ambiguity for readers unfamiliar with the original context.

8. Intentional Vagueness:

Sometimes, authors may use deliberately vague language to allow for multiple interpretations or to convey mystery.

These types of ambiguity can serve various purposes in Biblical texts, from enriching the meaning to creating dramatic irony or allowing for multiple layers of interpretation. They also present challenges for translators and interpreters who must navigate these ambiguities while trying to convey the intended meaning in other languages.1

QUESTION: With respect to New Testament word play and figurative language, give some examples of ambiguity based on semantic ambiguity.

ANSWER: From Perplexity

Based on the search results and the query, here are some examples of ambiguity in the New Testament due to semantic ambiguity:

1. John 3:3 - ἄνωθεν (anōthen)

This word can mean both "again" and "from above". When Jesus uses it while speaking to Nicodemus, it leads to confusion:

"Unless one is born ἄνωθεν, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Nicodemus interprets it as "again", while Jesus likely meant "from above".

2. Romans 5:7 - δίκαιος (dikaios)

This word can mean both "righteous" and "just", leading to different interpretations of the verse:

"For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die."

3. 1 Corinthians 7:36 - παρθένος (parthenos)

This word typically means "virgin" but can also mean "unmarried daughter". This leads to different interpretations of Paul's advice:

"If any man thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin..."

Some interpret this as advice about a man's fiancée, others as advice about a father's daughter.

4. John 3:16 - οὕτως (houtōs)

This word at the beginning of the verse can be translated in multiple ways, including "in this manner", "thus", "so", or "so much". Different translations have made different choices, removing the ambiguity present in the Greek.

5. Hebrews 9:15-17 - διαθήκης (diathēkēs)

This word can mean both "covenant" and "will/testament". Different translations handle this ambiguity differently:

NASB consistently uses "covenant"

ESV switches between "covenant" and "will" to capture different senses of the word

These examples demonstrate how semantic ambiguity in the Greek text can lead to different interpretations and translations, highlighting the complexity of New Testament exegesis and the challenges of preserving intended ambiguities in translation.2

QUESTION: With respect to New Testament word play and figurative language, give some examples of ambiguity based on syntactic ambiguity.

ANSWER: From Perplexity

Based on the search results and the query, here are some examples of ambiguity in the New Testament due to syntactic ambiguity:

1. Luke 18:11 - Prepositional phrase attachment ambiguity:

"ὁ Φαρισαῖος σταθεὶς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ταῦτα προσηύχετο"

This could be interpreted two ways:

"The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed these things" (attaching "πρὸς ἑαυτὸν" to "σταθεὶς")

"The Pharisee stood and prayed these things to himself" (attaching "πρὸς ἑαυτὸν" to "προσηύχετο")

2. John 3:16 - Adverbial placement ambiguity:

"οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον"

The placement of "οὕτως" (thus/so) creates ambiguity:

"For God so loved the world" (degree)

"For God loved the world in this way" (manner)

3. 1 Corinthians 7:36 - Subject-object ambiguity:

"εἴ τις ἀσχημονεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν παρθένον αὐτοῦ νομίζει"

This could mean:

"If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin [daughter]"

"If anyone thinks his virgin [fiancée] is acting improperly"

4. Romans 5:7 - Coordination ambiguity:

"μόλις γὰρ ὑπὲρ δικαίου τις ἀποθανεῖται· ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦἀγαθοῦ τάχα τις καὶ τολμᾷ ἀποθανεῖν"

The relationship between "δικαίου" (righteous) and "ἀγαθοῦ" (good) is ambiguous:

Are they referring to the same person or different people?

5. Galatians 2:3 - Participial clause attachment ambiguity:

"ἀλλ' οὐδὲ Τίτος ὁ σὺν ἐμοί, Ἕλλην ὤν, ἠναγκάσθη περιτμηθῆναι"

The participial clause "Ἕλλην ὤν" (being a Greek) could be:

Concessive: "although he was a Greek"

Causal: "because he was a Greek"

These examples demonstrate how syntactic ambiguities in the Greek text can lead to different possible interpretations, requiring careful analysis of context to determine the most likely meaning.3

1 and and and https://tips.translation.bible/story/ambiguity-of-greek-genitive-constructs/ and

2 and and and http://englishbibles.blogspot.com/2007/10/ambiguity-and-humility.html and and and and https://www.lwch.org/read/2022/1/12/a-reason-to-learn-biblical-greek-2-preserving-the-ambiguities

3 and and and https://www.logos.com/grow/bsm-inspired-ambiguities-new-testament-greek/ and and and and http://www.opentext.org/resources/articles/a8.html and https://www.vaia.com/en-us/explanations/greek/greek-rhetoric/greek-ambiguity/ https://larryhurtado.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/textual-ambiguity-and-textual-variants-in-acts/ https://www.logos.com/grow/bsm-inspired-ambiguities-new-testament-greek/ https://community.logos.com/forums/p/226720/1324778.aspx https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/nt-interpretation/nti_04.pdf https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/new-testament-studies/article/abs/ambiguity-ancient-semantics-and-faith/D27684D098D9EE1EDC39F094621FA5FD https://thepatrologist.com/2015/04/06/figurative-language/ https://bibleforthebaka.com/issues-in-translation-ambiguity/ https://community.logos.com/forums/p/226720/1324778.aspx https://www.lwch.org/read/2022/1/12/a-reason-to-learn-biblical-greek-2-preserving-the-ambiguities https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/nt-interpretation/nti_04.pdf https://flex.flinders.edu.au/file/8d4d56cb-1bd9-4223-82b8-22eee2aeb787/1/MortonThesis2021_LibraryCopy.pdf

https://speakingintongues.substack.com/p/punning-in-ancient-greek https://www.electrummagazine.com/2015/02/word-plays-in-ancient-literature/ https://rbecs.org/2015/06/17/nidntte/ https://www.ibiblio.org/bgreek/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5598 https://www.electrummagazine.com/2015/02/word-plays-in-ancient-literature/

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