Eugene A. Nida (1914-2011)

[bookslover]

The linguist and Bible translator, Eugene A. Nida, died in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday, August 25, 2011. He was 96.

He was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on November 11, 1914, and became a Christian at a young age. He majored in Greek and minored in Latin at UCLA, where he graduated with the BA degree in 1936. He majored in New Testament Greek at USC (MA, 1939) and earned the Ph.D in linguistics at the University of Michigan (1943).

He was associated with the American Bible Society for more than 50 years, eventually as leader of its translation program. He was generally considered to be the father of the "dynamic equivalence" theory and practice of Bible translation.

More info at United Bible Societies. RIP.

 

[Pergamum]

Customs and cultures: anthropology ... - Google Books

His book, Customs and Cultures is a classic text about anthropology for missionaries.

 

[elnwood]

He co-wrote a number of volumes in the UBS Handbook series, which are helps for Bible translators that provide exegetical, historical, cultural and linguistic information. They are well worth their weight in gold, and I would highly recommend them to non-Bible translators as well.
UBS Translations | UBS Handbook Series

 

[Edward]

More info at United Bible Societies.

Try this link, instead:

Eugene Nida dies | United Bible Societies

 

[Wayne]

I would have to double-check this, so take it with a block of salt for the moment,
but I seem to remember that Nida's early years were with the Reformed Presbyterian, General Synod (New Light) group.

 

[bookslover]

Bruce Metzger lived to be 93. Eugene Nida lived to be 96. Want to live a long life? Become a linguist/Bible translator/Greek scholar! (Or, be born in 1914, as both Metzger (February 9) and Nida (November 11) were...

 

[Pergamum]

The sedentary life-style of many hours scrunched over a desk must be the key!