kata ta biblia

a blog exploring Christian origins, biblical studies, social/cultural history, method, education and the journey through academia

My Blog's Name is Wrong

I am a dolt. It has taken me a good seven months of blogging here to notice that my blog’s title (“kata ton biblon”) is grammatically incorrect. My intention was for its translation to be “according to the book,” as in “those who live their lives according to the book.” It could also be a reference to the process of discovering what “the book” says (i.e., critical interpretation). Taking the accusative, κατὰ does mean “according to.” That’s not what I messed up. The problem is that there are two similar words for “book”: βίβλος and βιβλίον. The former is feminine and the latter is neuter. I used the former (feminine) term (which apparently connotes, or at some point connoted, a “sacred book” while the other is more of a technical term for a scroll), but I used the masculine article! That’s right, I didn’t even use the neuter. So my blog should be titled either κατὰ τὴν βίβλον (“kata tēn biblon”) or κατὰ τὸ βιβλίον (“kata to biblion”), but “kata ton biblon” is just wrong. I even searched TLG in some vain hope that somewhere out there there would be some variation that isn’t in the grammar books. Alas, it was for naught.

What should I do? The blog has some name recognition amidst a small group of people. A few people actually find my blog by searching for “kata ton biblon” or “kata ton.” I am linked on a few other blogs as “kata ton biblon.” I have some fondness for it myself, after using it for this long. It rhymes! Plus, if I changed it to “kata tēn biblon,” I’d have to deal with that funky accent over the “e” and nobody will want to type that out if they’re referencing or linking to my blog. So this is not just a rhetorical question. These would be my reasons for wanting to keep the name, reasons to change would simply be that the name is wrong (and I don’t want people [who know the difference] to think I’m an idiot! Though, that may be a lost cause). For those who regularly comment on my blog, and those who frequent my blog without commenting (I know you’re out there… I can see your stats!), please kindly offer your opinion. Should I:

  1. Keep the name the way it is. I could be clever and chalk it out to some textual corruption; it would be a living lesson in text critical issues.
  2. Change the name to “kata tēn biblon” for accuracy’s sake.
  3. Change the name to “kata to biblion” for a slight change in meaning.
  4. Go with some other name entirely. Suggestions would have to be very good for this one.

N.B. A search of “kata tēn biblon” (the exact same wording) in the TLG brought up two sources: (1) Galenus, De musculorum dissectione ad tirones. {0057.102} Volume 18b page 926 line 8; and (2) Appianus Hist., Bellum civile. {0551.017} Book 1 chapter 7 section 55 line 10.

Post to Facebook Post to Twitter Post to Delicious Post to Digg Post to Google Buzz Post to LinkedIn Post to StumbleUpon

10 Comments by Patrick George McCullough  /  February 13, 2007  /  Posted in: blogging, greek
« Previous post
Next post »
  • Chris

    How about change the English letters to Greek and pretend it never happened? κατα την βιβλον?

  • Matt

    Nah, keep it. It is interesting and self-effacing, which is the best kind of humor!

  • Matt

    i think i’d change it.

  • Shawn

    Well, the good thing is that your URL is something all together different. So, whatever your choice, it won’t affect your blog. I think I’d change it, since it will not affect anything major. I’m one of those linking to you by “kata ton biblon,” but I’ll update the link if you do decide to change it.

  • Carl W. Conrad

    If the book you mean to reference is the Bible, then you really ought to use the plural and make it κατὰ τὰ βιβλία. The singular βιβλίον tends more to be used of a division of a work that fits on one scroll. Unless, of course, you mean, like Callimachus about a work imitating Homer, μέγα βιβλίον μέγα κακόν — but Callimachus may have been thinking in terms of a “monstrosity of a scroll.”

  • Stephen C. Carlson

    I wwas thinking of “kata ta biblia” but Carl already beat me to it!

  • Patrick George McCullough

    Wow! So many responses, so quickly. Thanks everybody! It seems the overwhelming feeling is that it would be good to change it… even though I like your self-effacing style, Matt. I’m assuming the other Matt is someone else? Thanks for leaving your opinion. Chris, I may use your suggestion to use the Greek letters… it doesn’t seem like many people do that on biblioblogs.

    You’re right, Shawn. That was one of the things that allowed me to relax a little bit when I realized my error. I’m glad that I used my name for the URL.

    Carl and Stephen, thank you for suggestion! I am humbled by your knowledge of the Greek language which is light years beyond mine. I do like the fact that it would rhyme :) I think you have sufficiently motivated me to do a little bit of research on the uses of βίβλος and βιβλίον. You don’t think βίβλος would be the appropriate term?

    Keep the suggestions coming if you have them. This is so very helpful. I will write another blog post about whichever way I decide to go. Thanks again!

  • slaveofone

    Actually, the name has been bugging me this whole time…but didn’t want to say anything since the Greek I delved into six years ago was Attic, not Koine…and in that time I’ve lost most of my familiarity with it. But to think that at one time I was able to open up Homer and read passages out of it in the Greek… Sigh… In any event, I’d put my vote behind the name change :)

  • Patrick George McCullough

    Thanks for the vote, Dave. With your Attic background, would you go with “kata ta biblia” or “kata tēn biblon” when referring to a sacred book?

    I still have to do some more research on it before I make a decision.

    N.B. I found one instance in the TLG with the exact wording of κατὰ τὰ βιβλία: Galenus Med., De crisibus libri iii. {0057.064} Kühn volume 9 page 647 line 9.

  • slaveofone

    I vote biblion