Chinese protestant bible versions and the Chinese language

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    Abstract

    This essay discusses the relationship between Chinese Protestant Bible versions and the Chinese language. It first introduces the varieties of the Chinese language adopted and linguistic techniques used in these Bible versions produced in the late Qing and Republican era, so as to illustrate how Protestant Bible translators’ understanding of the Chinese language informed their choices. It then explains how Protestant Bible translation was relevant to the evolution of the Chinese language with the example of the Mandarin Bible, which contributed to the development of Mandarin from a lingua franca into the national language of China. This essay concludes with a discussion of the value of Protestant Bible versions as materials for the historical study of the Chinese language.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationThe Oxford Handbook of the Bible in China
    EditorsK. K. Yeo
    Place of PublicationUnited States of America
    PublisherOxford University Press
    Chapter10
    Pages163-180
    Number of pages18
    ISBN (Electronic)9780190909826, 9780190909819
    ISBN (Print)9780190909796
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Mar 2021

    User-Defined Keywords

    • Chinese dialects
    • Easy wenli
    • Mandarin
    • Modern chinese
    • National language
    • Protestant bible translators
    • Samuel isaac joseph schereschewsky
    • Union version
    • Wenyan

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