off topic:
Wanderer Between Worlds wrote:I'm very interested by the fact that words in other languages can have so much meaning behind them that is lost in translation.
So do I!
Wanderer Between Worlds wrote:For example (please correct me if I'm wrong), I believe that there were multiple words for "love" in Ancient Greek. C.S. Lewis writes about four of them in his book
The Four Loves. However, in English, there is only the word "love." There are other related words, but I do not think there is a single word in English that captures the depth of meaning behind a word like agapē, one of the "loves" that Lewis talks about in his book.
Words don't make meanings (which result from human intelligence),but meanings create the words.
(I am talking friendly. Hope you didn't get offended!).As about the four words that Lewis wrote, I suppose you mean the words: Storge/Philios/Eros/Agape. These four words, do not mean precisely "love" but they talk about love in a broad sense.
Storge [storghi): Ι can easily understand that is the greek word "στοργή". We are using this word even today. Στοργή=affection
Philios: This is not a common word in modern Greek. It's "Φίλιος" and means "friendship".
Eros: I think there is not an english word about eros. We call it : Έρωτας" and it has to do about passion/romantic. Είμαι ερωτευμένος με μια κοπέλα (=I am in loved with a girl).
Agape: [Aghapi]=love (=αγάπη).
Νοte that even a long standing language like Greek, many words changes meaning. In ancient Greek, for "love" they didn't use the word "agape" but "φιλώ" [philo]. In modern Greek, philo = kiss (φιλί). Τhe "kiss" in ancient Greek was "ασπάζομαι" [aspazome] and it have simillar meaning as the "embrace".
I only want to say that the true "depth of meaning" isn't hidden in the (conventionally made) soulles words, but in the heart and mind. I am pretty sure that my "Greek" love, expressed in the
same way as your "English" love!
If you want more info about the Greek language,
check this out. Note that C.S Lewis knew only the Greek language of hellenistic period (koine) and medieval , and not the older periods (Attic etc). The New Testament was written in koine.
I hope that makes sense!
I apologize for the off topic.
Wanderer Between Worlds wrote:I hope my explanations make sense
Οf course! No problem!
Col Klink wrote:Maybe it still could have in Greek.
Ιn Greek sounds very nice!
The Rose-Tree Dryad wrote:It really emphasizes the mystery of the lamp-post in the wood.
Indeed!
Courtenay wrote:This is giving me the thought that we could have a specific thread about translations of the Narnia books in other languages... is it OK if I start one?
It sounds very interesting!