| Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
|---|---|---|
| RE: Which art or Who art | George | Saturday, February 19, 2005 |
Question: Forgive me if this is pedantic. I've studied the history of the English language, and this is a case that comes up to illustrate how languages change. When the King James was translated, one used the word "which" to talk about both people and things. For instance: "Our Father which art in Heaven" therefore sounded no odder to people's ears in those times than "the table which sits in the living room" sounds to our ears in our times. Speakers of English have since limited the use of "which" as a relative pronoun to modify things only, requiring speakers to use the word "who" when describing a person or give offense. So much for grammatical technicality. Liturgically, though, there's good precedent for saying "which art in Heaven" in that using an old language keeps one in touch with those who held the faith before us. With this consideration in mind, it might have made sense for the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) to translate the Our Father as many Protestants do, but that is like arguing about what would have happened if the U.S. did not enter World War II. It's fine over beer and sausages, but should not be taken too seriously. |
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| Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM
Dear George: Thanks for the history lesson. God Bless, |
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