My [Thoughts] on [Brackets]

About six years ago I was deciding where to go to college and lovestruck as I was I was working on a scheme to be close to my long distance boyfriend. The stars seemed to align when I found out the school jon was going to, Multnomah Bible College, had a journalism program. God was giving me the nod of approval, I was sure. It turns out Multnomah has a horrible journalism program and I was much better off at Drake. Besides my Dad gave me a stern look and said, you are not going to school in oregon. That ended that. Instead I spent four years getting an actual education in magazine journalism, still apart from my love, but closer to completing my life plan.

Now I'm on part two of my plan, attend seminary to get bible training, and part one, get an excellent education in magazine journalism, keeps butting its nose in part B's business. It started when a couple of my professors insisted we use the New American Standard translation of the bible. One of my first assignments was to read Ephesians four times from the NASB. It was grueling. The translation attempts to stick close to the Greek structure, which is a poor decision if you try and read it because English is not Koine Greek. And the translators also decided to italicize any words they had to add to the text for understanding, because sometimes the Greek will leave out implied subjects, verbs, clauses. So now whenever I read from the NASB and run across one of those italicized words I always try and read the verse without it. I suppose this is an attempt to get at what the text is really saying. It's also a form of built in scepticism.

The Voice, the student newspaper at Multnomah and the byproduct of their program, also seems to adopt the NASB practice of adding words and clarification that its interviewees were too careless to include. Throughout the paper you'll find brackets around works indicting something the writer has added to a quote for clarification. They are everywhere, overwriting very important parts of the quotes. I'll give you an impromptu example: The president of the Bible club gave his opinion on the school. "I [love] the [school]," he said. "I've really been [blessed] by [my student newspaper] and challenged by them." Each time I see a set of brackets I try and figure out what was really said and how the publication can still feel a sense of credibility with such shoddy quotations.

Someday when I have my own publication I vow to not abuse the clarifying bracket. Instead I'll feel perfectly satisfied like a real journalist would by changing their quote without any indication to the reader. Today I'm taking a break from being a housewife. I've been in the house for the past three days, thanks to my days off, and I'm going a little crazy. So against my best judgment I ventured outside to the local coffeeshop for a little free wifi and social surroundings. I'm glad I did.