Re: OT: Opinions wanted: person of vocatives

Joe wrote:
> Should worship be recitation of archaic language?  I mean, would you have
> supported mass to be retained in Latin, when the everyday person could not
> understand it?
I've been watching this discussion from the sidelines, and as a
Hellenic reconstructionist, I want to throw in my two obols.

For whose benefit is the recitation of prayers? If prayers are for
the gods, they should be done in a manner, and therefore a language,
that is pleasing to the gods.

More precisely, when you are speaking to your god, are you presuming
on a former relationship? Do you want to make to your god a show
of continuity: "See, we are the people that have worshipped you all
along. We're keeping the old covenant." If prayers are part of an
agreement with your god, do you want to change them in mid-stream?
Are you sure you're not changing your relationship thererby?

In our reconstruction work, we perform sung or chanted prayers and
formulas in Attic Greek (using a reconstructed pronunciation),
though we try to make sure all present uderstand the meaning. The
basic formula for Greek civic ritual involves reminding the gods
of your relationships with them, followed by prayers and promises
of offerings, followed by the offerings in earnest. Because we want
to stress an old relationship (one, sadly, without continuity) we
try to use ancients forms and words, ones they've been accustomed
to. We repeat the substance of our prayers and promises in Attic
and English, so we can understand them too, and be sure we're
speaking from the heart. (also because my Attic Greek isn't very
good yet)

Of course I think the doctrine, the Bible, needs to be available
to every worshipper; and I agree that prayers not understood can
easily turn into empty mouthings. But I thought it curious to see
all this argument about how the prayers were all about the worshipper's
needs, not the gods.

To try and ObConLang this, what do people think about creating
neologisms in dead languages? If we need to mention cars or computers
or airplanes, how would you suggest constructing vocabulary that
is sensible in Attic to describe these?

        Erich

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