"Adieu" in the Book of Mormon

[imarealboy]

I'm new here, so this has probably been WAY hashed over, but I've been studying Latin, some Greek, and a little linguistics this semester in school, and came across something interesting.

Many Anti's will have us believe that the addition of the word "adieu" in the Book of Mormon proves its falsity because French didn't exist in the time of Jacob (I think the verse is Jacob 5:14). Besides the fact that they ignore that there are also probably around a million words written in English, another language that didn't exist in BoM times, its interesting to note the meaning of "adieu".

First of all, French is a cognate Language of Latin, which is a cognate language through many others all the way back to Indo-European (which is considered the first great language spoke by everybody).

In Latin, we learn that the "di" in Adieu means "God". And, if we get a literal translation, it would mean "To God".

So, to me, the argument that Joseph Smith was so uneducated that he didn't even know that he was using a French word when French didn't exist seems a moot point. If he was so uneducated, how would he know that the word he was using meant "To God". Which to me seems a perfect translation in that verse of scripture. There isn't a single worded phrase in English used as a goodbye that infers "Go with God" to my knowledge.

[charity]

We have had this discussion before. And your arguments are sound. But be prepared, you will still find some who believe "Adieu" is a slap against the Book of Mormon. Just shows the quality of the intellect of some of the opposition.

[Connolly]

The Bible is false because it uses the word banquet, a french word. It uses it multiple times in fact.

[dacook]

Besides the fact that they ignore that there are also probably around a million words written in English,...

Actually about 275,000.

Still an incredible output considering the short time in which it was produced.

[Bernard Gui]

I'm new here, so this has probably been WAY hashed over, but I've been studying Latin, some Greek, and a little linguistics this semester in school, and came across something interesting.

Many Anti's will have us believe that the addition of the word "adieu" in the Book of Mormon proves its falsity because French didn't exist in the time of Jacob (I think the verse is Jacob 5:14). Besides the fact that they ignore that there are also probably around a million words written in English, another language that didn't exist in BoM times, its interesting to note the meaning of "adieu".

First of all, French is a cognate Language of Latin, which is a cognate language through many others all the way back to Indo-European (which is considered the first great language spoke by everybody).

In Latin, we learn that the "di" in Adieu means "God". And, if we get a literal translation, it would mean "To God".

So, to me, the argument that Joseph Smith was so uneducated that he didn't even know that he was using a French word when French didn't exist seems a moot point. If he was so uneducated, how would he know that the word he was using meant "To God". Which to me seems a perfect translation in that verse of scripture. There isn't a single worded phrase in English used as a goodbye that infers "Go with God" to my knowledge.

Adieu was commonly used in American and English

speech and writing at the time of the translation of

the Book of Mormon. To argue that it proves the BoM

false is ridiculous.

Bernard

[LadySundancer]

I'm new here, so this has probably been WAY hashed over, but I've been studying Latin, some Greek, and a little linguistics this semester in school, and came across something interesting.

Many Anti's will have us believe that the addition of the word "adieu" in the Book of Mormon proves its falsity because French didn't exist in the time of Jacob (I think the verse is Jacob 5:14).  Besides the fact that they ignore that there are also probably around a million words written in English, another language that didn't exist in BoM times, its interesting to note the meaning of "adieu".

First of all, French is a cognate Language of Latin, which is a cognate language through many others all the way back to Indo-European (which is considered the first great language spoke by everybody). 

In Latin, we learn that the "di" in Adieu means "God".  And, if we get a literal translation, it would mean "To God". 

So, to me, the argument that Joseph Smith was so uneducated that he didn't even know that he was using a French word when French didn't exist seems a moot point.  If he was so uneducated, how would he know that the word he was using meant "To God".  Which to me seems a perfect translation in that verse of scripture.  There isn't a single worded phrase in English used as a goodbye that infers "Go with God" to my knowledge.

Adieu was commonly used in American and English

speech and writing at the time of the translation of

the Book of Mormon. To argue that it proves the BoM

false is ridiculous.

Bernard

Hello Bernard,

I don't think that "Adieu" is used to prove the Book of Mormon false. I see it as but one piece of a body of evidence that indicates the Book of Mormon is not what it was presented to be.

Lady Sundancer

[charity]

imarealboy, see what I mean? If a person wants to grasp on to a wrong idea, they can't be shaken loose, no matter how much you show them.

[Bernard Gui]

Adieu was commonly used in American and English

speech and writing at the time of the translation of

the Book of Mormon. To argue that it proves the BoM

false is ridiculous.

Bernard

Hello Bernard,

I don't think that "Adieu" is used to prove the Book of Mormon false. I see it as but one piece of a body of evidence that indicates the Book of Mormon is not what it was presented to be.

Lady Sundancer

[Lachoneus]

There isn't a single worded phrase in English used as a goodbye that infers "Go with God" to my knowledge.

Actually, the word "goodbye" itself derives from the expression "God be with you" and, therefore, clearly infers "Go with God."

No doubt more than one reader has wondered exactly how goodbye is derived from the phrase

[Observer]

If a person wants to grasp on to a wrong idea, they can't be shaken loose, no matter how much you show them.

Charity, this former latter-day saint agrees with you.

[notoriuswun]

As an exmo even I can defraud this one:

Joseph Smith translated the BofM, as such he may have used his own language used commonly during that time frame. For example, maybe the original passage said "Go with God" in the language of the BofM. JS translated it as adieu.

I can come up with much better reasons why the BofM is false......

[Jon Haugo]

I am not a Mormon and have read about this argument. Adieu is one of the, if not the, weakest arguments against Mormonism. Way too much has been made of Adieu.

Jon

[charity]

Observer,

[LadySundancer]

imarealboy, see what I mean? If a person wants to grasp on to a wrong idea, they can't be shaken loose, no matter how much you show them.

Charity,

Was that a response to my comment? How was that a response? Are you willing to deal with the body of evidence or are you content to make off hand remarks that make mention of them?

Lady Sundancer

[charity]

Sundancer, yes that was responding to your post. The 'adieu' issue has been so firmly dealt with that it is a non-issue. But you still maintain it has some status when you called it "one piece." That to me shows that no matter what the evidence which can be brought to bear, once a person grasps some little thing they think is against the Book of Mormon they don't want to let go of it.

[Chone Liu]

My question is, since adeiu is french and therefore proves the Book of Mormon false, can we therefore conclude that the bible is false because it was translated into French?

But here is one for you. My father tells me the book must be false because it does not mention many of the great cultural accomplishments of history. If God gave us knowledge wouldn't he mention something about it in his book? I can't really comment on that argument because I have not read the Book of Mormon yet but if you want something to be bad you can make up any reason you want. God must not be divine because he is always depicted with a beard and beards are unsanitary. Jesus never used homeopathic medicine, Moses never flossed his teeth, the apostle Paul never recycled his parchment.

Chone

[lds]

okey this is how it is if joseph simth write the bofm why in ell(H) would he put the word ''ADIEU'' in it. him knowing that it would be in time to cum a pin point to go against the book of mormon..............but see thats the thing he didnt no which means it cum strait from the goldn plas......any way the way i look at it is the resen people are going against the bofm is because it's true and thats at....

[Bsix]

The critics of "adieu" in the Book of Mormon have always been oddly silent about the use of the same word in the Bible.

Hmmm....

Regards,

Six

[imarealboy]

I'm interested to hear your other evidences to falsify the Book of Mormon Lady Sundancer.

I don't think there has ever been any significant evidence released to invalidate the Book of Mormon.

[LadySundancer]

I'm interested to hear your other evidences to falsify the Book of Mormon Lady Sundancer.

I don't think there has ever been any significant evidence released to invalidate the Book of Mormon.

imarealboy,

First...I totally love your screen name! Second, regarding evidences. There are threads in progress on this very board regarding the Spaulding/Rigdon theory. Are you reading them? The information contained in those threads are one example of evidences, imarealboy.

Lady Sundancer

[LadySundancer]

Sundancer, yes that was responding to your post. The 'adieu' issue has been so firmly dealt with that it is a non-issue. But you still maintain it has some status when you called it "one piece." That to me shows that no matter what the evidence which can be brought to bear, once a person grasps some little thing they think is against the Book of Mormon they don't want to let go of it.

Some little thing? Honey, you're grasping one little word and making a case out of it!

Lady Sundancer

[LadySundancer]

My question is, since adeiu is french and therefore proves the Book of Mormon false, can we therefore conclude that the bible is false because it was translated into French?

Chone

Huh? What you're asking isn't a comparable analogy. Good grief.

Lady Sundancer

[LadySundancer]

The critics of "adieu" in the Book of Mormon have always been oddly silent about the use of the same word in the Bible.

Hmmm....

Regards,

Six

Six,

I can't even believe you used that as a defense in this argument! What were you thinking? One of the challenges that critics of the Book of Mormon make is that it is a mixture of various things that includes copy from the KJV Bible! Do you see where your defense goes wrong?

Lady Sundancer

[charity]

Sundancer, what you have been seeing on the Rigdon-Spalding thread is not evidence. It is hints. Supposition. Suspicion. But it has not risen anywhere near the level that the most ardent anti-Mormon would dare call evidence. See Uncle Dale, who is keeping the thread going. He is asking for people to study these hints, suspicions, etc. to see if they can't come up with something that approaches evidence.

P.S. Bsix isn't saying "adieu" is in the Bible. He is saying that, for instance, the word "banquet" also French is in the KJV is the same type of thng.

[juliann]

I don't think that "Adieu" is used to prove the Book of Mormon false. I see it as but one piece of a body of evidence that indicates the Book of Mormon is not what it was presented to be.