posted
AoD reporting, and just like CaySedai mentioned, I was looking for a Catholic Bible or King James version in Spanish.
Posts: 3389 | Registered: Apr 2004
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The standard for Spanish Bibles is Reina Valeira. Still royal, but without the James. It's a much more recent translation, having been last revised in 1960, and so is much more understandable. It is, however, written in Academy Castilian and may be a bit difficult for those accustomed to American Spanish.
It is also a very beautiful translation that takes full advantage of Spanish's potential for poetry that rolls right off the tongue and lodges itself firmly in the ears and mind.
I highly recommend it to anyone trying to learn Spanish, even-especially, actually-if you are not Christian. The Spanish language is so intimately tied to Catholicism that it's subtleties (and even its profanity) will be almost entirely lost on someone who has had no exposure to Christianity through the Spanish language. It's like trying to learn Arabic without reading the Koran at any point.
I also recommend Don Quixote, not so much to help with one's Spanish (the language in it is quite archaic and would just confuse and misdirect a beginning student) but because if you can read Spanish at a reasonably advanced level and haven't read Don Quixote, you're missing out on the best-selling book in world history aside from the Bible. Cervantes was a Spanish Shakespeare, and the book is absolutely hilarious.
Posts: 1631 | Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
I second both those recommendations. And don't just read book one of Quijote... read 'em both!
Posts: 5663 | Registered: Jun 2000
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