What Is Formal Equivalence?

Formal equivalence is a translation concept that seeks maximal correspondence between the form of the source text and that of the target text, preserving word order, grammatical structure, and lexical mapping as closely as possible. In practice, it often results in interlinear, word-for-word renderings that prioritize linguistic transparency over stylistic naturalness. Within Evidence-Based Biblical Studies (EBBS), formal equivalence is valued for making underlying linguistic data visible and traceable. At the same time, EBBS recognizes its limitations: strict formal correspondence can obscure idiomatic meaning, inflate ambiguity, and shift interpretive burden onto the reader. For this reason, formal equivalence in EBBS functions as a controlled analytical strategy rather than a default or normatively superior mode of translation.

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