Monday, August 13, 2007

Latin Translation Program

Hey! Well, that Cathlofascist Adoro has a neat post on the Google Translator, which reminded me that I forgot to tell you all about a really cool Latin/English translator that I found. I've been running the text of the Post Concilliar Documents of Vatican II through the translator, and sure enough, it pretty much comes out exactly as I expected it would. Feel free to send me your latin text and I'll translate it with this cool software package that Ngyuen put together out of Java Applettes.

As an example of how well this software works, I took parts of the latin text of "Sancrosanctum Concilium", which translates as "Holy Conciliation". For example, in Chapter VI, "Holy Tunage", section 116. Below, I've taken the text from what had been my favorite translation, the "Inclusive Language" edition of "The Basic Sixteen Documents of Vatican Council II" by Austin Flannery, O.P. This is marked by "(A)". Then I ran the latin text through Ngyuen's program. This is marked by "(B)". Note the astounding differences!:

(A) 116. The church recognizes Gregorian chant as especially native to the Roman liturgy. Therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services. Other kinds of sacred music, especially polyphony, are by no means excluded from liturgical celebrations so long as they accord with the spirit of the liturgical action as laid down in article 30.

(B) 116. The church recognizes that Gregorian chant may be OK for Romans, but we're not Romans, are we? Therefore, other things being equal, every faith community is required to have at least one Marty Haugen tune on the song list. On feasts and solemnities, two Marty Haugen songs are required, except in circumstances in which it is appropriate to substitute one David Haas song for a Marty Haugen song, in which case the remaining Marty Haugen song has to be "Gather Us In." If a faith community choses to base the whole Mass on Marty Haugen's "Mass of Creation," then it is only necessary to have one Marty Haugen song on feasts and solemnities, although it is generally recommended, for the benefit of the faithful, to also include a David Haas song or perhaps Michael Joncas's "On Eagle's Wings," as laid down in article 30.


And what about this article 30?

(A) 30. To develop active participation, the people should be encouraged to take part by means of acclamations, responses, psalms, antiphons, hymns, as well as by actions, gestures and bodily attitudes. And at the proper time a reverent silence should be observed.

(B) 30. It is desirable to develop active participation so that anyone can be the celebrant of the mass. But today's Catholics don't know what they're doing, nor are they very good singers. So it is fitting that they should be encouraged to take part by copying the acclamations, resposes, psalms, songs, and hymns of the people near them, and to imitate the gestures of the priest, including the raising of hands, the breaking of bread, and various signs, gestures, motions, and ambulations as they appear to be worthy of imitation and to raise the self-esteem of the congregant. With respect to Holy Tunage, in order to increase the singing ability of the faith community, hymns should be selected which cover several octaves and really stretch the singer's abilities from ringing the rafters to putting four on the floor. A good example of this are songs from Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals, which are excellent patterns for modern church music. A proper and reverent approach to liturgical music requires that churches hire music ministers who sound like Steve Perry with his nuts in a vise.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

True Christians, take note!

LOOK at the Romanists attempting to HIDE the TRUTH of the WORD with their evil dead language, Latin--the language of the demons, Amen!--and using it to denigrate the TRUE MUSIC of God--Southern Black Gospel--Amen!--and replace it with a gay man's excuse for music--SAVE US LORD--and singing it to the good God above!?! Does that sound CHRISTIAN TO YOU? I say AGAIN, do that sound CHRISTIAN to you, brothers and sisters?! OR does it sound, like my Daddy used to say, does that 'sound like a big bunch of hoey?'!?!

As I was reading this papist tripe, I had a personal REVELATION! GOD--and I mean God, brothers and sisters, not some unbiblical Trinity, but GOD, ONE GOD, ONE JESUS, right there in the KJV BIBLE, PRAISE HIM! HALLEJUAH!--I had a personal vision--I saw the Vatican on fire, and indeed it was because the WALLS OF BABYLON did FALL with a mighty crash from the sound of GOSPEL MUSIC! Praise God,Amen! Just like Jericho fell, so will fall BABYLON! That day will be terrifying-- electrifying--tantilizing--harmonizing--when the TRUE CHRISTIANS RISE UP AND SING THE BEAST TO SLEEP! Amen, praise God! HALLEJUAH!!!

Anonymous said...

Um....gee. I was going to say something, but,...um...Pastor Tyrone made me forget what it was. I mean, I kinda used to feel vibrant and Spirit-filled and all comfy inside what with those great tunes by Marty and David and stuff, but, um. Well... I'm feeling a little shy saying that now that Pastor Tyrone has made me see that not everone thinks that. Gospel music. Um, gee. I'll have to try that. Is it ok for white people from the suburbs? I'd hate to offend anyone... And, PLEASE: we are not beasts. Really we're not. We're nice people. We'd never judge anyone. Honest.

Ok... I'm done now. I think. Have a blessed day everyone.

Anonymous said...

ROFLOL

Father Tim said...

Hey T.S.S., don't worry about Pastor Tyrone - it's just a little skit put on by Todd Turk. Convincing, isn't he? And don't let a little humour take away the peaceful feeling of the Minnesota Minstrels (a nickname that I use with Marty & Dave when we're hanging out).

As for Gospel Music, you should really make sure that you come to our 9:15 pm Saturday Virgil Mass - we're going to have the Singing Spirit Choir there. It's OK to like gospel music if you're white, as long as you appreciate the music with a spirit of apologizing for the crimes of Eurocentrism.

paramedicgirl said...

Your interpretation of(B) pretty much sums it up, doesn't it? That's what the majority of people think VII was all about - making them their little gods and priests. Accurate post, but pretty sad, nonetheless.