Languages of religions

[SabahTheLoner]

Are there any languages with significant religious importance in your religion? Which one and why is it important? Have you tried to learn the religious language?

 

[David1967]

Just English for me please, unless your into this stuff ;

 

[Tumah]

Hebrew (various dialects) and Aramaic (various dialects). They're significantly important because our religious texts are written in those languages and our prayers are said in them. As well as some other esoteric reasons. In the diaspora, those that attend Orthodox private schools begin learning Hebrew in kindergarten and Aramaic in 5th grade.

There are also a number of languages that have Jewish dialects (such as Yiddish, Ladino, Judeo-Arabic), which may be due to a religious prohibition to speak non-Jewish languages. That would make them religious languages as well, although they don't have major importance.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Are there any languages with significant religious importance in your religion? Which one and why is it important? Have you tried to learn the religious language?

When I practiced Nichiren Buddhism, all the suttas we chanted from are in Japenese. Nichiren is a Japanese monk so his teachings by default had been written and chanted in his native language.

I had just been initiated formally in a Zen Veitnamese Temple. Unlike Japanese where I can at least pronounce words though I dont understand, Vietnamese I cant pronounce Any words. Its good all Dharma is translated in English and a few monks fluent in English for translation.

As for the importance, all I know right now is translation of the Dharma from Sanskrit to Vietnamese of course helped vietnamese practitioners practice the Dhamma. I dont know if the language (and Japenese) has a specific influence on the written Dharma itself.

 

[Mrpasserby]

In my experience: the bible, which is a compilation of 66 books is an esoteric scripture, meaning that you have to dig deep learn the esoteric Language to understand the real meanings and then practice the teachers of those meanings if you want to get to the truth of it. (just like ancient egyption which has a lower and a higher language with different meanings for both)

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

For Heathenry it's useful to know a variety of Germanic languages (as well as Old Norse,) but it's not a necessity.

 

[Shiranui117]

In Orthodoxy, Greek, Romanian, Church Slavonic, Coptic, Syriac, Arabic and Aramaic are the languages used traditionally in their associated churches for the Divine Liturgy. The Bible is written in Koine Greek, and almost all the Church Fathers wrote in Greek, so knowing Greek is very important if you want to get into the scholarly aspects. After Greek, I'd say that Church Slavonic is the next-most important language due to 1: how many Orthodox churches use it in their worship, and 2: how many Saints wrote and taught using it (or another closely-related Slavic language). Especially the mystics, like St. Seraphim of Sarov.

 

[arthra]

The Baha'i Writings were originally revealed in Arabic and Persian (Farsi) and written down in those languages.
Baha'i Reference Library
Later translations were authorized into English and from there translations were made into other languages.

Today the Baha'i Writings have been translated into 804 languages around the world. Baha'is use "Allah'u'abha" as a greeting or salutation and in our prayer services at Feasts and Holy Days it is not unusual to hear chanting in Arabic and other languages but there is no sacerdotal language as such elevated above the other languages.