Christian figures of speech
Language of Canaan is a self-critical - ironic name for a Christian group language ( jargon ) that - is often used in the meetings free of religious and pietistic circles - mostly unconsciously.
The name goes back to Isaiah 19:18 ( "At the time five cities will speak the language of Canaan, the land of Egypt ...") and refers to a form of language that differs significantly from the everyday language and is characterized by the syntax and the vocabulary of traditional Bible translations, such through the language of Luther 's Bible (1912). For other groups, such as the Brethren, in this context, the language of the King James Bible was transformative.
Examples
" Canaanite " sayings
" Red Riding Hood " in the language of Canaan
From a transfer of the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood in the language of Canaan:
" Canaanite dialects "
Within the language of Canaan, certain dialects, depending on the free church or pietistic community develops, so that trained listeners the respective speaker of their municipal origin can assign after. " A trained ear " - Erich money Bach - " [ For example ] a German exclusive Darbysten easily recognized by its language."
- Example (1): at the Baptists to the chapel / go to church attend a worship service is called. Pietists visit the hour Brüdergemeindler the Assembly Mennonite preaching.
- Example (2): members of the Evangelical Free Church celebrate the Lord's Supper or the Lord's Supper, Darbysten gather to break bread and Evangelical Free Church Christians meet at the Lord's table. This refers to the celebration of the Eucharist each.
Conversely, one and the same term depending on the direction of the community have different meanings. So can " praise " according to the group imply a time of prayer, is praised in God, or a series of sung worship songs, or a mixture of both - within the group is the meaning clearly.
In some cases, terms with reference to the Bible can be a code word for the text in question, for example, refers to "sub conditione Jacobi " as an additive in future plans on James 4:15: "If the Lord will, we shall live, be this or do that. " This phenomenon is similar to the well known general become " Matthai on the last " (meaning: Matthew, last Chapter ), which is meant as a euphemism for Mt 28:16-20 LUT.
The Charismatic movement has now developed its own language of Canaan. For Outsider difficult to understand terms and phrases such as anointed, received the blessing of the Father, resting in the Spirit, proclaiming spiritual warfare and Jesus are typical of neo- Pentecostal groups.
The modern milieu churches, such as the Jesus Freaks, have also developed their own linguistic genre. This dialect, however, is not influenced by the traditional translations of the Bible, but from the current youth language, and therefore provides no language of Canaan, in the strict sense longer represent here the development described in the introduction has even reversed; the Volxbibel is by documentary evidence.
Sociological aspects
In many cases, the language of Canaan, from an originally Christian jargon with specific names for theological or communal relationships, a wider used group language ( jargon ) has developed, which, as with other groups also, sociology of identity as used inside to the outside.
Possible reasons for this phenomenon can be argued that the speaker either the old, familiar from biblical texts and church tradition languages need in the form of a ritual to obtain a own sense of security, or that they tend to be a divergence of the various areas of life everyday and community. However, the use of the language of Canaan, can also be symptomatic of a more formal, impersonal image of God or a public, bound to the fulfillment of external requirements faith.