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one word missing
By Diogenes ( articles ) | May 11, 2007
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Shortly after arriving in Brazil on board the papal plane, John Allen of NCR helpfully posted a full transcript of the Pope's remarks to journalists, in his own unofficial translation. Here's one crucial snippet:
[Question]...Do you agree with the excommunication given to legislators in Mexico City on the question of abortion?
Pope Benedict XVI: Yes, this excommunication is not something arbitrary, but it’s part of the Code [of Canon Law].....
That was Allen's own translation. By the following day the Vatican had produced the official transcript, and the Pope's answer to the question was rendered:
Excommunication is not something arbitrary, but is foreseen by the Code [of Canon Law.]...
Not much difference, really. Except for that one little word: "Yes."
The best explanation for this discrepancy in translation is:
A) The Pope was clearing his throat, and Allen mistakenly thought he had formed a word.
B) Vatican officials "clarified" the Pope's statement, in line with the principles of translation put forward in James 5:12.
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