Unlocking the Idioms: An LDS Perspective on Understanding Scriptural Idioms

Book excerpt: Idioms and idiomatic language are as real to the messages of holy scripture as are prophecies and parables. Idioms are words and phrases that express more than the actual words themselves. They paint mental or emotional images that bring events or feelings to the present quickly and with intensity. Like a cultural shorthand, they can describe things without using lengthy explanations. On the other hand, idioms can be meaningless and misleading if the reader has no experience with the culture and language from which the idioms originated. Mistranslation and cultural differences both contribute to the misinterpretation of many scriptural idioms. Phrases such as gird up your loins and salt of the earth will lose their intended effect if they are taken only literally. In these pages, George M. Peacock explains exactly what idioms are, how to identify them, and how learning their meaning can add to your understanding of the scriptures and their messages. Unlocking the Idioms will help bring you insight and knowledge as you feast upon the words of the Lord.