An Examination of Parenthetical Phrases in the New Testament of the New Korean Revised Version : Cases of Describing Concurrent Situations and Detailed Information

This study is subsequent to the previous investigation of 29 parenthetical phrases in the NT of NKRV (1998). Those 29 phrases belong to three categories: translatory notes (X10), asides (X4), and causal explanations (X15). This time we examine 13 parenthetical phrases in two categories: ten describing concurrent situations (John 6:23; 1 Cor 7:10b, 12b; 1 Cor 7:11a; 2 Cor 12:2b, 3b; Gal 2:6b; Eph 2:5b; Col 4:10b; Rev 20:5a) and three presenting detailed information about preceding statements or descriptions (Luke 24:10; John 4:2; 7:22b). The following are the results from our analysis: (1) In six of thirteen passages (1 Cor 7:11a, 2 Cor 12:2b, 3b; Gal 2:6b; Col 4:10b; John 4:2), the parenthetical phrase should be kept. They help readers to understand the passage more quickly and accurately. In one verse (Col 4:10b), however, the parenthesis should be relocated. (2) In five of thirteen passages (Luke 24:10; John 6:23; 7:22b; Eph 2:5b; Rev 20:5a), the parentheses should be removed and the verse should be printed as it is. There, the parentheses potentially limit the interpretation of the given passage, or even cause the reader to misunderstand the author’s intention. In the case of John 6:23, if the translator wants to keep parentheses, they should begin at verse 22. (3) In the remaining two passages (1 Cor 7:10b, 12b), it makes little difference whether the parentheses are kept or removed. In general, parentheses are part of translation, and they are not immune from theological tendencies of the translators. The history of Bible translation into Korean shows that theological, even political, agendas have been at work in the actual process of translation. It is hard, however, to evaluate, let alone identify, any theological agenda of individual translators. It is more productive, therefore, that we focus on the question of Vorlage than on the personal traits, theological or otherwise, of individual translators. The Shyong-gyong-gae-yok, or Revised Korean Bible (1938) should be the center of our perusal, as it was the first and the most authoritative Korean translation to use parenthetical phrases. Some of the parenthetical phrases in it are justifiable, and others are not. As a new revision of NKRV is currently in preparation, our findings in this study can contribute to the discussion among the revisors. This study may also stimulate further studies on various paratextual elements included in the Korean Bible translations, such as paragraph division, paragraph titles, text-critical notes, citations of quotes and so on.