Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Ryan Geertsma.
Voice 2
And I’m Robin Basselin. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
“An eye for an eye.”
“The blind leading the blind.”
“By the skin of my teeth.”
Voice 1
Have you ever heard one of these sentences? All of them come from the same place: the King James Version of the Bible. And now, these sentences are common English idioms. It is easy to understand the words of each sentence. But together, the group of words has a new meaning. For example, the saying, “an eye for an eye,” is not about eyes. Instead, it is about justice. It means that a punishment should be similar to the crime being punished.
Voice 2
Today, these idioms are often used by people who speak English. The Bible was not first written in English. It was first written, over thousands of years, in Greek and Hebrew. But it has been translated many times, into many languages. Translators make every effort to keep the original meaning of the Greek and Hebrew words. And the most famous English translation is the King James Version, or the KJV. In 2011, the KJV celebrates its 400 year anniversary. Today’s Spotlight is on the influence of the KJV on English language and culture.
Voice 1
Over the past 400 years, the KJV Bible has sold more copies than any other book. During this time, many sayings, language methods and stories from the KJV became part of common spoken English. Still today, people say things like: “the love of money is the cause of all evil.” But often, they do not know the origin of these sayings or stories. Experts argue that English speakers recognize more sayings, ideas and stories from the KJV Bible than any other book. But the men who first translated it did not plan to make a translation that would affect the future of English language and culture.
Voice 2
In 1604, King James the First was the king of England. He decided the country needed a new translation of the Bible. He believed that the Bible contained the guidance and truth of God. And he wanted all English speaking people to understand it. So King James chose 47 Bible and language experts to work in groups. They worked in three different cities across England. For 7 years these experts translated the Bible from its original languages. They wanted to create a version in 17th century common English. They wanted a translation of the Bible that priests and common people could understand.
Voice 1
The first King James Version of the Bible was printed in 1611. People have created many other English translations of the Bible. But for a long time, the King James Version was the most popular. Experts believe that the reason the KJV had such an effect on the English language and culture is because of how it was translated.
Voice 2
For many years, English speaking schools used the KJV Bible in their classes. They did this because the language was simple and easy to understand. Writer, Jeanette Winterson, says,
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“The King James Bible was written to be spoken or read aloud.”
Voice 1
Many church leaders read the KJV Bible to their church members. They liked the translation because its words were like poems or plays when they were read out loud. Voice 2 As a result, the KJV Bible has had a strong influence on the English language. Its idioms and words became part of common speech. Some famous English writers like Charles Dickens, John Milton and Lord Tennyson, were influenced by the KJV Bible. Many other English leaders, writers and common people have believed the words and are encouraged by them.
Voice 1
The KJV Bible has affected English-speaking culture as well. The American human rights leader, Martin Luther King Junior often used the King James Bible in his speeches. He used its common sayings and ideas to support his beliefs about human rights.
Voice 2
The famous English writer, T.S. Eliot, also wrote about the Bible’s influence on the English language. He suggested there is another possible reason for its influence. He said,
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“The Bible has influenced English literature. Not because it has been considered literature. But because it is considered to be the Word of God.”
Voice 1
However, there are some experts who believe the KJV’s influence is not as important as most people think. One of these experts is a man named David Crystal. In his book “Begat,” he compared the KJV Bible to other major works of English literature. He compares the KJV to William Shakespeare. Shakespeare is considered one of the most important writers of the English language. He wrote plays and literature around the same time that the KJV was translated.
Voice 2
David Crystal found that Shakespeare invented as many as 1,000 new English words. But the KJV Bible invented only about 40 new words. Shakespeare used about 31,000 words in his writing. And the King James Version used only about 12,000 words.
Voice 1
Crystal argues that those numbers prove that the KJV Bible has not influenced English language as much as some people believe. But other experts believe it is the simple language of the KJV Bible that made it such an important part of the English language. It was not the translator’s goal to invent new words and sayings.
Voice 2
In fact, the men who worked on the KJV Bible worked hard to use simple language. They wanted the translation to be as correct and clear as possible. They wanted every English-speaking person to be able to understand it.
Voice 1
For 400 years the King James Bible has been an important part of English language and culture. Some experts believe its influence will decrease as time goes on. But other people believe it is not the language of the KJV Bible that influences those who read it. Like T.S. Eliot they believe it is the message those words bring. There is evidence to support both sides of this debate. But even David Crystal admits that,
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“No other translation reached so many people over such a long period of time as the King James Version.”