From Valla to Nida: Biblical Translation in the Renaissance and the Twentieth Century

Abstract

In the twentieth century, Eugene Nida presented his translation theory as a new direction in the history of Biblical translation. His work became very influential. This article investigates to what degree his theory differed from traditional theory on Biblical translation, comparing it with the Renaissance debate. Although Nida worked in a very different context, giving his theory scientific legitimacy by grounding it in modern theories of language and communication, his assumptions about theology and translatability are similar to those of Renaissance authors like Lorenzo Valla (1407-1457).