Language Studies

Aramaic Thoughts

Aramaic in Mark - Part 1

We noted before in passing that Mark uses more Aramaic vocabulary than the other gospels. We will look later at the possible reason behind that, but for now, I will look at some of those passages just to see how Mark makes use of the Aramaic. For this week we look at Mark 5:41. "Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." (ESV)

If you look at a number of English versions, you may notice a minor variation in the citing of the Aramaic. The NLT, NRSV, and HCSB have talitha koum, whereas the KJV and the RSV have talitha kumi. In part, what we have here is simply a difference in conventions in spelling transliterated words. The difference between c and k in these examples in negligible because both letters are used to transliterate the Aramaic consonant qoph. Likewise the difference between the u and the ou is negligible, because they both transliterate the Aramaic vowel shureq, which has the long sound of oo in boot. What is of interest, however, is the appearance of the i on the end of kumi in some versions and the absence of it in others. The difference between the two forms indicates the difference between eastern Aramaic (kum) and Palestinian Aramaic (kumi). In the former, the older distinction between masculine and feminine imperative forms has been lost. In the latter, it is retained. Thus, in Hebrew and in Palestinian Aramaic, if a male is given a command, the masculine form of the imperative is used, whereas the feminine form is used is a female is given a command. The feminine form is indicated by the i vowel that appears at the end of the word. In eastern Aramaic, the masculine/feminine distinction in forms for the imperative had been lost.

Both forms are found in the Greek manuscripts, hence the appearance of both forms in different English versions. The majority of the texts read kumi, but what are usually deemed the better texts read kum. There is no difference in meaning, so the choice is left to the judgment of the translators. It is, however, interesting from the view of recognizing the differences that existed among the various dialects of Aramaic in the first century, and thus the significance for the history of the grammar.

There is one other thing to note about Mark’s translation of the phrase. The word talitha simply means girl, or young girl, while kum/kumi means arise. Thus the phrase, "I say to you," is added by Mark. The rationale for the addition is not clear, because the Greek without the phrase soil ego (I say to you) is to kopasiov egeire (little girl, arise). That is, the Greek is a literal and accurate translation of the Aramaic. It may be that Mark, in adding the apparently redundant phrase, was emphasizing the personal and intimate nature of the manner in which Jesus spoke to the girl. But that is all speculation.

Next week we will visit more of Mark’s uses of Aramaic.

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